Baptism Testifies about You
John 2:23-25
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the gospel according to St John, Jesus performs his first sign at the Wedding of Cana. This is then followed by Jesus going up to the Passover feast and over turning tables. While Jesus is in Jerusalem, many come to believe in Jesus Christ, on account of his signs. But Jesus himself does not trust their belief, because he knows the hearts of all mankind.
John chapter one, sets the stage confirming Jesus Christ is the Son of the Most high. He is the very Word made flesh and the Light of all mankind. At the end of chapter 2 we get another narration, which reminds us Jesus knows everything that is in everyone. He is the all knowing creator of all the living.
John states, "because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man." Likewise, Moses recalls what is in all man as testified to by God, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
We often like to say we do not know what is in anyone's heart. I can not look at you and tell whether you truly believe in Jesus Christ. Nor can I say whether you are truly one of the elect, or chosen children of God. I can't do this because I am not God.
Therefore, I look for testimonies about your faith. I listen to your words, as you have confessed your faith. I listen to your words, as you have confessed your sins with the expectation of the Forgiveness of sins. These things do bear witness to your faith in Jesus who died for the forgiveness of your sins.
But I also know the Word of God, which tells us that we are all conceived and born sinful and unclean. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. Every intention of our heart is bent toward evil. God calls the Heavens and the earth to be his witnesses. Even Moses says, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse."
We may need these reminders to remind us that even the people we love are evil, sinful, and even unclean. We can easily look into our own heart and recognize the desire to do good. But we also see the things we wish we hadn't done, or worse the things we are glad we have done but know are wrong.
Therefore, we need to confess our sins. We turn to Jesus, who is the Lord of all the living, and the savior of all mankind. It is good news that many people have believed in Jesus Christ. So we likewise turn to Jesus and his Sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, to find our own forgiveness.
In Baptism God has claimed you to be his very own. He has washed you in the blood of Jesus Christ. He has drowned the old Adam, or sinful flesh, within you. He raised you to new life. God has even transformed you, and given you a clean, and upright, heart.
Thus, even while your neighbors, creation, and even the devil may charge you with an endless number of sins, transgressions, and faults. Your Baptism proclaims you to be a new person, a redeemed person, and yes, even a saint.
In John chapter 2, these people believe because of Jesus' many and various signs. We likewise believe in him on account of his many and various signs. But not just the cleansing of a temple or changing water into wine. Nor do we believe and trust in Jesus because he fed five thousand men, or told a woman everything she had ever done. We believe in him who has laid down his life for you. Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, comes to die in our place and for your sins.
We are Baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. These are the signs we proclaim that Christ has done. Because in these we remember the evil we ourselves have done in our life. We are reminded of our own faults, our own failures.
We are also reminded of the new start we have been given. You get to begin anew each day. "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin."
It is now our task, to testify concerning Jesus Christ with our lives. It is our task to testify about Christ's sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sin. It is our task to testify to the gift of a new life we have received. It is our task to testify to the forgiveness, or atonement, Christ has made for others.
I can not look at you and tell whether you truly believe in Jesus Christ. Nor can I say whether you are truly one of the elect, or chosen children of God. I can't do this because I am not God. But I can recognize that you have been baptized, and we know the promise of Mark 16:16.
Likewise I also know that Christ made his sacrifice for all the sins of the world, and that means he died for all your sins, whether or not you believe it. He died for all your neighbor's sins whether or not they believe it, so let us treat one another as people for whom Christ died.
Let our prayer, and our life follow like these simple words. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us so that our hearts may be at peace and may rejoice in a good conscience before You, and no sin may ever frighten or alarm us. Amen
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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