The Supreme Preacher

And behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
MATTHEW 3:17
+
The Supreme Preacher
He is the supreme Preacher, preaching from the highest and greatest pulpit—from heaven. Because He is the supreme Preacher, His sermon is accordingly the highest sermon, and no more sublime sermon has come into the world than this one, which the almighty, eternal, merciful God delivers concerning His equally omnipotent, beloved Son, saying, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." . . . So, likewise, the greatest Student and Hearer of this sermon is the Holy Spirit Himself, the Third Person of the divine Majesty. These are all sublime indeed—Preacher, Sermon, and Hearer—and there can be none greater. This is why the dear angels keep silence and do not make themselves heard. Rather, they are listening to the supreme Preacher: God, the almighty Father, and what He is preaching concerning His beloved Son, with whom He is well pleased. . .. But now you may say: "What good does it do me? Christ is God's Son, begotten of the Father in eternity, conceived by the Holy Spirit without sin and born true man of the Virgin Mary. . . But I am a poor sinner, conceived and born in sin. Therefore, because of my sin, surely my Baptism will not be such a glorious occasion?" You should by no means speak or think like this . . .. Rather, you should not separate your Baptism from Christ's Baptism. You must come with your Baptism into Christ's Baptism so that Christ's Baptism is your Baptism and your Baptism Christ's Baptism, in every respect one Baptism.

From Two Beautiful and Comforting Sermons of Dr. Martin Luther (Luther's Works 58:361-62)