Together read: #602 The Gifts Christ Freely Gives (LSB) verse 2 The gifts flow from the font Where He calls us His own; New life He gives that makes Us His and His alone. Here He forgives our sins With water and His Word; The Triune God Himself Gives pow’r to call Him Lord.
Into the Bible Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22
Read Matthew 3:13-17 In our baptism, we become children of God because we are baptized in His name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus was the Son of God. Why did Jesus submit to being baptized? (verse 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”
1) Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. 2) Through his baptism he dedicated himself to the service of God. 3 Jesus identified with us and our sin and failures. 4) Jesus set an example for his followers and for us.
When Jesus was a baby Mary and Joseph took him to the temple in Jerusalem to be “given to the Lord” to obey the Law of Moses. With his baptism Jesus fully lives God’s law perfectly. Again, we are reminded that it would be through Jesus’ perfect life and perfect sacrifice that we, becoming children of God through our baptism, can be made pure in the eyes of God, the judge of our eternal life.
Read Galatians 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.
Read John 1:13 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (We received Jesus through the waters of our Baptism. We are children of God.)
Read the Matthew, Mark and Luke passages. What do the three passages have in common? 1. Heaven opened 2. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. 3. The Father’s voice was heard saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
This is one place in the Holy Scriptures that gives witness to our Triune God. Jesus, the Son, is baptized. The Holy Spirit descends like a dove. The voice of the Heavenly Father is heard.
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus invites his followers to baptize in the name of the Triune God. “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.”
Why do you think the Father is “well pleased” with Jesus? Jesus came to earth as a man on a mission – to save all people. Jesus was a man, born of an earthly mother. Yet, in all his life up to his baptism, Jesus had kept the Law of God perfectly. Jesus did not need to be baptized. He was baptized to set himself aside to serve God, to set an example for us to follow to receive God’s great grace, and to identify with us with our sins and failures.
FYI Baptism is a Greek word for “bathing/washing” In Baptism we believe we are “washed” from the “dirt and filth” of our sins.
Expected Grace We come to our Triune God through his personal invitation. Read Luke 18:16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Jesus calls us to come to the waters of Baptism.
Ephesians 1:5-6 In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Jesus invites us because of His love. And in his love, he GIVES us GRACE. We DO NOTHING! God places His Grace in us. We ARE children of God and as such, receive everything a child would receive from his or her father. He provides all the material needs for our bodies. He provides emotional and spiritual support through the people He places in our lives.
As a child of God, we can expect His Grace. G God’s R Riches A At C Christ’s E Expense
Verse 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
Prayer Jesus, you lived a perfect life and gave it to me through my baptism. I can be bold to ask the Heavenly Father for all I need to share your love with all people you place in my life. Help me to be your child in all I say and do so that I may reflect your glory in my life. Amen
