What Perfect Timing!

1st Sunday after Epiphany, 1/12/14
Matthew 3:13-17


What Perfect Timing!
I. The Son accepts the work of atonement.
II. The Father accepts the Worker of atonement.


Your spouse begins taking down the Christmas tree and all the other Christmas decorations in the house. It’s a huge job. And then you happen to come home from work early and your spouse exclaims, “Your timing is perfect. I just started putting the Christmas decorations away and I could use your help.”

You’re part of a team working on a particular project for your employer. One of the components of that project is all yours. You work on it feverishly, trying to get it done by the time it’s needed. When it’s finished, you contact the leader of the project to let her know and she replies, “Your timing is perfect. We just got to the point where we’re ready for it.”

Perfect timing. That’s not so easy to accomplish in an imperfect world. We work hard to make things come together but there are unforeseen obstacles. Even worse, we don’t get the cooperation we were hoping for. Worst of all, we actually face opposition from others. Under such conditions, we’re thankful if we get anything accomplished. Perfect timing hardly enters our thinking.

But we have an example of it in Matthew’s account of our Lord’s baptism. We find it in the very first word of that account. It’s the word “then.” Thus begins the most important work of all—the work of our salvation. Jesus takes up the public portion of that work and begins making himself known as the world’s Savior from sin. And lo and behold, it happens exactly when his heavenly Father wanted it to. This was no coincidence. This was divine fiat. What perfect timing! Everything about it was perfect. May that truth fill us with peace and confidence as we study this familiar event in our Savior’s work for us this morning.

Part I.

Have you ever experienced a work situation in which your superior told you, “Get this done or else…”? You know what the “or else” is. It means you’ll be looking for employment. No one likes such a hostile work environment. You didn’t want any part of this but now you have no choice. You have to do it. But it probably won’t be your best work. How could it be? Your heart isn’t in it.

Matthew tells us that Jesus traveled from Galilee (most likely from the town of Nazareth) to the Jordan River (most likely east of Jerusalem). It was a journey of about 50 miles. Matthew lets us know that Jesus made that journey in order to be baptized by John.

This is an apparently needless undertaking. John recognizes that and so do we. Jesus is the sinless Son of God. As such he has no need of baptism for the forgiveness of sins. John rightly declares that the roles should be reversed. He should be the one coming to Jesus for baptism.

So Jesus made this journey, probably on foot, for what we would likely call a needless effort. Can you hear Jesus muttering under his breath with every step he takes? Is his attitude much the same as the employee in the hostile work environment who complies with the superior’s demands, but only under threat?

Not at all! Just the opposite. The Greek text hints that John the Baptist argued with Jesus. He couldn’t see it Jesus’ way. But we don’t hear Jesus say, “Fine! What do I need baptism for anyway?” Quite the contrary. Jesus didn’t give in. In fact, he continued this dialogue with John until John consented.

So, if Jesus didn’t need baptism, why would he be so adamant about being baptized? Let’s listen to him explain it. He told John, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Like good Lutherans, we ask, “What does this mean?” In short, it means that this was something that his heavenly Father wanted him to do. Jesus was here on earth to complete every facet of his Father’s plan for him to be the world’s Savior. One facet of that plan was for him to be baptized. That’s exactly what happened that day.

What’s more, it’s another example of Jesus taking the place of the sinner. For all of his life so far—probably about 30 years—Jesus had been taking the place of the sinner by living a perfect life. He would continue doing that right up until he declared his work finished on Calvary’s cross. And that’s where he died as the substitute for every sinner. On this day, he shows us how important baptism is. It’s part of God’s will for us. It was part of God’s will for Jesus and he obeyed.

And the timing couldn’t have been better. In fact, it was perfect. This was exactly the day and the time when Jesus was supposed to take up his public ministry. Now was the time for him to lay down the tools of a carpenter and take up the work of showing himself to be the world’s Savior from sin. This wasn’t mere coincidence. This was divine fiat. And there isn’t one hint of unwillingness on Jesus’ part. Just the opposite. You get every impression that Jesus is not only willing to do this most important work of all, he’s also adamant that he does it. He knows how eternally critical this work is for us. And in perfect love for us he puts his entire being into it.

What perfect timing! The Son accepts the work of atonement.

There are times in our lives when we “settle” with having unwilling help. The kids don’t want to help you shovel snow. They do it unwillingly but you’re glad for the help. It sure would be wonderful, though, if they were eager to help you!

Imagine if Jesus had gone to the Jordan to be baptized unwillingly. Imagine if he had whined and complained. Imagine if the Father had threatened him, “Do this work or else..!” If that were the case, you and I would be sitting here today in utter horror and despair. We would have no confidence in Jesus and no peace with the holy God. Instead, Jesus is not only willing to do the work, he demands to do it just as outlined by his Father. What confidence that gives us! But we have our doubts. At the oddest moments the shame of past sins floods our hearts and minds and Satan accuses us all over again. We assess the rough stretch of days we’ve faced as some form of divine retribution for our sins. We conclude that God is indifferent towards us. Those conclusions fly in the face of what we witness here. Jesus even submits to his Father’s will to be baptized although he had no need for it. In so doing, he shows that he accepts the work of making us at peace with God—the great work of atonement. And the timing was just right. In fact, it was perfect.

Part II.

If you’ve been in any kind of management situation, you know it’s nearly impossible to have just the right person in every position all at the same time. Even when you have a good team to work with, there always seems to be one or two individuals that are not doing what they could or as much as they could and you wish you had someone else in that position.

As the Father watched his plan of salvation unfold that day of Jesus’ baptism, do you think he wished he had someone else doing the work? Do you think he gave the old “what else am I going to do?” gesture? Do you suppose he wondered what a more well-equipped candidate could do? Did he have to “settle” for Jesus?

Not a chance! He gives Jesus his complete approval and his timing is perfect. Matthew tells us, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.” As God promised in the Old Testament, the coming Messiah or Savior of the world would be anointed with the Holy Spirit. That would be the divine mark that this was the one. John later remarks how he witnessed it. Jesus was sent from heaven to do the work of being the world’s Savior from sin and this anointing by the Holy Spirit seals that choice.

But that’s not all. With perfect timing the Father follows that anointing with his verbal approval. “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” There you have it! God the Father testifies that Jesus is his Son and that he is perfectly pleased with all that Jesus has done and is doing as the world’s Savior from sin. He didn’t have to settle for anything less than perfect.

On this day Jesus takes up his work as Savior in a public way and he does so with his Father’s full approval. How that must have empowered him! To know that he had his Father’s help and support every day of his work! The Father didn’t reserve his comments until the work was completed. He gave it at the very outset. What confidence that gave Jesus! What confidence that gives us!

What perfect timing! Not only does the Son accept the work of atonement this day, but the Father accepts the Worker of atonement as well.

That first day of his public ministry couldn’t have gone any better for Jesus. He fought the temptation to despise being baptized and both of his partners in the Trinity reaffirm him as their choice for the work of being the world’s Savior from sin. What else could God have done to make us more confident of his saving will for us, of his sacrificial love for us, of his dedication to us? This morning in the friendly confines of our church we rightly exclaim, “Nothing!” If only that confidence would go with us as we get back into the grind of life! Then we doubt God’s concern for us. Then we question his love for us. Then we aren’t so certain about our future. But that’s what our Lord’s baptism is all about—giving us confidence that our sins are forgiven and that our God has eternal life in store for us. Jesus willingly accepts the work and at the same moment the Father accepts him as the One to do that work. What perfect timing! And it’s all for you. Amen.