King and Kingdom 101: Identity January 8 "Baptism of our Lord"

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

On January 6, we celebrated the Epiphany of our Lord and the story of the Magi worshiping the baby Jesus and presenting their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh in Matthew 2.

Today we celebrate the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, 6 months after John's ministry started, in his 30th year at the River Jordon. This we read in the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 3 when we see John ministry of preparation and baptism with water for repentance and then Jesus' Baptism in the Jordon!

This scene in Matt 3 is fascinating to us because it continues what started with the words of Simeon and Anna in Jesus' Presentation in the Temple 40 days after his birth. Continued with the Magi in Bethlehem 30 years before, then when he visited Jerusalem at age 12, then here at the Jordon. This is the inauguration or coronation of the public ministry of Jesus. As we see in Number 4:47 the age of 30 was when the Levite would begin their ministry and be ordained or set apart. This is in good order and even though John says he should be baptized by his cousin Jesus, whose sandals he is not even worthy to carry, Jesus states this is TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS! This is necessary to make sure all the prophesy of Holy Scripture is fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

The reason we are starting our study of what it "KING and KINGDOM" with the Baptism of our Lord is because of what we see in this amazing event what St. Paul means when he shares in Romans 6:4: " We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life," The truth that in Holy Baptism we are identified with Christ Jesus as heirs of the Kingdom. It is amazing that in John's ministry he is a prophet of the law, who shares the truth of sin and the need to confess sins and be baptized and cleansed. Unfortunately it is only after the amazing inauguration or Coronation of Jesus at His Baptism that we can truly understand what repentance and cleansing means. In Christ's Baptism we see heaven ripped open and the voice of God proclaiming the identity of His Son! He tells everyone that He is well pleased with Him and that He LOVES Him! This is awesome! Jesus is without sin and yet He receives absolution from God, the Father, when He says: "He is well pleased!" In this wonderful event we see a prototype of our Baptism where through Baptism, God calls us His Child, affirms His Love for us and in to the truth of the Cross and Resurrection declares: "He is well pleased." We are clothed with the Robe of Righteousness and the Crown of Beauty and the promise of Heaven. In Matthew we will study our "identity in Christ" our King and what it means to be in the Kingdom.

We pray in the Lord's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom Come" now we are going to see what it means as our Lord reveals His Kingship and Kingdom. John had the privilege of baptizing with water for repentance presupposing repentance and a change of life. With the Baptism of our Lord we see the fulfillment of all righteousness, consecration by God the Father (the Trinity present as in Gen 1) the Spirit descending and anointing him, the public announcement by John of the arrival of the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world in John 1 and the recognition as John and Jesus proclaimed the coming of the "Kingdom of Heaven" used in Matthew's Gospel 33 times and the "Kingdom of God;" used 4 times. This Kingdom is the rule of God both in present reality and a future hope. This is why many are scared to talk about this Kingdom which Matthew refers to over 50 times and is a central teaching of Jesus. If you are not able to understand as stated in a book I have called "A dictionary of Christian Antiquities" by William Smith: "Hence anything that could in any sense be called a mystery by Latin Christian was referred to a 'Sacramentum' especially sacred things used in service to God" (pg. 1831) The mystery of a "Kingdom" that is hear presently but yet also near in the hope of the future of the "everlasting kingdom of heaven." is not logical or easily reasoned and therefore scary! That is why for us Sacramental Christians: who proclaim the mystery of sinner and saint at the same time, the true REAL presence of Christ in His Supper as He is at the right hand of God. Celebrating with all the saints the foretaste of the feast to come, while celebrating the Lord's Supper and the present feast in the midst of the congregation. It is truly a profound mystery how we can be heirs of everlasting life, princes and princesses of the Kingdom, yet bound with our sinful earthly existence having to wait for the eternal Kingdom to be revealed at the final judgement! In the present as Sons and Daughters of the King: endowed with the power and authority given to us in the Holy Nation, the Royal Priesthood of all believers in the Church and the power of Keys etc... yet still sinners bound by our sinfulness. This dichotomy is very frustrating to live with being Sinner and Saint simultaneously as part of the "Church Militant" and a member of the "Church Triumphant" as we confess in the Creed: "The communion of saints!"



Please stay tuned as we will be hearing more about our KING and HIS KINGDOM throughout this Epiphany season! Join us at the EMU site for Sunday School, Confirmation, High School class at 9am, Adult Study on "King and Kingdom" at 9:15am, University study at 10:15, Worship Services at 10:15 and 12:15 with Lunch in between. Join us for ALIVE! Lenawee County Services meeting every Sunday at 11am in Raisen Township south of Tecumseh.

God Bless You All as we celebrate our identity with our KING in HIS KINGDOM!

Pastor Bryan