“An Underwater Ceremony”
Text: Matthew 3:13-17
1-11-2026
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. People are certainly creative when it comes to finding strange, new ways or places to get married. I’ve done wedding ceremonies outdoors before, however, it presents some logistical problems, not to mention the general lack of reverence by some attendees. But can you imagine the “fun” of exchanging vows while strapped to the wing of a biplane flying high above the earth. I even read a news article about a couple getting married underwater in scuba gear. Granted, those marriages are still valid. And yet this attempt to be unique detracts from the real meaning of the ceremony in the first place.
Did you realize, though, that we too have been involved in an “underwater ceremony”? As you might have guessed, it was our Baptism. Oh, in most Lutheran churches we don’t put on our swimming suits and dive underwater for it. In fact, most of us were Baptized as infants, wearing a new outfit not intended for a dip in the pool. But when we were Baptized, hidden in, with, and under that water a very special connection was made that couldn’t be seen. It was the very real connection to the Baptism of Jesus. And without that connection, our Baptism would be a meaningless ritual. If we can look at the Baptism of Jesus and see what really went on there then it will give new meaning and importance to our own Baptisms.
Perhaps the first thing to understand is the Baptism that John the Baptizer was administering, which Jesus submitted Himself to. This wasn’t some new ritual that John dreamt up. If you look in the Old Testament, the Jews had numerous purification rites that God had commanded. And these all involved an outward washing. For example, if you were cured of a skin disease like leprosy, you were supposed to wash with water. You may recall that Elijah instructed Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River to be cured of his leprosy. When the High Priest prepared to enter into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he was to wash himself first. If an Israelite became impure by touching something that God had called “unclean” he too would have to wash. You may even remember that Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees because His disciples didn’t perform the ritual hand-washing before meals.
You see, the Jews were very familiar with this type of purification ritual. But John’s Baptism was different. It was more than just a ritual washing. He called the people to repent and be Baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. John’s Baptism had the same purpose as our Baptisms. But you can’t see sins being forgiven. So, God gave us a visible act to show us what was happening invisibly to our souls. As the water is applied on the outside, a spiritual cleansing is taking place on the inside.
In our text, Jesus came to be Baptized by John just like everyone else. But the thing is that Jesus didn’t need to be Baptized. He was the holy, sinless Son of God. He had no sins to get rid of. John recognized this. That’s why he objected when Jesus came to be Baptized. He said, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” He was confessing that he was a sinner who also needed that spiritual cleansing, but Jesus didn’t.
So why did Jesus want or need to be Baptized? Simply put, it was for our benefit, not His. We go to the waters of Baptism to get clean. Jesus went to the waters of Baptism to get dirty—dirty with our sins. As He was Baptized by John, He connected Himself to us through Baptism. Jesus was about to begin His public ministry, which would culminate in sacrificing Himself on the cross for the sins of the world. By being Baptized Himself, He was infusing salvation into this Sacrament of washing so that everyone who is brought to these holy waters could receive the benefits of His death and resurrection. By being Baptized, Jesus sanctified the waters of Baptism and made it more than just another purification ritual.
There are people still today who try to get spiritually clean through a washing ritual, but sadly, without the connection to Jesus Christ. Every year, millions upon millions of people flock to the Ganges River in India to take a dip in the water. They actually believe this bath will wash away their sins and free them from the cycle of reincarnation. Others do it simply to refresh their soul. All of them believe something miraculous will happen. But all they got was wet… and perhaps something they didn’t bargain for. The Ganges River is so polluted with sewage, chemicals, and garbage that they’re exposed to all kinds of nasty stuff. They come out dirtier than when they went in. Not just dirty on the outside. But dirty with sins still covering their souls since Jesus was not connected to that ritual washing.
We can thank God that we were brought to a different ceremonial washing in our Baptisms. And it’s different because the waters in this underwater ceremony have been purified through their connection to Christ. When Jesus was Baptized, He wasn’t just going through the motions or trying to look pious to the crowds like the Pharisees. Rather, He did it because He wanted to bring to us His righteousness through Baptism. In His Baptism, He validated the Baptisms of everyone who had come to John and every one that took place since then; yours and mine included. When Jesus came up out of Jordan River, God the Father spoke those powerful words, confirming who Jesus was. He said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” And now that Christ is connected to the waters of our Baptism, God says those words to each of us. He says, “You are my beloved son, my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased.”
That connection with Jesus Christ is why we Lutherans make such a big deal about Baptism. But I fear that we take it for granted some times and perhaps treat it as just some old ritual. Many view it merely as a nice ceremony that welcomes us as a member of the church. But don’t you see? When we do that, we miss out on the powerful connection we have each and every day through our Baptism. Every day we can tap into the power of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out on us on our Baptismal Day. Do you remember what the Small Catechism says in answer to the question, “What does such baptizing indicate?” The answer is: “It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”
That is a beautiful picture of the power of confessing our sins and reclaiming the renewing benefits of our Baptism. I had a nephew once who agonizing because he felt he had sinned terribly and drifted away from Christ. He asked me about being re-baptized so he could feel that power of the Holy Spirit to live a new life for Jesus again. I totally understood his frustration with ongoing sin in his life. But like I told him, if that’s the cure, then I need to be re-baptized every single day. The good news is that we don’t need to repeat it over and over again in order to have that power because it’s already yours through your Baptism. All you need do is reclaim it.
It may seem strange that something so powerful can happen with just a small splash of water over a person’s head. But as Luther pointed out in the Catechism, it’s not the water but God’s Word in connection with the water that makes it so powerful. That’s why we Lutherans are content with a small amount. Some Christians insist on total immersion underwater in order for a Baptism to be valid. What’s strange is that the great majority of those who demand this deny the power of forgiveness in Baptism. That totally guts the purpose behind Jesus giving us this Means of Grace!
Speaking of immersion, I heard of a drunken man who wandered near a river where a Baptism service was going on. He was curious why all these people were standing in the water. So, he went to see. When the preacher asked him if he wanted to be Baptized, the drunken man figured, “Sure... why not?” The preacher took him and dunked him under the water. When he came up, the preacher asked, “Brother, have you found Jesus?” The drunk man shook his head “No.” So back under the water he went. When he came up again, the same question was asked, “Brother, have you found Jesus?” Again, the drunk said “No.” Down under the water a third time he went. And once more the same question was asked, “Brother, have you found Jesus?” Finally, the drunk replied, “No preacher, but if you’ll give me some idea of where you lost him, I’d be happy to look for him with ya!”
Friends we don’t need to go looking for Jesus. He came looking for us. He was Baptized so that He could be fully united with us. Now, He comes to us in our Baptisms and connects up with us. He connects us to the power of God’s forgiveness. Now, through the mysterious underwater ceremony of our Baptism we have been connected to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And in the process, we have been reconnected with our gracious, Triune God who has claimed us as His own. May we daily remember our Baptisms where we died to sin and were made alive in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!