United with Him

The Baptism of Our Lord
January 11, 2026
Matthew 3:13-17
“United with Him”

On this second Sunday in the New Year, we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, giving thanks for Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan River. Although the beautiful Christmas decorations have all been removed and the Sanctuary looks kind of bare, the three banners behind me remind us of what we have celebrated and what we continue to rejoice in throughout the entire year: the Christmas angel who announced to the shepherds the “good news of great joy that is for all the people,” the birth of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” ((Luke 2:10-11). Then, there is the star that guided the Wise Men from the East to seek out the One “who has been born king of the Jews. For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). And now today, there is the “the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on [Jesus]” (Matthew 3:16b) as he is baptized by John. Through Jesus’ birth as well as his baptism, he is fully united with us in our humanity. Through our Baptism into Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are fully united with him and the salvation he has won for us. The message for today, rising up out of both the Old Testament lesson (Isaiah 42:1-9) and the Gospel lesson (Matthew 3:13-17), is entitled “United with Him.” May the Lord’s rich and abundant blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

The prophetic words in the Old Testament lesson are the first of what are known as the four Servant Songs of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-6; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12). They all point ahead to that Servant of the Lord who would bring about the redemption and restoration of all things. These prophetic words are fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. So let’s put today’s Old Testament and Gospel lessons side-by-side and see how the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in the baptism of Jesus.

First, what kind of reign, or rule, will Jesus have? Is it one of strong-armed coercion, marching in and forcing people to do what he wants against their will? Is Jesus’ reign about guilt and blame, shaming people in order to get them to believe in him? Of course not. If we look at verses two and three of the Old Testament lesson, we see that the Servant of the Lord, the Lord Jesus himself, begins his ministry at the margins, as we are told: “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:2-3). The voice of Jesus is not one that barks out orders, needing to be the loudest one that drowns out everything and everyone else. No, the voice of the Servant of the Lord is quiet and gentle; a voice that speaks of mercy and peace. Jesus takes what is bruised and broken to himself. We tend to throw out things that are bruised and broken. They’re useless and of no value; they are damaged goods. We don’t want them, but Jesus does. By his birth and baptism, Jesus fully identifies himself with us. Jesus has become one with us who are bruised and broken; one with all that is faint and dimly burning in us, so that he might restore and renew in us the image of God that has been lost because of our sin. Without question, the effects of sin in our lives leaves us bruised and broken. How often is the lamp of faith barely alive; just dimly burning in us? When Jesus stepped down into the waters of the Jordan River, when he submitted himself to baptism by John, it was not for his sake, but for ours. Jesus has come to make all things new.  

Look at verse one of today’s Old Testament lesson: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1). In tender language, the Father here speaks of his chosen One, his Servant, and that is his own beloved Son. The prophetic words of Isaiah that about the Father putting his Spirit upon his Servant, were spoken some 750 years before the time of Christ. And they are now fulfilled with Jesus’ baptism as all three Persons of the Holy Trinity are revealed: the voice of the Father, who said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17); God the Son in human form who has united himself to us; and God the Holy Spirit, revealed when “the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him” (Matthew 3:16b). The beginning of Jesus’ public ministry there at the Jordan River would be completed on a hillside outside of Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon. God’s own rescue mission in sending his beloved Son would culminate with the giving of God’s own Son as the atoning sacrifice for all our sin. Jesus himself became bruised and broken for us. The words of Isaiah are fulfilled here in the cross of Christ: “I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6b).

Fully united with us as one of us, except for sin, we are now united to Jesus through our Baptism into his own death and resurrection. This is what Paul the apostle writes about in today’s Epistle lesson (Romans 6:1-11): “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). Everything that is ours – the bruised brokenness of our sin and its punishment, death and the grave – has been taken on by Jesus for us. And everything that is Jesus’ – his righteousness and purity, his innocence as the Son of God – been given to us through faith. Is it any wonder that these same words serve as the opening rite for our funeral liturgy? The casket or urn is covered with a white pall, reminding us that in holy Baptism we are clothed with the robe of Christ’s own righteousness. The Paschal candle, lighted at Baptism, is again lighted, reminding us that not even death can destroy what God has done for us in the cleansing waters of Baptism. And we hear: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:4-5). At the end of the day, at the end of our life, at the end of the world, being united with Christ Jesus and his saving work of redemption through Baptism, nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Amen.