Baptism of Jesus

Welcome & Greeting

first Sunday Fellowship

psalm 29.

Psalm 29 ESV

A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!

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Read the accounts of Jtb, but focus on the baptism of Jesus found in Mark

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. (Cites ) voice crying in the wilderness

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What compelled the people to go to the waters? Conviction? influence of crowds—peer pressure? curiosity? other? all of these things?

In each of these accounts we notice 3 movements that I believe are very significant for us as we embark on a new year and in this season of the life of our church.

On the one hand, John is speaking to the need for righteousness and justice. He is also paving the way for the one who has been waited upon.

Cry out in the Wilderness

Wilderness theme—significant in the history of Israel.

-notice in Luke John asks who warned them of pending judgment?

Speak to the silence

Highlight the words of the Psalm—The Voice of God

Reference (in the beginning the world was formless and without void, and God spoke).

He is speaking into the places where we cry out.

Questions one: what is a place of significance and depth that you have been or need to cry out to God?

Question two: Is this a place that needs righteousness &/or Justice?

2) Compassionate Conviction

this is God’s response to the cry in the wilderness. This is a God who steps into and enters into with compassion and conviction.

baptism is the ultimate religious ritual of sin and God waded right into it. What does this say about God?

This is a God who isn’t afraid to step into the fecal matter and the refuse of our lives

What are the place(s) in your life that you have not let God step into? Or the places that you need God to step into?

-School or work

-friendships or relationships

-parents or children

-ailments or illnesses

-pain or sorow

-sin, guilt, shame

-decisions and direction

-purpose and activity

-unknown and silence

3) The Voice of God

the God who hears the cry, the God who steps into is also the God who speaks with Love and through Love.

Desires to lead us out into the wilderness of life by the power of the Spirit and the Love of God.

Paul asks if they have been baptized in the HS. They only knew of the baptism of repentance. Paul introduced to them the baptism of the Spirit of God’s power and Love!

So many of us are stuck in the baptism of repentance and haven’t learned to walk in the baptism of the Spirit of power and love.

Question 1: Do you believe and receive these words:

You are my beloved _____, with you I am well pleased?

Question 2: Is your relationship with God and your life empowered by the reality that God has stepped into our world and into your life to free you to walk in the power of His Spirit and His Love?

Not expecting an answer to these last two questions, but I want you to ponder them today and this week.

I want you to consider them as you prepare your hearts for communion.

I want to lead us in a service next week that I believe will launch us and lead us into this new year.

Friends let us take time to hear the voice of God, let us allow God into the places where we are crying out, and will be begin this new year walking in the way of the beloved?

Final Prayer

Let me close our time with a prayer by John Wesley.

I hope you can hear the words and take them to heart.

Final Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, Exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Sprit, Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Communion Table