SUN, JAN 11, 2026 | THE BAPTISM of our LORD, YR A
A Well-Ordered House: Vision for New Life (Romans 6)
Romans 6:1–11 | Matthew 3:13–17
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Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Out of order. In our modern world that phrase refers to something that is broken. Something that is unavailable for its intended purpose.
At the airport, you see the automated kiosk. You’re so happy that you’ll be able to skip the line but then you see…it’s out of order. And so it’s useless. You have to join the line with everyone else.
At a gas station, there’s one open pump. You pull up, get out and then see the sign. It’s out-of-order. It’s useless. It’s broken. You have to find another spot to fill up.
What else could be out of order? A restroom — when you really needed one. The ice-cream machine at your favorite restaurant. The ATM at your bank? The website for your health insurance provider.
On and on and on it goes. We live in a world with countless conveniences, which often seem to be out of order. Useless, broken, and tremendously frustrating.
But we can also apply that phrase to our own lives and to lives of so many people around us? Last week, we heard that there is a right order and a wrong order for our lives. The right order is the order established by God, in the beginning.
In Genesis chapter 1 we read that,
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:27-28)
We are meant to bear the image of God. We are meant to be like God. To love the way that God loves and live the way that God lives. And then God adds context for this image-bearing. He says to Adam and Eve. ““Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.”
The context God gives here is marriage and family. Be fruitful and multiply, he says. Get married and have children. Build families.
And then extend your family and your work into this world. Fill the earth and subdue it, God says. The care and the use of the world are given to mankind, that we would fulfill our purpose, our created identity, as bearers of the image of God. That we spread the reign of God through our words, and deeds, in our individual lives and as families and as the church.
The Lord Himself summarizes His will, His purpose in this way:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ …and… ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:30, 31)
This is the purpose for which we were created. This is a life lived under the Law of God, which Christ fulfills, and which He also commends to us in the great commission. He says “Make disciples. Baptizing them, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded. Because this is the will of God, which guides us into the very best way of life. This is how we connect people to Jesus. This is a Well-Ordered House.
But since the first sin against God in the garden, our whole human family has been out of order. We have rejected God’s image, God’s purpose. And instead of loving the way God loves and living the way God lives, we have listened to the devil and run after our own desires, our own will.
And so our energy, our love, is so easily consumed by worldly things: these days it’s streaming media, and video games; it’s politics and the pursuit of happiness; it’s possessions and wealth, and recreational activities that are pursued only for us, only for our pleasure, comfort, and personal fulfillment. It’s true that all these things that are gifts from God which can be enjoyed — if and only if they are kept in the right order. Remember what Augustine says, echoing the great commandment: Keep your loves in order: Love God first. Then the people He has given to us. And lastly comes the stuff of this life, which we enjoy and use for God’s purposes.
Yet we so easily reject God’s calling, His purpose. And when we do our lives become Out-Of-Order. Broken. Dysfunctional. Because the very things we were created for, we reject.
But into this broken, dysfunctional world; this world that has rejected God’s created purpose for our human family; Into this out-of-order world, Christ our Lord has come.
And He came as THE TRUE MAN, who lived a well-ordered life, a life of love toward God and neighbor, a life of righteousness and purity before His Father in Heaven. In an out-of-order world, Jesus bears the image of God, perfectly. What we were meant to be, He was and He is.
The season of Epiphany is about the light of God in Christ shining on us. Revealing the truth to us. Calling us to believe His Word, to trust in His mercy, and to come and follow Him.
And today at the beginning of this season of Epiphany, we see Jesus living His perfect life, not for Himself, but for us and for our salvation.
That’s what the Baptism of our Lord is all about. It’s about Him connecting with us. Identifying Himself with us. Becoming one of us, in order to bear our sins and be our Savior.
Otherwise why Jesus be baptized at all? John asks that in our Gospel reading today. We read that
John would have prevented him [from being baptized], saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:14-15)
John says, Jesus you already bear the image of God, perfectly. Jesus, you already live before God in righteous and purity. You already follow God’s will and live by His purpose. Jesus, you have no sin to wash away. So why am I baptizing you. You need to baptize me.
John’s right. Jesus baptism makes no sense if it is for Him. But it’s not for Him. It’s for you.
He has already taken on your flesh in His incarnation. Now He takes on your sin, takes responsibility for it, and begins His journey to the cross to receive the punishment for it. Jesus is baptized not for His sake, but for your sake, and for mine. So that our lives would be transformed by His love. So that we would receive the benefits of the cross: forgiveness, life and salvation. And would, indeed, live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
His Baptism and His Word proclaimed to you today and His true Body and Blood, given and shed for you, these are meant to put your out-of-order life, back into good order.
St. Paul says this directly in our Epistle reading today. Paul writes,
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4)
Do you see what Paul is doing there. He’s addressing an absurd claim. The claim is this: Since my sins are forgiven by Jesus, I can do whatever I want. I can just keep on sinning. And God will keep on forgiving me.
And to this the Apostle says, BY NO MEANS! MAY IT NEVER BE.
May it never that the people of God would embrace sin. May it never be that we would reject God’s Law and His good and perfect will for our lives. May it never be that we would stop trying to follow our Lord and His calling.
Because we are baptized into Christ. And in this Baptism, we were buried with Him, joined with Him in His death on the cross. And likewise in this Baptism we have been raised with Him that we might live NOT the old life, but a new life.
Because Baptism and God’s Word proclaimed to you today and His true Body and Blood, given and shed for you, these are meant to put your out-of-order life, back into good order. So that you would live a new life. Day by day growing in righteousness and purity before God.
In the Lutheran church we are particularly susceptible to this misstep. We never want you to believe that you have to earn your place before God. We never want you to think that if you do all the good things, then you will go to heaven. NO! Your place before God is secure, not because of what you’ve done, but because of Christ who has finished the work, paid for your sins, and made you a dear child of God. Faith alone makes this promise of God yours. And even that faith is a work of God. By His Word and Sacrament He produces faith in your hearts.
But often we fail to emphasize the importance of Godly lives. The Gospel of God’s grace does NOT mean that God doesn’t really care how you live. He does. And His Law is meant to guide you in your life as His Baptized and forgiven people.
Well, OK. So what? I’ll tell you what. Learn God’s Law. Memorize the Ten Commandments. And pray for God’s help to live by them.
Last week my assignment for you was this:
In addition to weekly worship and our prayer times, I want you as individuals and families to gather together each day to read God’s Word and to pray. I gave you a little excerpt from our hymnal as a tool to help you with this habit of Daily Prayer and I set out the Come, Follow Me books for use during that time. Because I want you as individuals and families to gather together each day to read God’s Word and to pray.
Many of you are taking up that challenge, thanks be to God! I would love to hear how it’s going. What’s going well? And what’s hard in your daily prayer and Bible study time. Share your triumphs and your struggles and let me pray for you.
But let me also say that not trying is not an option. Isn’t that what Paul says?
Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! Instead, let’s live in light of our Baptisms. Let’s walk in newness of life.
And as Paul writes again in Romans 6:11, You must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
So, dear Christians, you must TRY. If you haven’t had a chance to get started, now’s the time. We still have devotionals. We still have Daily Prayer handouts.
Your pastor and His family are doing this together. You can do it too. And you know that this is NOT earning your way into heaven — salvation is a gift from God by faith alone. But you also know, don’t you, that following God’s commands is NOT something we can ignore or reject. Being a disciples means receiving God’s grace in Word and Sacrament, yes. And it also means obeying Christ, following Him. So says our Lord. And to this obedience He attaches a promise. Following Him, doing His will, brings good fruit.
So this week, let’s add one little thing to our devotions. Recite and memorize the The Commandments. You can find the text of the commandments inside our guide for daily prayer. And if you need a catechism with the meanings, dust off the catechism you used for confirmation. Or we have pocket catechisms available. Take one today. Because I really do want you to recite and memorize the The Ten Commandments. And don’t be surprised if I quiz you!
For as the Psalmist writes,
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
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Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
(Psalm 119:9-10, 97)
Notice what the Psalmist says. By the Law of guide we are guided in the way of purity. And the people of God are meant to desire God and stay on the path laid out by His Word. We are to love His Law and meditate on it.
So let’s do that. As God’s forgiven people let’s commit ourselves to Worship and to prayer, to the reading of God’s Word, and to meditating on His Law, beginning with the 10 commandments. And in the weeks and months and years ahead, as individuals, as families, as a church, let’s live by God’s Law, repenting of our sins, gladly hearing God’s word of forgiveness, and eagerly and joyfully setting our house in order.
For we have been Baptized into Christ. And by our Baptism and by God’s Word proclaimed to us today and by His true Body and Blood which we receive at this altar, God is putting our out-of-order lives, back into good order. So that we would live a new life, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Now the Peace of God, which surpasses understanding, guard your hearts and minds in the one true faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.