What Does the Lord Require of Us? (repreach 1/27/17)

January 29, 2023 Micah 6:1-8 What does the Lord require of us? 4th Sunday after Epiphany Year A Prelude Gathering Words (Micah 6, Matthew 5, 1 Corinthians 1) Come and hear the good news. No matter what is happening in your life, God’s blessing and love is with you. Come and hear what God wants you to do: live lives of justice and love and truth. Come and get courage and strength to be fools for Christ, embracing Kingdom values rather than those of the world. We’re here, ready to listen, open to change, expecting to be blessed by our time together. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Unison Opening Prayer (Micah 6, Psalm 15, Matthew 5, 1 Corinthians 1) Loving God, we come this morning seeking to abide in your presence. Open our minds to your spirit of wisdom, that we may know how to live as your people. Open our hearts to your spirit of truth, that we may love all your people with a love that speaks of justice, kindness, and radical grace. May this time of worship be authentic and pleasing to you. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Song What Does the Lord Require of You TFWS 2174 Children’s Sermon Have three paper circles for each child. One should have “act justly” written on it; one should have “Love Kindness”, and the third should say “Walk Humbly with God.” There should be one set for each child. See directions at the end of the sermon. A man named “Micah” lived a long time ago; hundreds of years even before Jesus was born. Micah was one of the great prophets of Israel. A prophet is a person who loves God and sees clearly the times when the people do not follow God. Sometimes a prophet has to warn the people to stop what they are doing. Micah was a prophet. Sometimes prophets helped the people understand God. That is what Micah is doing today. He is helping the people understand what God wants them to do. In those ancient times, God’s people would bring certain things to the priests of Israel as gifts or “offerings” to God. Sometimes they brought wheat or barley or some other grain as a thank you to God for all the good things God had given them. Sometimes they brought sheep or bulls when the people wanted to tell God that they were sorry for something they had done. In today’s reading, the people are asking Micah how much is enough. If one basket of barley is good, would bringing two be better? Micah tells the people what God has said. God says that he doesn’t want any grain or sheep or bulls or anything like that. After all, God owns the whole world. God doesn’t need anything. Well, now the people were confused. What did God want from them? Micah gives the people God’s word. First, God wants them to be just; to act justly. Does anyone know what being just means? [Accept all answers.] Being just means being fair to everyone; using the same rules for everyone. At one time in our own country, there were places where some grown ups only had to sign their names and then they could vote for new leaders. But other people whose skin was a different color, had to read a lot of pages and take a test before they could vote. That was not just. They were using different rules for different people. How would you feel if you went to a friend’s house to play a game, but your friend made a rule that he would win if he got 10 points, but you couldn’t win unless you got 100 points? [Accept all answers]. You would be angry because something deep inside you is telling you that it’s not fair. It is not just. The first thing God wants from us is to treat every person fairly. Is that a good demand from God? I think so, too. The second thing God wants from us is for us to “love mercy”. Who can tell me what mercy is? [Thank the children for their answers]. When was a time you were merciful to some one? How about when someone was merciful to you. [Accept their answers]. God wants us to always be looking for the kind thing we can do––not just when someone is watching us but always. God wants us to love doing kind things. The third thing is to stay close to God. Remember every morning that God is with you, loving you. Remember that you belong to God. AND says God, remember also that you are not God. You and I don’t get to make the rules. We follow God’s rules. We don’t get to judge whom God loves or doesn’t love. That’s not our job. We don’t get to decide who deserves help and who doesn’t. God wants everyone to be treated kindly. The word “humble” means remembering that we are not God and we are no better than anyone else. That’s what God wants and everyone in this room should memorize these things: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God. Let’s have everyone say these words after me, grown ups and teens, too. [Congregation repeats after each phrase]: “Act justly” …… “Love mercy”…….”Walk humbly with God”…… Scripture quotations from the World English Bible Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan By Carol Miller Prayer for Transformation and New Life Holy Wisdom, you have expressed your hope for us and vision for life abundantly. Many times we settle for a temporary truce over real peace. We avoid confrontation and accountability that builds up and creates a more just world. We refuse to relentlessly pursue your will when discomforted by the cost of discipleship. Forgive us, O God, we pray. Words of Grace Receive the good news that each day presents a new opportunity to follow the way of Jesus–to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. The grace of the Holy One meets us. God embraces and supports us in the turning and will be faithful to strengthen us on the path of righteousness. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Welcoming New Members UMH 33 Scripture Micah 6:1-8 Sermon What does the Lord Require of Us? Remember law and order – I used to watch that show religiously for years. And to take it back even further, my grandmother never missed an episode of Perry Mason. We seem to be fascinated with shows about the courtroom. Imagine an episode where the lawyer walks in with the accuser and they take their seat. Then the jury walks in the listen to the case and determine guilt. The court reporter is there and ready to record all of the procedings. You wait patiently to see who is on trial in this courtroom. And you are surprised to find that the deputy is leading you to the front of the room. You are on trial. The lawyer is a young prophet named Micah, the accuser – God himself. The jury – the mountains, the hills, God’s creation. But what did I do you ask. God is suing you – a faithful Christian – for get this – forgetting your faith. Not being faithful to God. But the lawyer has prepared his case and is prepared to find you guilty. First he presents how God has been faithful to you. He reminds you that you would be no where without the help of God. Every step in your life, is a step that God has taken with you. Nothing that you have, belongs to you – it all belongs to God. Everything that you have, every things that you have done is a gift from God. If it was not for God – where would you be today? As you realize that the lawyer is right – God has always remembered you, but you are slacking off in remembering God. You are a good church goer, so what can you do to make it right? Should you light a candle? Or say a special prayer? Or spend 2 hours helping at the food pantry, or even be willing to sing solo on a special song. Or I know – put an extra offering in the plate. And just like in a famous Perry mason episode - the–prosecuter stands up and comes out to speak before the entire courttoom. What does the Lord require of you? Is the Lord impressed with your prayers, your special duties or even the amount of money that you put in the offering plate. None of that matters. God just wants 3 things. Just do three things, Israel: mishpat, hesed, and hasnea (Micah 6:8) Mishpat, hesed and hasnea? What does that mean? Those are the Hebrew words for justice, mercy and to walk humbly with God. Do justice, have mercy and to walk humble with God. To break it down even further. Justice is the call to moral excellence. Justice is what we do not just for one person but for all people. It is how we live out our faith in public. I don’t want to dwell on it one way or another way – but we as faithful Christians are in the midst of a justice challenge. If muslims are not welcome in this country, who will they come for next? If immigrants are not welcome in this country then who is? How do we react to this present issue? Whose side are we on? What does it have to do with us? What does God expect of us, God’s faithful people in his situation? There was a man who watched high level government officials doing the wrong thing. He told on them. The officials were fired, but the man and his family was ostracized in the community. Reporters asked the man if it was worth it to tell what he saw. I did what God expected me to do he replied. What does the Lord expect of you? The second requirement of God is Hesed, or mercy. Mercy is accountable kindness. Kindness with a sense of understanding of the other persons situation. A school teacher by the name of Miss Thompson found it difficult to like one of her students. His name was Teddy Stallard and he was not interested in school, school work, or anything connected to school. His attitude was so disagreeable that Miss Thompson almost found herself enjoying the Fs she wrote on his papers. Miss Thompson knew Teddy’s background. His school records indicated that in the first grade he had shown some promise. In the second grade, his mother fell seriously ill and Teddy was tabbed a slow learner. In the fourth grade he was far behind and his teacher noted that his father had no interest in Teddy’s progress. Christmas time came and the boys and girls in Miss Thompson’s room brought her some gifts. To her surprise, there was a very crudely wrapped present from Teddy. Opening the package, she discovered a gaudy rhinestone bracelet and a bottle of cheap perfume. Sensing that the other children were beginning to smirk and giggle at the gift, Miss Thompson put the bracelet on and opened the perfume. She put some perfume on her wrist and invited the children to smell by saying, "Doesn’t the perfume smell lovely?" "Isn’t the bracelet beautiful?" Taking their cue from Miss Thompson’s kindness, the children responded with "oohs" and "aahs." At the end of the school day, little Teddy went to Miss Thompson’s desk and said: "Miss Thompson ... Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother ... and her bracelet looks real pretty on you, too. I’m glad you like my presents." From that day forward, Miss Thompson began to show more kindness toward that little boy. And that little boy began to improve - both in grades and attitude. Many years later, Miss Thompson received a letter from Teddy telling her that he was graduating from high school - second in his class. Four years later, she received another letter from Teddy telling her that he was graduating from college first in his class. And four more years later, there was another letter to inform her that this young fellow who had given her a gaudy bracelet and a bottle of cheap perfume was now Theodore Stallard, M.D. Also, he was getting married and his father was now dead, too. Would Miss Thompson be willing to sit where his mother would sit for the wedding if she were alive? "You’re all the family I have left now," wrote Teddy. Miss Thompson sat proudly where Teddy’s mother would have sat for that wedding. That moment of kindness many years before had brought out the best in that young boy. Kindness may cost you something in time ... money ... in pride. But, kindness is what God expects you to show to other people. As Micah phrased it so poignantly: ... and what does the Lord require of you but ... to love kindness...? The last requirement is Hapnea – that is the hardest requirement of all- hard because it is two requirements in one. First to be humble – second to walk humbly with God. Christian humility is not cowardice. It is not a summons to be a doormat. Rather it is an invitation to work behind the scenes in an enterprise greater than any of us could ever accomplish on our own; it is an invitation to appreciate the simple blessings in life; and it is an invitation to trust God whose strength will never fail. It is being reminded that without God we are nothing, we have nothing, we could do nothing. It is not us, it is God’s light in us that makes a difference. So we have to put God first. We have to do what God would do in this situation. The Ancient Isrealites would have enjoyed Perry Mason just as much as we would. They thought that all of life was a courtroom drama. Micah was a young adult holding his community accountable for their relationship with God. He was asking everyone to remember - WWJD – what would Jesus Do. Where is the presence of God in everything that I face in my life. In order for us to do what God expects of us, we have to first be willing to walk humbly with God. To honor God in all that we do and to make sure that God is honored in who we are. To live in quiet fellowship of God. And after laying out the evidence and giving the order – the defense rest its case. It has said all that needs to be said. SERMON ILLUSTRATION Paul Simon: What God Requires In a Rolling Stone interview, musician Paul Simon offers his thoughts on what God requires of us: The only thing that God requires from us is to enjoy life—and love. It doesn't matter if you accomplish anything. You don't have to do anything but appreciate that you're alive. And love, that's the whole point. In contrast, Micah, the Old Testament prophet wrote, "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone (02-01-01), p. 50; submitted by David A. Slagle, Lawrenceville, Georgia I think that Paul Simon makes an important point. God call us into court – not to punish us but to love us. God lays out his requirements – not to punish us – but to help us to see clearly. God does not want us to be uptight – but to be happy, relaxed, and comfortable. God wants what is best for us – and the only way to do that is to do what the Lord required – Mishpat, hesed, hasnea. Do justice, show kindess, and to walk humbly with our God. Is it really that hard? Let us pray….. Amen Song Be Thou My Vision UMH 451 Pastoral Prayer A Prayer of Lament for Tyre Nichols and A Call for an End to Police Brutality God of Love and Justice, We cry out to you in anger, pain, grief, and desperation as we remember your beloved son Tyre Nichols, murdered by police officers in the city of Memphis. We strive to understand the stress which all such officers experience as they work to serve and protect their communities. We mourn for the mother of Tyre Nichols, who he called for as he was brutally beaten after a traffic stop. We mourn for his four-year-old son, who has been denied a life with his father. Pour out your spirit of peace and comfort over all who grieve his death, trusting that You who know what it is to lose a son stand in solidarity with them. Almighty God, we give you thanks for the protesters and advocates calling for an end to the sin of police brutality. Protect them and give them your strength. This is not the world that you desire for us, and we cannot passively shake our heads at the news as we move on to the next prayer. We condemn the systemic evil of white supremacy, a force so strong that it works within institutions through people of any race. We decry the way police violence has been normalized, knowing there is pain for oppressor and oppressed. You created each and every person good, in Your image. Call us again to live up to Your dreams for us. Empower us with Your righteous anger, moral courage, and holy strength to change racist and violent systems that cause harm to Your beloved Black children, and to all of us. Let the reactions of our communities move from "thoughts and prayers are not enough" to "thank God the church turned their prayers into action and transformed the world." Even in our lament, we are people of hope. Amen. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, clearly identifies the believers’ call as a call directed to those who were not powerful, wise or strong. Rather, the people in that congregation might be a lot like we are! We have no basis on which to boast except to boast in the Lord. When we face ourselves in a mirror, we recognize God is the source of all we have and all we know. We are God’s beloved creatures, and have been given the honor of serving as stewards (managers) of this world and all that is within it. Once we recognize ourselves as stewards, then we instinctively know we’re responsible for the best use of all the resources we’ve been given. We have this moment in worship to offer back a portion of what we’ve been given. What will you offer? Because it all belongs to God, perhaps you’re ready to offer your time. Because God has endowed you with particular talents, perhaps this is the day to offer some of your talent. Because God makes financial resources a symbol of your life, surely this is your moment to offer financial support for the use of this congregation. As you prepare your offering, may you find joy in boasting in the God who has given you time, talent and treasure. What a mighty God we serve! Prayer of Thanksgiving God, you are mighty! We pray you will accept our boasting in you, and receive these gifts, freely offered. Help us cheerfully give, and fill us with clarity about how we can best use these gifts to expand your Kin-dom on earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook (Micah 6, Psalm 15, Matthew 5) Those who live lives pleasing to God shall not be moved. Go now to embrace the kingdom values— values of love, justice, and truth. Go now with God’s blessing, to live those values through the power of our challenging, faithful, loving, empowering God. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Community Time Benediction As you go in the world, hold the blessings of peace. Be the good news to a world shrouded in brokenness, pain, and despair. Show the world the kindom that lives in you. Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Additional Illustrations

Are You Prepared to Follow Jesus?

January 22, 2023 Matthew 4:12-23 Third Sunday after Epiphany Year A Are you prepared to follow Jesus? Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship One: As we come together to worship God, we remember Many: “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, One: and for those who sat in the shadow of death, light has dawned.” Many: In the light, our joy is increased! One: The weight of our burdens is relieved, Many: and we offer thanks to the Lord, our God! (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer Mighty God, we rejoice today like those who celebrate an abundant harvest! Your actions lift us up. As the days grow longer and we’re drawn closer to you, we eagerly anticipate seeing signs of your Realm, the kin-dom of heaven, coming near. Cue in us the joy of our salvation. Renew our desire to repent – to turn once more toward your love, made visible in the light of Jesus. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Song Jesus Calls Us UMH 398 Children’s Sermon Greet the children, bringing up some fishing equipment. Hello, children of God! You know what? I think I would like to do some fishing. Have any of you ever been fishing before? What do you need to do when you fish? I have with me some equipment that people sometimes use when they go fishing. (Hold up items as you discuss) So here is a fishing “rod”: you put some kind of “bait” on the end, and then you hold it until a fish comes along and bites at it. Then you turn this crank and try to reel it in! Here’s another kind of item you might use…it’s a net. This kind of tool might make it easy to scoop up fish if you had a lot of them in one spot. Sometimes people use really big nets to pull in fish. This was probably how people used to fish in the times of Jesus, in fact. They had huge nets that they would toss into the water to see what they could pull up. Here are some pictures of boats that might help people catch fish. So why are we talking about fishing? Well, here’s another question: have you ever been fishing for people? Wait, how does that work?? Can you catch people in a net?? (pretend to “catch” one of the students) That seems strange… But you know what, in today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus invited His disciples to be fishers of men. He met a man named Peter, who had a fishing boat. Jesus began to preach from the middle of the lake, right on this boat! Then He told Peter to put his nets down to catch fish…Peter tried to explain that he hadn’t caught any fish all night, but he followed the directions of Jesus and put his net down again. When he did, he caught more fish than he could even carry! This made him realize that Jesus was something very special, was SomeONE very special. Peter bowed before Jesus. He was willing to do whatever it might take to follow this teacher. Peter left his fishing boat and his old job in order to become a disciple. Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew that they would become “fishers of men.” This meant that He was going to use the former fishers in a special way. They would be gathering more followers for Jesus, and would serve people and help people just like Jesus did. Would you like to be a fisher for disciples? You can! Instead of sitting by a lake or scooping up fish in a pond, you can be a fisher by telling others about Jesus. You can share His love by loving others. Jesus wants us to tell everyone about Him and “make disciples” for Him. We can be fishers of friends! This is an amazing blessing and privilege that we have from God. We can still work at regular jobs, of course. But we can also spread the love of Jesus and “catch” other people to be part of God’s family! We need to be willing to follow Him, and encourage others to do the same. Why don’t we say a prayer about that now? ________________________________________ Children’s Prayer Moment (Have kids repeat each line) Dear God, Thank you for the love of Jesus Help us to follow Him and know what that means. Help us share His love with one another. Thank you that we can be disciples, too. Thank you for your love. We love you, God! Kristin Schmidt, Ministry to Children Prayer of Confession (Isaiah 9, Psalm 27,1 Corinthians 1, Matthew 4) God of our light and our salvation, sometimes we prefer to live in dakness, embracing the safety and anonymity of the shadows; sometimes we delight in our divisions, believing we are better than others; sometimes the yoke of our calling feels too heavy, and we seek to slip out from under the bar across our shoulders. Forgive our fear. Forgive our aversion to the light. Forgive our unresponsiveness to your call. Forgive our willful blindness and deafness to the Way. Help us know deep in our souls that you are our light and our salvation, our joy and our wonder, our very life. Hear us as we cry aloud in our need. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Words of Assurance (Psalm 27) Our God of light and love hears us when we cry aloud. We have nothing to fear. Know that this God of light wraps us in comforting arms, lifts us from the darkness of our guilt and sin, and forgives us once and for all. Know that we will dwell in safety in God’s house, now and forevermore. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Passing the Peace of Christ (Psalm 27) Greet one another with these words: “The God of light and love and salvation surrounds you with joy and peace.” (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Prayer of Preparation (Isaiah 9) Open the eyes of our hearts, O God, to the dawning light of your words of love and salvation. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Joanne Carlson Brown) Scripture Matthew 4:12-28 Sermon Are you prepared to follow Jesus? The key words to our sermon today are fishing, followers and fascination – fishers of men, followers of Jesus and then there is fascination. There was a woman who was the director of a drug rehabilitation center. One day a tall, strong man with a baseball bat entered the reception area. He was shouting obscenities and began banging the bat on the secretaries desk and the admitting personnel. They jumped back and tried to get as far away from him as possible. One ran into the back room and called the police. The woman who directed the center came our and walked right up to the screaming man waving the bat. She ducked under his reach wrapped his arm around his chest. In a heartfelt voice she repeated, oh you poor man. They stood together in that strange embrace for a while, and then the man began to sob. The woman led him to a chair. He slumped into it and waited for the police. He never let go of the baseball bat. That woman’s courage must be a fascinating story. I suspect she may be a follower of Christ. We can be also. In new testament times, people must have had that type of fascination with John the Baptist. – They wanted to know what was in him that made him so bold, so determined to meet a goal, what made him so able to cut through the chase. They were so fascinated with him that they flocked to the desert to see him. Even Jesus was drawn to his charisma, his ministry, his command to repent. No one knows why – but all of the gospels writers agree that Jesus never started his ministry until John the Baptist was arrested. Perhaps it was out of respect, perhaps out of fascination that Jesus waited. Of course when Jesus did go out and begin to tell others about the Kingdom of God, that fascination for John the Baptist – transfers to the ministry of Jesus. People were naturally drawn. Last week John the gospel writer talked about 2 disciples, today Matthew mentions 4 – Andrew, Simon, James and John. They all literally walk away from family, job, destiny and follow Jesus. Jesus tells them to put down your nets, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. In Israel, on the Lake of Galilee, there is this popular tourist sight called Peter’s boat. It was dark by the time that we got there, so there was not much to see. I just remember this old boat in the middle of the lake that was covered in mud. This was supposedly the place where Jesus first met Andrew and Simon Peter. Right next to the lake is a restaurant – I think it’s called Peter’s Place. There specialty is Peter’s catch of the day. I don’t remember what kind of fish it was, but I do remember that it was fried, really tasty, but way too big to eat all of it. But seriously, Jesus encourages us all to become fishers of Men. Fishing Takes Practice Ernest Hemingway loved fishing as much as he loved writing. He would never have been a great writer had he not fished, and he would never have been a great fisherman had he not written. Maybe his great work "The Old Man and the Sea" is so powerful because it is at one time so dramatically simple and also so dramatically deep. But "The Old Man and The Sea" is only one of Hemingway's great stories about fishing. His favorite saying apparently was this-something he learned while fishing and writing: Il faut (d'abord) durer. "It is necessary, above all else, to endure. It is necessary to endure," he said. Yes, fishing remains one of the great models of Jesus for the kingdom of God. Maybe our age and culture are in danger of losing the image because we no longer go fishing - just like we no longer herd sheep and know what a shepherd is. We no longer plant seed in the ground and know what growth is. We no longer draw water from wells and know what living water is. Fishing also teaches us about discipline. "Follow me, and I will make you fishers," said Jesus. Fishing takes practice, preparation, discipline. One must learn how to best throw the net, how to make the mouth of the net come open too. I can throw the actual cast net a long way, but I can't always make the net come open so that it will actually form a circle around the fish. One must learn how to cast the line on a rod. Again, some folks can cast a long way, but their accuracy is awful. There may be fish on the right, but they know only how to cast the line to the left. There may be fish on the left, but they keep casting to the right. Casting, like discipleship, is an acquired habit. It rewards practice. Samuel G. Candler, Follow Me, and I Will Make You Go Fishing Not all of us know how to fish, but we can all follow Jesus. I think it is Max Lucado who tells the story of loving to fish with his father. Follow Me There was a field covered with freshly fallen snow. A father and a son enter the field. As they walk across the field, you notice that the father pays no particular attention to where he is going, but his son, on the other hand, follows directly behind, making a special effort to step in his father’s footprints. After the two have crossed the field, you notice that there is only one set of tracks visible in the field, although two had walked across it. The Christian life is that way. In our daily walk we ought to be following Christ's example. Whether in times of suffering, sorrow or need, whether in times of health, joy, or abundance--if someone were to observe the snow-covered fields of your life, would there be one set of tracks, those of Christ? Or would there be two sets, one belonging to Christ and the other distinctly yours? Michael Green, Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993, p.53. Adapted What does it mean to follow Jesus now, when we cant physically follow in his footsteps, even though his spirit is with us? We can be inspired to do his will, to make the world a better place and to draw others into the fold. Not all of us have been fishing but we can all fish for men. Fishers of Men (Witnessing) Most of our witnessing is likely to happen in passing moments of conversation--those occasions when we show, in relatively minor ways, who we are and to whom we belong. I think of a suburban woman who was playing tennis with her good but quite secular friends. In a conversation break between sets she began referring to something she had read that morning. It would have been easy to say, "I read something this morning." Instead, with no attempt at piosity, she simply introduced one word: "In my devotional reading this morning." It was not a major soul-winning engagement. It was, however, a true sowing of seed. By a word, she had opened the door for some further conversation. Perhaps our greatest problem in becoming Christ’s fishermen is that we are not enough in earnest to grasp the opportunities that come to us; or we are so possessed of the idea that we must say something dramatic and far-reaching that we fail to say the small, immediate and potentially significant thing. To put it in the language of our lesson for the day, most of us really don’t act as if we even have a call to "fish." We’re out in the waters of human need every day, but we don’t seem to know it. The issue is not that we should become more aggressive about sharing our faith. It is that we should be more sensitive to the needs of the world around us, and more sensitive to the subtle prodding of the Holy Spirit. The two sensitivities are wonderfully intertwined. To be sensitive to the Holy Spirit must mean that we will be more sensitive to people and their pain; to be more sensitive to people ought to make us more open to God and his purposes. J. Ellsworth Kalas, Reading the Signs, From Empty Nets to Full Lives, CSS Publishing Company In the age of COVID we all know what essential persoel are – but do we realize that in the church, we are all essential. It takes all of us to become fishers of men. Jesus invites all of us to come and follow him every day. Karl Barth who says that we should preach the gospel every day, and if necessary use words. Remember Christ in our actions. Our key words for today – fishers, followers and fascination. Someone defined a disciple as someone who is so fascinated with another person that they want to know everything about what makes that person tick. Are you fascinated with Jesus? Jesus was bold in life and in ministry. How can we live on the edge like he does. A Job vs. A Ministry Someone has said there is a huge difference between having a job at church and having a ministry at church. ... If you are doing it because no one else will, it's a job. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it's a ministry. ... If you're doing it just well enough to get by, it's a job. If you're doing it to the best of your ability, it's a ministry. ... If you'll do it only so long as it doesn't interfere with other activities, it's a job. If you're committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it's a ministry. ... It's hard to get excited about a job. It's almost impossible not to get excited about a ministry. An average church is filled with people doing jobs. A great church is filled with people involved in ministry. Mickey Anders, The Beginning of Ministry Someone else said that being a disciple is making a decision – a decision to be in ministry to Christ in every things and in every place. I often wonder what would have happen had Jesus invited Andrew and Simon to put down their nets and come and follow me and become fishers of men and they said no thank you – I have work to do. None of us would be here today. We are all confronted, called and consecrated by Christ. Let’s all follow Christ – if nothing else – it will be an adventure. Peace Song Lord You have come to the Lakeshore UMH 344 PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE God of unity, We come before you dismayed at our own divisions. We have struggled as your church to live in unity; but we are divided – along the fault lines of our societies. The ruptures in our families, among friends, among denominations, among nations are wide and deep. When we attempt to get on the same page, we build taller walls and dig deeper trenches. God, help us! We know that Christ is not divided. We know that it is your baptism to which we have been called. It is your service to which we are compelled. You have called us to proclaim the gospel, but we even fight about what that is. Help us, God! Help us give up our power and our privileges. Help us to yield for the sake and cause of the cross of Jesus. Help us to want the unity you share, for you are one; in you, there is no division. Help us to embrace and to live the foolishness of a life emptied of power and given to service, in the likeness of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to walk in salvation – in the name of the servant Christ, amen. Carolyn W. Dandridge, The Africana Worship Book, Year A, Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua, eds., (Discipleship Resources, 2006), 85. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Sometimes I wish the Gospel writers would have described the call of Jesus’ disciples in more detail. It’s difficult to comprehend how these followers were able to hear Jesus’ invitation and respond in such a radical way. Did they “count the cost” of leaving their homes, families and businesses? What made it worth giving themselves so completely to following this wandering teacher? Jesus did not offer them an expense account, a time-share, or any indication how he would help meet their basic needs. Yet these people “left the boat and their father, and followed (Jesus).” In comparison, for most of us, the call to follow Jesus demands much less. And yet…when we take seriously the call to become a disciple, we cannot know all the ways that will affect our life. Today, I invite you to take a deep breath and imagine what it could mean for you in 2023 to be a full-time disciple of Jesus. Might it mean sharing more of your time? Your talents? Your treasure? Might it mean inviting your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, to join you in following the Way? As we offer our tithes, offerings and financial gifts today, may we channel our inner Simon and Andrew, James and John! Imagine the joy in heaven as we, too, accept the call to “FOLLOW”. Prayer of Thanksgiving O God, through offering these gifts, may we become a more open people— open-minded in hearing your word and wisdom, open-hearted in healing a broken world, open-handed in heeding your call to charity and enacted love. With thanks for all good gifts, we present these tithes and offerings as symbols of our whole selves. Amen. (adapted from William Flewelling, Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook (Based on Matthew 4) Jesus, the light of the world, calls us to follow. Go and tell the news of God’s love. Cast the nets of grace wide, that all may see the glory of God. Go forth and shine with God’s light! May God—Source, Word, and Spirit— bless you with the radiance of love. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Mary Petrina Boyd) Community Time Benediction Recognize the greatness within and around you. Follow Jesus out into the world to spread the radiance of Christ, to proclaim the good news, and to be instruments of healing and wholeness. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Additional Illustrations The Art of Following - Matthew 4:12-23 If you’re my age or older you may remember Homer and Jethro. They were a comedy team who specialized in country music parodies and satire. They were sometimes referred to as “the thinking man’s hillbillies.” One of their routines went like this: HOMER: Jethro, if you was to win the Irish sweepstakes for two million dollars, would you give me half? JETHRO: Why, Homer, you’re my best and closest friend. You know I would. HOMER: I do know you would. That’s what friendship is all about. HOMER: Jethro, if you had two big luxurious houses like those ones in the Beverly Hills and I was livin’ yonder under the bridge without no home, would you give me one of your big luxurious houses? JETHRO: Homer, you’re my best and closest friend. You know I would. HOMER: Yessir, we’re best friends. Didn’t I know you’d say that. HOMER: Jethro, if you had two prize winnin’ Holstein cows and I had nary one, would you give me one of your cows? JETHRO: Homer, you wouldn’t even have to ask. You’re my closest friend and you know I would. HOMER: Jethro, if you had two really great huntin’ dogs... JETHRO: Hold on a minute, Homer. I got two huntin’ dogs. Homer and Jethro knew that charity is easy to idealize but hard to practice. I saw a routine like that played out in the area of theology and religion when I was in seminary. The professor was lecturing on the gospel of Luke and he had come to the third chapter where we find John the Baptist’s sermon to the people of Jerusalem. _________________ A Problem of Presentation Jesus came preaching that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." What was there about that kingdom that got these fishermen so excited? And why are we not just as excited? Maybe we don't understand what the kingdom is. Or maybe it just hasn't been presented very well. It reminds me of a woman who read somewhere that dogs were healthier if fed a tablespoon of cod liver oil each day. So each day she followed the same routine. She chased her dog until she caught it, wrestled it down, and managed to force the fishy remedy down the dog's throat. Until one day when, in the middle of this grueling medical effort, the bottle was kicked over. With a sigh, she loosed her grip on the dog so she could wipe up the mess. To her surprise the dog trotted over to the puddle and begin lapping up what had been spilled. THE DOG LOVED COD LIVER OIL. It was just the owner's method of application the dog objected to. Sometimes I think something like that has happened to the good news of the Kingdom of God. It has been so poorly presented to us that we have never been captured by its attractiveness and its power. King Duncan, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Essential Personnel Even if we live where it rarely snows, the phrase is a familiar one. When budget talks collapse and the government shuts down, this is the phrase that is trotted out. When the earth suddenly moves under the people of California, often a certain group of people are called out while the rest are told to stay at home. When tornadoes blow through the Southwest and disrupt everything in their course, only certain people should risk the dangers involved. These are maintenance people, road crews, ambulance drivers, fire fighters, electric and gas company workers, truck drivers, and a whole host of service people who are taken for granted when things are running smoothly. We call them "essential personnel." Think about that phrase. Think about what it means to be essential personnel. Then, if you want to be humbled, think about what it is like to be non-essential personnel. Consider the fact that the world can go on without some of us. The good news is that in the church we are all, or at least all can be, essential personnel. We are called to be a special group of people and to do some important things. William B. Kincaid, III, And Then Came The Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Turning Toward the Light A little boy named Bobby entered his first science fair in second grade. Because his Mom has a green thumb, they decided to experiment with the growth of plants. He took two small green plants and placed one on a sunny windowsill and the other in a cardboard box. After a couple of weeks, Bobby checked on the two plants. The one on the windowsill had grown a couple of inches and had vibrant green leaves. The one in the box had actually grown a bit, but it had lost all of its green color, becoming almost white and its leaves drooping. Thinking that the plant might die, Bobby cut a hole in one side of the box, like this, and set the box, with the plant inside, by the windowsill … with the hole facing toward the incoming light. Well you know what happened … but Bobby was so excited by this discovery! Yes, over the course of a few weeks, the plant began to grow out through the hole! And, a couple of weeks later, it turned to grow up toward the light and even blossomed! The plant that had been in gloomy darkness … and was all but dead … had seen a great light, it turned toward that light and blossomed! Well, Matthew wrote … after the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ … and therefore with the full realization of who this man of God was … he wrote that the Light had certainly dawned on the people by the sea, the kingdom of heaven had definitely come near; it had dawned and come near in the person of Jesus Christ … in the personified love and power of God that makes people … different … alive! Robert K. Schneider, Follow the Maker. Adapted by Brett Blair,www.Sermons.com Commentary Jesus lived three years with his disciples. They went everywhere together and did everything together. They ate, slept, and breathed the life of Jesus and yet it was difficult for them to make the transition in their minds from a Messiah who would be a mighty King of Jews to a Messiah that would die for the sins of mankind. But Jesus never wavered in his mission. Throughout his entire ministry among the people and his training of the disciples he held in his heart this hope: That Peter along with the rest of his disciples would lose their earthly ambitions and become feeders of sheep--fishers of men. The very first words of Jesus when he and Peter met at the waters was, "Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men." His very last words to Peter, again down at the waters of the Sea of Galilee, and after his resurrection, were, "Feed my sheep, Follow me." Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com ______________________ God Reigns Archbishop William Temple wrote in 1930: While we deliberate, God reigns; when we decide wisely, God reigns; when we decide foolishly, God reigns; when we serve God in humble loyalty, God reigns; when we serve God self-assertively, God reigns; when we rebel and seek to withhold our service, God reigns -- the Alpha and the Omega, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Archbishop William Temple. Quoted in "Context," February 1, 1992. Go Fish "Do you have any sevens?" "No. Go fish!" I remember playing that card game as a child - it consumed long hours on dull, rainy days. It didn't take much intellect but it chased away the boredom. "Go fish!" That's what Jesus said to his first disciples - only he wasn't playing games. He was serious. There at the very beginning of his ministry when he started recruiting his helpers, he called out to Peter and Andrew and said, "Come, follow me." Then he said, "I will make you fish for people." They already knew how to catch fish - that was their profession - but he called them to learn to bring in people. "Go fish!" he said and they did. James L. Collier, Go Fish! A Moment of Decision In his commentary William Barclay notes the significance of Jesus' move from Nazareth to Capernaum. He says, “There was a kind of symbolic finality in that move. In that moment Jesus left his home never again to return to live in it. It is as if he shut the door that lay behind him before he opened the door that stood in front of him. It was the clean cut between the old and the new. One chapter was ended and another had begun. Into life there come these moments of decision. It is always better to meet them with an even surgical cut than to vacillate undecided between two courses of action.” William Barclay The Evidence of Life Is Growth A disciple is one who studies with a great teacher. It is implied that those who follow Jesus need to grow. We do not blossom overnight into mature spiritual giants. As Dr. Dwayne Dyer said in his book, Your Erroneous Zones, "How do you distinguish between a flower that is alive and one that is dead? The one that is growing is alive. The only evidence of life is growth." So it is with the life of the spirit. One prominent evangelist has complained that despite the burgeoning statistics, the church today is not growing. It is merely getting fat. That is, persons are coming into the church but they are remaining spiritual babes. They are not growing. "We are simply multiplying spiritual babies," he charges. To be alive is to grow. Peter encourages us "to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3: 18). King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com ____________________________________ The World’s Only Hope G. Ray Jordon, Methodist preacher from North Carolina and teacher of preachers at Emory University, wrote years ago, "The hope of civilization is that we shall be able to produce enough Christlike men to save it." That is the world's only hope. It was when Jesus first walked along the Sea of Galilee. It still is today. Thomas A. Pilgrim, The Man From Galilee, CSS Publishing Company, Inc

Another Perspective on Baptism

January 15, 2023 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Human Relations Day John 1:29-42 John – Another Perspective on Baptism Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship To all searching for grace and truth, Come and see! To all searching for meaning and purpose, Come and see! To all searching for abundant life, Come and see! All: Let us worship God together (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Songe) Prayer of Invocation To the revelation and the wonder, open us. With the vision and the possibility, convict us. For the recognizing and the following, equip us. In the struggle and the seeking, be with us. Holy One, manifest your love, make your justice known in and among us. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sharon R. Fennema) Song Leaning on the Everlasting Arms – UMH 133 Children’s Sermon Children’s Sermon (John 1:29-42) Disciples Sharing Christ Greet the children, carrying a bag or box of something. Hello, children of God! Guess what? I brought something with me today that I just cannot wait to share with you! So I have been trying out some different recipes to make things, and they don’t always come out successfully. But this time I made something that turned out super yummy! These treats didn’t burn, they didn’t fall flat, they aren’t too goopy, they are just right. And I’m so excited that they came out nicely that I want to share them with you! In fact, the recipe actually made a pretty big batch, so I think I really need to share them with you. Otherwise I’ll have too many. If I eat these all by myself, I might not feel very well afterwards. Will you help me to enjoy these? It’s really more fun when I get to have company for munching, anyway… Well, I will give you a cookie in just a minute (if necessary, this can be an “after service is finished” incentive), but first I want to talk about sharing things. We often hear how important it is to share things like toys, or crayons, or even attention of people we want to talk to. But do you know what it means to share Jesus?? Let me ask you this: who is someone you would like to meet? Someone you’d be super excited to see if they walked in the room? (Allow for responses) I’ll bet if you met someone that famous, you would be so thrilled that you would want to tell your friends and other people about it, right? Well, that happened when Jesus began His ministry on Earth. John the Baptist was one of the first people to realize who Jesus was and how important He was. John was so excited that He pointed Jesus out to others and told them that they were looking at the lamb of God. They ran after Jesus, and when they met Him and understood who He was, they went to tell others about Him, too. Meeting Jesus was something they didn’t want to keep to themselves, and they couldn’t wait to tell others who they had found. You know, we should be just as eager to tell people this good news of Jesus. Knowing that He died for us is amazing. Think about it: the God who created the whole universe came to live as a person, and gave up His life so that we could be adopted into His family and live as children of God! That’s kind of mind-blowing, really. It’s something that should give us joy and hope, so much so that we want to share it. We want others to know God’s love, too. And there are many ways we can do that. We can use our words to tell others about Jesus, of course. But we can also share through our actions, by doing kind things and just demonstrating that we care about people. It might start with just a few people, but it can spread to more so that many can hear the great news we have! Will you pray with me about that? (Distribute treats if appropriate, or remind kids to meet you later.) (Kristin Schmidt – Ministry to Children) Affirmation of faith (From A Brief Statement of Faith) In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Songe) Scripture John 1:29-42 Sermon - John – Another Perspective on Baptism A Drum Major For Peace Since our country celebrates the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr day tomorrow, I thought I might share this passage from a sermon of his. Perhaps his words can be an expression of hope for us as well. May we be found to be so faithful in telling the truth that others will know our commitment to Jesus, and they will desire to experience faith for themselves. King preached: "Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." "And that's all I want to say…if I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he's traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain. If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, if I can bring salvation to a world once wrought, if I can spread the message as the master taught, then my living would not be in vain." May we all be so fortunate as to live those words. Carla Thompson Powell, Truth to Tell One thing that I admire about Martin Luther King’s ministry is that he had a strong sense of calling of what he was trying to do. But he also has a strong sense of who Jesus was and why he was trying to create a beloved community here on earth. Martin Luther King’s words reflect the theme of our scripture. Today, John the Baptist becomes John the witness to Christ. We have been looking at baptism stories for two weeks now. All of the gospels agree that Jesus baptism was the beginning of Jesus ministry to the world. And after Jesus feels his call, then he also invites his 12 disciples to walk with him. It is always a special treat for us to explore the gospel of John. This is the second Sunday of epiphany and the beginning of a new season. But John is also a special gospel, because he tells similar stories than Matthew. But he always has such a different perspective. For instance in this story about Jesus Baptism, - we don’t hear about the actual event. We are not sure if it even happen. We just have to take John the Baptist word for it. In matthew, we actually get to witness the dove speaking about Jesus being the son of God for ourselves. In this scripture written by a John – John the Baptist tells us about the dove. (I think I will just call John the Baptist JB from now on.) It is JB who tells us two important things about Jesus. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and that he is the Son of God. We know that Jesus and JB are cousins, and yet JB says that he never knew this person before this moment, and yet the spirit revealed who Jesus was for the world. Jesus was the messiah. The key to understanding the gospel of John is that he is telling us that this is the messiah. All of the stories in the gospel of John are about each person realizing that fact for themselves. John always asks us to think about what it means for us personally that Jesus is the messiah- the son of God, the lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world. In John, Jesus makes a series of I am statements about his relationship with God. In today’s story – the I am statement is I am the first. Jesus is the first born in faith, Jesus is the first in heaven, and in this case Jesus is first in baptism. JB can baptize with water, but only Jesus can baptize us in spirit. Jesus does not say he is first in this story with words but with action. He does not dispute anything that JB says about him. And eventually John’s disciples become Jesus disciples. Andrew is one of JB’s disciples, but when he sees Jesus as the Son of God – he tells his brother Simon that the messiah has come. They become two of Jesus most faithful disciples. As Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter. In this scene, Jesus only says one sentence to Andrew and Simon Peter – when they come to see the messiah – Jesus asks them both – what are you looking for? Each of us here have a story for coming here this morning- what are you looking for? Each of us has a walk with Jesus – what are you looking for? Some of us come here looking for fellowship with like minded people. Some of us are in need of healing, some of us are searching for answers, soe of us are searching for meaning for ourlseves and the world some are looking for a sense of direction. John’s message for us – as long as you look for all of that in Jesus – you will find what you are looking for. What Do You Come to See? In the northern Portuguese town of Sobrado, a lady has a dog name Preta. Preta leaves her owner's home every Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and walks 16 miles to a Roman Catholic church in time to take her usual place next to the altar for mass. The dog stands and sits whenever worshippers do the same. She usually walks back home, though some of the parishioners will give her a ride. What is interesting is that the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha has reported that church attendance has grown as many people have attended just to see the faithful dog. Not the faithful God - the faithful dog. Go figure. (from Wesley Taylor, Tualitin, Oregon, Homiletics, January 20, 2002) What are you looking for? Do you seek God or are you like the people in Sobrado, Italy who go to church to see a dog that worships? When someone misses worship in our church and they meet another member who worshipped they ask, "Who was there?" If the person is a member of a Pentecostal Church and misses worship and then sees a fellow parishioner who worshipped that Sunday they ask, "What happened?" For some of us our faith is about relationships, friends, relatives and members of the flock. For others it is about what they experienced. Keith Wagner, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc. We Would See Jesus William Willimon notes that in many churches there is a little brass plaque attached to the preacher’s side of the pulpit. It is not something the people in the pew can see, but something that no pastor can miss as he or she prepares to speak. It is a reminder of why people have come to church that morning. It simply reads: "We would see Jesus." And it’s true, isn’t it? Isn’t that why people come to worship? Take Oscar for example. He had been in the church most of his life. Like many, he attended more or less regularly, gave as he could, and enjoyed the company of a few friends he had there. But when his wife was diagnosed with MS, his presence in worship took on a different thrust. He came wanting answers for his questions, peace amid life’s uncertainty, healing for his wife’s brokenness. He came wanting to see Jesus. And we know how that is, don’t we? We too want to see Jesus. But you know what I’ve noticed? A lot of the time we want to see Jesus, but we prefer to do it from a distance. Take the two followers of John the Baptist in our lesson this morning. They are standing with their teacher when Jesus walks by. John recognizes Jesus, points him out to them, and announces that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Now one would think they would do exactly what they did—that they would drop everything, leave John and follow Jesus. But they do so at a distance. They hang back. They seem to want to watch from afar--to get close, but not too close. That’s the way a lot of us may look for Jesus Donald M. Tuttle It is interesting – the word baptism is a Greek word that means to dip or to be submerged – sort of like a potato chip into the dip. Jesus was submerged into the spirit of God in baptism and in his ministry. When we are baptized, we are submerged in the spirit of God. That is the third statement that JB makes about the messiah. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the spirit. What does that mean? Back to the scripture, when Andrew saw Jesus and the revelation that he was the messiah – he immediately went and told his brother. We don’t know a lot about Andrew in the bible – but in every story he is so excited about Jesus that he tells everyone he knows. Have you ever introduced someone to Jesus? There are a lot of us that need something – can the messiah help us to find it? How can we all help in that process. Miss Donna Her name is Donna. Donna is a member of our church. She is a mentor in our Kids Hope USA program. Every week she goes to a nearby elementary school to be a friend, encourager, and mentor to a little boy named John. John looks to be 6 or 7 years old. Donna and John have bonded in a beautiful way. Though there is quite a difference in their ages, Miss Donna – as John calls her- has become John’s best friend. Once each week, she visits him at school, helps him with his school work… and then “going the second mile” every Saturday, Donna takes John to do exciting things that without Donna, John would likely never get to do – things like the zoo, the museum, the Galleria. A few months ago, Donna’s husband died in his sleep. Little John came to the funeral to support his friend Miss Donna in her grief. At the reception in the Hines Baker Room after the memorial service, John stood beside Donna and held her hand. She had been there for him and now he was there for her. He would not leave her side. It was a beautiful moment and people in the room had tears in their eyes, so touched by John’s intense commitment to lovingly stand by Miss Donna, his friend and mentor. Some of us saw John eyeing the goodies on the reception table – punch and chocolate chip cookies in abundance… and some of us said to him, “John, would you like to walk over here and have some refreshments?” But no, he would not leave Donna’s side. “I want to stay here with Miss Donna.” he would say. The love between the two of them was so radiant and powerful in that room. Also in the room that day was a man from Chicago. He had flown all the way from Chicago to Houston to be with Donna. Do you know why? Because 38 years ago when he was in first grade, Donna had been his mentor at an elementary school in the Chicago area. He flies from Chicago to Houston every summer to see Donna and to thank her for what she did for him 38 years ago – and then he made this special trip to be with Donna when her husband suddenly died. That man from Chicago says to Donna every time he comes, “I am what I am today because of the love and support you gave me 38 years ago.” He says, “Ms. Donna, you were the first person in my life who believed in me.” And today little John says to her in words and actions: “Miss Donna, I love you. I know you love me. You are my best friend.” Now, where did Donna learn to love like that, to reach out to people in need like that, to make a difference in people’s lives like that? You know, don’t you? The same place the disciple Andrew learned it – from Jesus. Donna got her sense of purpose in the same place that Andrew, Martin Luther King and so many others got it – from the messiah – Jesus. All may have been a part of different churches, but they were baptized into the same spirit. The Son of God, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is who we need him to be to each of us – but he is also an example of how to treat others. I think it was Simon Peter who said that Christ suffered for you, leaving an example of what we should do for others. My final story is about hotel. Party Tonight! I was once staying in a motel in a large city and was surprised to find, posted to the elevator door, a small, handwritten notice which read, "Party tonight! Room 210. Eight o'clock p.m. Everyone invited!" I could hardly picture who would throw such a party, or for what reason, but I imagined that at 8:00, room 210 would be filled by an unlikely assortment of people - sales representatives seeking a little relief from the tedium of the road; a vacationing couple tired of sightseeing; a man stopping overnight in the middle of a long journey, looking for a bit of festivity; a few inquisitive and wary motel employees, there because of professional responsibility; perhaps some young people who had slipped out of their parents' rooms, anxiously curious about what was happening in room 210. Alas, the sign by the elevator soon came down, replaced by a typewritten statement from the motel staff explaining that the original notice was a hoax, a practical joke. That made sense, of course, but in a way it was too bad. For a brief moment, those of us staying at the motel were tantalized by the possibility that there just might be a party going on somewhere to which we were all invited - a party where it didn't make much difference who we were when we walked in the door, or what motivated us to come; a party we could come to out of boredom, loneliness, curiosity, responsibility, eagerness to be in fellowship, or simply out of a desire to come and see what was happening; a party where it didn't matter nearly as much what got us in the door, as what would happen to us after we arrived. Perhaps if there is to be such a party, the church is going to have to throw it. Thomas Long, Shepherds and Bathrobes, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. What would happen if we invited everyone to the Jesus party? What a party that would be if everyone would just come and see. Something to strive for. Amen. Song Amazing Grace UMH 378 Prayer Eternal God, Lover of our souls, we come to you this morning hungering for something from you that will change the rest of our lives. We come hungering for honesty instead of corruption; for generosity instead of greed; we come hungering for integrity instead of intrigue. We come hungering for our neighbors to be fed and for all to have enough honest work to provide for the basic needs of their families. We come this morning hungering for righteousness to flow like rainwater and for the justice like an ever-flowing stream described by the prophets.We come hungering and we come listening for your words to us, describing how we can participate in your great work of re-creation. We come listening for ways that we can become part of the solution and not part of the problem. We come listening in fear and trembling, praying that we will have the courage to respond and act if we hear a clear word of instruction from you. Speak, Lord, For your children are listening… (Silence) Amen. (United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, Sofiyah Fosua) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment The followers of John the Baptist listened as their leader identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God”. When Andrew and his colleague checked in with Jesus, they found One who appeared to be the Messiah (the Christ). In that moment, their lives were forever changed. Andrew went to tell his brother, Simon, about Jesus. Simon followed Andrew back to this Messiah, and then received Jesus’ words, “you are to be called ‘Peter’”. That is written as THE moment when Peter became a follower, who gave the rest of his life to follow this Messiah. Take a minute now to think of your own time of claiming Jesus as the Christ. Were you born into the faith? Carried to church as an infant? Baptized as a young person? How has your faith impacted your life? As you think back, call to mind your own sense of energy, excitement, expectation. Did you declare, “I believe Jesus is the Christ, and accept him as Lord of my life!” As we remember, let’s re-claim that confident faith. Join me in responding with gratitude, sharing our gifts, our tithes and our offerings. Let these symbols renew in you, and in me, our desire to be disciples of Jesus, the Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-giving God, thank you for the amazing gift of Jesus, who is the Light of Life. As we remember his baptism, and our own, accept our thanks for the way we are built up together into Christ. We pray for you to receive our gratitude, our gifts, and our intention to continue as followers of Jesus. Help us use what is provided, to share the Good News of your love with those close by and others, to the ends of the earth. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go in the love of the One who strengthens us for the work to which we are called. Go in the fellowship of Jesus Christ, who claims us as sisters and brothers. Go in the community of the Holy Spirit, who binds us together with all the saints. Go with grace to shine God’s love into all the world. Amen.(United Methodist Ministry Matters, Judith Bartlett) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction What are you seeking? What are you looking for? Deep down, what do you need? Deep down, what do we need? This seeking is the blessing. This looking is the calling. This needing is the epiphany. So let us go forth to continue to discover how we become liberation together. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sharon Fennema) Additional Illustrations Sermon Opener - I've Got a Strong Case of the "Can't Help Its" - John 1:29-42 One of the great celebrative anthems that comes to us from the African-American culture is the powerful spiritual “Ain’t Got Time To Die.” It was written by Hall Johnson and it has these joyfully dramatic words: “Been so busy praising my Jesus, Been so busy working for the Kingdom, Been so busy serving my Master Ain’t got time to die. If I don’t praise him, If I don’t serve him, The rocks gonna cry out Glory and honor, glory and honor Ain’t got time to die.” In this inspiring and wonderful spiritual song, the composer is underscoring and celebrating the joy and excitement of being a Christian, the joy and excitement of serving our Lord in gratitude for what he has done for us. The point that this spiritual is trying to drive home to us with great enthusiasm is that when we really become Christians, when we really commit our lives to Christ; then, we can’t sit still. We become so excited, so thrilled, so grateful for our new life in Christ that we can’t help but love Him, praise Him, serve Him, and share Him with others. This is precisely what happened to Andrew. He found the Messiah, he encountered Jesus – and he was so excited he couldn’t sit still. Immediately, gratefully, excitedly, he ran to share the good news with his brother Simon. It reads like this in the first chapter of John’s Gospel… _________________________________ Martin Luther King, Jr. – Captured by the Spirit of Christ Two months before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta about his death in what would oddly enough become his eulogy. "Every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral," Dr. King told his congregation. "If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. I’d like someone to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I’d like someone to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity." Dr. King concluded with these words: "I won’t have any money left behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." Did Martin King have that level of commitment when he first began his ministry? It’s doubtful. He had youthful enthusiasm to be sure. He had strong convictions. He was well brought up, with an outstanding Baptist preacher as a father. But people who are truly captured by the spirit of Christ do so generally after years of walking in Christ’s footsteps. Our faith is validated and grows as we "come and see." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Martin Luther King, Jr. – Captured by the Spirit of Christ Two months before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta about his death in what would oddly enough become his eulogy. "Every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral," Dr. King told his congregation. "If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. I’d like someone to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I’d like someone to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity." Dr. King concluded with these words: "I won’t have any money left behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." Did Martin King have that level of commitment when he first began his ministry? It’s doubtful. He had youthful enthusiasm to be sure. He had strong convictions. He was well brought up, with an outstanding Baptist preacher as a father. But people who are truly captured by the spirit of Christ do so generally after years of walking in Christ’s footsteps. Our faith is validated and grows as we "come and see." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Word of Mouth Evangelism Everyone knows that the best form of advertising ever invented and the one that is still most successful is word-of-mouth — people telling other people. About sixty years ago there used to be an automobile named the Packard. Packard was the last car manufacturer to get into advertising. It didn’t happen until old man Packard died, because whenever he was approached to buy some advertising for his cars he always said, "Don’t need any; just ask the man who owns one." After his death, "Ask the man who owns one" became the Packard slogan. Our Lord Jesus Christ is also known through word-of-mouth advertising. That’s how the word about him gets out. Only the Shepherds at the first Christmas heard the good news from angels. Only the Wise Men were led by a Star. Just a comparative few were touched by miracles. Almost everybody came to know Jesus Christ. Daniel G. Mueller, Just Follow the Signs, CSS Publishing Company You Have To Die First One minister surrounded himself at the church chancel with children during worship and began to talk to them about the upcoming holiday. When asked whose birthday would be celebrated, the well-informed group responded, "Martin Luther King, Jr." The minister inquired further by asking what kind of work King did. How much prompting it took is not certain, but the answer being fished for was given. "Martin Luther King, Jr., was the minister of a church." In an attempt to draw an obvious parallel, the minister reminded the gathered faithful that was also his life's work. At that point, with a straightening of the necktie and some posturing which made him look a bit taller and a lot more distinguished, the minister wondered aloud about the possibility of a holiday being named for him. Across a couple of rows of pews came an innocent whisper that must have sounded like Jesus himself: "You have to die first." William B. Kincaid, III, And Then Came the Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. The Can’t Help Its A minister friend of mine tells about a woman in his church who is so excited to be a Christian. She has a shady past and had pretty much hit bottom when a friend reached out to her… and brought her to church. The church member welcomed her warmly and loved her into the circle of their love and God’s love. She started going to church faithfully. She joined a wonderful Sunday School class. She began studying the Bible daily. She started praying regularly… and in the process was converted. She realized for the very first time in her life that God loved her… even her! She came to understand that even though she had done all those sordid things in her earlier life, that God still loved her, forgave her, accepted her, valued her, treasured her. She was absolutely bowled over by that “Amazing Grace” and she committed herself to Christ heart and soul. Recently she said to her minister, “I’m so excited to be a Christian, that I’ve got a strong case of the “can’t help its.” This is also true of Andrew. He, too, had a strong case of the “can’t help its.” He was so grateful, so thrilled, so excited about Christ that he just could not sit still. He could not keep Jesus to himself. James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Dance the Offering Forward A missionary in Africa was preaching his first sermon in a mission church. When time came for the offering, the people danced their offerings forward. They danced and sang praise to God as they brought their offerings to the altar. It was a beautiful moment. What do you think? Should we get our ushers to do that? After the service, he asked one of the people, “Why do you dance and sing when you bring your offering forward on Sunday morning?” Back came the answer: “How could we not dance? We are so grateful to God for what He has done for us in sending Jesus Christ to save us, that we have to dance and sing our thanksgiving and besides it says in the Bible, God loves a cheerful giver.” Let me ask you something. Do you feel gratitude to God that strongly? Do you have a strong case of the “can’t help its” when it come to gratitude? When you are Christians, gratitude is the spirit of your lifestyle. When you are a Christian, you can’t help but be grateful! James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The One That Will Be Sacrificed "Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any [man]. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." Those words, spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr., the night before he was assassinated in Memphis, still haunt us. To this day, they generate speculation and debate. Some are convinced that King knew he would be killed. With the kind of turmoil King was creating and the general upheaval that was being witnessed from courthouse squares to college campuses, it doesn't require much imagination to envision a scenario wherein King would be gunned down. King noted on that very night that the "... nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around." Others are equally certain that King did not have a premonition about his own death. John Cartwright, who holds the professorship at Boston University which bears King's name, believes that King was not predicting his own death. Rather, according to Cartwright, Dr. King was only aware that the arc of justice is long and that significant changes only happen over an extended period of time. In other words, King knew that his words might articulate the dream, but the reality of the dream might not be experienced until generations later. We have debated the same issue with Jesus. Did Jesus know he was going to die? Did God send Jesus to earth to die? Or, as events evolved and pressure mounted, did it then become evident to Jesus that his faithfulness to God may bring about his own death? There are those who believe that Bethlehem and Calvary were interwoven into Jesus' life from the beginning. When John the Baptist declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God, it sounded like Jesus' crucifixion was certain from the outset. In a culture that sacrificed lambs twice a day in the temple, those words are a kiss of death. "Here is the Lamb of God" can be loosely understood to mean, "Hey, look here, everyone, here's the one that is going to be sacrificed." William B. Kincaid, III, And Then Came The Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. ________________ _________________

Following Jesus into the Water

January 8, 2023 Matthew 3:13-17 Baptism of the Lord Following Jesus into the Water Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship L: In the very beginning, God separated the darkness and the light. God called the Light "Day" and the Darkness, God called "Night". P: We were once people who dwelled in darkness, but God has given us the true Light, Jesus Christ. L: God has blessed us and adopted us as God’s own beloved children, through the sacrament of Baptism. P: The water of baptism brings to us healing and reconciliation; it is a symbol of nourishment and cleansing. L: This day is the day of the remembrance of Jesus’ Baptism. P: As we hear the words of his baptism, let us be reminded of our own adoption by God and celebrate the joyous connection to the Almighty God. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Invocation Voice, Body, and Spirit, You make your presence among us. We receive your love and affirmation. We cherish your guidance and direction. We follow your path and example. Remind us of our connection to you and your covenantal relationship with us. Wash us in the baptized life for renewal and revitalization. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsey) Song Fairest Lord Jesus UMH 189 Children’s Sermon Greet the children, and ask a few questions… Hello, children of God! Do you see what I have here? What is this? (Hold up a glass, pitcher, or bottle of water.) That’s right, this is water! Now, what does water do? What can we do with water? (Encourage kids to come up with a variety of water uses, such as drinking, swimming, cooking, and bathing.) So water is powerful and important stuff. And did you know that your body is made up largely of water? That’s why it is essential that you drink it and stay hydrated. But water also makes me think of baptism. Do you know what baptism is?? Baptism helps us remember that God has saved us and washed our sins away! Some people do baptism in different ways… some sprinkle water onto people (feel free to demonstrate with a small toy and your water); some people dip all the way into the water; some baptize people when they are little babies; some when they are older…there are a lot of ways to do it. But it is a wonderful and important thing to be baptized because it shows us that we are new in Christ! We are born sinful, and will likely do a lot of bad things in our lives, whether we mean to or not. But we can rest assured that God will forgive us. He sent Jesus to take our place and die so that we can live with God. He loves us no matter what we do! And did you know that Jesus was baptized, too? Now, that might seem strange, because we know that Jesus never sinned…so why would He need to be baptized? Well, John asked that same question. Remember John, the camel hair-wearing, locust-eating guy? He baptized people in a river. Jesus came to him one day asking to be baptized, and John tried to send Him away. But Jesus insisted, saying He needed to do it. This lets us know that baptism is a blessing and a great thing. And when Jesus was baptized, something remarkable happened. Heaven opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down like a dove (hold picture of dove or toy), and the voice of God was heard, saying “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” So all parts of the Trinity were present at once. And God was announcing who Jesus was, His beloved Son. We can take heart that Jesus was and is who He proclaimed. That is a comforting reminder. He lived and died so that we might have eternal life, and be made clean and new in Him. This is something that we should help us to live joyfully every day. We are made in God’s image and we can live in His presence. We were sinful, but can be cleansed in Christ. So the next time you wash your hands or take a bath, remember how God has washed away our sins. Why don’t we Thank Him for that right now? Children’s Prayer Moment (Have kids repeat each line) Dear God, Thank you for baptism Thank you for washing our sins and making us clean Help us remember that, and live in your presence Thank you for your son Jesus Thank you for your love We love you, God! In Jesus’s name, Amen! By Kristin Schmidt Affirmation of Faith One: Do you believe in the One of Many Names, God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit? Many: We believe in the God of Many Names. One: Do you reject the powers of oppression in this world, the systems that marginalize and degrade human beings and communities created by God, and the norms of the world at odds with the way of the kindom? Many: We do, with the help of God. One: Do you embrace grace as God’s gift, to be freely given and freely received? Many: We do, with the help of God. One: Do you recommit to the covenantal and baptized life, the cost and joy of discipleship, and the community of belonging as a member of the Body of Christ? Many: We do, with the help of God. Through baptism we enter the covenant God has established. Within this covenant God gives us new life, guards us from evil, and nurtures us in love. In embracing that covenant, we choose whom we will serve, by turning from evil and turning to Jesus Christ. (from the Second National Meeting of United Church of Christ Women and the Book of Common Worship) Remember your baptism Scripture Matthew 3:13-17 Sermon Following Jesus into the Water Water plays an important part in our lives. We would die in about a week if we were not able to have food or water. But if you have water then you can live about 2 or 3 months. Water is also an important part of our weather. The presence of water can also affect our moods. Perhaps that is why we say things like I am under the water, or deluged with stress. We are all washed up, or caught in the undertow. How often do we have a sinking feeling in our guts, or sometimes we need to come up for air. Everyone can relate to the presence of water and the effect that it can have on our life or death. Water is also an important part of our faith. That is why today we are remembering our baptism. Every Christian denomination has a concept of baptism. Now we don’t all agree on how to baptize, or when to baptize, or even what baptism means. Some sprinkle, some dunk, some baptize babies, others only professing adults. But in some form we all do it. Quakers and the Salvation Army don’t perform baptisms, but they do understand the importance of baptism. Saved Twelve Times Garrison Keillor tells the story of Larry the Sad Boy. Larry the Sad Boy was saved twelve times, which is an all-time record in the Lutheran Church. In the Lutheran Church there is no altar call, no organist playing "Just As I Am," and no minister with shiny hair manipulating the congregation. These are Lutherans, and they repent the same way that they sin -- discreetly and tastefully. Keillor writes, "Granted, we're born in original sin and are worthless and vile, but twelve conversions is too many. God didn't mean us to feel guilty all our lives. There comes a point when you should dry your tears and join the building committee and start grappling with the problems of the church furnace and the church roof and make church coffee and be of use." William B. Kincaid, III And Then Came the Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. _____________________ Perhaps it was not the fault of the sad boy that he was baptized 12 times. In the Methodist church, we don’t baptize people who have already been baptized. God doesn’t make mistakes. So whatever the circumstances, it is not necessary to rebaptize, because God was present the first time. The spirit of God was present in the water. When we look in the Bible, Jesus does not help us as Christians to come together in the meaning of baptism. Jesus never baptized anyone. Ironically however, the one thing that all gospel accounts agree on is that Jesus was himself baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. If Jesus is the Son of God, why would be seek out John the Baptist? If Jesus never sinned, then why would he come to repent? Some scholars believe that Jesus sought to be one of John the Baptist’ disciples. Baptism would have been his way of saying that he was a follower. Some scholars think that Jesus being baptized by John was an embarrassment that they can not explain away. In Matthew’s story- even John the Baptist asks Jesus what is going on. This is chapter 3 of the book of Matthew. In chapter 1 we learn about Jesus family. In Chapter 2 he is a baby and the wise men come to find him. By chapter 3 Jesus is 30 years old and speaks for the first time. Jesus tells John the Baptist that his baptism is necessary in order to fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean? The word righteous appears in Matthew 7 times – and each instance has a different meaning. Righteous means to do God’s will. Perhaps he meant that he had to do God’s will. Or perhaps he was saying that the worlds of the old testament had to be fulfilled in his life. By the grace of God, during my sojourn at seminary, I was assigned by one of my professors (although I didn’t consider it a blessing at the time) to read and report on a little book by a German theologian named Oscar Cullmann. The book was entitled Baptism in the New Testament. Now, the writings of German theologians quite often are difficult for me to understand, sometimes because of linguistic problems in the translation, and sometimes just because their logic escapes me. Not so in this circumstance. This little book was a Godsend. In it, Dr. Cullmann not only acknowledges the difficulty in understanding why Jesus submitted to a baptism of repentance. He also offers a simple explanation for it, one that had for some reason eluded me. I had dived deeply into the pool of the intellect searching for an answer that was floating in plain view on the surface. Cullmann says, "It was not a baptism of repentance for HIS sin; it was a baptism of repentance for MY sin, and yours. Just as Jesus died on the cross, not for his own sin, but for yours and mine, so also was he baptized in solidarity with, and on behalf of, you and me." By this act of going to John to be baptized, by this act of joining people who were acknowledging that their lives were totally messed up and empty and uncertain and in need of a fresh start, Jesus publicly demonstrated the meaning of Emmanuel. God is with us; God has come to us; God has joined us in this world, in our human condition, in our human predicament. God understands! God knows what life and death are really like for you and me! Johnny Dean, www.Sermons.com Perhaps Jesus knew that through baptism he was connected to God and to all of us at the same time. Through baptism we can be connected to God and to one another. Perhaps righteousness is fulfilled through all of us. Baptism is the foundation of our faith, it is who we are and what we do. Jesus did if for us and with us. Jesus was the son of God, but he was also a human. He was seeking meaning, and guidance. HE Found it, in the voice of a dove – saying This is my beloved Son. Matthew’s story about the dove is unique. The spirit of God says this is my beloved son. – The spirit speaks not just to Jesus – but to all of us. It tells us that we have found the messiah. When we follow Jesus into the waters – we find our meaning too. Welcome To a Journey The story is told of a pastor's words to a baby shortly after he had baptized her. No doubt, the minister was speaking as much to the congregation as to the infant. "Little sister, by this act of baptism, we welcome you to a journey that will take your whole life. This isn't the end. It's the beginning of God's experiment with your life. What God will make of you, we know not. Where God will take you, surprise you, we cannot say. This we do know and this we say -- God is with you." And God will be with us as we live out our baptism. William B. Kincaid, III, And then Came the Angel, CSS Publishing Company We are all God’s children – connected and called into service. Remember your baptism and be thankful. Amen. Song Spirit Song UMH 347 Pastoral Prayer – (if you don’t have room, leave the words to prayer out) Creator God, when everything first began, water became a symbol of refreshing, of washing away, of renewing. Through the waters of creation you brought forth abundant life. We have gathered this day to remember Jesus’ baptism, how your Spirit proclaimed that He was your beloved Son in whom you were very well pleased. Our spirits resound with that proclamation. In His baptism, Jesus’ ministry was initiated. He dedicated his life to you completely and without reservation. Help us to dedicate our lives to you, to offer our best for you, to be of service to you by serving in your world. As we have lifted before you the names of people near and dear to us who need your healing touch and your tender mercies, we have also lifted ourselves up as people in need of your grace. In our world there is war, oppression, hunger, and alienation. We have not been good stewards of the world. We have not cared for one another. Heal us and this world, Lord. Renew us with your life-giving waters and re-affirm our baptisms as your children. Let us go forth to be people of peace and mercy. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the book of Acts, Peter meets up with Cornelius, shares the Gospel with him, and sees how God pours out the Spirit on Cornelius. Changed lives for BOTH Cornelius and Peter! Not everyone has such a monumental story of coming into faith in Jesus as the Christ, but we all have been given opportunities to receive God’s loving kindness, forgiveness, and invitation to follow Jesus. For all of us who are baptized, today is a reminder of the power of dying with Christ and being raised up to new life. As we begin this new calendar year, today is a great day to respond to this Good News with a firm commitment to share our time, our talent and our treasure. In grateful answer to God’s love-poured-out, let’s present our gifts. Prayer of Thanksgiving God of all good gifts, thank you for the gift of baptism which marks us for life here and life eternal. Please accept our offerings as signs of our love for you and our desire to share Good News with all who are eager to claim new life. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Prayer for the Baptized Voice, Body, Spirit, we give thanks for the gathering of your people into a beloved community of belonging. By our baptism, we accept the invitation to public and faithful witness to the ministry of Jesus Christ in the world and to be instruments to that work. May we live the baptized life in the Spirit as caring companions of one another, with accountability, support, and grace. Shelter us in your love, nourish us in your truth, and uphold us in your word. May it be so. Amen. (United Church of Christ, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsey) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Beloveds, remember your baptism. Go from here with the confidence that God sees you, that God calls you, that God delights in you. In you, God is well pleased. In this confidence, let us open hearts to the Spirit that we may work together, with the Holy Spirit, to bring compassionate justice in every aspect of our lives. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Rose Schrott Taylor) Community Time Benediction Go forth joyfully. God is with you. Bring peace and hope to all you meet. And may God’s eternal love shine through you always. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations Jesus' Consecration Some years ago, a Scottish minister told his congregation about dreaming he had died. When he came to the pearly gates, to his dismay, he would be denied entrance until he presented his credentials. Proudly the Pastor articulated the number of sermons preached and the prominent pulpits occupied. But Saint Peter said no one had heard them in heaven. The discouraged servant enumerated his community involvement. He was told they were not recorded. Sorrowfully, the pastor turned to leave, when Peter said, "Stay a moment, and tell me, are you the man who fed the sparrows?" "Yes," the Scotsman replied, "but what does that have to do with it?" "Come in," said Saint Peter, "the Master of the sparrows wants to thank you." Here is the pertinent, though often overlooked, point: great and prominent positions indicate skill and capacity, but small services suggest the depth of one's consecration. And so it is with Jesus' Baptism. He submits to John's baptism of repentance even though he himself was perfect and had no need to repent. Jesus identified with our sins by being baptized. He joined in the popular movement of his day. It was a grass roots movement started by a desert monk named John the Baptist. John was calling for the repentance of Israel. Jesus chose to be baptized because he wanted to participate with the people in their desires to be close to God. Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com. Adapted from G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, Nashville: Broadman, p. 241. We Draw the Circle Too Small Roy Lloyd, a Lutheran minister, once interviewed Mother Teresa. He said that one of his questions and one of her answers stands out in his mind as "a bright sun burning in my mind." He asked her, "What's the biggest problem in the world today?" And she answered, without hesitation, "The biggest problem in the world today is that we draw the circle of our family too small. We need to draw it larger every day." With all that is evil and wrong in this world today it would be easy to answer that question with a hundred different events. That's what makes Mother Teresa's response so jilting. She is saying that the problem is not so much with the world as it is with us. We need to see more people as our neighbor than we are currently doing. I see Jesus doing this in his baptism. In his baptism he included us in his righteousness. He identified with humanity, with our need to be cleansed, and our need to be made pure. If you have been baptized you have been drawn, by Jesus' baptism, into the circle of God's family. Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com. The Puzzle Began to Fit About 2000 years ago (give or take a few) a small group of Jewish people, living under the tyranny of Roman rule, began to listen to the words of an itinerant preacher. They saw him reach out in love to the hurting people, the broken people, to comfort them and heal them. They heard him give radically new interpretations of the ancient Scripture. Then they watched in horror as he was arrested, tried on trumped-up charges, beaten, mocked, spat upon, and finally nailed to a cross to die between two thieves. They experienced the incredible pain of seeing him dead and buried on Friday, and the equally incredible joy of seeing him alive again on Sunday morning. They heard his promise that his spirit would remain with them all the days of their lives and beyond. And as they remembered what he had said and done, maybe they remembered the day of his baptism by John in the Jordan River. Maybe they remembered that a voice from heaven had declared, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And maybe the pieces of the puzzle began to fit a little better for them. Johnny Dean, www.Sermons.com The Restaurant in Downtown Jericho The way it happened in my mind is that he walked into this little restaurant in downtown Jericho, took a deep breath and hollered, "Repent!" Folks stopped eating mid-bite. It got so quiet you could hear the motor running in that tall machine over in the corner that kept slices of pie turning around behind the glass all day. Every eye in the place was on him, and that was what he was waiting for. He started talking, and shouting, and waving his arms, and every time someone would try to laugh at him and go back to their coconut cream pie, he would walk right over and slam a fist on their table, or just stand and stare at the pie eater until their appetite simply disappeared. All this without missing a beat of his sermon. And what a sermon it was. He started out, "Some of you folks are from around here, aren't you? Born and raised right here? Well, that don't count for one blasted thing in God's book. Your ancestral tree might take you all the way back to Abraham himself, but as far as God is concerned, that won't pay for that cup of coffee you got sitting in front of you." He went on for quite some time, made his way from one table to the next, even the big round one in the back where the Pharisees sat at their weekly noon-time alliance meeting. People couldn't help but smile when he walked around that big round table and called them all a bunch of hissing old women who couldn't spell salvation if they had a dictionary in their hands. Then he was done. He walked out of the door just as he had come in. Except on the way out he was not alone. Several from the restaurant walked out with him, and followed him straight to the river. From there on it was history. More and more people came, and more and more went back home to tell their friends they had better go, too. By the time they got there, the crowds were huge. At one point in his baptizing, John looked up to see who was next in line, and when he did he froze in his tracks. There standing before him was Jesus. He recognized him immediately. This is where the story gets a bit hard for me to follow. Jesus steps up to be baptized like everyone else, but John shakes his head and says, "How can I baptize you? You ought to be baptizing me." They debate that fact for a bit and John finally gives in and baptizes him. Then, as Jesus gets out of the water, the sky opens up just like it had French doors, and this dove flies down and lands on him. Then, to confuse me even more, a voice comes out of that same door and says, "This is my Son, who I love; with him I am well pleased." And the story is over. John B. Jamison, Time’s Up!, CSS Publishing Company ___________________________________