Baptism of our Lord Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,  and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

Pray:  All glory, Jesus, be to Thee  For this Thy glad epiphany;  Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Ghost forevermore.  Amen.

Recently, I heard a story of how a worker at one of Henry Ford’s plants in Detroit had, over a considerable amount of time, stolen many tools and parts, taking them home with him. Apparently the man had a change of heart when someone shared the Good News of Jesus with him, told Him about the repentance of sins, and shared with him the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

The man confessed his sins and was baptized.  With a change of heart he loaded-up the stuff he had taken and hauled a tuck load to the plant he worked, confessed all to his foreman, and asked for forgiveness.

The plant manager was so impressed that he contacted Henry Ford who was traveling in Europe at the time, and told him exactly what had just taken place.  Ford was so astounded that he telegraphed back, “If that’s true, then let’s dam up the Detroit River and baptize all my workers!”

Ford realized that Baptism had changed the man.  And if so, it was a power he could use to make his employees more honest and productive –and him richer.

But what is Baptism?  Is it an initiation right?  Is it a nice custom?  Is it a force for social change?  From our Catechisms we are reminded of what Baptism is: That it is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.  And we know where that word and command to Baptize is found.  Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

Another place we find Baptism is in Mark’s Gospel.  There Christ our Lord says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16).

From these words we conclude, Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

But over the centuries, especially since the Reformation, many Christians have been unable to agree about Baptism.  We Lutherans hold baptism highly, as we see in our baptizing infants.  We choose sponsors, confess the creed, burn the Paschal candle and celebrate with pictures and sometimes even a party or gathering afterwards.

Is it the baby?  The parents?  The Pastor?  Yes, and no. We have all of these. But we need more.  Certainly it is the Word of God. That is necessary, absolutely.  And Water.  But what can water do?

Again our Catechism enlightens us:
Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water.  For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism.  But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Titus 3:5-8)

Was Henry Ford right in wanting to baptize all His employees?  Is Baptism a cure from our social ills and problems?  Well, he wasn’t too far off.  Something does happen in Baptism as we have seen. It forgives our sins. It saves us from the death and the devil.  The Catechism also says,  It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Certainly Baptism is not an invisibility cloak that hides us from the devil’s wiles.  But we do grow in the grace of God daily, and the Lord is with us and helps us.  Our Baptism encourages us and strengthens us in the knowledge that by Baptism we are children of God.  Plus, we have that wonderful knowledge that our sins are forgiven, so we need not fear God, but know that we, too, are beloved sons and daughters of God, in whom –through Jesus Christ–God is also well pleased.

Anyone who is going to save a drowning person better know what he is doing. Going out to drowning victim without training means certain death for both of you, because the person drowning will pull you under.

Just as a lifeguard has to remove his clothing and know what he is doing before diving in –our Savior Jesus laid aside, for a time, His divine powers, not fully using them, and humbled himself by stepping into the stream of humanity and plunging into our sin to be reckoned with sinners. He is baptized for us. Not for His sins, but for the sin of the whole world.  When He approaches John, the Baptizer announces, “Behold the Lamb, Who takes away the sin of the world!”

St. Paul writes in our Epistle Lesson today –Romans, chapter six: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).

This past week I’ve been asked a lot, “Whatever happened to Epiphany, Pastor,” and “are we having an Epiphany service?”  Epiphany has been on a lot of people’s minds.  I think some of this has been for practical reasons. They want to know when Christmas officially ends so they can take down their decorations, tree and outside lights.

But I’ve been asked why we won’t celebrate the Epiphany this year.  And I think they’re asking because they mean the traditional beginning of Epiphany with the reading from Matthew’s Gospel of the Magi coming to visit from the east.  And the answer to that is that unless we have a service January 6, we usually don’t move the Epiphany.

However, Epiphany is more than the visit of the Magi or the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Epiphany means to make manifest. Epiphany is when God and man is made manifest in Jesus.  It is when after hearing the angels proclaim to the shepherds that the Bethlehem baby wrapped in swaddling is “Christ the Lord,” we are now shown Him to be just that.  He is more than man.  He is not as sinners.  He is man.  He is God.

Today we hear that as the man Jesus steps into the water and is baptized by John the voice of the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son.” In the Sundays to come we will have this manifested to us, as we hear how Jesus did His first miracle at Cana. How He preached with beautiful words.  And how He did wondrous signs showing He was God.  And we will hear that His disciples believed on Him. 

And we do to.

That is Epiphany, which has now begun and will end with the glorious light of the Transfiguration.  There on the Mount we will also, like John and the disciples, behold His glory> Glory  as of the only begotten Son, full of grace and truth.  And from there we will descend to Lent.

But for now Epiphany is our season and we bask in its warmth and light, (even if it is 6 degrees out this morning!)  The light that shines from the manager and will continue to shine from Mount to Empty Tomb to Ascension’s mount.  The same light we will one day see when we have the full epiphany of heaven.  That God may grant this to each of us is our Epiphany prayer. Amen.

We confess these things in the Words of the Creed spoken at our Baptism: The Apostle’s creed is on page 159.