1 Baptized into your name most holy,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
among your seed, your chosen host.
Buried with Christ and dead to sin,
your Spirit now shall live within.
The Baptism of Our Lord (First Sunday after the Epiphany)Our Lord Jesus is baptized to “fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt 3:13-17) He partakes of a baptism for sinners in order that He might be our substitute and bear the judgment we deserve. In the water Jesus trades places with us. Our sin becomes His sin. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. Our glory, therefore, is in “Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Cor 1:26-31) Jesus is the “Elect One,” the chosen of the Father to release us from the prison house of sin and death. (Is 42:1-7) Baptized into Christ, we also become the elect ones, the beloved of the Father. We cross the Jordan with Jesus (Joshua 3) through death into the Promised Land of new life with God.Introit: (Liturgical Text, Psalm 89:20,1,26-28)Pastor: Behold the Lord, the Ruler, has come, and the kingdom and the power and the glory are in His hand. Congregation: I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him.P: I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I will make known Your faithfulness to all generationsC: He shall cry to Me, ‘You are My Father, My God, and the Rock of My salvation.’ P: And I will make him the Firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.C: My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm for him.All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, Is now, and will be forever. Amen.P: Behold the Lord, the Ruler, has come, and the kingdom and the power and the glory are in His hand. C: I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him. Collect Of The DayFather in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. +Isaiah 42:1-7+Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. (2) He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; (3) a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (4) He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. (5) Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: (6) “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, (7) to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.Gradual:(Psalm 72:18-19)Bless`ed be the LORD, the God of | Israel,* Who alone does | wondrous things.Bless`ed be His glorious name for-| ever;* may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and | Amen! +1 Corinthians 1:26-31 +{26} “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. {27} But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; {28} and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, {29} that no flesh should glory in His presence. {30} But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; {31} that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”” The Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: The Small Catechism (1529) P: As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household. What is baptism?C: Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word. P: Which is that word of God? C: Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). P: What benefits does Baptism give? C: It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. P: Which are these words and promises of God? C: Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Verse: (Psalm 143:10)P: Alleluia. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! C: Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! Alleluia. + Matthew 3:13-17 +{13}”Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. {14} And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” {15} But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. {16} When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. {17} And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
