The Baptism of Our Lord
Congregation at Prayer
A Guide for Daily Meditation and Prayer
For the Week of January 9thto 15th
What the Father says of Christ in His Baptism He says also to You!
Responsive Prayer 2 – LSB p.285
Catechesis Notes for the Week…
This week it’s all about Baptism—Jesus’ Baptism and then your Baptism. And whatever went for Jesus, goes also for you as well. For Jesus, when He entered the shallow, dirty waters of the Jordan, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and a voice from heaven declared to Him, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased” (Mk 1:11). What the Father said to Jesus He also says to you—you are His beloved Son; with you He is well pleased.
That’s Baptism: not just plain water, but the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word. God commanded this Baptism to be done by His disciples for us. He calls Pastors to be His hands and feet, His mouth and ears. And by this washing with the Word, our Lord creates children for Himself. He creates sons and daughters for whom He gives Himself to be Father. And this Baptism of water and the Word is what makes disciples.
Jesus entered this Baptism, too. But for Jesus, it worked the opposite way as it does for us. For us, Baptism washes away our sin, cleanses us from the stain of guilt that rests so heavily upon us, even from birth. Baptism forgives our sins and removes them from us. For Jesus, when He enters the waters of Baptism, all our sins wash onto Him. Rather than getting clean, He gets filthy with our guilt, He immerses Himself in our sin. Here, He swaps places with us, and He does it all for us.
And because Jesus entered Baptism for us, we are now free to be sons and daughters of God Himself. For us the heavens open. For us the Spirit descends. For us God says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Learn-By-Heart Scripture…Matthew28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Learn-By-Heart Catechism…Baptism
What is Baptism?
Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.
Which is that Word of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
Daily Readings…
Monday (1/9):Ezekiel 3:12-27; Romans 2:1-16
Tuesday (1/10):Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Romans 2:17-29
Wednesday (1/11):Ezekiel 33:1-20; Romans 3:1-18
Thursday (1/12):Ezekiel 34:1-24; Romans 3:19-31
Friday (1/13):Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25
Saturday (1/14):Ezekiel 36:33-37:14; Romans 5:1-21
Sunday (1/15):Ezekiel 37:15-28; Romans 6:1-23
Prayer of the Week…
Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Amen.
Hymn of the Week…“To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord” 405
Looking Forward to Next Week…
1 Samuel 3:1-101 Corinthians 6:12-20John 1:43-51