In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

Monday evening, I was returning home on Highway 12 and was confronted with this beautiful sunset. Anyone driving west simply could not ignore it, because at first the sun was right in your line of vision, and then, there was this beautiful sunset. And I realized that it had been a long time since I had seen a sunset. I was thankful for that opportunity to pause and marvel at God's creation. Occasionally, prison inmates will say that it's funny how you miss seeing the sky.

When is the last time you noticed the sky? When is the last time you paused in your busy schedule to look up? When is the last time you saw a beautiful sunrise or sunset? Today, in God's Word, we learn that on a certain day long ago, people near the Jordan could have seen more, much more, for we are told that...

1. Remember who was present.

{21} When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened... Does that strike you as amazing? It says that heaven was opened. The people were being baptized. And then, Jesus was baptized too. And then, Jesus prayed, and as he was praying, heaven was opened. I don't think I would forget that sight.

Yet, remember who was present. Sure, John the Baptizer was there. His disciples would have been there. All those people being baptized were probably somewhere around there too. But, that's not what I mean. Remember who was present. Jesus was there. He's the Son of God and the Second Person of the Trinity. That would be amazing enough. But then, we read in verse 22, 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."

All three persons of the Triune God revealed themselves that day. First, we would have seen Jesus there. He was baptized by John. That's kind of a mind-boggling thing right there. John didn't understand it either. When Jesus approached John to be baptized, John the Baptizer tried to deter him. He knew that Jesus didn't need forgiveness. So John said that he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. But Jesus said that it was proper and fitting for him to be baptized "to fulfill all righteousness." That's pretty deep.

To be honest, there is more here than I can explain. Jesus did not need forgiveness of sins, because he had no sins of his own. And yet, he came to be the Lamb of God. He came to bear our sin. And so, this became a part of his active obedience. But that's not all. The Old Testament had foretold that the Savior would be anointed by the Holy Spirit. In fact, that's what Messiah means, and that's what Christ means: "The Anointed One." Messiah is Hebrew for Anointed One, and Christ is Greek for Anointed One. And here, at his baptism, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Essentially, this was our Savior's installation into his public ministry as the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior. This was our Savior's installation day, and here he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He reveals himself here, in the form of a dove. He descended on Jesus in bodily form, as a dove.

And then, God the Father reveals himself as a voice from heaven. There is no doubt that the voice is God the Father. He says to Jesus, You are my Son. All three persons of the Triune God were present at Jesus' baptism. We see here the three persons of the Triune God in sight and sound and person.

This should remind us that the Triune God was present when we were baptized too. When we were baptized, these words were used, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." And so the Holy Spirit entered our hearts to do his sanctifying work, creating faith. Appreciate what a treasure we have in Holy Baptism. In Baptism, our sins were washed away. In Baptism, God adopted us as his children. In Baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, namely, faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. The date of our baptism should be as well known to us as our birthday. In fact, the day of our baptism is actually a far more important day, isn't it?

We just finished celebrating our Savior's birthday, but now we see him baptized. Great events happened when Jesus was born. But look what happened when he was baptized! Heaven opened and all three persons of the Triune God were revealed. Jesus was there. The Holy Spirit appeared as a dove. And God the Father spoke as a voice from heaven.

2. Remember what was said.

{22b} And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." He began by saying, "You are my Son." God the Father wants it known that Jesus is his Son. This is a public announcement, and yet, he's talking directly to Jesus when he says, "You are my Son, whom I love." God the Father wanted Jesus to know that he loved him.

And yet, I wonder. How much must God love you and me? I mean, God loved Jesus, his only-begotten Son, and yet he loved us so much that he sent his Son to save us! How much must God the Father love us? If this doesn't impress you, what will? God the Father was willing to give up his Son to a painful death to save miserable sinners like you and me? What love has the Father lavished on us! It is simply amazing.

God the Father said to Jesus, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." The Father was "well pleased" with his Son. This reminds us that Jesus was perfect in every way. He had committed no sin. He always obeyed God's Commandments. He loved God above all things, and loved his neighbors as himself. He always did what was right and good. He never did what was wrong.

Jesus had to be perfect to save us. He had to be perfect to save sinners like you and me. We have not always loved God above all things. We have not always loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not always obeyed God's commandments. We have not always done what was right and good. We have done many things that are wrong. We might as well admit it. We are sinners. We do not deserve God's love. And yet, he loves us. He always has.

God loved us all so much that he gave his one and only Son, Jesus, to be our Savior, to live the perfect life and die on the cross for all of our sins. Jesus served as our Substitute. And as our Substitute, he lived for us and died for us and rose from death having won our forgiveness. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.

You know, as I was preparing for this message, a thought popped into my head. On the day that Jesus was baptized heaven opened to reveal the Triune God. But, isn't it interesting that now heaven is open for us! We may not see it, but it is! Because Jesus redeemed us, heaven is open to us. The door to heaven is wide open! Believe in Jesus, God's Son, our Savior, and heaven's doors will always stand open for you. Just think, because Jesus went all the way to the cross, heaven is still open for us.

The next time we see a beautiful sunrise or sunset, maybe we'll be reminded that heaven is open to us, thanks to Jesus, our Savior. Amen.