Divisive and Living Water
Matthew 3:13-17
January 12, 2025 Anno Domini
Today I want you to think about rivers, Biblical rivers. The garden of Eden had one river flowing through it, that branched into four rivers – the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris and the Euphrates. At the Jabbok river Jacob wrestled with God on his way to meet his brother Esau. In the Nile river Moses was saved as a baby and God’s mighty hand worked the first two plagues leading to the Exodus – turning it to blood and creating an invasive flock of frogs. We heard about the Jordan river in the Old Testament reading through which Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land. The Jordan also gets mention in the story of Naaman the leper. When he is finally convinced to bathe in the Jordan seven times his leprosy is cleansed. Ezra, when he was returning with exiles to the promised land, rested at the river Ahava, and there the people humbled themselves and prayed for a safe journey. The prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the Lord’s Day is of a river that gives life to every living creature and wherever it flows it refreshes and gives life. On its banks are all kinds of fruit trees, producing fresh fruit every month of the year. God’s Word begins and ends with rivers.
What do we learn from rivers? Rivers divide. One side of the river is distinct from the other side. On one side is the wilderness and on the other is the promised land. Sartell is not Sauk Rapids and don’t we know it.
Rivers have living water, moving water. A river has a source and an end. For the Mississippi it is Lake Itasca and the Gulf of Mexico. The Jordan goes from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead sea. You can trace the Rivers of Scripture from Eden to heaven. Rivers will take you somewhere.
God used rivers to divide people, to set them apart. Consider Moses as a little boy. Pharoah was killing all the infant Hebrew boys in the hopes of neutering the strength of that nation, but Moses’ mother, made him a little basket boat and his life was preserved. On the banks of the river was death, in the water there was life and a savior.
Then there is that scandrel Jacob, who had tricked his brother out his birthright, lied to his father Isaac to steal his brother’s blessing, and then ran away. He was on his way to meet Esau when he came to the Jabbok river. He sent his family across the river and was alone when God wrestled with him all night long. In the end Jacob pinned God down and made Him cry, “Blessing.” The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel and separated him from all other men to be the one through whom the Christ would come. His brother welcomed him, and Jacob now Israel became the father of the nation.
Let’s take those two truths and consider baptism, our Lord’s and your own. Rivers divide and rivers have living, moving water.
Jesus is baptized. He went into the water, and He came out of the water. Likely He came out of the Jordan on the same side as He went in, but none the less that baptismal river divides Jesus from all other men. He enters the Jordan to “fulfill all righteousness.” Everyone else was being baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins, for righteousness before God Jesus is baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Everyone else is in the water to receive a gift. Jesus is in the water to purchase a gift. All the sinners are in the water for themselves. Jesus is in the water for you.
The waters of Jesus baptism are living waters. If you want life these waters show you its source and its end. There is no life anywhere or anymore in the world. Everything dies. Everyone dies. Look in your garbage can. Look at the landfills and junkyards. Look at the cemetery. Look at your mychart.
The only source of life is the Son of God. The Epiphany season hails Him as the God made flesh, as the Savior of the whole world, as your Savior.. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the Virgin Mary, and she conceived. This is why you should bow your head when we confess that the Son of God “was made man.” He has come “for us men and for our salvation.” His public work starts in water like Moses, with a Dove, like Noah after the flood, when everything starts anew. And in case you didn’t see all these signs His Father speaks so you get Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
The Father isn’t pleased with you because you’re a rebellious sinner. You don’t obey. The Father is pleased with His Son because He obeys. He goes where His Father sends Him, to identify with sinners, to take the sinner’s bath in the Jordan, because He will take the sinners wrath on the cross. The Church year begins with blood and water – Jesus circumcision and His baptism and it’s apex is blood and water – Good Friday when our Savior dies for us on the cross and His dead side is pierced. The life of the Church is a life of water and blood – of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
That brings us to your baptism, a divisive, living waterYour baptism divides you from sin and death. On one side of the waters of baptism your sinful nature has so corrupted you that you are dead to God. By nature you don’t want Him. You don’t need Him. You cannot stand Him. Therefore, you truly deserve to die. You are born in open rebellion against the God who created you. But when the Spirit brings you through the waters of baptism, on the other shore if you will, you are alive and a child of God.
How does that happen? It happens because the waters of baptism are living waters. God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose water, muddy Jordan water, St. Cloud tap water. He could even use Little Rock Lake water at the height of the algae bloom. But when that foolish, murky water is combined with God’s Word it becomes a life-giving water, rich in grace. You might remember this verse from Titus in the catechism, “he saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, and you are baptized to be justified. Your baptism is connected not only to His baptism, but to His death and His resurrection. In baptism your sinful self dies with Christ and a new man arises with Christ. On one side you are rebel and dead, on the other you are now child and heir. All because of Christ.
One of the earliest symbols of a Christian was a fish. A fish is born in water and so are you. Be warned. A fish out of water is a fillet soon to be devoured. You won’t do well outside of your baptism. Here is how you live in baptism. At night, at the end of the day, you return you baptism, by confessing your sins. To quote that famous theologian Bruce Springsteen, You go down to the river and you die. Then you go to sleep at peace, because you are baptized. You are forgiven. In the morning you come out of the river, alive, forgiven, raised for a new day, desiring to live like God’s child and follow His holy will. At night you die. At dawn you rise. Like Jesus. Because You are baptized in His name. Amen.