Lutheran Seminary – Moved by the Promise – God Pause – Friday, 10 January 2014 – Matthew 3

Lutheran Seminary – Moved by the Promise – God Pause – Friday, 10 January 2014 – Matthew 3: The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved,[a] with whom I am well pleased.”

Footnotes:

a. Matthew 3:17 Or my beloved Son

On the Sunday that we celebrate The Baptism of Our Lord our congregation begins worship with the Thanksgiving for Baptism from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). The font is full, and as we give thanks, I scoop up one handful of water after another, letting it fall back into the font. The sound of splashing becomes part of the prayer we offer in one voice.

What exactly are we giving thanks for on this day? Yes, we are thankful that we have been "joined to Christ...clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness" in each of our baptisms. But we also give thanks that we are part of a greater story, the story of salvation that God is still writing! We pray with thanks that the One who has claimed us is the One who was "in the beginning...delivered Noah and his family...led Israel from slavery to freedom." We thank God for our brother, Jesus, who was also baptized. And we look to the future, grateful to God that our children and our children's children will be part of this ongoing narrative, as well. The prayer describes an incredible arc of divine love that stretches to include more of God's creation every day. It is a breathtaking, beautiful moment of grace.

Praise to you, Creator of All, for the gift of baptism. Renew us by your Spirit, that we may sing your praise in our lives. Amen.

Rachel Thorson Mithelman

Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa

Master of Divinity , 1983

Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.

14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

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