Don't Miss Moments - Week 1 - St. Peter - Bill Monday
Don't Miss Moments
Pastor Bill Monday - Week 1 - St Peter
Don't….miss…moments.
Throughout our message. We're going to be taking a look at the gospel accounts of Jesus baptism in particular Luke's gospel, but sandwiched between Matthew's gospel, and John's, and as we consider Jesus’ baptism, we will see what's going on inside a work of God. This isn't just about Jesus being anointed commissioned into his work of ushering in, and being that Messiah. He’s Messianic. But we're going to see how Jesus baptism has everything to do with why you were baptized again. Not an outward act, just praising God, dedicating ourselves to him, but more, so God's work of life. So before we jump in, let's open up with prayer. Say goodbye. Yes. By the truth. Oh, lord. Your word is truth. Amen.
As I was preparing for this message. I couldn't help but think about monumental moments in my family, life. Probably because every day, when I get up for my cup of coffee on our kitchen counter meal, I already have this Frame, this Frame, EO tablet. I don't know how many of you have a frame. A five by seven kind of picture frame, ever heard of that. Well, here you go. I'm going to advertise for it. I'm getting no, no, no benefit from this. No royalties or anything, but this is a cool little gift. My parents sent to me before.
The holidays, like Thanksgiving before that this 5x7 frame, which is a tablet where you can just upload your pictures and whatever videos you want, and then it just kind of presents them in a slideshow. You can order them in a playlist. You can even send a link to your friends or family and they can upload pictures, but be careful if you do that (if you have any shady friends, don't do that.) So, so, so anyway, it is school like everybody, I'll get up and I'll just be drinking some coffee and I'll see a picture of like Mike. Kids, when they were really young life was easy, that's hard. Like it was really busier than so, but they're my oldest issue. It must have been about 11 and I got four kids and my youngest was about four and she's making pancakes and their eyes are just laser focused. They're ready to eat those pancakes. It's just, cracks me up. I think the next picture will come across and it's my wife when she was in her twenties. We just started dating, and she's just sitting on Martin Luther College campus lawn, and it's the fall.
And it's just a beautiful picture. I embarrassed her when I told that in the early service when she was there and then there's me the next picture and I was in sixth grade and it must have been our family vacation to Disney World and I'm wearing a literal Disney goofy cap, because that was cool. And I have pink jams. You guys remember those long shorts jams. That was cool. And here I am with my dorky glasses in my I had bed head and all that and I'm sticking my finger out and there's this Plastic alligator biting my finger next to a sign because we're in Florida. It says, “Beware the alligators”. Like I was annoying as a kid. I'll be honest, my poor parents, like 12 hours driving to Florida.
So, pictures like those photos. I mean if I were to go around and I will take your phones and go through not just getting one to that. But if you were to take a look at your pictures and your phones, you would see. Beautiful people. Amazing moments, all as gifts from God. So, if you want to pick up a frame, and just see that every day, just have a blast, just go do it. That's it. It’s amazing. We just look at those moments. You wouldn’t want to miss those. you wouldn’t trade for anything. So think about those pictures, you have. I mean, if I were to go into your work place and you're off of them, sure, I'd see some pictures on your desk and five by seven frames or whatever or hard to go in your living room and see different pictures around, maybe a portrait of family portrait display.
And I started thinking about what would God display if we could think like that? What would God display in his Heavenly home? Where soon we will be in the Mansion above? What picture? His family, what he put on for everyone to enjoy. If you're taking notes, just ponder that for a little bit. What pictures would God place up in the Heavenly Realms? Go by Grace, because of what? We just experienced words of sin and Grace, there would be pictures of you. By Grace, you are the apple of his eye. He loves you. He thinks about you. 24 7 365. He's preparing a place for you. He's looking forward to you being with him and I would guess, then if he had pictures, it would be a picture of your baptism. Today when it wasn't so much about your parents offering you up to God or you saying, you love God, maybe that's part of it, but God claiming you. I don't know how it works. But by God's promise in this tangible outpouring of his grace and water. He literally claims you to be his. He adopts you and his family wouldn't have a picture of that. I know it. I know it would. I'm going to treasure that today. You'd have to Picture This Moment. I mean, this is a family reunion you ever think about every Sunday. God's people gathered together were reunited and we're looking for that one. Perfect reunions above that. He has a picture of all of God's children, all around the world on Sunday mornings gathering at his house.
It's good time. When you like together two or three when you gather your little groups, guess what Jesus is there to he promises that, wherever two or three gather and wherever Jesus shows up, that is a moment to remember. That even when you're on your own, you know this when you're behind closed doors and you're just praying pouring your heart out to God, and you're just reading his word. When you're having that conversation, he speaks you pray. Even remembers moments like that.
I wonder if those would be the pictures, he would keep as wallet. Beautiful moments of God where he celebrates His grace in you, I think it's good to think, like that course. The centerpiece the portrait in his living room space. Wouldn't it be a Jesus? And maybe it would be a claw. Just all these different works of our Lord Jesus. When he walked visibly Among Us. I would think that Jesus is his birth into this world. Christmas is humble, is that was
I think God would have a picture of that. I mean, Mary holding the one to crush the devil's head. Wow. See Simeon in the temple. Acknowledge. This is the savior to see Jesus’ healing doing Miracles. I could see the wedding of Cana where they ran out of wine. And there is the Son of God saying now there's more. I could see him in pictures and video clips healing lepers healing, the paralytics healing, the deaf, the Blind, and you bringing A Little Piece of Heaven in the Sin. Broken world to testify that he is the one God sent.
I can see the empty tomb. I mean, surely Easter, Jesus conquered death. Just rising out of the Grave. I could see that in the picture and God's house for the Ascension. We just read about. Write those words, go. Now, all authority has been given to me and he's ascending and we're ready to go out and can see the disciples going and Jesus ascending. But I think there would be some pictures. That he wouldn't take.
I think there would be some portions of Jesus ministry, his life, that he wouldn't put out for anyone to see their, their best. Probably just written in the word Jesus crucifixion. I mean, the actual crucifixion of Jesus, we have sanctified pictures of it and it means so much to us. But I think, I think one of the reasons why God had Jesus come at the time he did. What you couldn't take pictures or videos is because that probably isn't worth seeing.
I wonder if there's another event in Jesus’ ministry. White envelope. God would put up in his house. That would be his baptism.
Take note of that too. What a picture of Jesus baptism be included among God's Treasured Memories. I think our first thought would be a why not. It's amazing. He's coming out of the waters. We're going to read about that the spirits being poured out and visibly like a dog, God saying, this is my son, whom I love with him. I am. Well, pleased. Why would you have a picture of that Center Stage?
The gospel accounts. We're going to find as we dig a little deeper. This is kind of a scandalous moment. What we look a little deeper to see, this is pretty humiliating for Jesus. We might find that. It's actually the opposite. Of what we know for our own baptisms, which we treasure. So, I have a teacher interest a little bit. You be the judge, you tell me after we consider these accounts. If God would display. This Heaven above, let's jump into Matthew is Gospel.
Matthew chapter 3, 13 through 16. Here he writes. “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to be baptized by John.” So things are just beginning. For Jesus, John has been added for at least six months. Now, when John sees Jesus, we read John, tried to deter him saying, “I need to be baptized by you. And do you come to me, Jesus replied? Let it be. So now it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”
It's kind of curious, isn't it? Why did John object? So, Jesus being baptized, I think, at face value, it would appear that while John realizes someone greater than he is there. And he realizes his own need for baptism it so it makes sense. What? Don't know. Jesus you should baptize me. I don't deserve this honor but there's something more going on. And that's evident. When Jesus says, no, this must be the case. We must do this. John. You must baptize me to fulfill all righteousness. That's interesting because it wasn't a command at this time.
Jesus didn't have to be baptized to fulfill some ceremony. So what gives…why the back and forth and why is it almost a review John? I must take up his baptism. When you look a little bit further, in the context of man, through the other gospels to you to see this, this is the shocking thing about it. Matthew would tell us that John came with a baptism for repentance for sinners.
Baptisms for sinners.
Matthew. He speaks to that very clearly. Matthew 3:11. That was John his whole ministry. Repent, be baptized so that God might wash away your sins.
Now. Send my son of God and he's going to be baptized in a baptism for sinners. I can see why John might say. No. No, it should be me. Not you. Now, why would Jesus say it has to be? I have to be baptized in. This looks going to help us a little bit. Those good up fill in some more of the details. We get a clear picture of what's going on. Luke says, in chapter 3, 21 to 22. He says, when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized to, it's kind of a surprising thought.
Now we see this, as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit. Descended on him in bodily form, like a dove and a voice Came from Heaven. You are my son whom I love with you. I am. Well, pleased. This is why we would say. Wow. What a moment to remember. I mean God truly excited about Jesus being baptized. He visibly shows himself forward, of course, himself out on Jesus. And according to his spirit and then the father says, this is my son. I'm well pleased.
But there's always a reason when God shows up.
There's a reason why God, speaks from Heaven. This is my son. He is looking to confirm important truths. For example, if John somewhat objected. Might be good for God to show up and give a witness know that Jesus knows what he's doing. And it's interesting when the spear pours out on Jesus, he does. So, as he would often, well, as we might find some times in the scriptures, but it's actually a few and far between he will Empower someone to do something impossible. But you think is Samson. Samson had the spirit on him, and he was able to defeat the Philistines thing about King David. He was anointed the spirit fell upon him. The next chapter, he
Beats Goliath. So, the spirit is empowering Jesus to fulfill this role of the Messiah.
That which it's impossible to save Humanity. And the reason is because the nature of the work is so excruciating. Lee humiliating. He's doing battle against sin and death in the devil, and it's going to take across. And if we were to go by appearances, he would look like he was defeated, not a champion, would make sense, why the spirit would visibly manifest himself, improve the world know. This is the plan, it's even more clear to when the father says. Yes. This is my son. Yes. I love him. I am, well, pleased with this, John. It was God's will. It was God's will. That Jesus would take up a Sinners baptism. Let's fill in another thought here. And this is what surprising. He was pleased to have Jesus pictured with sinners. Jesus’ baptism is all about him being numbered with you, with me, transgressors as if there were no difference. All the differences that Jesus never sinned. But Isaiah 7 or 8 years before said Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ to come, who we know as Jesus, he would have to be just like you just like me but without sin.
Taking your sin and mine on him. I think about second Corinthians 5:21 in, this is scandalous. This is shocking. Paul would tell us, God made him who had no sin to be sin or a sin offering. I suppose, you could say sin incarnate do not guilty of one sin, so that you and I might be the righteousness, God's perfection. That's scandalous. You could say it this way, Jesus, when he goes, to the Waters of baptism, unlike us, our sins are washed away by God's promise. When he goes into these Waters. He's taking up our sin. He's being marked as The Sinner.
God feels compelled to prove publicly. This is my will. With all that, it means that even he should die on a cross. What we? Just in case, when we take a look at John's gospel next.
John chapter 1 29 through 32. We see the next stage on that would be the baptizer. He saw Jesus coming toward him and said, look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You see? John finally got to like, oh, when Jesus was baptized cousin to wash away sins. It was the soak it up. And to begin a three-year march to a cross to die. He would become The Lamb we've been waiting for to sacrifice so that we wouldn’t suffer Hell. There's images here of Leviticus, this festival in the Old Testament, Leviticus 16 The Day of Atonement. When God would finally be reconciled to people and it would be by way of a scapegoat someone would have to be blamed. Someone had to pay for all the sins of the world and God in his grace said it wouldn't be you. He would be the one to come. So Jesus had his baptism is called declared the Lamb of God.
The scapegoat where we can put our sins on him and he'll go out beyond the city in the wilderness and he will die our death. That's scandalous. Because here's the insight we can come up with as we take a look at Jesus’ baptism. Jesus’ baptism is a picture of his mug shot where he's literally numbered with criminals though. He had committed no crime. And in this moment when God Says with him, I am well pleased. Yes, this is the plan. It's as if God says, yes, and he is doomed to Die. The father loves the son because he gives his life up for sheep.
It's a death sentence. Here's my question. This is why I would ask, you think, God would put that picture up in his Heavenly Realm. His son’s mugshot with a caption says, death. Declared guilty.
I wouldn't put that picture up with that with myself. So, Jesus is the sponge at his baptism to soak up all the sins of the world while when we are baptized, he washes, it all away. You see the difference and you see how Jesus’ baptism makes ours beautiful.
Another illustration to kind of drive a thought home of the beauty of a moment. You wouldn't want to miss. Moses Mendelssohn. Not another composer Mendelssohn, but Moses Mendelssohn was a German philosopher.
I’m going to tell you a story about this woman that he fell in love with Rome it. Who can hate him? He was an 18th century philosopher in Germany. He was pretty well-known. People love to read his writings. Hear what he had to say, pretty enlightened and except they were pretty repulse when they actually would see him. He was kind of a short fellow.
And he wasn't anything to look at. He actually had a disfigurement. A hunchback. Well Frau Guggenheim, she fell in love with his words. Wanted to see him hand heard that he was single. But then she saw, and she said, like, “no, thanks”. Well, he saw her. And he pursued to perhaps have a relationship with her. Although she wouldn't have any of it. Finally corners her. And he asks her, he says so.
Do you think marriage is made in heaven? So, this is a pick-up line, right? And she says, yes, I do believe. Marriage is made in heaven. He says, you know, what else happens in heaven?
True story. He says, Legend has it that angels will share with men, whom their Brides will be will give the details of their name and what they look like and where they live so that that man can go and find his bride.
Interesting, when the angel though, said your name,
He didn't tell me anything more about you. I was troubled by that. So, I pleaded with him and I pleaded with him, but I pleaded with him finally. He shared he says, look, I didn't want to tell you more than her name because she's disfigured. She's appalling. If I were to tell you that, well, I'd be afraid that you'd ask for another bride.
So, Moses told her so I did plead I did beg but not for another bride. I asked instead that I might take your disfigurement as my own. That you might be beautiful in every way and not suffer the scorn of the world. And it worked. Can you believe that man? What a wise, clever guy? That guy was, by the way, maybe a single man. If you're looking to, you know, want a pickup line, there you go. That's your story.
True story. They married in 1762 and they had six kids and it was beautiful. Now, obviously, that's not what happens in heaven. It was just the trick. He used to try to win her with his charm. But that story, and this is why it's such a beautiful connection to what we're talking about today, that story did happen. And Jesus looking for the bride of the church. You.
Eternity says that God chose you in Christ before the creation of the world. So, imagine this conversation.
Jesus knew that we would fall into sin, Jesus knew that we would be disfigured and would be appalling, only deserving of death, and Jesus before the creation of the world committed to taking our corruption, taking our disfigurements, so that we could be beautiful in God's sight and he Fashions all human history and it all culminates in Jesus ministry and it begins at his baptism. This is where you take our sin, our corruption. So, we could be beautiful. Forgiven. You see what's going on in Jesus, baptism at Jesus baptism. He trades places with us trades, places with us. Think about that, his baptism.
It plunges him, buries Him deep into our sin. So, he is sinless. Our baptism. It plunges us in His grace and we’re raised in that grace.
His baptism figure, this destined him for death. Our baptism bound us, life, heaven, complete opposites. He trades places. We take his, he takes ours. His baptism was utterly humiliating, ours is infinitely exalting. Again, the beauty of Christ, becoming one of us taking our place when he ascends. Guess who goes with him, you do. Literally to run alongside God and man.
That's your place that begins at your baptism. It's so beautiful, but we could see why God would have a picture of your baptism in the Heavenly realms. I don't know though, if you would have a picture of Jesus, you decide. I think an importent thing to do is to recognize this. There's a lot going on in baptism. It isn't just this outward show because then there'd be no difference between Jesus’ baptism and yours.
No, it's all about the inner work of God taking your place so you can have his. You see how practical that is to, that understanding. I mean, every day, every day, if you feel like you're the lowest of the low because you can't shake your sin. God declares in your baptism, which has ongoing effects. You're my child with you. I am well, pleased. Today is a new day. You're forgiven. You’re love, rise with Christ.
Do battle with your sin! Leave.
Across today, we can see in Jesus baptismal waters.
Here's the point we walk away with today. You see because God is pleased at Jesus baptism. So humiliating. He's pleased with ours. You're baptized children of God. Think about his baptism. Remember yours.
