UNITED IN BAPTISM; ASSURED OF GOD S GRACE The Baptism of Our Lord First Sunday after the Epiphany (Year B) January 11, 2014 Lessons Genesis 1:1-5 Psalm 29 Acts 19:1-7 St. Mark 1:4-11 Pastor David J. Risendal www.onelittleword.org drisendal@stplc.org facebook Dave Risendal Twitter: drisendal Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, CO 80111 voice: 303/770-9300 fax: 303/770-9301 www.stplc.org facebook.com/stplc Prayer of the Day Holy God, creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace, and transform us by your Spirit, that we may follow after your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. united with Christ a community of faith grounded in God s love Sermon 1 Grace to you and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I have to tell you: I am so glad to be here this morning! It has been a long three weeks for the Risendal family. On Thursday, December 18 th, I was admitted to Swedish Hospital with blood clots in my right leg and my right lung. I was there until the 21 st, with half of that time spent in the ICU, receiving some very aggressive treatment for those clots. I m feeling much better now still not 100% yet, but my symptoms are gone, and I m getting stronger each day. I ve got a couple appointments with doctors over the next few weeks, and those meetings will give us a better idea of what lies ahead, but we re optimistic for a much better year in 2015 than we had in 2014! 1 Romans 1:7, 1 st Corinthians 1:3, 2 nd Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 st Thessalonians 1:1, 2 nd Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 3; New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).
The Baptism of Our Lord; Year B (January 11, 2014) 2 So thank you so much for all your support and prayers during my time away. It has meant a lot to us. And it has helped me to sense a strong connection with you, even during those days when I was locked away in a hospital room and unable to be here with you. As I think about that connection between us on this particular Sunday this festival set aside to remember the baptism of our Lord I want to share a couple of thoughts. First of all, I am grateful for this congregation s strong commitment to worship. I ve had a chance, the last two Sundays and Christmas Eve, to experience worship from your perspective, and as much as I prefer to be up here, it was a gift to me and my family. This really is a great place to worship, and I can understand why you choose to do so voluntarily. I am grateful to my colleagues for stepping in and being willing to lead us from the pulpit and from the altar. You should know that when I went into the hospital, there were no plans in place that we could execute if I was unable to preach or lead worship. But when they heard about our predicament, Pastor Julie McNitt made herself available on just two days notice to lead us on the last Sunday in Advent, and Bishop Jim Gonia made himself and his staff available to lead us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. People sometimes question the value of belonging to a denomination as if it only creates limitations and liabilities. But we experienced on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day what we believe: that when we are church together we are better together. So the next time we reflect on the support this congregation gives to the larger church, through our budget and through my time, I know we ll remember what a gift it is to be church together. I know we ll remember the thoughtfulness of our Bishop and his staff, and Pastors McNitt and Gilbertson, whose genuine care for us and support of us was on display these past three weeks. But you know what? I am even more grateful for the many here at Saint Peter, who stepped up and made sure that our Christmas season worship was rich and meaningful. From Pastor Patrice Von Stroh, who presided at the early Christmas Eve service, and Mary Pratt who offered a Children s Message during that hour, to the many others whose hard work and commitment made these services so inspirational: it takes a lot of effort to make good worship possible. Some of it is visible when we re together, but most of it takes place beforehand, and in the background, and we are fortunate to have so many who make the commitment to do that with glad and generous hearts. And here is a helpful thing to remember: in your notes to me, some of you have shared that you have missed my presence up front, and it has been kind of you to mention that. But the truth is, it takes a village, and we ve got a pretty good one here. So I am grateful for congregation s strong commitment to worship, and for those whose efforts make it possible. I am also grateful for this congregation s strong commitment to being a caring community. My family and I have experienced this firsthand these past weeks. Your President and your Administrator made their way to the hospital on your behalf to pray with me before surgery, and that meant so much. Many of you reached out to us through cards and email messages and facebook posts. There were numerous offers from members to help out with the details of daily life. Dealing with a serious illness can be a lonely and isolating experience, but your caring presence kept that at bay for the Risendals, and it was gift to us. It reminds me that we are bound to one another as members of this congregation. And what is it that binds us together? Some of it is the mere fact that we enjoy each other s
The Baptism of Our Lord; Year B (January 11, 2014) 3 company. Some of it has to do with a natural, human desire not to be alone to be in some sort of community with other people. But underlying all of this, I m convinced, is that we have been bound to one another in baptism. Today is a good day to reflect on that. We have before us the story of our Lord s baptism. We remember that at the very start of his ministry, Jesus joins the crowds of people who are making their way out into the wilderness to hear John preach. He steps into the waters with John. John thrusts him down beneath the surface and brings him back up again. And as Jesus comes up, St. Mark s Gospel tells us that the heavens are literally ripped apart, the Spirit comes down and rests on Jesus, and a voice from above proclaims that he is the beloved son of God. It is an awe-filled experience; a dramatic beginning to Mark s Gospel. The curious aspect of this story, of course, is that Jesus chooses to be baptized in the first place. Not, it would seem, because he had a need to turn away from his sinfulness and live more fully for God. More likely, his desire to be baptized had to do with his desire to be united with us to be connected with us and to be part of what connects us with one another, and with God. In his baptism specifically in the visual presence of the Holy Spirit, and the audible voice of God God s love for Jesus is proclaimed. In our baptism, God s love for us is proclaimed: a love that will always be with us, no matter what course our lives should take. And in the proclamation of this love, we are united, with Christ and each other, in the promise of eternity: a promise that will last for the entire course of our lives and beyond. This promise is what makes worship so strong, no matter who is in the pulpit; no matter how well our musicians perform; no matter whether or not worship leaders make mistakes up front; no matter how creatively this worship center has been prepared. This promise is what makes our caring so significant, whether it is in the form of intentional ministries like that of our Stephen Caregivers and our church staff, or the informal ways we love and support one another. It is the unity we have that comes from our baptismal promise. We have been united with one another, and with Christ, in nothing less than the grace of God. We must never forget this, and here at Saint Peter we ll try to help you. There are a number of traditions we follow that intend to remind us that in baptism we were marked with the sign of the cross, and promised the gifts of the Kingdom. At the beginning of each day, many of us do as Martin Luther did, and trace the sign of the cross on our foreheads before getting out of bed. As we enter this worship space, we take a moment to dip a thumb in the water, and cross ourselves. There are numerous opportunities during worship to mark ourselves with the sign of the cross. Today, after the Hymn of the Day, we will celebrate together Affirmation of Baptism. When you come forward to receive the meal today, you will be marked with the sign of the cross, and reminded of God s promise to you. These are opportunities for us to give thanks for this tangible sign of God s love and grace. I encourage you take advantage of them. It may seem a bit uncomfortable at first, if you ve never done it before. But it is an ancient Christian tradition, and a great to honor what God has done in the death and resurrection of Christ, and what God has promised to us through baptism. Today, on this festival day, I hope this is what you will take home with you: that when those waters were poured over our heads; when our names were spoken; when we were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we were united, in the promises of God, to Christ and to one anther. A unity we experience in worship. A
The Baptism of Our Lord; Year B (January 11, 2014) 4 unity we experience in caring for one another. A unity that gives us hope and strength, no matter what we are facing in life. This is the faith we celebrate. Thank you for being part of this here at Saint Peter. May your faith continue to be, for you, a source of strength and hope and joy. And may you delight in the unity God is working among us through the promise of our baptism. Amen. David J. Risendal, Pastor Gospel Lesson; English Text 2 1.4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. 3 Gospel Lesson; Greek Text: 1.4 ἐγένετο Ἰωάννης [ὁ] βαπτίζων ἐν τῃ ἐρήµῳ και κηρύσσων βάπτισµα µετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁµαρτιω ν. 5 και ἐξεπορεύετο προ ς αὐτο ν πα σα ἡ Ἰουδαία χώρα και οἱ Ἱεροσολυµι ται πάντες, και ἐβαπτίζοντο ὑπ αὐτου ἐν τῳ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταµῳ ἐξοµολογούµενοι τα ς ἁµαρτίας αὐτω ν. 6 και ἠ ν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐνδεδυµένος τρίχας καµήλου και ζώνην δερµατίνην περι τη ν ὀσφυ ν αὐτου και ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας και µέλι ἄγριον. 7 Και ἐκήρυσσεν λέγων ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερος µου ὀπίσω µου, οὑ οὐκ εἰµι ἱκανο ς κύψας λυ σαι το ν ἱµάντα τω ν ὑποδηµάτων αὐτου. 8 ἐγω ἐβάπτισα ὑµα ς ὕδατι, αὐτο ς δε βαπτίσει ὑµα ς ἐν πνεύµατι ἁγίῳ. 9 Και ἐγένετο ἐν ἐκείναις ται ς ἡµέραις ἠ λθεν Ἰησου ς ἀπο Ναζαρε τ τη ς Γαλιλαίας και ἐβαπτίσθη εἰς το ν Ἰορδάνην ὑπο Ἰωάννου. 10 και εὐθυ ς ἀναβαίνων ἐκ του ὕδατος εἰ δεν σχιζοµένους του ς οὐρανου ς και το πνευ µα ὡς περιστερα ν καταβαι νον εἰς αὐτόν 11 και φωνη ἐγένετο ἐκ τω ν οὐρανω ν συ εἰ ὁ υἱός µου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοι εὐδόκησα. 4 First Lesson; English Text: 1.1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, Let there be light ; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 5 2 3 4 5 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at www.elca.org/lectionary. St. Mark 1:4-11, New Revised Standard Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). St. Mark 1:4-11, The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart). Genesis 1:1-5, New Revised Standard Version Bible, opp. cit.
The Baptism of Our Lord; Year B (January 11, 2014) 5 Second Lesson; English Text: 19.1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers? They replied, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. 3 Then he said, Into what then were you baptized? They answered, Into John s baptism. 4 Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus. 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied 7 altogether there were about twelve of them. 6 Second Lesson; Greek Text: 19:1 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ τὸν Ἀπολλῶ εἶναι ἐν Κορίνθῳ Παῦλον διελθόντα τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ µέρη κατελθεῖν εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ εὑρεῖν τινας µαθητὰς 2 εἶπεν τε πρὸς αὐτούς εἰ πνεῦµα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν ἀλλ οὐδ εἰ πνεῦµα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαµεν. 3 εἶπεν τε εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισµα. 4 εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισµα µετανοίας τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόµενον µετ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτ ἔστιν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. 5 ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἐβαπτίσθησαν εἰς τὸ ὄνοµα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, 6 καὶ ἐπιθέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ Παύλου [τὰς] χεῖρας ἦλθε τὸ πνεῦµα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ αὐτούς, ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ ἐπροφήτευον. 7 ἦσαν δὲ οἱ πάντες ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ δώδεκα. 7 6 7 Acts 19:1-7, New Revised Standard Version Bible, opp. cit. Acts 19:1-7, The Greek New Testament, opp. cit.