"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 5 January 2017 "" with Scripture Matthew 3:13-17

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 5 January 2017 "" with Scripture Matthew 3:13-17 
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Matthew 3:13 Then Yeshua came from the Galil to the Yarden to be immersed by Yochanan. 14 But Yochanan tried to stop him. “You are coming to me? I ought to be immersed by you!” 15 However, Yeshua answered him, “Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires.” Then Yochanan let him. 16 As soon as Yeshua had been immersed, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, he saw the Spirit of God coming down upon him like a dove, 17 and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him.” [Complete Jewish Bible
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Jesus was baptized "to fulfill all righteousness." Righteousness means doing and being right in God's sight. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves, because by nature we were born sinful and unclean. But Jesus justifies us through his sacrificial suffering, death and resurrection. "Justify," someone aptly explained, makes me "just-as-if-I'd-never-sinned."
The writer of Ephesians (2:14) urges us to be "strong in the Lord." That strength is possible, ours for the asking, if we start by "putting on the breastplate of righteousness." We are then covered with the righteousness Christ has won for us. We can put on this breastplate of righteousness because, as Isaiah 53:5 says, "He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and by his stripes we are healed." 
We pray the words of the hymn Ah, Holy Jesus (EWL 349): "Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, I do adore thee and will ever pray thee; Think on thy pity, and thy love unswerving, not my deserving." Amen.
Corinne Chilstrom, ‘84
Retired; Green Valley, Ariz.
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." [New Revised Standard Version]
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