Second sermon.*)
Matth. 3, 13-17.
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John rebuked him, saying: I have need that I should be baptized of thee, and thou comest unto me? And Jesus answered and said unto him, Let it be so now: so it behoveth us to fulfill all righteousness. And he suffered him. And when Jesus was baptized, he came up straightway out of the water: and, behold, the heaven was opened upon him. And John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
From the baptism of Christ.
About the feast of Epiphany (which is usually called the feast of the three kings) your dear people have heard how it takes its name from the fact that Christ revealed himself, not only through the star, but also at the Jordan, where he was baptized. Since such a revelation is the highest, most distinguished and most comforting, it would not be wrong to call this day the feast when the Lord Christ was baptized and revealed at the Jordan when he was thirty years old.
The evangelist tells us in detail how this happened: that Christ, who until then had kept quiet and had not yet entered his ministry, rose from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized, like other sinners who confessed their sin and sought forgiveness for it. John is appalled by this and considers himself unworthy to baptize him. But Jesus says: "Be content, it must be so, if all righteousness is to be fulfilled; that is, if this is to be accomplished, that poor sinners may come to righteousness and be saved, then you must baptize me. For I became a sinner for the sake of all sinners; therefore I must do what God has commanded sinners to do, so that they may be justified through me.
*) In the house, 1534.
This happened for our comfort and as an example, that the Son of God was baptized, who had no sin, and did what he was not obligated to do. Since we, on the other hand, are such poor, wretched, depraved people that we do not do what we are obliged to do, we are still bad boys. Let alone that we should come so far and do something else that we do not owe. Therefore, this is to be especially noted here, that Christ, the Son of God, who is the founder of holy baptism himself, nevertheless allows himself to be baptized, and further commands that such baptisms remain in the church from now on, and that all who want to be saved should also be baptized.
4 From this it follows that they must be accursed people whom the devil has defiled and blinded, who neither want to see nor hear what is happening here, but either despise baptism or mock it. Why would you not let yourself or your children be baptized, since the Son of God lets himself be baptized? How can you be so hopeful, even so blind and foolish, that you can despise this holy and beneficial work? Shouldn't you give baptism all the credit, if it is of no other use, just because you hear that the Son of God himself was baptized, that you were baptized in his honor, even though baptism is of no other use to you?
5 In addition, this is also written here, what we can expect from such a baptism and how it should benefit us. For there it is seen that God in heaven pours Himself out over such a baptism of His Son with all grace, since, as the evangelist says, heaven opens up, which before was closed, and now becomes over the baptism of Christ a gate and window, so that one can see into it, and henceforth there is no difference between God and us; for God the Father Himself is present, and says: "This is my dear Son" etc. Now is this not a great revelation and certainly a great sign that God is not hostile to baptism, which His dear Son has sanctified with His own body, but has a desire and love for it, and cannot stay away from it?
Therefore, since one celebrates a feast of the revelation of Christ, why does one not let this revelation be, since God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reveal themselves so powerfully? For God, the Holy Spirit, also comes in a friendly form, like an innocent bird, which is the friendliest of all other birds, and has neither wrath nor gall with it; as a sign that He will not be angry with us, but will help us through Christ to become pious and blessed.
(7) Now this is a twofold revelation: one of God, the eternal Father Almighty, and the other of the Holy Spirit, which is in the baptism of our dear Lord Christ, who was baptized at the Jordan, not only as an example to us, but also as a grace for us to enjoy such baptism, and to believe that we have a gracious God through it, if we follow such an example and are also baptized according to Christ's command.
(8) Not only does the Father reveal Himself by opening heaven and making heaven and the world one thing, but He also lets Himself be heard with a new voice, the like of which no one has ever heard from heaven before, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This is a different voice than the one at Mount Sina, where God also speaks from heaven, but in such a way that the earth trembles before it, and the mountains smear, and the people are afraid to die.
(9) God does not let Himself be heard here with such a terrible voice; indeed, nothing is heard there, but only kindness, grace and mercy. As if God should say: You people, turn your eyes here and see what kind of trade is going on. You see that John is baptizing a man at the Jordan, as he usually baptizes more people; but if you really want to know who this man is, listen to me: He is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. You must not be afraid of him, for there he stands naked, like another man, without sword and worldly power. Neither should you be afraid of me, for I am not coming with thunder and lightning, with guns and trumpets, as at Mount Sina, but with a friendly image and a blessed countenance.
10 So go out in the most friendly way. The Son of God, who is without sin and innocent, stands in the Jordan and is baptized; the Holy Spirit comes upon him like a dove, so that John sees him with his eyes; and God the Father speaks to us in the most friendly way, proclaiming to us how he is sending us not an apostle, a prophet, or an angel, but his only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased. This means, I think, that we are commanded to look to the Son, because God Himself was not displeased to proclaim to all of us, when He was baptized, that He was His beloved Son. As if he should say: If you now want to have a gracious father, you can easily do so; only hold on to my son, to whom I cannot be hostile, then you will, if you obey his voice, also be dear to me for his sake; therefore hear him and do what he tells you. For he hath no more need of baptism for his person, than he hath need of circumcision. Cause, he is without all sin.
Now the baptism of John is ordained of me for the sinner's sake, that all who confess their sin, being sorry for it, and desiring to be delivered from it, should come to this baptism, and certainly believe that I will be gracious to them. But why does my son, who is not a sinner, allow himself to be baptized? Not because of him, but because of you, who are sinners; for he took your sin upon himself.
He will get rid of them and put them away, so that you will be saved and your sins will no longer be found.
12 The evangelist reports this very well when he says: Christ, when John rebuked him, said: "Let it be so now; for so it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness. This much is said, In this baptism is the righteousness of the whole world. For since I have the sin of all the world upon me and bear it, if the world is to be saved, I must do what God has commanded sinners to do, namely, to be baptized by you. Do not hinder this blessed work, but as I gladly let myself be baptized for the sake of the poor sinners, so you also gladly help and baptize me, so that God's wrath may be quenched and sin put away. The eternal Father is pleased with this, speaks to us from heaven, and directs us to his dear Son, saying: "He is my dear Son, in whom I am well pleased": for our comfort, that we should accept such baptism and certainly believe that God's wrath is appeased, and our sin is put away through such baptism of Christ, so that God will be pleased with us further, for the sake of his Son.
(13) This voice should be followed, if possible, on the points of needles, and this glorious revelation should never be let out of the eyes and heart, that our Lord God tears the heavens apart, sends down the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and lets himself be heard with a sweet voice, saying: Here you have my Son, my heart and highest treasure, and all that I am. But what does the Son do? He presents himself as a poor, meager sinner, and is baptized by John at the Jordan; so that the whole Godhead reveals itself here in the most gracious and friendly way, according to the distinction of the persons, in three different forms; so that everyone may know who holds to the Lord Christ, and accepts his word and is comforted by his works, that God cannot nor will be hostile to such a man. For here it says: Whatever the Son says, says or does, it is all pleasing to the Father.
14 O, how blessed we would be if we could see Christ.
They heard the voice and held fast to it with all their heart. Again, wicked and accursed people are these who let such a voice resound, and yet pass by as if they did not hear it. But the cursed papacy still blasphemes and persecutes this voice, saying: Christ is not the only one whom the Father loves; he also loves monks, priests, mass, pilgrimages and other things. Whoever would think that the kindness of God and the fatherly heart should not be honored more highly than this, should rather be dead ten times over than live with such blasphemous, unholy people.
(15) Therefore learn, little children, because you hear this voice resounding. A few years ago we knew nothing about it; heaven was closed, and we had to listen to what the monks preached about purgatory, poltergeists and other lies in the name of the devil. Now, praise God, the pure doctrine is on the way again, and the only thing missing is that one hears and learns it. Since nothing helps in the world, let us thank our Lord God for this blessing, that he has revealed his heart and his treasure to us today: the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, his Son at the Jordan in baptism, and himself in a glorious, sweet voice.
Who then would not condemn him who would not give thanks and rejoice here, and accept the Son with his heart, standing here in the Jordan, being baptized as a sinner, on whom the Holy Spirit sits in the form of a dove? Since the voice of the Father is as close as can be to the wall? There will undoubtedly also have been countless holy angels. For where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be seen, there must be the whole heavenly host.
(17) Therefore let this feast be held in high esteem. It is also a revelation that Christ revealed himself to the wise men through a star, but this is much higher. These are the right three kings, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, all three of whom are found together when Christ is baptized. If he had wanted, such a revelation would have happened in the desert or in the temple in Jerusalem. But at the baptism it has
We are to be taught, as I have often said, that we should hold baptism in high esteem, and because we have been baptized, neither look at ourselves nor judge ourselves in any other way than as made, even newly created saints.
The blasphemous Anabaptists say today that baptism is only bad water. The devil take such blasphemers. A dog, a sow, or a cow should thus judge, which has nothing but the taste of water. A Christian, however, should not judge according to taste, but according to the word; for there is not only water, but also God's word and power. As can be seen in the baptism of Christ, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore it is not bad water, but such water as the Son of God bathes in, the Holy Spirit hovers over, and God the Father preaches over; so that baptism is not bad water, but water rich in grace and a bath of the new birth, consecrated and sanctified by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For this very reason, Christ sets forth the manner of baptizing, that one should baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
19 Therefore, even today, when a child is baptized, the Son of God, who sanctifies with His body, the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies with His presence, and God the Father, who sanctifies with His voice, are present at such baptism. Therefore, it cannot be said that the water alone is bad, since the whole Godhead is present; therefore, we should not regard baptism as a work of man. For although a man baptizes, he does not baptize in his own name, but in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are also in this work; otherwise baptism would slowly accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish.
20 Who then will despise the fact that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Who will call such water bad water? Do we not see what kind of spice God throws into this water? If you throw sugar into the water, it is no longer water, but a delicious clearing, or something else: why do we want to separate the word from the water here, and say that it is bad water; as if God's word were, yes,
God Himself, not with and in such water? Not so; for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in and by such water, as there at the Jordan, when Christ stood in the water, the Holy Spirit hovered over it, and God the Father preached by it.
Therefore, baptism is such a water that takes away sin, death and all misfortune, helps us to heaven and eternal life. Such a delicious sugar water, aromaticum and apothecary has become of it, since God has mixed Himself into it. But God is a God of life; because He is in this water, this must be the right aqua vitae, which drives away death and hell and makes us eternally alive.
(22) So we should learn to recognize and appreciate baptism. For one does not baptize in the name of an angel or man, but in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; or as it is written in the stories of the apostles, in the name of Jesus, which is just as much. For whoever confesses Jesus Christ must also confess God the Father and the Holy Spirit, since Christ clearly says that he comes from the Father and wants to send the Holy Spirit. He who confesses Christ with all his heart will not be false to his word, but will believe that the Son is not alone, but that the Father and the Holy Spirit are with him, even though the Father and the Holy Spirit are not mentioned by name.
23. Therefore we should learn these things well, and not confess the word of holy baptism about the water used to baptize, but confess and say that it was ordained by God to make us clean from sins and save us from eternal death for the sake of our Lord Christ through the Holy Spirit. For what did God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit want to do with it? Therefore, if you confess that the child now born is in sins, put it into holy baptism and let God do His work with it, as His word says and promises, that one must be born again through water and the Spirit, and that whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. Therefore, if thou confess that it is in death: put it, in the commandment of Christ, into this bath or baptism, and death shall be swallowed up. And thou that art already baptized,
Remember also that your baptism is a seal and pledge to you that God has forgiven your sin and promised you eternal life through Christ. For baptism has a divine power to blot out death and wash away sin. For this is why we were baptized, just as we are baptized into the death of Christ in this hope.
24. But whether we have fallen into sin and done wrong, let baptism and what is promised to us therein remain firm and sure. But return, and persevere not in sins. For it is not fitting, if you desire forgiveness of sins, that you should persist in sins and not refrain from them; but repent, and say in right faith: My Lord God has promised me all grace, having put me in His Son's baptism; to such grace I return, trusting that my sins are taken away from me: not for my sake, or for the sake of any man or creature; but for the sake of my Lord Christ, who commanded it, and appointed it, and was baptized Himself a sinner.
(25) So this revelation far surpasses the one when the star appeared to the wise men; for all Christians enjoy this revelation, since only some pagans enjoyed that revelation there. Therefore, this feast should be called the feast of Christ's baptism, and the day when Christ was baptized.
Then we would have cause to preach about baptism against the evil spirits and against the devil, who likes to let us see all other things, but without our right treasure, he would like to take it out of our eyes and hands, as he did in the papacy, where little or nothing was preached about such revelation at the Jordan.
Therefore learn and diligently observe how this day God has revealed Himself with a beautiful sermon of His Son, that what He speaks and does with us, and we with Him, all these things shall be pleasing to Him. For he that followeth the Son, and keepeth his word, the same shall be the dear child, and shall have the Holy Ghost, which also was seen here at baptism in a beautiful, friendly, and peaceable form. Just as the Father also lets himself be heard in the most friendly way, and says: Here you have not an angel, prophet, apostle, but my Son and myself. How could he reveal himself in a higher way? And how can we serve him better than to listen to his Son, our Savior, and to follow what he preaches and tells us? But he that will not hear him, nor follow him to his blessedness, may hear the apostles of the devil to his everlasting destruction. Therefore we may thank God for such grace and pray that He will preserve us and make us blessed, amen.