He Who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit

The Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 18, 2026
John 1:29-42
“He Who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit”

Once again today, we see Jesus and John the Baptist side by side. Following his baptism by John in the River Jordan, which we celebrated last Sunday, John now identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36). Each Sunday, we sing that name of Jesus in the liturgy of the Lord’s Supper: “Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.” The Baptismal altar plaque here in the Sanctuary is a visual reminder of this blessed truth. “Lamb of God” is just one of the names that Scripture gives to Jesus. There are so many others: Good Shepherd (John 10:14); Immanuel (Mathew 1:23); Bread of Life (John 6:48); Light of the world (John 8:12); Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Besides Lamb of God, there are several other names given to Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson: “Son of God” (John 1:34); “Rabbi” (John 1:38); and “Messiah” (John 1:41). But if we look carefully, there’s another name for Jesus that John the Baptist uses: “He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33b).  The Lamb of God is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and that becomes the theme for today’s sermon. May the Lord’s rich and abundant blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

There is a joint mission going on here between Jesus the Lamb of God and the Holy Spirit. Remember John the Baptist’s words from Advent: “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11)? What was prophesied by John and began with Jesus’ baptism would be fulfilled at Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out on the disciples and tongues of fire rested upon each of them (Acts 2:1ff.). The beginning of Jesus’ public ministry began at the Jordan River with his baptism, marking him as God’s chosen Servant and beloved Son (Matthew 3:17). To baptize with the Spirit, Jesus first had to receive the Spirit. That sounds almost heretical! Jesus is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, they are one God and are all co-eternal in majesty and glory. But think of all the references in Scripture where the Holy Spirit is mentioned in conjunction with Jesus: he is conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), as announced by the angel to Mary. The Holy Spirit rests upon Jesus at his baptism (Matthew 3:16), and then that same Spirit drives him out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). Jesus returns from the wilderness in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), and his words are Spirit and life (John 6:63). Dying upon the cross, offering his very life as the atoning sacrifice for all our sins, Jesus gives up his Spirit (John 19:30), and then following his resurrection from the dead, Jesus gives out his Spirit as he breathes upon his first disciples on that first Easter evening (John 20:22). After his ascension into heaven, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2). And that same Spirit continues to “call, gather, enlighten and sanctify the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one truth faith” (Luther’s Explanation of the Third Article of the Creed).

The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. We are brought into the family of faith and receive the Lamb’s saving work at our own Baptism. All that Jesus has done for us is graciously given to us in this washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). The work of the Spirit in our own life will mirror the Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus. He invited those first disciples, Andrew and Simon Peter, to follow him. We also are sent with the Spirit’s power to invite all people to a life transformed by Jesus Christ. As the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism, so that same Spirit is poured out upon us at our own Baptism. Like Jesus, we also are sent out to love and serve; to give ourselves for the sake of others; to suffer for the sake of Jesus’ Name. Today’s Epistle lesson (1 Corinthians 1:1-9) describes this in more detail, how through the Holy Spirit we are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours” (1 Corinthians 1:2); “enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge” (1 Corinthians 1:5); “not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7-8). This is good news that we cannot keep to ourselves. This is good news that has to be shared! Just as Andrew went out and found his own brother, Simon Peter, bringing him to Jesus, let us do the same. What is holding us back from doing the same with the people in our own lives? The love of Christ compels us to do as Andrew did, inviting others and bringing them to Jesus.

This season of Epiphany is all about how the light and love of Jesus, which began in Bethlehem’s manger, goes out farther and farther into the world. This good news is not just for a select few; it is for every people and tribe and nation and language. The Word of the Lord in today’s Old Testament lesson (Isaiah 49:1-7) affirms that God’s saving love made known in Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is for everyone. God tells his chosen Servant that his job description is a whole lot bigger than just Israel: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). If this is God’s mission, it is also our mission. The life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which we remember tomorrow, reminds us that there will most certainly be obstacles in shining that light into all the dark places of our world. There will be those who try their hardest to obscure that light and extinguish it. But we press on in faith, remembering the Word of the Lord: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

This gathering of the people of Christ each Sunday for worship around Word and Sacrament is to feed and strengthen us for sending; sending us to go forth and live out God’s mission in our daily lives. He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit walks beside us every step of the way, encouraging and upholding us to proclaim his saving love in what we say and do. God help us to do this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.