This is the third in a series meant to let the Christian tradition speak for itself, the way it has carried Christians through long winters, confusion, and joy for centuries.
The Lord himself comes to us to lead us out of the land of sin and death with his strong, nail-pierced hands.
Fulfillment can sound awkward as a title or name, but it is one of the most prominent proclamations concerning Christ found in the New Testament.

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I grew up playing baseball – mostly “street” baseball, with a bunch of friends. It was one of my passions in life.
Having Romans 6 as the Epistle for the Baptism of our Lord, and paired with Luke’s account of Jesus’ baptism and Isaiah’s prophetically rich baptismal language in Isaiah 43, allows preaches to proclaim Romans 6 in a more appropriate liturgical context. It could only be better, were someone in your congregation to be baptized on this day. If that’s your situation, the sermon will almost write itself.
But the Creator of life and breath does not wait for Moses to identify with worthiness.
Jesus’ coming and death and resurrection guarantee us the victory over the lies, the desire to be pitied, and the appeal of stuff.
Psalm 51 teaches two things: mercy and sin. But aren’t we already experts in sin? Why do we need God to teach it to us?
As is usually the case with God, He uses something strange and earthly as a picture of His grace and mercy.
We fail over and over again to tame the sin in our hearts, to guard the doors of our lips and to act like the children of God.
He who created the heavens and the earth is adored by angels, shepherds, magi, and cows.
The restoration of everything that is and will be, was always meant to take place in a virgin’s belly, in a manger, at the cross.
A friend recently told me they had never seen the movie A Christmas Story. “What?!” I exclaimed. “Well, you need to fix that this year.”
The age of grace has dawned, the time in which all things will be made new.
God’s name is no different. It, too, carries power. The power of a promise only God can make.