Jan. 8, 2017, the Baptism of Christ (full size gallery)
This Sunday was affected by an approximate 3" snowfall in the immediate area on Saturday Jan. 7, 2017 before this Sunday on Jan 8. It was accompanied by ice and frigid temperatures. As a result attendance was only 26. That was better than we thought – original guess was 15. We had 4 birthdays this Sunday but only Marilyn Newman was present.
The 1st Sunday after Epiphany celebrates the Baptism of Christ by John in the river Jordan. (Ironically, it is in the coldest month for us!) The readings for this Sunday touched on baptism. (Baptism did not start with John baptizing Christ). Isaiah describes a servant called by God, who will persist until he establishes justice. In Acts, Peter preaches about Jesus of Nazareth, anointed by God and the Holy Spirit. In today’s gospel, Jesus receives the anointing of God’s Spirit and hears the voice of God’s affirming love.
The baptism of Jesus is a central event in Matthew’s revelation of God in and through the incarnate Son. Matthew examines both Jesus’ role and John’s to answer questions raised by the baptism: (1) Does this mean that Jesus is sinful? (2) Does it imply that Jesus is somehow subordinate to John?
Both concerns are met by Jesus’ reply in verse 15. Though sinless, he identifies himself with sinful humanity. He also emphasizes his obedience to and fulfillment of Old Testament expectations.
Matthew describes the words of the “voice from heaven,” which of course is God’s voice, as a formal (“This is”), public proclamation of Jesus’ divine Sonship (v. 17). The words themselves, drawn from Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1, identify Jesus as both King and Servant.
As the bulletin mentioned, many of the hymns considered water and baptismal imagery. The first hymn, "Come Thou Found" refers to God’s love as a “fount of every blessing” from which flows “streams of mercy.” The song of praise and the closing hymn are both baptismal hymns, containing baptismal references and themes. The sequence hymn, "O Love of God" refers to reading God’s love in creation, “in seas that swell and streams that flow.” The communion hymn, "In Christ There is no East or West" echoes today’s reading from Acts. “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God.”
The sermon was a review of how the Book of Common Prayer handles Baptism. Some parts reflect back the 2nd century while the promises the parents make in infant baptism were new in the 1979 Prayer Book.
The foundation of the rest of our lives now and in 2017 is spelled out here at the beginning of the calendar year in the baptismal covenant. It is broken into belief and actions
Belief
-Believe in God
-Believe in Christ
-Believe in the Holy Spirit
-Continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship with communion
Actions
-Resist evil but when you sin repent and return to the Lord
-Proclaim the good news of God in Christ
-Serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself
-Strive for justice and peace