Readings
* Psalm 63
* Psalm 59
* Ezekiel 34:1–24
* Romans 3:19–31
* Large Catechism, Part III ¶¶ 14–24
Feast
Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. As recounted in the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew (and in parallel passages in Mark, Luke, and John), Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Although John initially hesitated when asked to baptize Christ, because Christ was without sin and John knew he was in the presence of one greater than he, Christ spoke His first words in Matthew so that John would agree:
“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
On Christ’s Baptism, Luther said that:
“[Christ] accepted it from John for the reason that He was entering into our stead, indeed, our person, that is, becoming a sinner for us, taking upon Himself the sins which He had not committed, and wiping them out and drowning them in His Holy Baptism.”
This Baptism in the River Jordan marked the beginning of Christ’s ministry.
Reader
Corey J. Mahler
Copyright Notices
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Lutheran Confessions are from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright © 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Concordia, call 800-325-3040.
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