BAPTIZED TO SERVE
a sermon based on Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 3:13-17
by Rev. Rick Thompson

When we last heard about Jesus, not many days ago, we heard about him as a baby in a manger, a child visited and worshiped by wise ones from the East who followed a star.

Now, today, we encounter him 30 years later as a man.. He's at the Jordan River, and he's come there to be baptized by John.
Now John, as we may recall, has been furiously proclaiming a message of judgment; we heard that, too, not long ago, in Advent. John has been calling people to repentance and fruitful living, and has been baptizing people as a sign of that repentance.
This is the one to whom Jesus comes for baptism.

And that creates a problem. That creates a problem for John, and a problem for the Church.
Jesus, after all, was sinless. He never hurt anyone else, and never failed to obey the will of his heavenly Father. So why would Jesus come for a baptism that John proclaims is for repentance of sin?

Now, John knows something. He knows that God has sent him for an important task, but he also knows that Jesus is far greater than he in the plan and purpose of God. In fact, this is John's task: to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. So, when Jesus comes to him for baptism, John asks the question that we might also ask: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

And Jesus speaks in reply. Now, let's note something here: we're in the third chapter of Matthew, and this is the first time we hear Jesus speak. Do you suppose that means this might be an important statement? Yes, the first time Jesus speaks, it is to answer John's question--our question, too--and here is his reply: "I need to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness."

These are important words. These words introduce the ministry of Jesus. These words tell us why he is being baptized. These words tell us the purpose of Jesus' life, ministry, death, resurrection, and return to the Father in his ascension.
Jesus has come to set the world right. Jesus has come to put an end to suffering and pain, to sorrow and death. Jesus has come, as Matthew has told us earlier, "to save people from sin". Jesus has come to be perfectly obedient to the heavenly Father and, in his obedience, to make all things new. Jesus has come to fulfill all righteousness.

Caring for me, concerned about me, wanting me to know God's love and mercy and power and peace, Jesus is baptized. Entering into my human experience, even so deeply as to die, Jesus is baptized. Jesus is baptized for repentance of sin--not his sin, but mine! Jesus is baptized to set me, to set you free from sin's deadly grasp on us. Jesus comes to fulfill all righteousness.
To make that perfectly clear, as Jesus emerges from the baptismal water there is a heavenly voice. It is the voice of God. It is a voice that explains the coming of Jesus as the fulfillment of two Old Testament scriptures--one of them from the 2nd Psalm, one from Isaiah, our first reading for today: "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Here, the identity and purpose of Jesus is affirmed.


Jesus is an obedient Son to his Father. As the obedient Son, he perfectly lives out two key Old Testament roles. Jesus is King, the one who rules with the power of God to defeat all that threatens God's people and provide the people with peace and security. But Jesus is a King whose throne is a cross, who rules as the Suffering Servant of God, who sets aside his power, sets aside his own security, in order to bring justice and righteousness to all the earth.
This is the One who comes to John, and whose baptism we hear reported today.
This is the One whose obedience would lead him to death--and then, by the power of God, to new and eternal life. This is the One whose coming death will issue in life--not only for Jesus, but for you, and me, and all creation!
Jesus comes to earth, comes to be baptized, so that he can "fulfill all righteousness"--to bring God's forgiveness and peace and life to all the world and all who dwell in it, even to me!

And this is the One into whom I am baptized.

Today, as we recall the story of Jesus' baptism, we are also invited to think of our own baptisms. So, we tell about the baptismal faith chest which we give to the newly-baptized. And we bless baptismal water. We turn to God in confession, and hear a word of forgiveness. We profess our baptismal faith. We receive the meal God has prepared for the baptized. Today, we remember our baptisms.
We remember that, in our baptisms, we are joined to Jesus. Though Jesus was unique, one of a kind, God in the flesh, Messiah and Servant and King, we draw our identity and purpose from him. In our baptisms, we are joined to the One who is Son of God and Servant of all, anointed to bring righteousness and justice to the earth.

Though Jesus was unique and his baptism unique, still his baptism helps us to understand ours. Baptism has to do with identity. Baptism has to do with purpose and mission. Baptism--your baptism and mine--is God's way of claiming us and naming us as God's beloved children. Here, in baptism, God uses water to destroy the sin in us like a tsunami destroys life and property. Here, in baptism, God uses water to cleanse us and make us whole and new and free from death and sin. Here, in our baptisms, God calls us precious children and declares that we have a purpose in God's saving plan for the world. Yes, like Jesus to whom we are joined, we are baptized to fulfill all righteousness. We are baptized to serve. We are baptized into a life that calls for obedience to God. Baptism, then, is not just a nice sentimental ceremony, but a radical new claim on our lives!

A young pastor had recently been ordained and was beginning her first call to a congregation. She was thrilled to be doing what she felt God had called her to do. As she moved into her new office, she hung her framed ordination certificate on her wall. Beaming, she summoned her secretary to show it to her. "That's wonderful!" the secretary exclaimed. "Can I show you my ordination certificate, too?" And she led the new pastor to her office where she had proudly displayed on her wall her ordination certificate. "Certificate of Baptism" it said, in bold letters.

Yes, in our baptisms, we are all ordained, joined to Jesus and set apart to serve and obey God.

One very busy young wife and mother understands that to mean she is called to nurture the faith of her children. Her husband's work is very demanding, so they have decided that mom will spend most of her time at home with the kids. She's unable to participate in church and community activities, so she serves right where she is. She teaches her children Bible stories and songs of faith, and brings them to worship, and reminds them of their own baptisms. "I know it's not much," she apologizes to her pastor, "but right now I think that's what God wants me to do."

In a world where far too many children do not know the love of a heavenly Father or an earthly parent, this mother's efforts to provide both is far from "not much." Indeed, it is a powerful and life-giving ministry!

A young man, a bureaucrat in state government, comes to worship to be reminded that Christians are trustworthy and truthful. Every day at work, he is surrounded by lies, and it's hard to resist getting sucked into that system. So, on Sunday, his courage to be honest--to seek justice and fairness in his workplace--is supported and renewed.

An older woman is a dedicated quilter, and leads an international quilting bee in a college community. During World War II, she had served her country and had learned that Japanese people were her enemy. In her quilting, though, she has come to know Japanese Christian women, and, through them, the horrible suffering of the Japanese people in the war. Eventually, to express their deepening concern for international justice and peace, members of that quilting bee and many others brought quilt panels to Washington as a sign of their commitment to justice and peace in relationships with other nations.
These people understand their baptisms. They know they have been joined to Jesus, the perfectly obedient one, whose baptism, life, death, and resurrection fulfilled all righteousness and brought us forgiveness and salvation. They know they have been baptized for a purpose. They know they have been baptized to serve.

Yes, Jesus was baptized to serve. The young mother, the government employee, and the old quilter have been baptized to serve.
And so have I. And so have you. We are baptized to serve!
AMEN.