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Series B – Baptism of Our Lord – Sunday, January 18, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	The holy Gospel According
0:30	to Saint Mark chapter 1 verses 4 through
0:32	11
0:34	and so John came baptizing in the desert
0:38	region and preaching a baptism of
0:40	repentance for the Forgiveness of sins
0:41	the whole Judean Countryside and all the
0:44	people of Jerusalem went out to him
0:45	confessing their sin they were baptized
0:48	by him in the Jordan River John wore
0:50	clothing made of camel’s hair with a
0:52	leather belt around his waist and he ate
0:54	locusts and wild honey and this was his
0:57	message after me will come one more
0:59	powerful than I the thongs of whose
1:01	sandals I am not worthy to stoop down
1:03	and untie I baptize you with water but
1:05	he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
1:07	at that time Jesus came from Nazareth
1:10	and Galilee and was baptized by John and
1:12	the Jordan as Jesus was coming up out of
1:14	the water he saw heaven being torn open
1:16	and the spirit descending on him like a
1:19	dove and a voice Came From Heaven you
1:21	are my son whom I love with you I am
1:25	well pleased
1:26	in the name of Jesus
1:29	all right if you blink you’re going to
1:31	miss it you know just like some of the
1:32	small towns that you drive through on
1:34	our country roads if you blink you’ll
1:36	miss them in fact I love the fact that
1:38	there’s certain towns that you know the
1:40	only way you would actually know they’re
1:41	there is because the speed limit drops
1:43	from you know from somewhere in the 60s
1:46	down to 45 and you’re thinking I had to
1:48	slow down for that building right you
1:51	know and then you and you look at the
1:52	population sign on there and it’s not
1:54	even triple digits it’s you know it’s
1:55	you know these are tiny little towns and
1:58	of course the saying goes if you’re
1:59	blink you’ll miss it so that same
2:02	metaphor kind of applies today and you
2:03	got to understand the gospel of Mark the
2:05	gospel of Mark is a gospel of action it
2:08	is moving and in fact over and again
2:10	you’re reading the gospel of Mark and
2:12	immediately and immediately and
2:13	immediately and immediately and the
2:15	church tradition tells us that this
2:17	gospel is the gospel that is the
2:19	preaching notes of the Apostle Peter so
2:21	as a fisherman he got right to the point
2:23	got down to the and got to it and it’s
2:25	this is not a big scholarly Tome I got
2:28	to tell you what Jesus did man this boom
2:30	boom bang right so it gives us a little
2:33	bit of a challenge because there’s huge
2:35	theology in this tiny little text and
2:37	you have to unpack it if you if you
2:39	blink you’re going to miss it so let’s
2:41	take a look at some of the landmarks in
2:43	this very brief text and see if we can
2:45	see some of the important buildings
2:47	here’s what it says so John came
2:49	baptizing in the desert region and
2:50	preaching a baptism of repentance for
2:53	the Forgiveness of sins the whole Judean
2:57	Countryside this was not a couple of
2:59	people it was a lot of people whole Judy
3:02	and Countryside and all the people of
3:04	Jerusalem went out to him confessing
3:06	their sins they were baptized by him in
3:09	the Jordan River now we’re talking about
3:11	hundreds of thousands of Sinners that’s
3:13	probably the number we’re looking at
3:14	hundreds of thousands of people coming
3:17	out to John the Baptist this is a big
3:20	deal coming to the Jordan and the tone
3:22	there is serious it’s somber you know
3:25	you can hear the words you know kind of
3:27	the first century Jewish equivalent of I
3:30	a poor miserable sinner confessed to you
3:32	all my sins and iniquities which is
3:34	being heard on the lips of those who are
3:37	waiting to be washed in the Jordan and
3:40	so think of it this way you know we
3:42	don’t like to drink water from rivers
3:44	that are polluted not a good thing you
3:46	know right you think about yeah what is
3:48	that sludge coming down the river what’s
3:50	that coming from well think of the
3:51	Jordan like that today the Waters of the
3:54	Jordan River they’re not being filled
3:56	with mud and body odor although I think
3:59	there’s probably body odor being washed
4:00	away there I know plenty of the women at
4:03	that time are thinking thank God my
4:04	husband got baptized right but
4:08	um yeah if only for that brief moment so
4:11	body odor is going away but here’s the
4:13	real thing what’s getting
4:16	gooey into the Jordan River is the
4:19	stench and the filth of sins being
4:21	washed away think of it in that way and
4:24	so with that in mind keep this in mind
4:27	this is no place for anyone who is
4:29	righteous which is why the Pharisees who
4:33	were self-deceived into believing that
4:35	they were righteous before God because
4:36	of their law keeping that’s why they
4:38	refuse to be baptized by John the
4:41	Baptist they didn’t think they need it
4:42	well we’ve already committed ourselves
4:44	to obeying God why do I need to go and
4:46	be baptized in the Jordan River and have
4:48	my sins washed away and be United with
4:52	the likes of those people and that
4:54	rabble or that prostitute or that tax
4:57	collector no way right
5:01	but
5:03	the text now begins to prepare us for
5:05	one of the most unexpected turn of
5:07	events the thing that no one saw coming
5:09	not even John here’s what it says John
5:12	wore clothing made of camel’s hair with
5:14	a leather belt around his weight he it
5:16	waste he ate Locust and wild honey we
5:18	talked about this during Advent this was
5:20	his message after me will come one more
5:22	powerful than the of than I the thongs
5:25	of whose sandals I am not worthy to
5:27	stoop down and untie I baptize with
5:29	water but he will baptize you with the
5:31	holy spirit so now we’re starting to
5:33	turn the holy righteous promised Messiah
5:37	is coming John is telling us and sinful
5:40	John yeah John is a sinner he knows that
5:43	he’s not even worthy to stoop down and
5:45	untie Jesus’s shoelaces but you see the
5:49	anticipation of Jesus arrival this you
5:51	know the build up for Jesus coming that
5:52	was back in Advent we’re now an epiphany
5:54	which means Jesus is being manifested
5:56	and so our text continues and at that
5:59	time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee
6:02	and was baptized by John in the Jordan
6:05	that is a bombshell of a sentence
6:08	because how many sins has Jesus
6:11	committed
6:13	none
6:14	who what’s John the Baptist baptism for
6:18	repentance for the Forgiveness of sins
6:21	what does Jesus need to repent of what
6:24	does he need to be forgiven of unlike
6:27	the Pharisees Jesus is not deceived into
6:30	being believing he’s self-righteous he
6:32	actually is
6:34	so there he is in a sinner’s baptism
6:38	what’s going on here right
6:40	so Jesus does the unthinkable
6:43	he Wades out into the sin-filled waters
6:45	and he’s baptized and that’s what our
6:48	text says so our text says at that time
6:50	Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee was
6:53	baptized by John and the Jordan and as
6:55	Jesus was coming up out of the water he
6:57	saw heaven being torn open and the
6:59	spirit descending on him like a dove and
7:01	a voice came from heaven and said you
7:03	are my son whom I love with you I am
7:07	well pleased
7:10	there’s so much going on here so he does
7:12	the unthinkable he Wades out into the
7:14	muck sin-filled Waters of the Jordan the
7:18	holy and righteous Lamb of God and
7:21	in these sin-filled Waters he’s baptized
7:24	as if he were a sinner
7:28	but he’s not a sinner so what’s going on
7:30	why is Jesus doing this I like what
7:33	Norman Nagel he’s the great theologue
7:36	from Concordia Theological Seminary in
7:39	Saint Louis said many years ago in a
7:41	sermon he said this
7:42	it is most certainly true that where sin
7:46	that where sin was is where Jesus was
7:49	think about it God Jesus in human flesh
7:53	he’s where sin is but why did he draw
7:55	near to sin well he came to join us in
7:58	our sin so that he could bear it so that
8:01	he could fulfill all righteousness he
8:04	came and comes to sin and to Sinners so
8:07	that he could and can make righteous
8:10	ours righteousness ours he wants to make
8:13	us righteousness in exchange for our
8:15	sewer of sin Jesus gives us the Fountain
8:19	of Life this means that where his
8:21	righteousness is is where we are his
8:24	righteousness is as sure surely ours as
8:27	our sins are surely his we are righteous
8:30	with his righteousness and that and in
8:33	that God has his Delight now what Norma
8:36	Nagel was picking up on when he preached
8:39	that sermon
8:40	is what it exactly is said in second
8:42	Corinthians chapter five listen to these
8:44	words therefore if anyone is in Christ
8:49	those are big words if you are in Christ
8:55	he is a new creation the old is gone the
8:58	new has come all of this is from God
9:02	who’s it from it’s from God who
9:04	reconciled us to himself through Christ
9:07	and gave us the ministry of
9:09	reconciliation that God was reconciling
9:11	the world to himself in Christ not
9:14	counting men’s sins against them and he
9:17	has committed to us the message of
9:19	reconciliation we are therefore Christ’s
9:22	ambassadors as though God himself were
9:24	making his appeal through us so we
9:27	implore you on Christ’s behalf be
9:29	reconciled to God God made him Jesus who
9:33	knew no sin to be sin for us so that in
9:37	him we might become the righteousness of
9:40	God so already we begin to see in
9:43	Jesus’s baptism the workings of that
9:45	great exchange the holy righteous
9:48	sinless one identifies himself with
9:52	sinners
9:53	because why he’s taken his our sins upon
9:56	him so even now in his baptism the
9:59	sinless one is baptized in a sinner’s
10:01	baptism but here’s the thing
10:04	in Jesus Jesus in his baptism in his
10:07	baptism he joins us in our sin but when
10:10	we were baptized we were joined with
10:13	Christ in his righteousness you see how
10:16	that works think with two different
10:18	baptisms Jesus is baptized in a sinner’s
10:20	baptism we’re baptized in the name of
10:23	the father Son and Holy Spirit he’s
10:25	identified with our sin we in our
10:28	baptisms are made righteous in Christ so
10:32	this kind of a parallel thing going on
10:34	one going One Direction and the other
10:36	going the other Jesus becomes the sinner
10:38	on the cross and God punishes the whole
10:41	sins of the world in Christ that’s the
10:43	important thing so we when we when we
10:47	when we were baptized we’re joined with
10:49	Christ and his righteousness we were
10:51	joined with his death and we were joined
10:53	in his resurrection this is why Paul in
10:55	our epistle text or actually in the
10:58	quote text that I just quoted from
10:59	second Corinthians 5 says if anyone is
11:01	in Christ
11:03	he is a new creation the old is gone the
11:05	new has come and you’ll notice something
11:07	here by way of contrast that our Old
11:10	Testament text it seems like it has
11:12	nothing to do with baptism but it has
11:14	everything to do with baptism it says in
11:16	our Old Testament text in the beginning
11:18	was you know in the beginning God
11:19	created the heavens and the Earth and it
11:21	says that the spirit was brooding over
11:24	the waters right there’s that avian verb
11:27	in the Hebrew and keep in mind where the
11:30	spirit and the water are together in
11:32	scripture this creation
11:34	where spirit and water appeared together
11:36	there’s creation so at the very
11:39	beginning in the CR of the creation of
11:40	our world there the spirit is brooding
11:43	over the waters and then God says let
11:45	there be light and there was light so
11:47	this this is creation talk so
11:51	and let me read it in the beginning of
11:53	God created the heavens and the Earth
11:54	the Earth was with form and void
11:56	Darkness was over the face of the home
11:58	over the deep and the spirit of God was
11:59	brooding over the face of the waters God
12:01	said let there be light and there was
12:02	light and there’s creation when Noah
12:05	released the dove to see if the Waters
12:06	of the flood had subsided the dove
12:08	hovered brooded over the Waters of the
12:10	flood representing the beginning of a
12:13	new creation so to speak and when Jesus
12:15	is baptized notice this the spirit again
12:19	appears with water and this should clue
12:22	us into the fact that creation is
12:24	happening Jesus is called the second
12:27	Adam the firstborn of a new creation and
12:31	when you were baptized yeah it may have
12:34	been in this font when you were baptized
12:36	the spirit was also present and you were
12:40	born Anew born from above Born Again by
12:43	water and the word and you were buried
12:45	into Christ’s death and Resurrection
12:47	your sins were washed away and because
12:50	you are now in Christ
12:52	you are a new creation and the reality
12:55	of the fact is this is not some symbol
12:57	this is a reality that changes
12:59	everything
13:00	we are a new creation we have been
13:03	baptized we have been washed we have
13:05	been United with Christ in his death and
13:07	Resurrection all of this by water and
13:10	the spirit combined together and the
13:12	promises of God and his promises are
13:14	true and certain which then is why Paul
13:17	in our epistle text this morning asks
13:20	this important question
13:22	since we have been forgiven by what
13:25	Christ has done our sins not held
13:27	against us does this mean that we should
13:29	go on sinning so that Grace may increase
13:32	what a silly question what a ridiculous
13:35	question that is and here’s what he says
13:37	and notice how he talks about baptism
13:40	by no means we died to sin how can we
13:46	live in it any longer you think when did
13:50	I die to sin ah well listen to what Paul
13:53	says don’t you know that all of us who
13:56	were baptized into Christ were baptized
14:00	into his death
14:02	we were therefore buried with him
14:04	through baptism into death in order that
14:06	just as Christ was raised from the dead
14:08	to the glory of the father we too might
14:10	live A New Life
14:13	listen to that Paul’s not talking about
14:15	baptism as something in the past in the
14:18	rear view mirror that happened way back
14:20	when and it has no implications on your
14:23	life today
14:24	he’s talking about your baptism as if it
14:26	has some super real impact and so it’s
14:30	as if it’s some super Kryptonite against
14:32	super sin right this is the way he’s
14:34	talking
14:35	if we have been United with him in a
14:37	death like his we will certainly also be
14:39	United with him into the resurrection
14:40	for We Know listen to this our old self
14:43	was crucified with him so that the body
14:46	of sin may be done away with that we
14:49	should no longer be slaves to sin
14:51	because anyone who has died has been
14:53	freed from sin
14:55	how many of you still have your
14:57	baptismal certificate sitting somewhere
14:59	in a Dusty room or you know in maybe in
15:03	a lock box somewhere I don’t know if
15:04	people keep them in a lock box but I
15:06	want you to think of it this way this
15:08	text makes it very clear that your
15:10	baptismal certificate is in fact a death
15:12	certificate
15:15	you’ve died with Christ
15:18	that’s what this is saying now we’re
15:20	just waiting for your body to catch up
15:22	you’ve already been you’ve already been
15:24	buried with Christ you’ve been raised
15:25	with it and because you have died with
15:27	Christ in the waters of your baptism sin
15:30	no longer has Mastery and dominion over
15:33	you this is what the text says
15:36	so
15:37	we keep reading if we’ve died with
15:39	Christ we believe that we will also live
15:41	with him for we know that since Christ
15:42	was raised from the dead he cannot die
15:44	again death no longer has Mastery over
15:46	him so the death he died he died to sin
15:48	once for all but the life he lives he
15:50	lives to God so in the same way count
15:53	yourselves dead to sin but alive to God
15:58	in Christ
16:00	in other words Christ joined himself to
16:02	sinners in his baptism to fulfill all
16:05	righteousness you were joined to the
16:08	righteous one by the spirit in the
16:10	waters of your baptism and have now been
16:12	born into the new creation your sin your
16:17	guilt your bondage to the devil has all
16:19	been broken by the spirits working
16:21	through the waters of your baptism you
16:24	are now dead to sin and you are alive to
16:27	God in Christ so you don’t have to obey
16:28	sin you don’t have to you can tell it to
16:30	go take a hike so when the Devil comes
16:32	knocking on your door and invites you to
16:34	come and play in his playground of sin
16:36	can you come out and play yeah
16:40	what a sick puppy that guy is right he’s
16:42	got an entire playground of sin all
16:44	kinds of wonderful rides and it’s all
16:47	slavery so when the Devil comes knocking
16:49	on your door tell him that you’re no
16:52	longer that you’re no longer his slave
16:55	you tell the devil I’m not your slave
16:57	anymore I have died with Christ
17:00	in other words you inform That Old Devil
17:03	I’m baptized it’s the same thing as when
17:07	you know a guy in the office who’s
17:09	married had and there’s some some lady
17:11	in the office who’s making advances at
17:12	him and he just simply says to that lady
17:15	you see that right there
17:18	I’m married
17:21	be gone
17:22	right
17:24	when the devil shows up trying to seduce
17:26	you you say to him
17:29	I’m baptized
17:31	go away I don’t have to listen to you
17:33	anymore
17:36	good way to think about it no not you
17:38	were baptized I am I am baptized all of
17:41	this water stuff is important
17:43	now I’m going to end my sermon off with
17:46	the words of the great Hymn of with a
17:49	great Hymn of baptismal Defiance in fact
17:51	we’re going to be singing this as our
17:52	closing hymn today and I want you to
17:54	become familiar with its words but I
17:56	want you to notice that the the thread
17:58	of defiance against the devil in these
18:00	lyrics Because when we look at what’s
18:02	going on in baptism there’s so many
18:04	great promises associated with it and
18:07	these are for you for your comfort for
18:09	your strengthening to give you a
18:12	foothold against the devil and
18:14	everything that he would throw at you
18:16	including the doubt of your salvation
18:18	including his temptation to sin baptism
18:21	is this powerful weapon that God has
18:23	given us against the devil so listen to
18:25	these words of this hymn that we will
18:27	sing later God’s Own Child I gladly say
18:30	it I am baptized into Christ he because
18:34	I could not pay it gave my full
18:37	Redemption price do I need Earth’s
18:39	Treasures many no I have one worth more
18:42	than any that brought me salvation free
18:44	lasting to Eternity sin Disturbed my
18:48	soul no longer
18:50	I am baptized into Christ I have comfort
18:53	even stronger Jesus’s cleansing
18:55	sacrifice should again guilty conscience
18:58	sees me since my baptism did release me
19:01	in a dear forgiving flood sprinkling me
19:03	with Jesus’s blood
19:05	Satan hear this Proclamation I am
19:09	baptized into Christ drop your ugly
19:12	accusation I am not so soon enticed
19:16	now that to the font I’ve traveled all
19:19	your might devil has come unraveled and
19:22	against your tyranny God my Lord unites
19:25	with me
19:28	think about that for a second
19:30	all too often we do not think of Satan’s
19:34	deceptions and everything that he’s up
19:36	to as tyranny and that’s exactly what it
19:39	is
19:40	sin is not Freedom it is slavery and
19:44	it’s slavery to the ultimate Tyrant that
19:46	has ever existed
19:50	he does not entice you with sin in order
19:52	to be your buddy
19:54	or your best friend
19:56	he entices you with sin in order to be
19:58	the Tyrant Lord over you and to drag you
20:02	into hell and Christ and his Mercy has
20:05	given us forgiveness of sins and the
20:07	sure and certain word regarding what he
20:10	did to us in our baptism to use against
20:12	the devil’s tyranny
20:14	we continue death
20:17	you cannot end my gladness I’m baptized
20:21	into Christ
20:22	when I die I leave all sadness to
20:25	inherit Paradise though I lie in dust
20:28	and Ash’s face Assurance brightly
20:30	flashes baptism Has the strength Divine
20:33	to make life a mortal mind
20:35	there is nothing worth comparing to this
20:38	lifelong Comfort Shore opened eyed My
20:41	Grave is staring even there I’ll sleep
20:44	secure though my flesh awaits its
20:46	raising still my soul continues praising
20:49	I am baptized into Christ I am a child
20:54	of paradise
20:57	and when you sing those words and you
20:59	hear that first person I am baptized
21:02	into Christ I am a child of paradise
21:06	that’s you speaking you’re proclaiming
21:10	this Defiance you’re proclaiming this
21:12	promise you’re proclaiming these things
21:14	to be true and true for you because
21:17	Christ has given you penitent Faith to
21:19	believe such great promise is done in
21:21	such humble Waters
21:24	so in the waters of the Jordan River
21:25	Jesus unites with us in the waters of
21:29	our baptism we are united to him what
21:32	great news this is what comforting
21:34	assurance that we have what a great
21:36	weapon to use against the devil and we
21:38	thank and praise God for such amazing
21:40	gifts in such humble packages in the
21:43	name of Jesus Amen
21:45	[Music]

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