The Almighty God Comes to Us
He preached, “One more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals! I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:7–8)
John was sent to prepare the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, for the coming of the Messiah. He was set apart from the people of Israel. He wore camel’s hair and ate locust and honey. He was not like the people of Israel. But who John was was not as important as John’s message. He led the people to confess their sins and repent of them. Then he forgave their sins and baptized them as a visual that they had been cleansed of their sins. And John pointed them to the one who would bring with him the Holy Spirit. This coming one would have the power on his own to forgive sin. He would be the Son of God, God himself incarnate.
This one who John proclaimed has come. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. He would not only forgive the sins of all people, he would take those sins upon himself and make the payment that was required of us. He would give his life so that we might have life in him. And he would bring with him the Holy Spirit, who creates faith in us and connects us to Jesus through baptism. This one that John said would come after him has come. He is Jesus, the Almighty God, who loves us and makes us worthy to be in his presence. Amen.
Our song for today is “To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord” by Concordia Publishing House