Heaven which before was closed, is opened by Christ's baptism and a window and door now stand open for us to see through. No longer is there a barrier between God and us, since God Himself descends at the Jordan. The Father lets His voice be heard, the Son sanctifies baptism with His body, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove...
Thus the Godhead in all fullness, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, was manifested on this day in profoundest graciousness and friendliness, each person of the Trinity clearly distinguished, so that everyone might know what and how to believe concerning God, especially what his stance toward Christ should be...
Who would not execrate an unthankful and joyless person who is unwilling to take to heart the Son who stands here in the Jordan and lets himself be baptized as a sinner? The one upon whom the Spirit lights in the form of a dove? and the Father's voice in closest proximity? No doubt there were also countless holy angels present. For where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit reveal themselves, all the heavenly host must also be present. This was the ultimate manifestation...
Therefore, learn to esteem this festival highly. The star given to the wise men was a manifestation, too, but this was much more wonderful. For here the three preeminent Kings - God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit - are all present as Christ was baptized. And how wondrous that this glorious manifestation occurred at Christ's baptism at the Jordan!...
One cannot say that it is powerless water in view of the fact that the entire Godhead is present...
Do we not see what seasoning God throws in the water?... For God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in and with that water, as at the Jordan where Christ stood in the water and the Holy Spirit hovered overhead, while God the Father preached withal...
Each and every sinner needs baptism, so that his sin might be washed away; whoever is in death needs baptism that death might be swallowed up, for baptism has God-given power to cleanse from sin and to bury death...
Only we need to repent and not persist in sinning. For these two things are mutually exclusive: to yearn for forgiveness and then cling to our sins and refuse to leave them...
Accordingly, this manifestation far exceeds that of the star to the wise men... But this festival should rightly bear the name connected with baptism and be called the day on which Christ was baptized. [House Postil I:216ff]
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