Behold The Lamb of God Matthew 3 13 17
January 11, 2026
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
The Baptism of Our Lord (Epiphany 1) 11-January-2026 Sermon Text: Matthew 3:13-17 Sermon Theme: “Behold, The Lamb of God!” I. He Is Manifested In Our Flesh! (Vs.13-15) II. He Is Justified By The Spirit! (Vs.16) III. He Is Preached By The Father! (Vs.17) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
The Baptism of Our Lord (Epiphany 1) 11-January-2026
Sermon Text: Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon Theme: “Behold, The Lamb of God!” I. He Is Manifested In Our Flesh! (Vs.13-15) II. He Is Justified By The Spirit! (Vs.16) III. He Is Preached By The Father! (Vs.17) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. St. Paul quotes a hymn that either he composed or was already part of the liturgy of the early Christian Church. The Christian Church is a singing Church. Here God the Holy Spirit opens our lips to sing forth hymns declaring the Father’s praise in His Son our Savior.
In the gradual this morning we heard David’s song echoing through his son Solomon in our sanctuary: Psa 72:18-19 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! (19) And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. Epiphany is manifestation season in the Church year. The glory of our Triune God shines forth in the Light of God the Son by the Spirit from the Father into our sin darkened world.
The devil leads the world in darkness. Since the day his lie captured our first parents we are conceived and born in spiritual darkness. There is no light or spark of the divine in fallen man. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. Captive to Satan and walking in his spiritual lies as he leads us away from the only true God towards eternal death in hell. What does a world stumbling in darkness away from it’s Creator look? The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, testifies, “Rom 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, (30) backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; (32) who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Our world in riotous chaos stumbles in the dark towards self-destruction.
Into our darkness Jesus the Light of the World is come! In Jesus alone is Life! His Light is the Life of mankind. The world’s devil breathed darkness rails against the Light of Jesus, but it can’t snuff it out. He is the Light of whom John the baptizing preacher points confessing: “Behold, The Lamb of God!” I. He Is Manifested In Our Flesh! (Vs.13-15) II. He Is Justified By The Spirit! (Vs.16) III. He Is Preached By The Father! (Vs.17)
I. History records, Mat 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" St. Luke supplies an historical time stamp: Luk 3:1-2 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, (2) while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. The historical records of the Romans and the Jews agree with the Holy Bible’s history. John would’ve began his ministry between 26 to 29 A.D.. John preached, “Repent!” Be honest! Confess your sins! Let God wash away your sin! “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” The King is come to rescue you! Prepare to meet Him! Mat 3:5-6 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him (6) and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Heed the preaching of John! Stop stumbling in darkness. Be honest! Return to the Light! Confess your sin! You have not feared, loved, and trusted in God above all things. You have not loved your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The Kingdom of God is at hand! He is Jesus! He comes finding us lost sinners. Calling us by name in baptism. “Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word.”
Fix your eyes on Jesus - the Lamb of God! (Vs.13) Jesus is now about 30 years old. He is preparing to enter His public ministry. He leaves His mother’s home in Galilee and journeys to the small town of Bethany beyond the Jordan where the preaching prophet John would lead repentant sinners to baptize them in the shallow river. Matthew hasn’t used the name “Jesus” since the end of the 1st chapter of his Gospel. The Child conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary is named “Jesus” by His step-father Joseph. He is named “Jesus” ,as the holy angel preached to Joseph in a dream, “for He will save His people from their sins.”(Mt.1:21)
Jesus now comes to John to be baptized with sinners.(vs.14) John had baptized tax collectors, prostitutes, and soldiers. The Sadducees and Pharisees whom came to watch, refusing to be baptized as sinners, he called a “brood of vipers.” “Satan’s spawn” lost in spiritual darkness. Scripture testifies,Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. John, a cousin of Jesus, tries to prevent our Lord’s baptism. As a six month old infant - John leapt in his mother Elizabeth’s womb for joy to be in the presence of His Holy God now enfleshed - a embryo in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He knew that Jesus was truly an Israelite without guile. He was not worthy to unloosen the sandal strap and wash the feet of Jesus. How could he pour the water of a sinner’s repentance upon this Man - this Second Adam truly created in the Image of God. John needed the Light that Jesus was bringing into the world. He needed to be washed in His holy forgiving blood - how could Jesus come to him?
Jesus persists (vs.15) The Light shines to save sinners. God is manifested in our flesh - not to damn but to save real sinners. He doesn’t come seeking perfect people - He comes to fulfill all righteousness FOR YOU! He will not do it apart from His Church and its preachers like John and His visible gifts in water.
It is only after John pours our sins upon Jesus’ innocent head at the Jordan that his eyes are open to see. Jesus is The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is God’s only begotten Son in our skin - God’s love manifest in His oneness with His fallen creatures. He forever remains True God and True Man to all eternity. The only Savior and hope for lost sinners.
Remember that John was a descendent of Aaron, a rightful holder of the Aaronic priesthood. On the day of Atonement the priest would lay his hands upon an spotless male lamb without blemish to place all the sins of the people upon him alone. Then the lamb would be released bearing the sins of the people away to die in the wilderness. The Innocent would become guilty - that the guilty might be declared forgiven. The Holy Spirit teaches you, 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
II. Where Jesus is present the entire Godhead is present! (Vs.16) Jesus now walks out of the Jordan to stand upon its bank. Heaven is torn open. The gate to Paradise is no longer guarded by a mighty holy angel. Instead God the Holy Spirit visibly descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The Holy Spirit breathes new life, hope, and light into our sin darkened world.
A dove is a symbol of life and peace. Remember God’s just judgment of the world in Noah’s day. 11 to 14 billion sinful unrepentant humans died in one day. Creation suffered with man’s sin. The millions of fossils found in rock layers laid down by water all over the earth - testify to the historicity of God’s just judgement in Noah’s day. It was only after the waters had been on the face of all our world for nearly a year, that Noah releases a dove. At first it finds no place to rest and return. Then a week later returns with a newly plucked olive leaf. Life was returning to the once deluged creation. A week later the dove flies to freedom and new life in our world.
It is fitting that God the Holy Spirit manifests Himself as a Dove descending and remaining upon the Man Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, our Helper, the Lord and Giver of Life. He breathes out life through the prophets testifying of salvation in Jesus alone.
God the Holy Spirit remains upon Jesus. Showing the unity of the Holy Trinity. The Spirit is not the Son - the Son is not the Spirit - but they dwell together in eternal unity. The prophet Isaiah pointed us forward to this manifestation of the gracious Godhead in the baptism of Jesus. Isa 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. Apart from Jesus you cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Those who claim to be spiritual but deny that Jesus is God in the flesh - the God/ Man - do not have the Holy Spirit, but a demonic spirit of lies.
III. Now we hear God the Father’s voice preaching. (Vs.17) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united as One in Jesus’ baptism and in His work of reconciling us to our God and Father.
God the Father is well pleased because His only begotten Son from eternity has humbled Himself to save us sinners. He now becomes our Scapegoat to fully pay our debt to justice and reconcile us to our Father in heaven.
Jesus’ baptism into our sins, prepares the way for our baptism into His death and resurrection. Our sins become His, that His perfect fulfilling of the Law, sacrifice on the cross, and triumph over Satan and the grave by His resurrection might be sealed upon us.
Baptism is never man’s work or decision - it is God who is at work in water and His Word. Dr. Martin Luther wrote: “Here is not mere water, but also the word and power of God; as we see at the Baptism of Christ, where God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are present. It is not water alone, but that water in which the Son of God laves, over which the Holy Spirit hovers, and of which God the Father speaks. Baptism is not mere water, but water full of grace and a laver of regeneration, ordained and sanctified of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Accordingly Christ ordained that Baptism should be administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
God the Son, with His Body, God the Holy Ghost with His Presence, and God the Father with His Word sanctify Baptism, and are really present, whenever a child is baptized among us. Since, therefore, the entire Godhead is connected with it, Baptism is not mere water, and no invention of men; for although man baptizes he does not do it in his name, but in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, who are there in the act, otherwise Baptism would be of no avail.
Who dares to despise this ordinance, with which the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost unite? Who would venture to call such water mere water? Do
we not plainly see what spices God has thrown into this water? If we mix
sugar with water it is no longer mere water, but becomes claret, or
something similar: why then should we endeavor to separate the Word from the water and say it is mere water, as if neither the Word of God nor He Himself were united with it? Such a supposition is false; God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are in and with the baptismal water, as Christ, at the Jordan, was in the water, the Holy Ghost over it, and God the Father revealing Himself in the voice from heaven.
Baptism is therefore a peculiar water which taketh away death and every
evil, helping us into heaven and to a life everlasting. It is a precious, sweet water, full of aroma, a healing power, for God is united with it. God is a God of life, and therefore this water which He has blessed must be the true aqua vitae, which conquers death and hell and brings eternal life.
Rejoice for at the Jordan we “behold the Lamb of God manifested for our salvation in the flesh of Jesus by the Holy Spirit comforting us in our baptism as the Father adopts us as His beloved children in Jesus. Amen.
Sermon Text: Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon Theme: “Behold, The Lamb of God!” I. He Is Manifested In Our Flesh! (Vs.13-15) II. He Is Justified By The Spirit! (Vs.16) III. He Is Preached By The Father! (Vs.17) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. St. Paul quotes a hymn that either he composed or was already part of the liturgy of the early Christian Church. The Christian Church is a singing Church. Here God the Holy Spirit opens our lips to sing forth hymns declaring the Father’s praise in His Son our Savior.
In the gradual this morning we heard David’s song echoing through his son Solomon in our sanctuary: Psa 72:18-19 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! (19) And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. Epiphany is manifestation season in the Church year. The glory of our Triune God shines forth in the Light of God the Son by the Spirit from the Father into our sin darkened world.
The devil leads the world in darkness. Since the day his lie captured our first parents we are conceived and born in spiritual darkness. There is no light or spark of the divine in fallen man. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. Captive to Satan and walking in his spiritual lies as he leads us away from the only true God towards eternal death in hell. What does a world stumbling in darkness away from it’s Creator look? The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, testifies, “Rom 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, (30) backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; (32) who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Our world in riotous chaos stumbles in the dark towards self-destruction.
Into our darkness Jesus the Light of the World is come! In Jesus alone is Life! His Light is the Life of mankind. The world’s devil breathed darkness rails against the Light of Jesus, but it can’t snuff it out. He is the Light of whom John the baptizing preacher points confessing: “Behold, The Lamb of God!” I. He Is Manifested In Our Flesh! (Vs.13-15) II. He Is Justified By The Spirit! (Vs.16) III. He Is Preached By The Father! (Vs.17)
I. History records, Mat 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" St. Luke supplies an historical time stamp: Luk 3:1-2 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, (2) while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. The historical records of the Romans and the Jews agree with the Holy Bible’s history. John would’ve began his ministry between 26 to 29 A.D.. John preached, “Repent!” Be honest! Confess your sins! Let God wash away your sin! “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” The King is come to rescue you! Prepare to meet Him! Mat 3:5-6 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him (6) and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Heed the preaching of John! Stop stumbling in darkness. Be honest! Return to the Light! Confess your sin! You have not feared, loved, and trusted in God above all things. You have not loved your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The Kingdom of God is at hand! He is Jesus! He comes finding us lost sinners. Calling us by name in baptism. “Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word.”
Fix your eyes on Jesus - the Lamb of God! (Vs.13) Jesus is now about 30 years old. He is preparing to enter His public ministry. He leaves His mother’s home in Galilee and journeys to the small town of Bethany beyond the Jordan where the preaching prophet John would lead repentant sinners to baptize them in the shallow river. Matthew hasn’t used the name “Jesus” since the end of the 1st chapter of his Gospel. The Child conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary is named “Jesus” by His step-father Joseph. He is named “Jesus” ,as the holy angel preached to Joseph in a dream, “for He will save His people from their sins.”(Mt.1:21)
Jesus now comes to John to be baptized with sinners.(vs.14) John had baptized tax collectors, prostitutes, and soldiers. The Sadducees and Pharisees whom came to watch, refusing to be baptized as sinners, he called a “brood of vipers.” “Satan’s spawn” lost in spiritual darkness. Scripture testifies,Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. John, a cousin of Jesus, tries to prevent our Lord’s baptism. As a six month old infant - John leapt in his mother Elizabeth’s womb for joy to be in the presence of His Holy God now enfleshed - a embryo in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He knew that Jesus was truly an Israelite without guile. He was not worthy to unloosen the sandal strap and wash the feet of Jesus. How could he pour the water of a sinner’s repentance upon this Man - this Second Adam truly created in the Image of God. John needed the Light that Jesus was bringing into the world. He needed to be washed in His holy forgiving blood - how could Jesus come to him?
Jesus persists (vs.15) The Light shines to save sinners. God is manifested in our flesh - not to damn but to save real sinners. He doesn’t come seeking perfect people - He comes to fulfill all righteousness FOR YOU! He will not do it apart from His Church and its preachers like John and His visible gifts in water.
It is only after John pours our sins upon Jesus’ innocent head at the Jordan that his eyes are open to see. Jesus is The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is God’s only begotten Son in our skin - God’s love manifest in His oneness with His fallen creatures. He forever remains True God and True Man to all eternity. The only Savior and hope for lost sinners.
Remember that John was a descendent of Aaron, a rightful holder of the Aaronic priesthood. On the day of Atonement the priest would lay his hands upon an spotless male lamb without blemish to place all the sins of the people upon him alone. Then the lamb would be released bearing the sins of the people away to die in the wilderness. The Innocent would become guilty - that the guilty might be declared forgiven. The Holy Spirit teaches you, 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
II. Where Jesus is present the entire Godhead is present! (Vs.16) Jesus now walks out of the Jordan to stand upon its bank. Heaven is torn open. The gate to Paradise is no longer guarded by a mighty holy angel. Instead God the Holy Spirit visibly descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The Holy Spirit breathes new life, hope, and light into our sin darkened world.
A dove is a symbol of life and peace. Remember God’s just judgment of the world in Noah’s day. 11 to 14 billion sinful unrepentant humans died in one day. Creation suffered with man’s sin. The millions of fossils found in rock layers laid down by water all over the earth - testify to the historicity of God’s just judgement in Noah’s day. It was only after the waters had been on the face of all our world for nearly a year, that Noah releases a dove. At first it finds no place to rest and return. Then a week later returns with a newly plucked olive leaf. Life was returning to the once deluged creation. A week later the dove flies to freedom and new life in our world.
It is fitting that God the Holy Spirit manifests Himself as a Dove descending and remaining upon the Man Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, our Helper, the Lord and Giver of Life. He breathes out life through the prophets testifying of salvation in Jesus alone.
God the Holy Spirit remains upon Jesus. Showing the unity of the Holy Trinity. The Spirit is not the Son - the Son is not the Spirit - but they dwell together in eternal unity. The prophet Isaiah pointed us forward to this manifestation of the gracious Godhead in the baptism of Jesus. Isa 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. Apart from Jesus you cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Those who claim to be spiritual but deny that Jesus is God in the flesh - the God/ Man - do not have the Holy Spirit, but a demonic spirit of lies.
III. Now we hear God the Father’s voice preaching. (Vs.17) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united as One in Jesus’ baptism and in His work of reconciling us to our God and Father.
God the Father is well pleased because His only begotten Son from eternity has humbled Himself to save us sinners. He now becomes our Scapegoat to fully pay our debt to justice and reconcile us to our Father in heaven.
Jesus’ baptism into our sins, prepares the way for our baptism into His death and resurrection. Our sins become His, that His perfect fulfilling of the Law, sacrifice on the cross, and triumph over Satan and the grave by His resurrection might be sealed upon us.
Baptism is never man’s work or decision - it is God who is at work in water and His Word. Dr. Martin Luther wrote: “Here is not mere water, but also the word and power of God; as we see at the Baptism of Christ, where God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are present. It is not water alone, but that water in which the Son of God laves, over which the Holy Spirit hovers, and of which God the Father speaks. Baptism is not mere water, but water full of grace and a laver of regeneration, ordained and sanctified of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Accordingly Christ ordained that Baptism should be administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
God the Son, with His Body, God the Holy Ghost with His Presence, and God the Father with His Word sanctify Baptism, and are really present, whenever a child is baptized among us. Since, therefore, the entire Godhead is connected with it, Baptism is not mere water, and no invention of men; for although man baptizes he does not do it in his name, but in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, who are there in the act, otherwise Baptism would be of no avail.
Who dares to despise this ordinance, with which the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost unite? Who would venture to call such water mere water? Do
we not plainly see what spices God has thrown into this water? If we mix
sugar with water it is no longer mere water, but becomes claret, or
something similar: why then should we endeavor to separate the Word from the water and say it is mere water, as if neither the Word of God nor He Himself were united with it? Such a supposition is false; God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are in and with the baptismal water, as Christ, at the Jordan, was in the water, the Holy Ghost over it, and God the Father revealing Himself in the voice from heaven.
Baptism is therefore a peculiar water which taketh away death and every
evil, helping us into heaven and to a life everlasting. It is a precious, sweet water, full of aroma, a healing power, for God is united with it. God is a God of life, and therefore this water which He has blessed must be the true aqua vitae, which conquers death and hell and brings eternal life.
Rejoice for at the Jordan we “behold the Lamb of God manifested for our salvation in the flesh of Jesus by the Holy Spirit comforting us in our baptism as the Father adopts us as His beloved children in Jesus. Amen.
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