God Made Jesus Who Had No Sin to Be Sin for Us

Baptism of our Lord

January 10, 2016

Matthew 3:13-17 & 2 Corinthians 5:21

God Made Jesus Who Had No Sin to Be Sin for Us

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” Each of my sermons last year ended with those words. This year my sermons end with these words, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (1 Timothy 1:15 & 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Both of these passages draw you right to the cross. The cross upon which Jesus hung is the victory that we have been given by God's mercy. This is why the cross upon which Jesus hung hangs around my neck. This act of mercy is my victory and yours. We are sinners; He became our sin and was punished for us on the cross.

He gave us His life to save ours―and His life for ours included His baptism.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15)

We need to be clear. Christ is without sin.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are―yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Yet He became us, a true Man, and our sin to buy us back from slavery to sin, death, and the Devil.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

With His conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary until He breathed His last breath on the cross, He became us and our sin to save us sinners. In His baptism, the One without sin and who is totally clean before God stepped into our dirty water and got dirty. He took on our filth and this is exactly why the Father loved His Son: “He fulfilled all righteousness.” This meant that Jesus did what His Father wanted. His Father wanted to save us from our sin.

So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “'Abba', Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:3-7)

In order to make you an heir, to receive His divine gifts, His only-begotten Son Jesus had to become our filth and pay for our sin. This is why He had to be baptized, not because He was dirty, but because He was clean.

Your baptism does the opposite: you are dirty, and your Baptism made you clean before God. Baptism saves you because you are receiving the divine gift of forgiveness. You are an heir of the heavenly Father and this is His most precious gift to you. And it is a gift. You didn't earn it. You don't deserve it. But Christ gladly made you clean with water and His Word. And now God is also pleased with you.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us,

so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God! Amen!

2 Corinthians 5:21