The First Sunday of Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord

Enter the Presence of God

Welcome & Greeting

Passing of the peace

Call to Worship

Isaiah 42:1-9

Isaiah 42:1–9 ESV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Let us pray together:

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession of Sin

1 John 1:8

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Brothers and sisters, the proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we have the honor and freedom to approach his throne of mercy with confidence. In faith and penitence, let us confess our sins before God and one another. I will pray with corporately for all of us, after which there will be a period for you to confess silently to our Redeemer and King.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.

We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.

We have offended against your holy laws.

We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us.

O Lord, have mercy upon us.

Spare all those who confess their faults.

Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name.

Following our corporate confession, we take a moment to confess our sins in silence.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Words of Comfort and Promise

For those sinners in need of a Savior today, hear these words of promise:

1 John 1:9

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hear the Word of God

Prayer for Enlightenment

Eternal Father, at the baptism of Jesus you revealed him to be your Son, and your Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove: Grant that we, who are born again by water and the Spirit, may be faithful as your adopted children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Open our hearts and minds to the ministry of your Word as we share together this means of grace. Amen.

Scriptural Lessons

The Psalm

Psalm 89:1-29

Psalm 89:1–29 ESV

1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” 3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel. 19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ 27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. 29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.

The Second Lesson

Acts 10:34-38

Acts 10:34–38 ESV

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

The Gospel

Mark 1:7-11

Mark 1:7–11 ESV

7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

After the lessons, we respond:

This is the Word of the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

Homily

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Brothers and Sisters, as we gather on this first Sunday of Epiphany, we turn our thoughts to a moment of divine revelation, the point in our Liturgical Calendar following the Christmas season where we are called to recall the visit of the Magi, the baptism of our Lord, and the miracle at Cana. Each of these events unveils who Jesus is in a magnificent and breathtaking way. Let us explore this pivotal event and its implications for our lives, practices, doctrine, and beliefs as we dig into the baptism of the Lord.

I was baptized in the Roman Catholic tradition when I was an infant. Falling away from the RCC, I was baptized again in a Baptist Church at 16 after making a profession of faith according to Baptist tradition. As I have grown in faith and wisdom, I have come to believe that that second baptism was at best completely ineffectual, as the first was conducted as is commanded in Scripture, and is at worst a grievous sin for placing the sacrament of our God in my hands and subject to my works instead of within the hands of His Spirit and His Church, which holds the keys and authority thereto. Of course, Our God is a God of forgiveness and redemption, as we heard earlier, but even now, these baptisms, modeled in their own way after the model baptism of Jesus, have bore spiritual fruit for some measure of cost.

My Baptist brothers love this fact, but even I cannot fault it: In the Gospels, we find the account of Jesus approaching John the… Baptist, humbly submitting to baptism in the Jordan River. This act not only models the sacrament for us, but gives us fodder for deep theological conversations like, why was a sinless man, the Son of God, baptised for the remission of sins? To begin with, John the Baptist recognized that the call was not for Jesus! Meanings abound, possibly representing Jesus' relationship with humanity, as part of God’s plan to fulfill all righteousness, but it most clearly marks the commencement of His earthly ministry. In this act, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and the Father's voice affirms Jesus, revealing the Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, involvement in our salvation. James Cameron can make beautiful, moving cinematography, but he has nothing on this. It’s not wonder the Chosen TV show skipped this pivotal scene entirely, among other more uncouth justifications.

The baptism of Jesus marks a powerful and divisive turning point; it signifies purification, the public declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, but even more powerfully, identifies Jesus as the Son of God! In Reformed theology, this event underscores the active obedience of Christ, His fulfillment of the law on our behalf, and His preparation for the atoning work on the cross. This moment echoes throughout Christian history, impacting our understanding of baptism and our identity in Christ.

The Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 167 asks, 'How is our baptism to be improved by us?' The answer: The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; (Col. 2:11–12, Rom. 6:4,6,11) by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; (Rom. 6:3–5) by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; (1 Cor. 1:11–13, Rom. 6:2–3) by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; (Rom. 4:11–12, 1 Pet. 3:21) by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; (Rom. 6:3,4,5) and by endeavoring to live by faith, (Gal. 3:26–27) to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, (Rom. 6:22) as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; (Acts 2:38) and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body. (1 Cor. 12:13,25)

This is a call to reflect deeply on our baptism. It's not just a past event, but a present reality with ongoing implications. The catechism teaches us that our baptism is to be improved by a serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein. This reflection should lead us to faith, repentance, and new obedience, as we are daily reminded of our baptismal identity and calling.

Take a moment and consider our response to our own baptism. I recognize there are differing understandings of baptism with their own Scriptural basis even here. Within my tradition, baptism is the sacrament of entering the covenant community of God, commanded to be given to all believers and their households. We do not recognize that it is effectual based on what we, as recipients do, but just as our salvation, baptism is renders effective as the Spirit has operatively rendered it effective, completely on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. It's a call to live out the covenant we have entered, to daily die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. Baptism is not merely a symbol— It is a sacrament - the sign and seal of the covenant, greater and better than the sign it replaced, which is circumcision. It binds us to Christ and to each other, calling us to live in community, bearing each other's burdens, and sharing in the joy of our common salvation.

In this season of Epiphany, as we remember the baptism of our Lord, let us also remember our own baptism. May it be for us a source of renewal and commitment as we seek to live out our faith.

Friends, I want to conclude with an invitation. Jesus began his ministry through the baptism and concluded it on the cross, and continues even now at the right hand of God the Father. If you do not know Jesus, I invite and implore you, let this be the day of salvation. Repent and believe the gospel, for the Kingdom of God is here, Jesus is ruling at the right hand of God even now and will hear your prayers.

If you have never been baptised before, I would invite you to come speak with me or Chaplain, that you might receive this blessed sacrament and enter body, mind, and soul into the covenant community of the God, which is the Church.

Respond to God

Prayers of Supplication

Be exalted, O Lord, above the heavens;

Let your glory cover the earth.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

And make your chosen people joyful.

Give peace in our time, O Lord;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Let your way be known on earth;

Your saving power among all nations.

Lord, keep our nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And revive us by your Spirit.

Prayer of Response and Thanksgiving

Let us now pray in response and thanksgiving.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right for us to give thanks.

Depart in Peace

Having answered the call to worship, confessed and received assurance of pardon, and having heard the Gospel once again, you are charged to depart and serve, loving God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Hebrews 13:20–21 (ESV)

Benediction

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.