The Lamb of God came to visit us

January 18, 2025 John 1:29-42 The Lamb of God came to visit us 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Human Relations Day Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship God calls us here together — each of us, all of us, our whole selves. We bring our questions, our longings, our hopes, our dreams and our fears. Jesus invites us to come and see where God is at work. Across the street and across the globe, Jesus is present. Within these walls and within our hearts, God is here. Let us worship the God who reaches out in love and invites us to come and see! (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge Opening Prayer Holy God, thank you for your gift of Jesus. Thank you for this opportunity to gather, lifting up the joy we know as followers of the Christ. We remember and give thanks for each one who decides once again to let our lives shine with hope, peace, joy and love as disciples (and Disciples) of Jesus. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song I was there to here your Borning Cry TFWS 2051 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Sermon: “We All Belong” Object: A puzzle piece or a picture of people holding hands (If you don’t have an object, you can use your hands) Pastor: Good morning! I’m so glad you’re here today. I have a question for you. Have you ever put together a puzzle before? (Wait for responses) What happens if one puzzle piece is missing? That’s right—the picture isn’t complete. (Hold up the puzzle piece or gesture with hands) Today is a special day in the church called Human Relations Sunday. That’s a big name, but it’s really about something very simple: how we treat one another. God made every person different—different colors of skin, different families, different talents, different stories. But even though we are different, God says every single person belongs. The Bible tells us that when God made people, God said, “This is very good.” That means you are good, just the way God made you—and so is the person sitting next to you. Human Relations Sunday reminds us that: • Everyone deserves to be treated kindly • Everyone should be treated fairly • Everyone belongs in God’s family Let’s try something together. Turn to someone near you and say: “You belong.” (Pause) When we are kind, when we share, when we stand up for someone who is being left out—we are showing God’s love. We are helping God’s big picture become complete. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors—not just the ones who look like us or think like us—but everyone. So this week, here’s your challenge: • Look for someone who might feel left out • Be a friend • Be kind • Help someone who needs help Because when we love one another, we show the world what God is like. Let’s pray. Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for making each of us special. Help us to be kind, fair, and loving to everyone. Help us remember that we all belong in your family. Amen. (ChatGPT 5.2) Prayer for Human Relations Day Gracious God, every day we’re confronted images of people who are not treated fairly. Open our eyes to see stereotypes that oppress some of us while providing entitlement to others. Open our ears to recognize both unfairness and indifference; Open our mouths to speak up when remaining silent is harmful; to speak out even if others won’t. Open our arms to embrace one another, to carry each other’s burdens, and to build bridges of understanding. Open our hearts so that we may fully receive your grace; point us toward your light so that we may more clearly understand your desires and vision for all humankind. We pray that in this new year we may remove the barriers that block us from seeing you clearly in one another; that divide rather that unite, and that keep us as strangers rather than neighbors. Give us the courage to stand up against those injustices and stand with those who are oppressed. Come Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen. (Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church) Passing of the Peace Scripture John 1:29-42 Sermon The Lamb of God came to Visit us “Come and See: An Epiphany Way of Living” John 1:29–42 Epiphany is a season that often feels quiet compared to Christmas or Easter. There are no angels singing in the sky. No shepherds rushing to a manger. No empty tomb yet. And yet, Epiphany may be one of the most important seasons of all—because Epiphany is about recognition and realization. Epiphany Moments Working in a small town in Latin America, a woman felt despair. She was experiencing marital problems, as well as conflicts with people she worked with. Without warning, an earthquake struck one day. In those moments of panic and fear she ran with other people to the relative safety of a garden plaza as buildings shattered and dust billowed. "For those moments I saw everything so clearly," she recalls, "how I could become so much kinder to my husband, how other relationships could work out. In an instant--and with such gratitude--I saw how it would be so easy for me to turn things around." In that dramatic moment this woman had glimpsed how the brokenness in her life could be mended. At that moment she saw clearly how she could bring about healing in her life. At that moment it was as if God had spoken to her in a most dramatic way. God had told John in a personal epiphany, "He on whom you see the spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." When John saw the Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove, he knew without a doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. John believed that day because of a personal act of revelation. Sometimes that happens to people. The truth of God comes into their lives in such a dramatic fashion that they can scarcely deny that they have been in His presence. That's one way of finding Jesus. Arthur G. Ferry, Jr., Finding Jesus It is about seeing who Jesus really is… and then deciding what to do once we see. In our gospel lesson from John, there is no birth story. No manger. No magi. Instead, we are taken to the banks of the Jordan River, where John the Baptist stands, watching and waiting—and then suddenly pointing. “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Why This Story Matters This moment is crucial because it is one of the first public declarations of who Jesus is. John doesn’t say, “Here is a good teacher.” He doesn’t say, “Here is a moral example.” He says, “Here is the Lamb of God.” This is sacrificial language. This is salvation language. This is God-at-work language. John tells us that when Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended like a dove, and God spoke. The dove matters. The voice matters. Throughout Scripture, the dove is a sign of new creation—from Noah’s ark to the prophets. In the story of Noah’s ark the dove was sent to find solid ground. He came back with a tree sprig in his beak – a message there their hope has been fulfilled. That became a message of peace, proof that God was watching and guiding. In the gospels, the dove appears to give us a message about Jesus – that once again, God heard our cries and sent a savior. In our story today.. And God’s voice confirms what human eyes might miss: This is not just another preacher by the river. This is the one God has sent. Epiphany is about moments like this—when heaven and earth briefly line up, and suddenly the truth becomes visible. Pointing, Not Centering What is especially striking is John’s role in all of this. John has followers. John has influence. John has credibility. And yet, when Jesus appears, John does not hold onto the spotlight. He does not say, “Stay with me.” He says, “Look at him.” The question for Epiphany is not, “What would Jesus do?” That question matters—but John’s story invites a different one: What would John do? John would point. John would step aside. John would make room for God to be seen. Epiphany reminds us that the church does not exist to draw attention to itself. We exist to point beyond ourselves—to Christ. “What Are You Looking For?” When two of John’s disciples begin to follow Jesus, Jesus turns and asks a deeply human question: “What are you looking for?” Not: What do you believe? Not: What doctrine do you hold? But: What are you looking for? That question echoes across time and lands right here, today. What are you looking for when you come to church? Are you looking for comfort? Hope? Forgiveness? Purpose? Community? Healing? Jesus doesn’t argue with their answer. He doesn’t lecture. He simply says: “Come and see.” Faith, in John’s Gospel, is not about having everything figured out. It is about being willing to walk, to follow, to discover. Come and See… and Then Go and Be The disciples stay with Jesus—and then they don’t keep it to themselves. Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon and says, “We have found the Messiah.” That is how Epiphany spreads. One person points. Another comes and sees. Then they go and tell. And this is where Epiphany moves from story to calling. How Do We Embody Christ for Others? If Epiphany is about revelation, then the church is meant to be a living epiphany—a place where people can catch a glimpse of Christ through us. 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. The party is not about being perfect. Not because we are perfect. But because we point faithfully. We embody Christ when: • we speak truth with humility • we love without condition • we work for justice without losing compassion • we make room for God instead of ourselves An Epiphany Illustration: Martin Luther King Jr. Think about Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King never claimed to be the savior. He never pointed to himself as the answer. Over and over again, he pointed beyond himself—to God’s vision of justice, to the dignity of every human being, to what he called “the beloved community.” Near the end of his life, Dr. King said: “I’ve been to the mountaintop… 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.” That is the voice of someone who understood John the Baptist’s role. King was not trying to be the light— He was bearing witness to the light. He pointed to something greater than himself, even when it cost him everything. The Call of Epiphany Epiphany asks us: • Who are we pointing to? • What are people seeing when they watch us? • Are our lives saying, “Look at me,” or “Come and see Jesus”? And perhaps the most important question of all: What are you looking for? Because whatever you are looking for, Christ still stands ready to say, “Come and see.” And once we have seen, we are sent—not to be the light, but to reflect it. Not to be the savior, but to point to the Savior. Not to center ourselves, but to embody the love of Christ for a world still longing for an Epiphany. Let us pray….. Amen. Song The Summons (Will you Come and Follow me) TFWS 2130 Prayer There is none like you, God of infinite patience. You promise to listen to us, always. You speak more words of hope and grace and offer more acts of mercy and hope then we can count on the fingers and toes of every person who ever lived. There is none like you, Shaper of servants. Gathering up all the words we should never have spoken, you rearrange them into stories of peace and reconciliation. Sweeping up the messes we leave littered behind us, you recycle them into gifts which soften the hardest hearts. There is none like you, Ever-listening Spirit. You gather up all our cousins scattered throughout the earth, bringing us to the Table of life. You point the way to Jesus when we have lost sight of him on the fog-filled days of our souls. There is none like you, God in Community, Holy in One, and our hearts will sing new songs even as we pray, saying…. ( Lectionary Liturgy, Thom Shuman) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment What is your gift? Baking tasty treats? Creating beautiful things? Figuring tough math problems? Making people feel loved and appreciated? Welcoming strangers? Today – on Human Relations Day – we thank God for our varieties of gifts. We can’t all be bakers, artists or math geniuses. But each of us can move out of our comfort zone and reach out to the forgotten, the unloved, the vulnerable. Through Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services and Youth Offender Rehabilitation ministries, supported by the Human Relations Day offering, we share our financial gifts. Now, perhaps more than ever, God calls us to extend healing and hope that can guide us to becoming new creations in Christ. Through our gifts and support, we partner with God and God’s people to strengthen Christ’s loving presence in a hurting world. Human Relations Day offers a perfect opportunity to celebrate our special gifts and to find new ways to serve God. Offertory Prayer Loving God, thank you for making each of us unique. Help us to recognize how our talents, blended with the gifts of others, can enrich your world. Generous God, we are reminded through scripture of the spiritual gifts that you give. We know that these are not for us to hold onto but are gifts for us to share – gifts from you meant for giving. As we offer our tithes and offerings, prompt us to commit more than dollars, but to see the gifts you have written on our hearts and to share generously of these as well! We pray these words in the name of Jesus, in whose way we follow, for whose love we are eternally grateful. Amen. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Announcements Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go and see! God is at work all around us. Go and see! Jesus invites us to follow. Go and see! The Holy Spirit sends us out, empowered, renewed, inspired and equipped to do our part. Let us go and see, in power and in peace, to share God’s love with all. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of our parent God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are with us, today and always. Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge) Additional Illustrations 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… Landed on Top of a Lamb A tourist visited a church in Germany and was surprised to see the carved figure of a lamb near the top of the church’s tower. He asked why it was there and was told that when the church was being built, a workman fell from a high scaffold. His co-workers rushed down, expecting to find him dead. But to their surprise and joy, he was alive and only slightly injured. How did he survive? A flock of sheep was passing beneath the tower at the time, and he landed on top of a lamb. The lamb broke his fall and was crushed to death, but the man was saved. To commemorate that miraculous escape, someone carved a lamb on the tower at the exact height from which the workman fell. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com, Original Source Unknown. ___________________ 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 Our Misguided Goals There's an emptiness in pursuing anything less than God's call. Darrell Bock is one of those baby boomers who has entered mid-life. A teacher at Dallas Theological Seminary, he writes in Christianity Today how as a young, idealistic man, headed for seminary, he thought being a successful Christian meant "being a winner for God, taking control, and doing all I could for his kingdom...The essence of our spirituality was to do all we could for God in the 40 or so years we had." Now, at mid-life, he has discovered that such spirituality is empty. Much of it was influenced by American culture with its bent toward independence and self-fulfillment. Darrell writes: "Many pews on Sunday morning are filled with people seeking God, praying like mad, studying the Word, but who still wonder why God seems so distant. Maybe it is because our culture has taught us to pursue goals that do not bring us closer to him. Perhaps those goals undermine the relationships we are to have with him and with others. What are some of our misguided goals? "Where our culture says, 'Seek your place in the world!' our God says, 'Seek the kingdom of God.' Where our culture bids us to 'find yourself!' God calls us to 'lose yourself, and so find life.' Where our culture calls us to 'be your own self-made person!' our God calls us to become 'members together of one body...' Where our culture teaches us to 'look to your own needs and interests!' God calls us to have 'the attitude of Christ Jesus, who took on the nature of a servant.' Where our culture promises, 'You can have it all!' God calls us to 'consider it rubbish, that we might gain Christ.' Where our culture mandates, 'Be at the top of your game!' God calls us to 'be crucified with Christ.' When we perceive our existence as a call from God--rather than as a search for self--we free ourselves from the maelstrom of self-oriented ambition and find our ultimate purpose in life." That's where clarity is found--not in knowing what we are looking for, but in answering Christ's call and abiding in him. William J. Kemp 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 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 ________________________________ 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 The Many Ways to Come and See William Muehl is on the faculty of Yale Divinity School, and he has spent many years teaching people who are about to become ministers and those who are already ministers. "The roads to Christian faith are as varied as the people who profess it," says Professor Muehl. "There in the congregation is the man who would rather be sitting in the car in the church parking lot reading the sports page of the Sunday paper were it not for the fact that his wife has insisted that he put on a suit and tie and accompany her into the sanctuary. There also is the teenager in the balcony with one ear on the pastoral prayer and the other focused on the whispers of her boyfriend. There is the couple who have come because they were invited by the family across the street and they had no handy excuse not to say yes. There is the young woman who is there because of the music and who reads the hymnbook during the sermon." The point of all this is that the calling to follow Christ is a pathway which is marked "come and see." It is a pathway which is far more important because of where it leads than because of where it begins. It may begin, as it did for Muehl, as a pain in the body, or, as it has for others, as a longing in the heart, a struggle in the soul, or a wondering in the mind. It is a path which some people enter alone, which others enter by tagging along with friends or family, and down which yet others are dragged, at first reluctantly, by parents or teachers. No matter how we begin, we see as we travel that the pathway has been cleared for us by the Christ who goes before us, making of our many beginnings a common journey. "Come and see," we are told, though the voice which calls us sometimes seems faint, filtered through the voices of the ordinary folk around us. And, for whatever reason, we do go, and, then, we do see. What we see is that, no matter who we were when we started, we end up with a new name, a new identity, given by Christ. What we see is that, no matter how we began our travel, we end the journey resting in the Christ who is all in all. Thomas Long, Shepherds and Bathrobes, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. A Change in Posture In a cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark there is a magnificent statue of Jesus by the noted sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. When Thorvaldsen first completed the sculpture he gazed upon the finished product with great satisfaction. It was a sculpture of Christ with face looking upward and arms extended upward. It was a statue of a majestic, conquering Christ. Later that night, however, after the sculptor had left his fine new work in clay to dry and harden, something unexpected occurred. Sea mist seeped into the studio in the night. The clay did not harden as quickly as anticipated. The upraised arms and head of the sculpture began to drop. The majestic Christ with arms lifted up and head thrown back was transformed into a Christ with head bent forward and arms stretched downward as if in a pose of gentle invitation. At first Thorvaldsen was bitterly disappointed. As he studied the transformed sculpture, however, he came to see a dimension of Christ that had not been real to him before. It was the Christ who is a gently, merciful Savior. Thorvaldsen inscribed on the base of the completed statue, "Come Unto Me," and that picture of the Lamb of God in his mercy has inspired millions. King Duncan, ChristianGlobe Illustrations

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. ________________ _________________

The Voice of God Still Speaks - January 10, 2009

The story of the drunk man and the plunge
A church is at a river, some of its members are being baptized. Along walks a drunk man, which disturbs the pastor. The irritated pastor grabs the man and tells him he needs to find Jesus. He dunks him in the water, and asks if he has found Jesus. No replies the man, so the pastor dunks him again. Have you found Jesus the pastor Asks. At no, the man is dunked again and gives the same no answer. Upset, the pastor dunks him again and leaves him down there for almost a minute. Have you found Jesus yet? Asks the pastor. No says that man, are you sure this is where he fell in?

Sometimes I feel like I am like the man dunked looking for Jesus but never finding anything.


That is the concept of baptism for us – taking the plunge into the same waters that Jesus plunged into

Ministry and work begins with baptism,

But why John? Why did Jesus come to John to be baptized? John baptism was a forgiveness ritual calling people to repent – if Jesus never sinned why was he baptized?

Was Jesus being An example for us? Or did he Want to be a part of John’s ministry. And was he surprised by the voice which called him from above?

This was an important event for all gospel writers, but only Mark was this a personal event, a time when God speaks only to Jesus. And affirms him an calls him to go forward.

Perhaps he knew that God was there all along, but was not expecting to meet God in the water. Not expecting what would come later in his life. Not really expecting the change.

Good morning America has this program – the year that changed your life. The one event in your life that made all of the difference. Each host is looking back at their lives, but perhaps God calls us to look forward.

Baptism is a change, a new way of thinking, a break with the past.

The story says that the voice broke through the firmaments. The Jews believed that there was a dome around the world separating the heavens and the earth. Keeping God in his place – and God broke through that firmament. In a violent way.

That is how God works in our lives, not in what we are expecting, but in what we are not expecting. Not in entrances that we prepare for him, but in openings that he has forced in our lives. Circumstances that are hard and difficult and sometimes even violent.

Psalm 29 compares the voice of God to the violent thunder of a storm. Thunder which creates rain and a whole new earth. Creation depends on that thunder to grow and become. In the psalm, the voice of God speaks 7 times.

I think that our lesson is that the thunder can be loud and scary and that our natural tendency is to run and to be afraid. And yet God calls us not to run from the thunderstorm, but to learn to stay in it, to hear the voice and the expect to be changed, because we are getting stronger.

There is a saying, that life is not about running for cover in the storm, but in learning to dance in the rain. One of my favorite portraits is a picture of a young girl, dancing in a thunder storm, saying that there is no rain like a holy ghost rain.

We may never really know what baptism was for Jesus – but the point is that we know what it is for us. Baptism is our invitation to dance in the holy ghost rain with Jesus.

Our chance to realize that we don’t have to be afraid of the storm – it is only God talking to us. And if we are willing to respond – then we will be given affirmation of who we are, a sense of belonging into God’s family and an open road to continue on the journey of life, even in times when we are afraid and not certain of what to do next. Have you heard the thunder of storms in your life? How did you hear God speak to you – How did you get encouragement to go to the next step?

The voice of God still speaks to us through the events in out lives, baptism is our chance to not only listen, but to be willing to respond. The voice of God still created, not only our lives, but nature. The voice of God still leads us into unexpected pathways ahead. Let us remember our baptism and be thankful.

In a recent Olympics, and American runner was determined to win the 400 meter relay. Even though he had only trained for the 100 meter relay. But he knew he was up to the challenge. Until the day of the race, he started out okay, but he realized that he had this great pain in his ankle, he was only half way through the race. This was his chance in history to shine, and he did not want a little pain to stop him. He kept running, and his condition was getting worse with each step. All of a sudden there was a commotion with the police on the sidelines – his father was trying to get to his son. You don’t have to do this you know – you don’t have to finish, in tears, his son said but dad you don’t understand but I do. The father tore through the crowd onto the field and said that if it was something that had to do done, then they would do it together. And he held his son and they ran to the finish line together. The crowd roared with approval.

Who know why Jesus went to the water that day, who knows why he felt that he had to go through with that act, who knows why he spent the rest of his life giving us lessons to lives by, or why he loved us so that he had to go to the cross for us. We may never understand the mysteries of Christ’s love.

But what we do know is that God was there for him that day. God broke through all of the securities of life to ge with him that day. And when we are baptized – we join Jesus in those waters, in that moment. And that is the moment which makes all of the difference in our lives – and in the lives of those we touch and serve. Remember your baptism and be thankful.