Baptismal encouragement for 2024

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased!” (Mark 1:11 ESV).

What wonderful words of encouragement! These words are of the Father speaking to His Son, Jesus, in the Jordan River at Jesus’ baptism.

To “dot the I’s and cross the T’s” of God’s Law, Christ went into those muddy waters to be baptized. Was Jesus sinful like you and me? No. Did Jesus need to be baptized? No. Jesus simply did what He was supposed to. Jesus is righteous. He has no need for cleansing, no need for forgiveness. Jesus did what He was supposed to so that you would be called God’s beloved child. In short, Jesus’ baptism is much more for you than Him. In baptism, God lays claim on you as His own child.

This Sunday, Jan. 14, many LCMS churches will celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. This is a most significant Sunday for God’s people! With the rest of Christ’s church, Concordia, Sikeston will hear God encourage her that she is God’s own child. How? By being His baptized people! By being claimed by the God who created the heavens and the earth. This is one of many gifts God gives to His people in baptism.

In baptism, God distributes to His children His grace and forgiveness. Why? Because of what His Son Jesus did for His people on the cross. How do I know my sins are forgiven? I am baptized into Christ. How do I know this? Because God claims me in baptism! He chooses me.

The God who created everything gives me my identity, my purpose, my reason to exist. The God who spoke those words to Jesus long ago continually repeats to His church today - “you are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased!”

What a claim! What a joy to know that I have the protection and direction of my Heavenly Father!

It is true: our Father lays the claim to His people through the waters of baptism. While one might suppose baptism is something someone does by personal decision, Lutherans teach the following: “I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him” (Luther’s Small Catechism).

Sinful humans cannot possess God until he/she is claimed by God. Once our Heavenly Father lays claim on someone, he/she can reach out to God with boldness and confidence.

As 2024 continues, God speaks through His Word to all those being baptized (and to the baptized today), “you are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Encouraging words indeed.

The Rev. Matthew Berry is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston, Missouri.

Based in Sikeston’s Historic North End, Concordia is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), a theologically conservative, biblically sound, Christ-centered church.