• Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission and Core Values
    • Our Beliefs
    • Congregational Documents
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Church Year Explanations
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar
  • 90 Day Objective suggestions
Epiphany Lutheran Church | Dorr, Michigan
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission and Core Values
    • Our Beliefs
    • Congregational Documents
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Church Year Explanations
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar
  • 90 Day Objective suggestions

The Baptism of Our Lord (Observed) 2018

1/7/2018

0 Comments

 
A great mystery is declared today, for the Creator of all in the Jordan washes away your wickedness.  And by His washing, He takes on the filth of your sin, the filth of the sin of the world.  In exchange for your sin, He gives you His righteousness.  By water, by that blessed flood and lavish washing away of sin, a great exchange takes place.  The Sinless becomes the sinner, and you, the sinner, become the righteous one.
But before water was used in God’s plan of salvation, it was first used in Divine justice for the chastisement of a sinful world.  According to His strict judgment God condemned the unbelieving world through the Flood.  But even in His righteous anger, God showed that faith saves, as believing Noah and his family were preserved in the ark.  As they waited for the waters to subside, the dove brought back an olive branch, the symbol that peace was given to the earth by its having been buried in water.
 
Once again God showed the saving power of water as Israel crossed the Red Sea.  Though they were freed from Egypt’s bonds, their masters followed swiftly, seeking to enslave them again.  Without water and the power of God, Israel would have been returned to Egyptian slavery.  But God allowed them to cross through the water on dry ground and then witness their masters be put to death in the same water once separated.  Here God showed that water puts to death that which would enslave, bringing His people to the safety of the Promised Land.
 
Though through these events God foreshadowed the washing of Holy Baptism, the water still needed to be set apart, to be sanctified, as that means which God uses to deliver His forgiveness.  So as John the Baptizer places his trembling hand upon the sacred head of the Redeemer and bends it beneath the water, Our Lord sets apart the water as saving, as the humble means to which He adds His strong Word for the rebirth of man.  Now from this saving flood arise heavenly children, conceived in holiness, and reborn as new creatures.
 
But as important as the water is, it is not the central thing, lest we worship the created, rather than the Creator.  What is central to Baptism, to your very life is the intervening grace of God that rescues you from death.  At your Baptism bound to yourself was not just Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan River, but His cross of death for your salvation, His bursting from the spiced tomb.  You are forever bound to Christ’s death and resurrection.  Because His Name was placed on you, because you are clothed with Christ, eternal life is yours.
 
But Baptism is not just the stuff of eternal life, it is the stuff of daily life!  For, as we confess, Baptism works—today and every day—forgiveness of sins and rescues from death and the devil.  So no matter how long ago the blest Baptismal waters washed over you, they are still washing over you this day, this minute, preserving you and forgiving you.  Every gift that was made yours that day—the open heaven, the heavenly Father’s joy and delight in you as His beloved child, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—is yours this day and every day.  By your Baptism, Christ is bound to you and you to Him, and He keeps you through every moment of your life, right up to and even through death itself, His peace guiding your dying day.  Christ’s gifts which flow from the Font are with you until your soul is safe with Him, awaiting the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
 
Until that day, He keeps you safe and secure in the Ark of the holy Christian Church, where His gifts flow freely through His Word, through Holy Absolution, through the Feast of His Body and His Blood.  The Holy Spirit which descended upon Christ at His Baptism and filled you at yours draws you to this place, to receive these life giving and sustaining gifts. 
 
But what if you’re a prodigal son or daughter?  What if you’ve wandered far from the home that Baptism gives, from this holy Ark where you are kept safe, and moved into the filthy places of the world?  What if you’ve rejected the gift of the heavenly Father’s love and chosen friendship with this dying world?  What if, by unrepentant sin you’ve driven out the Holy Spirit and aren’t even sure if you believe anymore?
 
If you are faithless, God remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.  The promise God made to you at Baptism stands as long as His day of grace stands.  As often as you return to the Lord your God in repentance, you will find the same God who, with outstretched arms, died for all your sin.  Your Baptism into Christ assures His pardon today and always.  How great is His grace and mercy toward you, delivered in that crimson flood of His own Blood!
 
As you celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord and reflect on your Baptism into Him, a great mystery is declared today, for the Creator of all, by His Blood, washes away all your wickedness, all your sin, washing it off you and onto Himself.  By your Baptism the Triune God has made His dwelling among you, to comfort and sustain you, until the day you inherit the heavenly bliss He has prepared for you.  Let that day come today, tomorrow, in Christ you perish not.  The peace of your Baptism into Christ bless you this day and every day to life everlasting.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinrghians 1:4-9
    1 Corinthians 11:23 32
    1 Corinthians 11:23-32
    1 John 3:1-3
    1 Kings 19:3-8
    1 Peter 1:3-9
    1 Timothy 5:3-10
    2 Corinthians 2:3-11
    2 Samuel 22
    Acts 1:1-11
    Ad Te Levavi
    Advent 1
    Advent 2
    Advent 3
    Advent 4
    Advent Midweek
    All Saints
    Annunciation
    Ascension
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism Of Our Lord
    Cantate
    Christian Questions With Their Answers
    Christmas Day
    Christmas Eve
    Christmas Octave
    Commemoration
    Confirmation
    Daniel 7:9-18
    Deliverance From Pestilence
    Deuteronomy 10:12-22
    Easter
    Easter Sunrise
    Easter Vigil
    Ember Wednesday Lent
    Ephesians 4:1-6
    Ephesians 5:20-33
    Epiphany
    Epiphany 2
    Epiphany 3
    Epiphany 4
    Epiphany Octave
    Esther 13:9-18
    Exaudi
    Exodus 20:12-24
    Ezekiel 36:23-28
    Feast Day
    Funeral
    Gaudete
    Good Friday
    Good Samaritan
    Holy Monday
    Holy Tuesday
    Holy Wednesday
    Holy Week
    Hymn Festival
    Invocabit
    Isaiah 17:1-8
    Isaiah 62:11 63:7
    Isaiah 62:11 - 63:7
    Jeremiah 11:18-20
    Joel 2:12 19
    Joel 2:12-19
    John 10:11 16
    John 10:11-16
    John 10:22-38
    John 1:1 14
    John 1:1-14
    John 1:19 28
    John 1:19-28
    John 12:1-11
    John 12:1-36
    John 1:29 34
    John 1:29-34
    John 13:1-15
    John 1:35-42
    John 14:23 31
    John 14:23-31
    John 15:1-11
    John 15:26-16:4
    John 16:16 22
    John 16:16-22
    John 16:23-30
    John 16:23 33
    John 16:5 15
    John 16:5-15
    John 19:28
    John 20:1 18
    John 20:1-18
    John 20:19-31
    John 2:1 11
    John 2:1-11
    John 3:1-15
    John 3:1 17
    John 3:1-17
    John 4:46 54
    John 4:46-54
    John 5:24-29
    John 6:1 15
    John 6:1-15
    John 6:60-69
    John 8:42 59
    John 8:42-59
    John 8:46-59
    John 9
    Jubilate
    Judica
    Katharina Von Bora Luther
    Laetare
    Last Sunday
    Lent
    Lent Midweek
    Leviticus 19:1-19
    Luke 10:23 37
    Luke 10:23-37
    Luke 11:14 28
    Luke 11:14-28
    Luke 12:13 21
    Luke 12:13-21
    Luke 1:26-38
    Luke 1:39-56
    Luke 14:1 11
    Luke 14:1-11
    Luke 14:15 24
    Luke 14:15-24
    Luke 15
    Luke 15:1-10
    Luke 15:11-32
    Luke 1:57-80
    Luke 16:1 13
    Luke 16:1-13
    Luke 16:1-9
    Luke 16:19 31
    Luke 16:19-31
    Luke 17:11 19
    Luke 17:11-19
    Luke 18:31 43
    Luke 18:31-43
    Luke 18:9 14
    Luke 18:9-14
    Luke 19:41 48
    Luke 19:41-48
    Luke 2:1 20
    Luke 2:1-20
    Luke 21:25 33
    Luke 21:25-33
    Luke 21:25 36
    Luke 21:25-36
    Luke 2:21
    Luke 2:22-32
    Luke 2:22 40
    Luke 2:22-40
    Luke 2:41 52
    Luke 2:41-52
    Luke 5:1 11
    Luke 5:1-11
    Luke 6:36 42
    Luke 6:36-42
    Luke 7:11-17
    Luke 7:36-50
    Luke 8:4 15
    Luke 8:4-15
    Mark 10:17-22
    Mark 14:1-15:46
    Mark 16:1 8
    Mark 16:1-8
    Mark 7:31 37
    Mark 7:31-37
    Mark 8:1 9
    Mark 8:1-9
    Matthew 10:26-33
    Matthew 11:12 15
    Matthew 11:12-15
    Matthew 11:16-24
    Matthew 11:2 10
    Matthew 11:2-10
    Matthew 12:11-15
    Matthew 12:38-50
    Matthew 15:1-20
    Matthew 15:21 28
    Matthew 15:21-28
    Matthew 17:1 9
    Matthew 17:1-9
    Matthew 18:21 35
    Matthew 18:21-35
    Matthew 20:1 16
    Matthew 20:1-16
    Matthew 20:17-28
    Matthew 2:1 12
    Matthew 2:1-12
    Matthew 21:1 9
    Matthew 21:1-9
    Matthew 22:1 14
    Matthew 22:1-14
    Matthew 22:34-46
    Matthew 24:15 28
    Matthew 24:15-28
    Matthew 25:1 13
    Matthew 25:1-13
    Matthew 25:31 46
    Matthew 25:31-46
    Matthew 28:1 10
    Matthew 28:1-10
    Matthew 4:1 11
    Matthew 4:1-11
    Matthew 5:1 12
    Matthew 5:1-12
    Matthew 5:17 26
    Matthew 5:17-26
    Matthew 6:16-21
    Matthew 6:24 34
    Matthew 6:24-34
    Matthew 7:15 23
    Matthew 7:15-23
    Matthew 8:1-13
    Matthew 8:23-27
    Matthew 9:1 8
    Matthew 9:1-8
    Maundy Thursday
    Michaelmas 1
    Michaelmas 2
    Michaelmas 3
    Michaelmas 4
    Michaelmas 7
    Michaelmas 8
    Michaelmas 9
    Misericordia Domini
    Most Holy Name Of Jesus
    Nativity Of John The Baptist
    Oculi
    Palmarum
    Palm Sunday
    Passiontide
    Pentecost
    Pentecost 21B
    Pharisee And Tax Collector
    Philippians 2:5-11
    Populus Zion
    Presentation Of The Augsburg Confession
    Proverbs 25:6-14
    Psalm 103
    Psalm 118
    Psalm 119:73-80
    Psalm 50
    Psalm 91
    Purification BVM
    Quasi Modo Geniti
    Quinquagesima
    Reformation
    Reminiscere
    Revelation 12:7-12
    Revelation 7:9 17
    Revelation 7:9-17
    Rev. Jeffrey Miskus
    Rogate
    Romans 3:21-28
    Romans 5:6-11
    Rorate Coeli
    Second Last Sunday
    Second-Last Sunday
    Septuagesima
    Seven Last Words
    Sexagesima
    St. Andrew
    St James
    St. John Passion
    St. Mary Magdalene
    St. Matthew Passion
    St Michael And All Angels
    St Titus
    Tenebrae
    Thanksgiving
    Third Last Sunday
    Third-Last Sunday
    Titus 1:1-9
    Transfiguration
    Tre Ore
    Triduum
    Trinity
    Trinity 1
    Trinity 10
    Trinity 11
    Trinity 12
    Trinity 13
    Trinity 14
    Trinity 15
    Trinity 16
    Trinity 17
    Trinity 18
    Trinity 19
    Trinity 2
    Trinity 20
    Trinity 21
    Trinity 22
    Trinity 25
    Trinity 26
    Trinity 27
    Trinity 3
    Trinity 4
    Trinity 5
    Trinity 6
    Trinity 7
    Trinity 8
    Trinity 9
    Trintiy 7
    Vicar Burgdorf
    Visitation Of The BVM
    Wedding

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    June 2021
    April 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission and Core Values
    • Our Beliefs
    • Congregational Documents
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Church Year Explanations
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar
  • 90 Day Objective suggestions