Baptism of Our Lord – January 11, 2026
“...and behold, a voice from heaven said,
‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”
- Matthew 3:17 -
God has a voice. John writes in his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). As we look back at the beginning, we see the Spirit hovering over the formless and empty earth. The first manifestation of God’s presence was his voice. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’” (Genesis 1:3). God spoke and there was light. God spoke again and created the heavens and the earth. He spoke, and there was life.
Then, he spoke to us: first to Adam and Eve, then to Noah, the patriarchs, judges, kings and prophets. And he spoke through human beings, putting his voice in their mouths. It wasn’t enough. We didn’t listen. We listened to the wrong voices. We went our own way. But at the right time God sent his Son, the Word incarnate, to bring salvation and peace to his people. God’s voice was given flesh in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Jesus did not come in his majesty and divine glory, but took upon himself the very nature of man. At his baptism, Jesus identified fully with us; the purpose of his life was to take on sin and destroy it forever. He came to bridge the divide between God and man so we can live in harmony with God and one another. The Spirit of God again hovered over the formless and empty earth: He spoke, and there was Light. Jesus Christ was anointed with the power to change the world, to restore our relationship with our Father.
Jesus is God’s Son, but he is also fully human, the living Word in flesh. At the Jordan, God assured Jesus that he was doing what he was sent to do with the words, “You are my beloved.” He has spoken the same words to us in Baptism, giving us the assurance that we, too, are now his children. 
Martin Luther encouraged Christians to remember their Baptism often. In his Small Catechism, Luther wrote that when we get out of bed in the morning and when we go to bed at night we should make the sign of the cross and say, “Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.” These words about our baptism will remind us that God is always with us, so that we can live as we have been called to live.
Baptism of Our Lord – January 11, 2026
“...and behold, a voice from heaven said,
‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”
- Matthew 3:17 -
God has a voice. John writes in his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). As we look back at the beginning, we see the Spirit hovering over the formless and empty earth. The first manifestation of God’s presence was his voice. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’” (Genesis 1:3). God spoke and there was light. God spoke again and created the heavens and the earth. He spoke, and there was life.
Then, he spoke to us: first to Adam and Eve, then to Noah, the patriarchs, judges, kings and prophets. And he spoke through human beings, putting his voice in their mouths. It wasn’t enough. We didn’t listen. We listened to the wrong voices. We went our own way. But at the right time God sent his Son, the Word incarnate, to bring salvation and peace to his people. God’s voice was given flesh in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Jesus did not come in his majesty and divine glory, but took upon himself the very nature of man. At his baptism, Jesus identified fully with us; the purpose of his life was to take on sin and destroy it forever. He came to bridge the divide between God and man so we can live in harmony with God and one another. The Spirit of God again hovered over the formless and empty earth: He spoke, and there was Light. Jesus Christ was anointed with the power to change the world, to restore our relationship with our Father.
Jesus is God’s Son, but he is also fully human, the living Word in flesh. At the Jordan, God assured Jesus that he was doing what he was sent to do with the words, “You are my beloved.” He has spoken the same words to us in Baptism, giving us the assurance that we, too, are now his children. 
Martin Luther encouraged Christians to remember their Baptism often. In his Small Catechism, Luther wrote that when we get out of bed in the morning and when we go to bed at night we should make the sign of the cross and say, “Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.” These words about our baptism will remind us that God is always with us, so that we can live as we have been called to live.