Go to:

Home Page
Worship
Nurture
Outreach
Colombia Project,
Sermons
Calendar
Committees
Links
Photo Albums,
What's New?
Questions/Comments

Why does Baptism Matter?

Delivered January 9, 2005
by Pastor Werner De Jong

Text: Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 28:16-20

Main Idea: At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus voluntarily submitted to baptism in obedience to his Father's will. He was identified as God's beloved Son and inaugurated his public ministry. Jesus calls those who would follow him to submit to baptism as they begin a life of Christian discipleship.

Purpose: To investigate the meaning and significance of baptism. To remind the baptized listeners of their baptismal vows. To challenge any who are not baptized to follow Christ in life.

Introduction:

     Both of the texts we just read speak of baptism. The first tells the story of the baptism of Jesus. In the second Jesus calls his followers to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them. Historically the church has always practised baptism. But today more and more churchgoers, especially young people, are asking the question: Why does baptism matter? What is the point of it? Why should one bother to be baptized? If you read the Canadian Mennonite, you have probably discovered that in various of our Mennonite churches people are asking: Why does the church make baptism a requirement of church membership? These are sincere questions, and they deserve a serious answer. Therefore today I would like to look at the question of baptism.

      In doing so I want to make some comparisons between Jesus' baptism and the baptism of Christians. The two are not identical. In fact, the Bible nowhere explicitly speaks about Jesus' baptism as a model for our own baptism. That doesn't mean we can't make some useful comparisons. In fact, deliberately setting Jesus' baptism alongside the baptism of Christians will hopefully give us some new insight and understanding into Christian baptism, as long as we are also very careful to point out where the two baptisms contrast.

The Baptism of Jesus: Let's begin with the baptism of Jesus. All four of the gospels teach us that his baptism occurred just before he began his public ministry. Our text for today from the gospel of Matthew makes it clear that Jesus voluntarily submitted to baptism on his own initiative. He deliberately set out on a journey of 50-60 miles, from Galilee in the north to the southern reaches of the Jordan River for the single purpose of being baptized. For three days he would have walked through very hilly and sometimes difficult terrain. He would have followed the Jordan River Valley, which runs north to south, for the entire journey. I was intrigued to learn this week that the Jordan Valley is actually the lowest valley on earth. The word Jordan literally means "the descender," and for good reason. Over its 80 mile course, beginning just above the Sea of Galilee and flowing south to the Dead Sea, the river descends about 1500 feet. By the time the river enters into the Dead Sea it is 1300 feet below sea level. By comparison, the city of Jerusalem, which is situated very near to where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea, is over 2600 feet above sea level. So the sides of the valley were very steep in places. None of this is to suggest that Jesus' journey was overly difficult. There were well worn pathways to walk on. And crowds of people were streaming down the mountain from Jerusalem and surrounding areas to hear John the Baptist preach. But Jesus' extended journey certainly suggests that he had deliberately and very purposefully made up his mind to go to John to be baptized by him.

Why did Jesus come to be baptized?: But why did Jesus go to be baptized? That is a question that has often puzzled Christians. Especially as John was preaching a baptism for the repentance of sins. Why would the Messiah, whom the Bible proclaims as the sinless Son of God, the one who came to save his people from their sins, himself submit to baptism? John the Baptizer wondered the same thing, and clearly felt very uncomfortable by this turn of events. When Jesus approached him he tried to deter him, saying: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Mt. 3:14). John's reluctance seems entirely appropriate. But Jesus persisted. He had made up his mind before he left Galilee, and he wasn't about to turn away. "Let it be so now," he said, "it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (v. 15). Then John consented and baptized him.

      This is a remarkable picture of humility. Last week, on Epiphany Sunday, we considered how magi came from afar to worship and adore the Christ child. But now, the very first action we hear from the-newborn-king-who-grew-to-be-an-adult is how he allowed someone of far lesser stature to baptize him, and he did it publicly, in front of a large crowd. And he did it very deliberately. This brings us back to our question of "Why?" Why would the king of the Jews walk for three days in order to baptized? We know he did not do it as a sign of his repentance from sin, for he was sinless. But then why? We just heard Jesus' answer: "It is proper that we do this in order to fulfill all righteousness." Now this is one of those answers that raises more questions. What does it mean? How did Jesus' baptism fulfill all righteousness?

Obedience: This question can be answered on different levels. On the most basic level, Jesus submitted to baptism out of obedience to the will of his Father. His heavenly Father had asked him to go and be baptized, so that is exactly what Jesus did. By doing what was right he fulfilled God's righteous request. There is clearly more to Jesus' baptism than this, but we must not overlook this element of obedience. When his Father spoke, Jesus obeyed. And his Father asked him to be baptized, so Jesus went to be baptized.

The Spirit and Mission: But why did his Father ask him to be baptized? If we look further at the story, it becomes clear that there are two things the Father wanted to do for his Son. This is so important to point out. The baptism was not only about the Son doing something for the Father. Often when we think of baptism, we think of it primarily in terms of something we have to do–we submit to baptism. That of course is true. But the gospels' account of Jesus' baptism first and foremost portrays it as a blessing, as something that the Father did for his Son. The Father asked the Son to be baptized so he could bless him. What did he do for him? First of all, it was on the occasion of his baptism that the Spirit of God descended on Jesus: When Jesus "came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God like a dove and settling on him." This gift from above was a priceless gift. For the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of intimacy and the Spirit of power, the Spirit who reassures one of the Father's love, and the Spirit who makes mission possible.

      In this regard it is certainly fair to say that Jesus' baptism marked his inauguration for ministry. For it was at this point that he was publicly anointed, gifted and set apart for the work that lay ahead of him. Jesus' baptism was therefore a very significant milestone. It marked the end of one period of his life, and the beginning of a new one. From now on he had the privilege of reaching out to others, on behalf of his Father, in the love and power of the Holy Spirit. This was a moment Jesus would never forget. Many difficult days lay ahead of him, but his Father made sure that he would not endure them alone.

Identity: The second gift the Father gave his Son was the confirmation of his identity. After the Spirit lighted on Jesus, a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased." This too is a priceless gift. Just before Jesus set out on his life mission, he was reassured that he was the beloved Son of God, whose relationship with the Father was altogether right and pleasing. It is heartwarming to think of the consideration of the heavenly Father, who publicly endorsed Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. It says to us that God wants to do everything possible to build up and support his faithful servants. In the hard days ahead this voice would sustain Jesus. Whenever he was tempted to doubt, he would be reminded of his Father's affirmation. He would be able to fulfill his call in the full confidence that he was loved.

      When we think of these two great gifts, the gift of the Spirit and the gift of his Father's confirmation, it becomes trivial that Jesus had to walk a long way in order to be baptized. His humble obedience resulted in tremendous blessing, a blessing which would sustain and encourage him and even enable him to die on the cross and to lay down his life for us.

Christian Baptism: But now we must return to the question of Christian baptism. Can we learn anything from the baptism of Jesus that will help us discern why Christian baptism matters, and why one should bother to be baptized?

Obedience: After considering Jesus' baptism, the first answer we can give is the simple truth that baptism mattered to our Lord. He travelled a long way to the Jordan River in order to submit to his Father's will in humble obedience. This question of obedience is certainly a key area where Jesus' baptism and Christian baptism intersect. Like the baptism of Jesus, the baptism of his followers is rich in significance and has various layers of meaning, but we must never lose sight of the fact that our Lord asks those who want to follow him to be baptized. Make disciples of all nations and baptize them, he taught. Later on his close disciple Peter would say to the crowds present on the Day of Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ." The most basic answer we can give to potential followers of Jesus as to why they should be baptized is to say, "Because God asks you to." Obviously there is more to it than that, and God in his grace has provided rich symbolism for baptism in the Bible. But at the very least baptism should matter to us because it matters to God. In one sense, that should be the only answer we need. If for no other reason it should be enough for us to look to the humble example of Jesus, our Lord, and say: "he was baptized, and he was very deliberate about it, and he has asked me to be baptized, so I will voluntarily humble myself and obey." The Bible, in fact, doesn't contain any known example of a Christian who was not baptized. The writers of the New Testament assume that if one is a Christian, one has been baptized. For Christians are those who choose to obey Jesus, and Jesus asks his followers to be baptized, so how can one claim to be an obedient follower of Jesus and not submit to baptism?

      In the New Testament baptism therefore becomes the distinguishing mark of a Christian, not only of an individual, but of the members of Christ's body, the church. The apostle Paul clearly equated baptism with belonging to Christ: "We have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13). Notice how he says "all." We have all been baptized into Christ's body, he wrote to the church at Corinth. All of us who belong to Christ have been baptized. Paul couldn't conceive of a member of the church who had not been baptized. For at the basic level, baptism is a question of obedience.

      The obedience associated with baptism doesn't only occur the moment we submit to baptism. Rather, when we are baptized it is a sign that we are pledging to walk with Jesus for the rest of our lives. In this sense it is helpful to compare the act of baptism with a wedding ceremony. When a man and a woman are married, they pledge to honour and to care for one another for their entire lives. When we submit to baptism we signify that we want to associate with Jesus for our entire lives. Baptism is therefore our public pledge and testimony that we have chosen to stop living for ourselves, and to start living for Jesus. Our first sign of that is the obedience of baptism itself. Why does baptism matter? It matters because it is our public expression that we love Jesus and want to live with him and for him for the rest of our lives. It signifies to everyone that we want to associate with Jesus, who by becoming human voluntarily chose to associate with us. Therefore, for a potential follower of Jesus to say to him, "I don't want to get baptized, but I'll still follow you," is like one fiance(e) saying to the other, "I've decided I don't want to get married, but we can still live together." What kind of a commitment is that? There is no commitment is such a proposal, just like there is no commitment in those who want to follow Christ without being baptized. If we are old enough to know what it means to follow Jesus, and if we have accepted his love for us, and received his forgiveness, then we should gladly and humbly obey our Lord and be baptized.

The gift of a sign from God: Let's move on to our next point. Baptism isn't only about obedience, just as it wasn't only about obedience in the case of Jesus. If obedience is the only element of baptism we emphasize, it can make it feel rather heavy, rather than the joyful celebration it is. Marriage vows often include pledges of obedience to one another, but they are not heavy, they are occasions of great joy. In the same way baptism is so much more than mere obedience. It is above all a gift of God to us, just like Jesus' baptism was a great gift from his Father. What kind of a gift is baptism? It is the sign to us of a new relationship to God. When we enter into the waters of baptism it is a beautiful reminder that God has cleansed us from our sins, that he has gently washed them away, with his own tears, through the death of his Son, in order that he may justly be able to have a relationship with us, and we with him. Baptism is therefore God's sign to us that we are pure, clean and righteous in his eyes. It is a sign that we are accepted by God, holy and dearly loved. And it is not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus has done. Why does baptism matter? It matters because it is a gift from God reminding us of our new identity with him.

      We have seen how Jesus was reminded of his identity at his baptism when his Father said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." In the same way the baptism of believers establishes our identity. At our baptism our heavenly Father says to us, "you are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." In Christ Jesus we are sons and daughters of God, even as Paul wrote to the Galatians: "You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ" (3:26-27). That is a beautiful picture. When God looks upon those who through faith have been baptized, he sees us as he sees Jesus, holy and pure and forgiven and greatly loved. That doesn't mean that God thinks we are perfect, but it does mean that God has made us as holy in his own sight as his dear, precious Son. Through our faith in him he joyfully adopts us as his own sons and daughters. Why does baptism matter? It matters because we are who God says we are.

      Finally the gift of baptism also reminds us of the gift of our calling. The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus at his baptism and initiated him for his work as God's royal son. So likewise our baptism is linked with our calling to serve in Christ's name. We may not see the heavens burst open when we are baptized. But in baptism we become part of the body of Christ, and the great privilege of the church is to bear witness to Jesus in our world. And just like the Father poured out the Spirit on his Son, so too Jesus delights to pour out the Spirit on his church. Our baptism marks us as those who have been set apart, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and gifted with spiritual gifts to enable and empower us to do all that God calls us to do. Why does baptism matter? It matters because it signifies the fact that God has given us a new life, a life which we joyfully offer back to God out of gratitude for all he has done for us.

Remember Your Baptism: In light of all these things, it is a very good exercise for those of us who have already been baptized to remember our baptism. For as we reflect on our baptisms, it reminds us of all that God has done for us. It does our spirits a tremendous amount of good to remember the gifts which God has given us. Remember first of all the new identity which Christ has given you. It is an identity no one can take away. For you were baptized into Christ's body, and you belong to him. Even when you make mistakes, even when you stumble, even when you fall, you now belong to God. Remember that you are dearly loved, those whom God delights to call his sons and daughters. Remember that God has forgiven you and completely cleansed you from all of your sins, through your faith in Jesus. Remember that you are now righteous and holy in God's sight, a member of the body of Christ. Remember the fact that God values you so much that he has gifted you and called you to serve him by serving others and by telling them the good news of his Son's love. Over the years you may have forgotten or neglected some of these wonderful truths. But that doesn't change the fact that they are true. If you are in need of encouragement, remember your baptism, and remember all that God says to his people when they are baptized.

      If there are any here who have not been baptized, in the name of Jesus I extend an invitation to you to receive him as your Lord and Saviour. In love he laid down his life for you. He cares so much about you that he wants to have a warm relationship with you. He has done everything that is necessary to forgive your sins, on the cross he suffered for the penalty of all your sins, and there is nothing left for you to do but to receive his gift. If you humbly do that, and decide to turn away from your old way of life, and live for Christ, then God will forgive and fully accept you. If you know you have done wrong and have hurt God and hurt others, and if you long for a fresh start, for a new life, then come to Jesus. Once you receive him there is nothing to prevent you from being baptized, and from receiving the great gift of belonging to God and to the body of Christ. When you come to Jesus God will fill you with his Holy Spirit, and you will become a precious child of God.

Return to the top of this document.