In Christianity, we place a lot of weight on the rituals surrounding the life of Jesus Christ.
From His birth to His death and resurrection, most events are recognized and celebrated.
Every day is examined and observed separately.
One such important event is the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a Christian religious holiday celebrated every year.
What is the baptism of the Lord Christian holiday and when is it celebrated?
Christian Religious Holiday–The Baptism of Jesus
Based on Wikipedia, the baptism of Jesus or the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, or Theophany, is a day commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:13 - Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to John, to be baptized by him.
Initially, The Baptism of Jesus holiday was celebrated on epiphany.
Epiphany is the holiday that commemorates the coming of the three wise men to see Baby Jesus.
Read the following post to learn more about the Epiphany holiday: The Religious Christian Holiday Epiphany.
However, over time, the Western churches have separated the Baptism of Jesus from epiphany.
This is because it is a unique day that has a lot of importance.
Many churches, including the Catholic Church, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, celebrate the holiday.
After the epiphany, which is referred to as the first manifestation of the Lord, baptism is the second manifestation.
When is the Baptism of Jesus Celebrated?
Various Christian churches observe the Baptism of Jesus.
They include the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Western Churches, Eastern Orthodox churches, and others.
We celebrate it on the first Sunday after the epiphany of the Lord.
Catholic churches, Anglicans, Lutheran, and others celebrate the day after the epiphany.
However, for those that follow the Julian calendar, the day is celebrated on January 19th.
Celebration of Baptism of Jesus in Western Churches
Roman Catholic Church–The day is a special feast in the Roman rite and is normally referred to as “Commemoration of the Baptism of our Lord”
In most cases, we celebrate it on January 13th, the first Sunday after January 6th (Epiphany).
Lutheran Churches–In the past, Lutheran Churches celebrated the Baptism of the Lord's day together with the feast of Epiphany.
But today, most Lutheran churches celebrated the day as a separate feast on the first Sunday after Epiphany.
Anglican Communion–Just like Lutheran churches and Roman Catholic Church, the baptism of Christ is observed the first Sunday after epiphany.
However, if epiphany is observed on January 7th or 8th, we celebrate the baptism of the Lord's day the following Monday.
Methodist Churches–Normally, we celebrate the Feast of the baptism of the Lord on the second Sunday in January.
This happens after the epiphany feast.
How is the Baptism of Jesus Celebrated?
Many western and eastern churches celebrate the feast of the baptism of Jesus.
Some Christians celebrated it with feasts and special foods.
In some churches, the holy communal is shared, while others commemorate the day by being baptized.
Even though it is not a public holiday, many Christians around the world commemorate the day.
It is a special day that shows they baptized Jesus to be like regular people even though He did not need it.
He set an example for all Christians to follow.
Why is the feast of the baptism of Jesus important?
In many churches, the feast of the baptism of Jesus is very important.
It is a day that signifies the end of the Christmas Season.
Also, it is significant because it is a powerful reminder of God’s grace.
Jesus being baptized is a symbol of grace.
Today, gentiles are in union with God because of His love and grace.
Also, the baptism of Jesus reflects the need for salvation for all Christians.
Jesus Christ affirms that baptism is important for salvation.
John 3:5 -… unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
To get salvation, a Christian needs to be born again by being baptized.
Thus, the baptism of Jesus Christ was powerful, and it’s an important event for all Christians.
What is the history of the feast of the baptism of Jesus?
Originally, the feast of the baptism of Jesus was associated with the epiphany.
But today, most western and eastern churches commemorate the day separately.
We celebrate it as the revelation of God to humankind.
The visit of the Magi is the revelation of Jesus to the gentiles and is the epiphany.
The baptism of Jesus is the revelation of God to humanity.
And the wedding at Cana reveals Christ’s transformation of the world.
Should Christians celebrate the feast of the baptism of Jesus?
Every time a sinful person follows Jesus, they baptize him or her.
Hence, for any Christian who follows Jesus, the next important step is to be baptized.
There are various reasons Christians celebrate the feast of the baptism of Jesus.
First, it is a friendly reminder of how Jesus Christ identified Himself with sinners.
He was righteous, but through baptism; He connected with sinners.
Baptism reminds us that our lives start afresh.
This means if a Christian follows Christ and is baptized, he is a new creation.
Observing baptism is like a declaration of Christian faith.
Another reason it is important to observe the feast of the baptism of Jesus is that it is a symbol of God’s grace.
Summary
The feast of the baptism of Jesus is an important holiday on the Christian calendar.
It has a lot of meaning for all Christians.
Jesus Christ was born with sin, but He connected with sinners by being baptized.
In addition, it reminds Christians of their relationship with God.
Spiritual things happen to a Christian after baptism.
It is connecting to the extended family, the family of God.
The feast of the baptism of Jesus is an important event for all Christians.