#135 - Kyle Thompson // St. Patrick’s Breastplate: Through the strength of Christ with His baptism - The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Summary4 min read

The Daily Blade: Episode #135 - Kyle Thompson on St. Patrick’s Breastplate and the Strength of Christ’s Baptism

Release Date: July 8, 2025
Hosts: Pastor Joby Martin of the Church of Eleven22 and Kyle Thompson of Undaunted.Life

Introduction to St. Patrick’s Breastplate

In Episode #135 of The Daily Blade, hosts Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson delve into the depths of an ancient Irish prayer known as St. Patrick's Breastplate, also referred to as the "Deer's Cry." This powerful prayer serves as a spiritual armor for Christians, drawing upon the fervent faith encapsulated within its verses.

Kyle Thompson begins the episode by reading a significant portion of the prayer, highlighting its invocation of the Trinity and the multifaceted strength derived from Christ's pivotal moments:

Kyle Thompson [00:20]:
"I rise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness of the creator of creation. I rise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion, with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection, with his ascension, through the strength of his descent, for the judgment of doom."

Exploring the Significance of Christ’s Baptism

Kyle Thompson zeroes in on the line "I arise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism," unpacking its profound theological implications through an analysis of the Gospel of Matthew, specifically chapter three.

Public Identification with Sinners

Thompson emphasizes that Jesus’s baptism, though He was sinless, was a powerful act of solidarity with humanity. By undergoing baptism, Jesus publicly aligned Himself with sinners, demonstrating His willingness to fully embrace human experiences.

Kyle Thompson [01:15]:
"Even though he himself was sinless, Jesus was displaying that while being God, he was still and indeed a man. He could identify with human experiences like the rest of us."

Modeling Future Commands

He further explains that Jesus’s baptism set a precedent for His followers. Citing Matthew 28:18-20, Thompson illustrates how Jesus not only initiated His public ministry through baptism but also commanded His disciples to baptize others, thereby institutionalizing this vital sacrament within Christian practice.

Kyle Thompson [01:45]:
"At the beginning of Jesus's public ministry, he was baptized. And at the end of his public ministry, he commanded his followers to baptize one another."

Revelation of the Trinity

Addressing theological debates, Thompson underscores that Jesus’s baptism offers a clear manifestation of the Trinity. He points out that during the baptism, all three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are distinctly present, providing biblical evidence for the triune nature of God.

Kyle Thompson [02:10]:
"In Matthew 3, we see the first and clearest picture of the existence of the triune God. God the Father is present because he speaks from heaven... God the Holy Spirit is present as the Spirit of God descended like a dove."

Scriptural Foundations and Contextual Insights

Thompson references key biblical passages to support his analysis:

Matthew 3:11-17: He narrates the interaction between John the Baptist and Jesus, highlighting John’s initial reluctance and Jesus’s insistence on being baptized to "fulfill all righteousness."
Hebrews 4:15: This passage is used to reinforce Jesus’s unique ability to empathize with human struggles while remaining sinless.
Luke’s Gospel: Additional details from Luke emphasize Jesus’s prayer during His baptism, adding depth to the event’s significance.

Closing Reflections with St. Patrick’s Breastplate

To conclude the episode, Kyle Thompson reads the final verses of St. Patrick's Breastplate, encapsulating the omnipresence and encompassing strength of Christ in every aspect of a believer's life:

Kyle Thompson [04:15]:
"Let it fill you with strength. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me. Christ on my right, Christ on my left. Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me. Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen."

This powerful affirmation serves as a reminder of Christ’s eternal presence and support, reinforcing the episode's theme of drawing strength from His life, death, and resurrection.

Key Takeaways

Solidarity with Humanity: Jesus’s baptism is a profound statement of His connection to humanity, demonstrating His willingness to fully engage with His creation.
Establishing Baptismal Practice: By undergoing baptism, Jesus set a foundational example for His followers, ensuring that baptism remains a central sacrament in Christian life.
Affirmation of the Trinity: The baptism of Jesus provides a clear biblical portrayal of the Trinity, affirming the coexistence and cooperation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Empowerment: St. Patrick's Breastplate serves as a spiritual armor, with each line reinforcing the omnipresence and unwavering support of Christ in a believer’s life.

Conclusion

Episode #135 of The Daily Blade offers a rich exploration of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, intertwining historical prayer with deep theological insights. Through Kyle Thompson’s thoughtful analysis, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the significance of Christ’s baptism and its enduring impact on Christian faith and practice. The episode serves as a powerful reminder of the strength and presence of Christ, encouraging believers to draw upon this divine support in their daily lives.

Connect with Us:
For more insights and to support the work of The Church of Eleven22, reach out via communication@coe22.com or visit coe22.com/donate.

Join Us in Person:
Don't miss the opportunity to join Pastor Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson at the 2025 Men's Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. Secure your seat at mensconference.com.

Support and Share:
Equip other men for the fight by sharing this podcast and leaving a five-star rating and review. Stay sharp!

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Transcript5 lines

[00:01]
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Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the Spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
[00:21]
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This week we're spending some time with an Irish prayer from St. Patrick called St. Patrick's Breastplate or the Deer's Cry. So let me read from the beginning of it here. I rise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness of the creator of creation. I rise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion, with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection, with his ascension, through the strength of his descent, for the judgment of doom. Today we're going to key in on this line. I arise today through the strength of Christ with his baptism. So let's go to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter three. In this chapter, we see John the Baptist, who's the cousin of Jesus of Nazareth, baptizing people in the Jordan River. So since this is before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, John isn't baptizing people as a public declaration of their faith in Christ, but instead, this was a symbolic baptism of repentance for sin, and it was about preparing people for the coming king. So let's go to the text here. Matthew 3, starting in verse 11. I baptize you with water for repentance. But he was coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am unworthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Father, his winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. And now the baptism of Jesus, verse 13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me. But Jesus answered him, let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water. And behold, the heavens were open to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
[02:16]
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And.
[02:16]
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And Luke, in his gospel, he gives Another detail, he says that while he was being baptized that Jesus was also praying at that time. So the baptism of Jesus is incredibly significant for a myriad of reasons, but let's just look at a few here. The first one is this was a public identification with sinners. So Jesus himself was without sin. You know, the writer of Hebrews says this in Hebrews 4, verse 15. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, and yet without sin. So yet by being baptized, even though he himself was sinless, Jesus was displaying that while being God that he was still and indeed a man. He could identify with human experiences like the rest of us. Second reason is Jesus was modeling what he would later command. So Matthew 28:18 20 says this. And Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. So guys, at the beginning of Jesus's public ministry he was baptized. And at the end of his public ministry, he commanded his followers to baptize one another. And the third reason is this. Jesus's baptism was a revelation of the Trinity. So non trinitarians and Christian skeptics alike have kind of poo pooed the idea of the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Because the word Jesus Trinity doesn't appear in the Bible. But in Matthew 3 we see the first and clearest picture of the existence of the triune God. God the Father is present because he speaks from heaven and says, this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. God the Son is present as Jesus himself is the one being baptized. And God the Holy Spirit is present. As the text says, Spirit of God descended like a dove and coming to rest on Jesus. So again, the baptism of Jesus is a really big deal. And it's no wonder why St. Patrick included it in his prayer. We'll close out today by reading the end of St. Patrick's Breastplate. Let it fill you with strength. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me. Christ on my right, Christ on my left. Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me. Christ in in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen.
[04:47]
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Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.