Ministry Matters: Preach,Teach,Worship,Reach, Lead for Tuesday, 6 January 2015

You won't believe what gets left out of every good sermon by Tom Fuerst If Malcom Gladwell is right and it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, then I’ve got a seriously long road of sermonizing ahead of me. I like to write and reflect on the practice of preaching, but by no means have I figured out this craft. If anything, I can only say that I work hard at it, come what may in the end product. But one truth I’ve learned — and learned the hard way, at that — about preaching, it’s that the secret to a good sermon is something many pastors never understand or appreciate. Let me illustrate it first, before I expound. About two years ago I was driving down the road with my best friend and he found a sermon I’d preached a few weeks before. The sermon text was Isaiah 6, where I took on the topic of the holiness of God. If you remember in that passage Isaiah describes the “seraphs” hovering around God, each one crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD, God Almighty” as they covered their faces and feet with wings, shading them from the holiness of God. The discussion of these beings was an important one to the sermon, not only because the passage addresses them, but because their physical posture sets the holiness of God in full display. But I did not stop there. I went on to explain that we wrongly think of these seraphs as angels — maybe with cute, chubby, baby faces, or maybe as blonde headed Nordic warriors with wings. I went on to deconstruct our contemporary notions of angels, and exegetically established that these seraphs were entirely different beings than we imagined. At this point, my friend stopped the recording and asked, “Why did you have to say all that? How did your rant against contemporary misunderstandings of angels further your point about the holiness of God?” I lacked words to answer. I couldn’t really explain it. The reason I’d included the piece was because 1) I found it to be really interesting information on angelology, and 2) I like bursting people’s preconceived notions. In those two paragraphs discussing seraphs in my sermon, I hadn’t considered that I’d lost my main point, and I’d distracted my audience. I learned a hard lesson listening to that recording. I can be a polished deliverer of sermons. I can speak without notes. I can tell funny stories or make people weep with depressing narratives. I can have the theological precision of a professor, or the exegetical prowess of NT Wright. But if every bit, every word, every story, every piece of information does not come under a clear, central idea, then I’m going to distract my audience from that message. The secret to a good sermon is deciding what not to include. This is the hard part for preachers. We study all week for Sunday. When we do it right, we spend hours in commentaries or doing research. And in all our reading, there is so much that excites us. But not everything that excites us excites our audience. And not everything that excites us helps establish our main point. Many preachers are not willing to recognize these truths. It would cost us good jokes, good illustrations, good exegetical insights. It would even, dare I say, cost us highlighting every point the original author may have wanted to communicate. I have a friend who teaches writing to college students. A few years ago she told me one of the earliest axioms she teaches her students is, “We must be willing to kill our darlings.” By this she means that the writer, the preacher or the artist must be willing to cut out anything in their art that does not contribute to the main idea. The dangling illustration may be excellent, or it may be well written, but if it doesn’t contribute to the main idea, it’s better suited for a different sermon — a sermon where it will invite the audience to a better understanding rather than distract them from your main point. Let me conclude by returning to my sermon on Isaiah 6. The fact is, my friend in the car was actually the second person to bring those two distracting paragraphs to my attention. The first person to do it, however, did not point it out as a structural fault in the sermon. Rather, he embodied the distraction. After I got done preaching a man in the congregation came up and expressed his frustration with me regarding my interpretation of the seraphs. He couldn’t believe I’d question whether they were our typical angelic beings. And for a few minutes after the sermon, and over the course of a few back and forth emails, he kept his same position. But here’s what got me: I didn’t want him to come up and talk to me about whether seraphs fit our model of angelic beings. I didn’t want to have to email back and forth with him about that subject. I wanted him to come up and ask questions or make comments about the holiness of God; I wanted him to email me about the proper response of human beings to the holiness of God. Instead, all I did was distract him from my main point. Sure, I had great exegetical information and did a fantastic job of undercutting our assumptions about angels. But that wasn’t the point of my sermon. I needed to kill my darlings for the sake of the life and health of both my message and my hearers. The secret to a good sermon is deciding what not to include. Tom Fuerst blogs at Tom1st.com. You can subscribe to his blog via email here. 7 words of guidance for young clergy by Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. I write from the perspective of a pastor and a bishop. I have served in a mainline denomination for 32 years, and am now in a role that gives me a vista that is, in the language of Ronald Heifetz, more balcony than dance. If there is any wisdom here, it comes in substantial measure from mistakes I’ve made; it reflects both doors that have opened (or been opened) for me, and also, in the words of one of my favorite bluegrass songs, “the trains I’ve missed” (Balsam Range). So, seven words of guidance. 1. Find a disciplined way to read Scripture. Some years you may read through the whole of Scripture; other years you may read through the New Testament, or the gospels or the prophets. Spend the days between Christmas and New Year’s developing a plan, share your plan with others, and then follow your plan. Most of the clergy in my own annual conference preach thematically, in series; this year, simply for contrast, I am reading the lectionary passages from Scripture each week. And, yes, most years I begin with a new Bible, wise guidance from my spiritual director. 2. Cultivate friendships. Along the way you will come alongside men and women who are life-giving to you. They share your enthusiasms, hobbies, passions and obsessions. Do not take these relationships for granted. While they arrive spontaneously, they require care and, to use a cliche, intentionality. Clergy can live in the default of befriending those who seek us out, in our congregations, and this is good. But friendship cannot be simply our passive acceptance of social invitations; instead, we move toward others, include them, learn from them and delight in them. 3. Don’t worry about the next assignment. Instead, becoming immersed in the present setting. The most effective clergy I know, across all kinds of theological differences, are the ones who are fully engaged in the life of their communities and congregations. The least effective clergy I know are more focused on the next assignment. Yes, the future will bring change. But the future will most often be shaped by what is happened in the present. Indeed, as the management theorist Peter Drucker observed, the future has already begun. Be attentive to the sacrament of the present moment. 4. Detach or detox from the culture wars. Find your own voice that speaks for justice and freedom, and listen to voices that differ from yours. Avoid the groupthink that is the inevitable result of enclosed life in one checked box or another. Purge (or at least question) the assumptions you may hold about your own politics, or the politics of others. In so doing you will confuse some people and disappoint others, but you can be at peace about that. 5. Don’t obsess about the decline of the mainline church. Are there troubling vital signs in American Christianity? Yes. Is there an age demographic trend that is reshaping congregational life? Yes. But there is also the awareness that young clergy are worthy of attention, prepared for leadership and positioned for mission. There is the additional sense, across denominations, that an alignment of resources toward the flourishing of younger clergy is necessary, and not merely for the survival of the institution. Paradoxically, younger clergy will have more substantial support than their predecessors, and a more interesting and flexible climate for ministry. 6. Get as much education as possible. The world is an increasingly complex place, and no educational degree program prepares an individual for a lifetime of ministry. So … learn a second language, imagine that you are a social entrepreneur, develop a skill that seems to have little relationship to ministry, read outside of your discipline. Spend a year reading the writings of one author. Learn as much as you can about your own family system. Explore the dynamics of podcasts, like “This American Life” or “Serial,” that seem to hold the attention of listeners for 40 plus minutes. Find a mentor, and allow her to teach you. 7. Stay close to the theological sources of life. Never forget that you were saved by grace and not by your works. Never doubt that your life is a journey made possible through God’s providence. Always remember that reconciliation, not estrangement, is God’s preference. Always claim the reality of the incarnation, that your very presence is a sign that God is at work in a given situation. Know that the church is human and divine, sometimes imperfect and at times even corrupt, and yet, at its best, the hope of the world. If there were a substitute for it, you would have found something else to do with your life. And remember your baptism. You have more in common with the laity than you may imagine! Yes, Christendom, and a church culture which depended on conformity, is dying. Yes, a pluralistic society, with global patterns of migration and multifaith expressions of religion, is rising. These shifts were anticipated in the writings of Lesslie Newbigin and Stanley Hauerwas 50 and 25 years ago, respectively. You will live your entire ministry in this context. But the constants remain: the Triune God, who created you, who saves you, who sustains you, who sets you apart, through a strange mercy, for this calling. I hope you will set aside the temptation to despair or arrogance, embracing instead this adventure with hope and confidence. God is faithful. Your colleague in ministry, +Ken Bishop Job, who helped people deal with death, dead at 86 by Kathy L. Gilbert (UMNS) “I have no anxiety about my own death. … I don’t know what that’s going to be like, but I have some idea that it will be good because this life is good,” said retired Bishop Rueben P. Job after the publication of his book, “Living Fully, Dying Well,’’ in 2006. Job died at home Jan. 3 at 86 after a long struggle with heart disease. He was a bishop, pastor, author and friend who was not afraid of death and wanted the church to be better prepared to help people deal with the experience of dying. In talking about his book, Job offered the best words of comfort about his own death. “I have no fears at all about death. I think everyone has some apprehension about pain, and in the past, perhaps we did not treat pain well. I think now that’s not true anymore. And even when we did not, I think the body itself begins to close off the functions so that the pain itself is lessened. “I always felt for a long time as a pastor that it was more difficult for the people who watched a loved one die than it was for the loved one who was dying. But now I think the medical profession handles pain so much better than they did in the past, so that is not so much a big factor. “I have no anxiety about my own death. I just had a stent put in, and for a person of my age — with a third of my heart function remaining — it’s a risky venture. But I went into that operating room with the same confidence that I lie down in my bed every night. Had I awakened in another world, I don’t believe I would have been surprised or afraid.” Dr. Randy Fullerton, Job’s son-in-law, said the bishop “was ready to die.” Fullerton said the bishop had been under hospice care and died peacefully at his Brentwood home, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his widow, Beverly Ellerbeck Job, four children, and seven grandchildren. His children are Debbie, Philip and David Job, and Ann Job Fullerton. A legacy of writing Job leaves behind a legacy of writing of more than 20 books including, “Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living” published in 2007 that has sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide. “Thousands of churches and hundreds of thousands of individuals reclaimed the general rules of Do No Harm, Do Good and Stay in Love with God through the little brown book. He put the most foundational and profound into 10 words that we could understand and then spent a lifetime trying to achieve,” said Susan Salley, associate publisher of ministry resources at the United Methodist Publishing House. Salley worked with Job on “Living Fully, Dying Well” and “Three Simple Rules” in addition to other books published by Abingdon Press. Job’s commitment to spiritually was recognized by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, in 2010. The Rueben P. Job Endowed Chair in Spiritual Formation was one of the first chairs in spiritual formation among Protestant seminaries. Garrett Evangelical is one of 13 United Methodist schools of theology. Upon hearing that gifts and commitments for the endowed chair had reached the $2 million goal in 2013, Job said, “Because Christian spirituality has been at the center of my ministry for 60 years, the faithful prayers and actions of many bring great hope and joy to me today and will do so for multitudes in the years to come. My prayers of petition have turned to prayers of thanksgiving.” A lifetime of preaching Rueben Phillip Job was born Feb. 7, 1928, in Jamestown, North Dakota. He was raised on a farm and worked alongside his father until he received a “clear and urgent call” to ministry. He was licensed to preach in 1952, and ordained in the Dakota Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1957. The EUB and the Methodist Church merged in 1968 to form The United Methodist Church. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS Job served as an Air Force chaplain from 1960 to ’62. He was also a district superintendent in South Dakota and pastor of churches in North and South Dakota. Job was elected to the episcopacy and assigned to the Iowa Area in 1984. He was world editor of The Upper Room devotional magazine and a staff member of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship. He served as president of United Methodist Communications Commission in 1988. During the 1985-88 quadrennium, he chaired the Hymnal Revision Committee culminating in the adoption of a new hymnal at the denomination’s 1988 General Conference. Mary Brooke Casad, former top executive of the denomination’s Connectional Table, worked on the committee with Job and remembers him introducing the hymnal to the worldwide conference. “The image he set before us was that of an icon,” she said. “This hymnal would be a ‘window to God’ reflecting God’s glory and goodness. I give thanks for his personal witness to me; he has indeed been a ‘window to God’ for my faith journey and for that I am eternally grateful.” The United Methodist Hymnal is used by 97 percent of United Methodist congregations, Salley said. In a tribute to Job at the Publishing House, Salley ended a presentation with a quote from Job’s “Life Stories,” a book compiled for Garrett-Evangelical for establishing the chair. “While I retired from an appointed ministry many years ago, the call of God I sensed 65 years ago continues today. "I now believe that God calls and sends everyone who responds to the call of Jesus to ‘Follow me.’ Some may sense a call to a specific task or vocation. However, the highest calling anyone will ever receive comes first, ‘Follow me.’ When we say yes to that call we offer ourselves to God as completely as we are able and God accepts and blesses the offering we make in remarkable ways. "You who are reading these words have already heard, accepted and responded to the highest call anyone can receive. The call to live as a disciple of Jesus.” Funeral arrangements are not complete, but the funeral will be at Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville. Kathy L. Gilbert is a multimedia reporter for United Methodist News Service.  The church, U2 and Taylor Swift by Joseph Yoo Back in September, U2 released its new album digitally to all iTunes Store customers at no cost. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time. If you're Apple, why not accompany the announcement of your new iPhone by giving away the world's biggest rock band (arguably) for free? And if you're U2, why not reach new and younger fans by coupling with the unveiling of the iPhone 6? More people hearing your music is never a bad thing. Except everything went wrong. Oh, so wrong. The majority of the backlash (and there was lots of it) was over how the free album was given: It was automatically uploaded to everyone's iTunes accounts whether they wanted it or not. Things got so bad, Apple not only had to release a program to remove the U2 album, they also had to upload a webpage whose sole purpose was to provide step-by-step instructions on how get rid of it. Apple released a statement claiming that 33 million people had "experienced" the U2 album, meaning that they had listened to some or all of it. Apple says it has 500 million iTunes customers. 33 million is a lot of people, but that's only 6.7% of Apple's iTunes customers who gave the album a whirl. Perhaps U2 thought they could rely on their fame, their history, their previous record sales, their prominence, their aura, Bono's personality — to woo new and younger fans. But both Apple and U2 miscalculated. One critic wrote that U2 album's was worse than any kind of spam. Maybe it's because people younger than me have no idea who U2 is and U2 isn't doing much to be known by younger fans. They seem distant and unapproachable. And with this misstep, they also seem out of touch. They don't seem as cool as they once were. What it really felt like, for me a U2 fan, was the middle aged man wearing Ed Hardy shirts and saying things like "cray cray" or "YOLO" — basically trying way too hard to be "hip" — and failing. There was another album that was released in October that became the best selling album of 2014: “1989” by Taylor Swift.According to NPR, no album released in 2014 sold over a million copies. Swift did it in one week. And according to SoundScan, which started tracking weekly albums sales in 1991, there have been a total of 19 albums to sell over a million copies within their debut weeks. Three of Taylor's albums are on that list, all since 2010. Turns out Taylor tries very hard to remain personable and approachable. In anticipation of the release of “1989,” she invited loyal fans to her various homes throughout the country (and the U.K.) — even picked them up on a bus — to have a listening party for “1989.” She baked cookies for them, danced with them and posed for pictures with them. There are countless stories out there of Taylor interacting personally and personably with her fans. And the fans continue to respond to her; the numbers prove that. Bono (lead singer of U2) with Martin Schulz, European Parliament President / Photo: EP via Flickr And while Bono and U2 do great things for humanity, they never seem approachable. They seem like the rock gods that you should worship and revere — from afar. I bring this up because I often feel the local church being more like U2 than Taylor. Sometimes we embarrassingly try to imitate the "cool" things that the local megachurch or young folks do. But it never feels authentic. And two things: First, by trying to be "cool," we end up being far from it and two, we shouldn't really be in the business of being cool and hip. The gospel is irresistible not because it's cool but because it offers life. But what we can't do is just sit around and assume people will realize they need the church and they need to hear the gospel and just come to church on their own. We can't just rely on our history, our tradition, our (possibly waning) role and influence in our community and/or the personality of our pastor/staff (to name a few). Doing so makes us seem aloof, distant and unapproachable. While I really hesitated comparing U2 and Taylor Swift to the church (I also hate myself for comparing U2 to Taylor Swift), the one thing that I can't deny about Taylor is she really tries to reach out to her fans. U2 often feels like they're too big to do that. Good and strong relationships are catalysts for health and growth (and record sales, if you're Ms. Swift). Many of our churches do have good and strong relationships — but only with folks within the walls of the church building. We'd be more effective if we became less isolated and more willing to integrate ourselves with our neighbors. That may mean that we drop all of our pretentious notions of who belongs and who does not and that we strive to be good and loving neighbors to everyone, even if the favor is never returned; it may mean that we make ourselves vulnerable by taking a risk in love and reaching out. For me, Jesus always seemed approachable — no matter where you found yourself in life. Even more, it was Jesus who approached those in need. I think it would be wise for us to do the same. Humanity's top 5 searches by Courtney T Ball My oldest brother has some experience in marketing, so I regularly ask him for tips on how to grow my audience as a writer. One exercise he suggested a while back was to look at Google Trends, where I could see the most popular search threads. I was to go there daily and look for new topics on which I could write. This would help me do two things: 1) keep my posts more relevant and likely to be picked up by searches, and 2) force me to diversify my writing topics. So, I checked out Google Trends, specifically Hot Searches. Most of what I found was celebrity gossip. Occasionally, some important event would make it in there, such as the Olympics or Valentine’s Day, which did in fact inspire me to write posts about Lolo Jones and St. Valentine (two topics I probably wouldn’t have written on otherwise). Mostly, though, it was crap pointing to headlines like “Andy Dorfman Named New Bachelorette!” Now, I know people (including me) kill time by looking at internet junk food. I don’t judge anyone for that. Still, after visiting Hot Searches day in and day out, I began to get a warped view of humanity. Is this really what people are looking for?, I asked myself. Then I stepped away from the computer and reflected on my own family and my work as a pastor and community organizer. No, I thought, that isn’t reality. Real human beings have much deeper concerns than the latest news on celebrity scandals. So, I decided to create my own Hot Search List, a reminder of those things for which people truly yearn. Humanity’s top five searches 1. Survival I know that many people reading this probably don’t struggle to put food on their table. Still, it would be foolish to ignore the fact that billions of years of evolutionary history have hard-wired human beings primarily for the purpose of survival in what can sometimes be a very brutal world. Why is this important? What does it mean? Here are some of the implications I see: • Most of us are tougher than we think. Remember that the next time you or your loved one is in a crisis. Odds are you’ll get through it. • Easy lives make us unhealthy. Evolved to survive lean times, our brains are programmed toward anything that keeps our energy stores full. We crave fat and sugar because they are high energy foods. We avoid strenuous mental and physical activity because it depletes us of precious resources. Our brains and bodies are not trained for a life of ease and abundance. It’s especially important for Americans to be aware of this, because in this land of plenty, our brains are still pushing us to consume the physical and mental junk food that now makes us sick. If you are overweight or spend much of your free time feeding your mind those things found in Hot Searches, pay attention to the next point. • Most of the world is still in survival mode. Perhaps you could give some of your excess energy reserves (or money, if that’s easier) to the 80% of the world’s population who live on less than $10/day. How does $3,650/year compare to your salary? 2. Belonging Humans have also evolved to be social creatures. Not that we don’t need solitude, but ultimately, we have a strong need to belong. Research has even shown that belonging to a group is likely to increase one’s lifespan. I remember once when I was hanging out with my then 13-year-old daughter, Anyssa. I mentioned that I had an eyelash in my eye, and she said, “Oh, if you get it out, blow on it and make a wish!” It’s a silly thing she and her younger sister do. I offhandedly asked her, “What do you wish for?” I expected her to say something like, “I can’t tell you that or it won’t come true.” Instead, she answered honestly with, “Oh, usually I wish for someone who I can walk home with after school.” It took me completely off-guard, and it was a helpful reminder as a parent how powerful is my child’s need to belong. While it’s especially evident at age thirteen, we never stop searching for friendship and a people to whom we can belong. If you ever get the chance, check out Brené Brown’s TED Talk in which she speaks about belonging and vulnerability. It’s great stuff. 3. Love Love is, of course, the ultimate experience of belonging. To know that those who love you will be there when you need them, will support you as you pursue your dreams, will still be around when you fail, it provides an empowering sense of security that can’t be matched. Likewise, giving love to others throughout a lifetime can offer a sense of purpose that usually dwarfs any other life accomplishments we may achieve. If human life has a higher purpose, if we were created for something rather than simply a product of this material universe’s expansion, then I am convinced we are here to love. In fact, even if we weren’t created for any purpose whatsoever, then I believe the activity of loving and being loved adds that purpose to what could otherwise be a fairly meaningless existence. 4. Purpose Love may be the highest purpose, but there is other meaningful work to do in our lives. I once heard Mike Green, a consultant on Asset-Based Community Development, say, “If you want someone to belong to your community, give them an opportunity to contribute.” Even better, he explained, was to give them a way to contribute from their own special set of gifts and skills. No one wants to live a wasted life. People want to believe that what they do matters, that their contribution is valued and makes a positive difference to the world. They want to leave a legacy. 5. Legacy Even at its most basic level, the process of evolution is about legacy. What survives is that which works long enough to be passed on to the next generation. No one lives forever, but most of us wish that at least some small piece of ourselves will continue when we are gone. As Buddhism teaches us, nothing is permanent, but that doesn’t stop us from hoping to extend our contribution to the universe beyond our own tiny blink of existence. So, we search for a legacy, a mark to leave upon the world, whether it’s in our children, our work, or in the memory of our loved ones. No one wants to be forgotten. So what? The trick, I think, is to keep these things in mind. As people called to ministry, it’s also important for us to help others remain attentive to these most basic human needs. It’s so easy for us all to let ourselves simply run on autopilot. We allow vast stretches of precious time to slip by without being mindful of our deepest yearnings. But trust me, they are there, and if we fail to acknowledge them, to fulfill those most essential needs, our lives will feel as empty and shallow as Hot Searches suggests. Please, let’s not let that happen! You can see more of Courtney's work at CourtneyTBall.com, or sign up to receive his weekly email, “Life and Depth.” Why I preach in jeans by Chad Holtz For a long time the hardest decision I had to make on Sunday morning was choosing what to wear. In seminary, as a student pastor, my choice of wear was easily solved with an alb. With my robe on I didn’t have to worry about what was underneath for four years. I liked that, but as I look back, my decision to wear a clerical robe had everything to do with connecting with people already saved, whether they be parishioners in my church or colleagues in my classroom. The robe was professional attire which helped to solidify my role as pastor. Not necessarily a bad thing, but today I have a hard time reconciling the mission Jesus gave us as Christians with the wearing of professional attire. Lisa proved that. Lisa (not her real name) is a young woman who got out of jail last week and attended our recovery ministry at our church last night. She has been through a lot and desires nothing more than to find freedom from the things that have kept her in bondage for too many years. While talking with Lisa she expressed an interest in attending church but didn’t know where she might be welcome. A friend piped up and said she thought she should come here, meaning the church I pastor. Lisa’s first question to me was, “I don’t have anything nice to wear. These jeans are about the best I got.” Just then, a member of my church jumped in, “That’s OK, our pastor preaches in jeans.” The relief on Lisa’s face was obvious. My resolve to dress so that I can connect with people who need Jesus was strengthened. Lisa is one of many people who have wandered into our church because they heard the pastor doesn’t dress up. As much as I don’t want to make clothing a thing it obviously is a thing for many, and I’m happy to meet them where they are. Paul said that he was willing to become all things to all people in order that he might save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). In light of Paul’s words and Lisa’s relief, I think it’s important to ask ourselves certain questions about our dress code. 1. Who am I trying to reach? This question changed everything for me. Jesus tells me that I am to go into the world and make disciples, teaching them to obey him. Jesus sought out the least of these around him, connecting with those who were left out of religious circles. He didn’t invest much time with those who dressed to the nines and liked everyone to know their professional status. It’s hard for me to imagine Jesus in an academic gown, plush with religious regalia. If I’m going to be like Jesus, I need to reach the people Jesus tried to reach, which may require that I dress differently in order to connect with the Lisas out there. 2. Who am I trying to please? The unsaved in our communities care nothing about our professional clothing. But the saved seem to. The folks already in our pews like to have a pastor who looks respectable, or at least many of them do. For a long time I thought my job was to please them. Freedom for me came when I realized it was my job to please God. I think I please God more when I dress in order to connect with the lost whom Jesus is trying to connect with rather than dress to please the people already connected. Some of our people will have a difficult time getting used to not seeing their pastor in a suit and tie or in a robe, but the more stories you can tell like Lisa’s the more they will come along. And if they don’t, that’s OK. One Lisa is worth 99 who are already saved. 3. What does the harvest around me wear? If I live on Wall Street I might not wear jeans because the majority of the harvest around me is in suits. But if I live in Dayton, Tennessee where the majority of people are working class, jeans work. Ask yourself whether or not the people who most need to hear the gospel in your community are going to connect to your message or be intimidated or confused by your wardrobe. If you're a layperson reading this, you can be a great help by telling your pastor you don’t care what he or she wears so long as it’s clothes and so long as the gospel is being proclaimed. You could release your pastor from uch anxiety about what to wear by telling him or her that you care more about seeing the lost saved than seeing your pastor dressed “properly.” And besides, shouldn’t that be our primary concern anyway? Chad Holtz blogs at UMC Holiness. If the Supreme Court legalizes gay marriage in 2015, how will evangelicals respond? by Jonathan Merritt / Religion News Service Two advocates for gay marriage join the March for Marriage as its participants head toward the Supreme Court to oppose same-sex marriage. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks (RNS) Ten years after Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage, gay and lesbian Americans can be wed in 35 states and the District of Columbia (Florida will boost that number to 36, starting Tuesday). This year, the Supreme Court may put an end to the skirmish by legalizing what progressives call “equality” and conservatives dub a “redefinition” of this cherished social institution. The court last ruled on gay marriage in 2013 when the justices gutted much of the federal Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor and delivered a massive blow to anti-gay marriage advocates. Since then, the court has acted by not acting — in effect, doubling the number of states where gay marriage is legal, from 17 to 35, by refusing to hear a slew of appeals last year. In November, the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld gay marriage bans in four states, which will almost certainly require the high court to decide the issue once and for all. Conservative Christians have been among the most ardent opponents of gay marriage and rights for decades. How will they respond if the Supreme Court makes gay marriage legal nationwide? The answer, it turns out, depends on which Christian you’re speaking to. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, has become a leading face for the next generation of Christians opposed to gay marriage. He expects the court to take up marriage this year, and is not optimistic about how they’ll rule given the Windsor decision. Even so, he doesn’t think such a ruling will make a whit of difference for most of his fellow evangelicals. “Evangelicals are, by definition, defined around the Bible and the gospel,” Moore said. “The Scriptures are clear on what marriage is, and clear on the sin of sexual expression outside of the marriage covenant of a man and woman.” If the court were to “redefine marriage,” Moore said Christians should “be ready to offer an alternative vision of marriage and family” that doesn’t include same-sex unions. Interestingly, his vision would be promoted primarily within the church rather than changing laws through political action. “We must articulate these truths about marriage in our gospel witness, and we must embody these truths in churches that take marriage seriously,” Moore said. “This means we must start teaching our children a countercultural word about what it means to be men and women, about what marriage is, and that must begin not in premarital counseling but in children’s Sunday school.” He contends that anyone who supports gay marriage is not an evangelical. Ryan Anderson, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation who co-authored “What is Marriage?” with Princeton scholar Robert P. George, is a powerful voice among young conservatives. Anderson thinks the court is “very likely” to take up same-sex marriage in 2015 given the 6th Circuit decision, and he believes the decision will come down to Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has authored the court’s most significant gay rights decisions. Anderson (a Roman Catholic, like Kennedy) said the majority of evangelicals will remain opposed to gay marriage regardless of the ruling. But he believes the law can serve a “pedagogical function,” so legalizing gay marriage could “change the public understanding of behavior.” While Anderson won’t predict how conservative Christians at large would react, he said much depends on the behavior of LGBT advocates. “We’ll have to see how gracious or vindictive voices within the LGBT community are in their responses,” Anderson said. “Will they become a live-and-let-live movement or a stamp-out-dissent movement? If there’s respect, there’s likely to be less pushback from conservatives.” Anderson and Moore represent a sizable chunk of the Christian population — a majority of evangelicals and half of practicing Catholics oppose gay marriage — but they are not all of it. In recent years, many Christians, particularly younger Christians, have changed their minds on the matter. From 2003 to 2013, support for gay marriage among white evangelicals more than doubled, and support among Catholics rose by 22 percentage points. Brandan Robertson, national spokesman for the group Evangelicals for Marriage Equality, an organization that believes “you can be a devout, Bible-believing evangelical and support the right of same-sex couples to be recognized by the government as married,” also believes the court will take up the issue this year. “Christians are increasingly saying that they need to stand up for LGBT equality no matter what they believe theologically,” he said, “and they are doing this not because they are American, but because they are followers of Christ.” Though Robertson is strident in his support of “marriage equality,” he shies away from addressing whether homosexual behavior is moral, or sinful — representing many Christians who draw a distinction between civil marriage and Christian marriage. Justin Lee, executive director of the Gay Christian Network and author of “Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate,” believes a Supreme Court decision in favor of gay marriage is inevitable. While his organization seeks to welcome Christians from a range of perspectives, his comments about marriage mirror Robertson’s. “There is a distinction between Christian marriage in the eyes of God and civil marriage in the eyes of the state,” Lee said. “My hope is that Christians will continue to see that what the state says marriage is may not line up with what the church or God says.” Conservatives are changing their minds, albeit slowly, about homosexuality, but are shifting more rapidly on gay marriage. Even though about half of conservative Christians now believe that gay marriage is inevitable, don’t expect them to slip quietly into the night. Progressives may have the momentum, but conservatives still have a majority. Look to evangelicals to shore up the theology around holy matrimony, and fight to defend their religious liberty rights to oppose same-sex marriage. “A Supreme Court ruling might be the last word in legal terms,” Moore said, “but it is hardly the last word in cultural or spiritual terms.” Archaeologists uncover Herod's palace by Michelle Chabin / Religion News Service The Tower of David in Jerusalem. Photo courtesy EdoM via Wikimedia Commons JERUSALEM (RNS) The site where Jesus may have been tried, prior to his crucifixion, is now open to the public for the very first time. Located in the Old City of Jerusalem, the spot is within easy walking distance of the Christian Quarter and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where tradition holds Jesus was buried. Discovered under an abandoned prison building that is part of the Tower of David Museum grounds, the trial site is one piece of a vast excavation undertaken by archaeologists from 1999 to 2000 but sealed off for the past 14 years largely due to lack of funding. The excavations include what may be the foundations of the palace of King Herod. It was here, many scholars and archaeologists believe, that the Roman governor Pontius Pilate put Jesus on trial. Archaeologist Amit Re’em of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the palace was built at the end of the first century B.C., according to Josephus, the Jewish historian and Roman citizen of the era. “It was enormous, with a lot of gold and silver and running water and guest quarters,” he said. The ruins uncovered by the Antiquities Authority were discovered in the area described by Josephus and included a complex sewage system. While there is as yet no concrete evidence that the trial took place in the palace, Re’em noted that “from early Christianity until Crusader times the Via Dolorosa” — the route Jesus took on the way to his crucifixion — “passed by Herod’s palace. Only since medieval times did the route change.” Go Premium with the Ministry Matters Research Library

Jordan welcomes tourists at site where believers say Jesus was baptized by Dale Hanson Bourke / Religion News Service A dozen churches are being built near the site where believers claim Jesus was baptized, on land donated by the Jordanian government. Religion News Service photo by Dale Hanson Bourke AMMAN, Jordan (RNS) For most Americans, Epiphany (Jan. 6) passes with little celebration. For Eastern Rite Christians, Epiphany (also called Theophany) emphasizes the revelation of Jesus as the son of God through his baptism and the beginning of his public ministry. Thousands of believers make pilgrimage on that day to the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus. And that’s where the controversy begins. While Israel has long claimed that Jesus was baptized on the Israeli side of the river, increasingly scholars are lining up to support archaeological research showing the baptism site is actually in Jordan. When Pope Francis visited the Holy Land last spring, he made a point of holding Mass at the Jordanian baptism site, lending additional credibility to the claim. Called “Bethany beyond the Jordan” in the Bible, scholars point to both textual and archaeological evidence that the site is on the east bank of the river. For many Christians, the baptism site is the third holiest site of Christianity, joining Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where he is believed to be buried. The baptism site itself combines a carefully controlled archaeological dig surrounded by the construction of a dozen new churches and guesthouses. Cleared of mines after the 1994 peace treaty with Israel, the area is carefully protected by the Jordanian government to preserve numerous archaeological treasures being unearthed daily. One excavation revealed remnants of a third-century church with a cruciform baptismal structure where early pilgrims came to be baptized. Carved into the stone are thousands of small crosses, signs early Christians would leave after being baptized. Another dig has unearthed what is believed to be the cave where John the Baptist lived. The Roman Catholic Church is now constructing a 32,000-square-foot church and center on the grounds to welcome throngs of tourists. Last year on Epiphany, thousands of pilgrims from dozens of countries gathered for Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican worship services at various churches in the area. This year, the Jordanian tourism board believes even more pilgrims will flock to the site, bolstered by the blessing of Pope Francis and the growing list of endorsements from the archbishop of Canterbury to American evangelical pastor Rick Warren, among others. Jordan, a country that relies heavily on tourism, uses the slogan: “Jordan, the birthplace of Christianity,” hoping to draw more Christian visitors to the Muslim-majority country. In addition to the baptism site, biblical tours include Mount Nebo, Madaba, Petra, and other sites mentioned in the Bible. On the Jordanian bank, visitors have a clear view of pilgrims being baptized on the Israeli site, just a few yards across the muddy river. Israeli and Jordanian soldiers stand guard on either side, while tourists sing hymns and step into the river. The main Jordanian baptism site is a few yards down the river, where it widens and there is better access for those who want to be immersed in the waters. An ancient baptismal font has been restored for those who prefer sprinkled or poured baptisms. Although Christians are a small minority in Jordan, they worship openly and many hold high positions in the government and business. Christian tourism is an increasingly important source of revenue to this country that is providing shelter to refugees from Syria, Iraq and other war-torn countries in the region.  Affirmation and assurance by Thomas Lane Butts  Mark 1:4-11 Did Jesus come into the world with full knowledge of his identity and destiny from the very beginning? The idealized image of Jesus with which I grew up saved him from the human struggle of not knowing everything from the outset. This early orientation in the faith was heavy on the divinity of Jesus and light on his humanity. The Bible clearly tells us that “because we don't have a high priest who can't sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Since all of us can recount a journey of struggle with identity and destiny, we can assume that Jesus struggled with “not knowing” everything about his identity and destiny. We know practically nothing of what he was thinking or doing from early infancy to age thirty. Only Luke saves us from knowing absolutely nothing of the first thirty years of his life. Luke tells us that Jesus “The child grew up and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him.” (Luke 2:40). Luke also tells us that Jesus’ family went every year to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. He then recites the lovely story of how Jesus went to Jerusalem for Passover with his family when he was twelve. When they were a day out of Jerusalem on the way back home, they discovered that Jesus was not with them. Jesus’ parents then retraced their steps and after three days found him in the temple “He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers.” (Luke 2:46- 47). After his parents chided him for treating them with such disregard, he said to them: “Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that It was necessary for me to be in my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49). They did not understand what he meant. Jesus went home with his family where Luke tells us “Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people” (Luke 2:52). We know nothing more about his life until he emerges from obscurity at age thirty and is baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. We do not know what other affirmations or signs he received during those hidden years, but on the occasion of his baptism he received a divine affirmation that must have given him strength and courage for the rest of his life. All four Gospels give essentially the same account. “While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.'” (Mark 1:10-11). The three Synoptic Gospels give the distinct impression that this was not an experience seen and heard by present observers, but that it was private to Jesus. The Gospel of John says that John the Baptist saw the Spirit coming down and resting on him as a dove from heaven, and it rested on him (John 1:32). This sign certified to John that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. We do not know what other signs of role and identity came to Jesus as he withdrew (as he often did) to pray alone, but Jesus seemed to have a great need for this means of communing with “the Father.” The next notable affirmation came in the Transfiguration experience, which was attended by Peter, James, and John. Here the voice from the cloud addresses the three: “Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke from the cloud, 'This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!'” (Mark 9:7). At Jesus’ baptism the voice of God addresses Jesus. At the Transfiguration the voice of God affirms Jesus’ identity to the three disciples. We do not know at what point Jesus’ identity became clear to him, but apparently it was already clear before the Transfiguration. Jesus has a firm grasp on his identity and he moves with increasing confidence in his unfolding destiny. In the garden of Gethsemane he was deeply distressed over the direction in which his destiny was unfolding. He prayed to God: “Take this cup of suffering away from me. However—not what I want but what you want.” (Mark 14:36). We are not privy to any additional dialogue between Jesus and “the Father” on that occasion, but he leaves the garden with his commitment intact and walks into the control of his enemies. What manner of person is this Messiah, whose earthly life is freighted with a full dose of humanity, and yet who is so obviously equally divine? Here is an individual who is plagued by the struggles such as are common to us all, yet he remains without sin. Jesus’ questions and hesitations are not counted as sin, but as a legitimate process by which Jesus lives out, and dies with loyalty to God intact. We each struggle with our identity. We all want to know God’s will for our lives, and we pray for faith and courage to fulfill it. We want to know more than we need to know, more than is in our best interest to know. Perhaps we want to know more than it was ever intended in the scheme of things that we should know. We want to know before it is timely for us to know. We lust after knowledge, when the best we can do is trust. No one describes our dilemma more graphically than the writer of Ecclesiastes: “I have observed the task that God has given human beings. God has made everything fitting in its time, but has also placed eternity in their hearts, without enabling them to discover what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:10-11). I do not know of any person of great spiritual stature who has not experienced periods of frustration and depression from not having a clear sense of direction. How should we deal with the pain of this inevitable struggle? We had best remember Jesus who has already been down our road. Jesus knows what the landscape looks like when we are caught up in the struggle for identity and destiny. Jesus is the pioneer who has gone before us and is therefore not only our Savior but also our model for coping. Martin Luther was plagued by depression all of his life. When conflicts and doubts assailed him, he would say to himself over and over, “I am baptized.” Remembering the spiritual high points in our lives can give us strength to go on. God does not come by every day to reassure us. Faith is the bridge between God’s reassuring visits. Remember what God last said to you and hold on to that until once again God speaks. This Sunday January 11, 2015 Baptism of the Lord Lectionary Scriptures: Genesis 1:1-5 Psalm 29 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 Genesis 1: Heaven and Earth 1-2 First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss. 3-5 God spoke: “Light!”         And light appeared.     God saw that light was good         and separated light from dark.     God named the light Day,         he named the dark Night.     It was evening, it was morning—     Day One. Psalm 29: A David Psalm 1-2 Bravo, God, bravo!     Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!” In awe before the glory,     in awe before God’s visible power. Stand at attention!     Dress your best to honor him! 3 God thunders across the waters, Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness— God, across the flood waters. 4 God’s thunder tympanic, God’s thunder symphonic. 5 God’s thunder smashes cedars, God topples the northern cedars. 6 The mountain ranges skip like spring colts, The high ridges jump like wild kid goats. 7-8 God’s thunder spits fire. God thunders, the wilderness quakes; He makes the desert of Kadesh shake. 9 God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches. We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!” 10 Above the floodwaters is God’s throne     from which his power flows,     from which he rules the world. 11 God makes his people strong. God gives his people peace. Acts 19:1-2 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?” “We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?” 3 “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul. “In John’s baptism.” 4 “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.” 5-7 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day. Mark 1:4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey. 7-8 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.” 9-11 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.” John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Genesis 1:1-5 Verse 1 [1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Observe here. 1. The effect produced, The heaven and the earth - That is, the world, including the whole frame and furniture of the universe. But 'tis only the visible part of the creation that Moses designs to give an account of. Yet even in this there are secrets which cannot be fathomed, nor accounted for. But from what we see of heaven and earth, we may infer the eternal power and godhead of the great Creator. And let our make and place, as men, mind us of our duty, as Christians, which is always to keep heaven in our eye, and the earth under our feet. Observe 2. The author and cause of this great work, God. The Hebrew word is Elohim; which (1.) seems to mean The Covenant God, being derived from a word that signifies to swear. (2.) The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The plural name of God in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many, tho' he be but one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a favour of death unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us a favour of life unto life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, tho' but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New. Observe 3. The manner how this work was effected; God created, that is, made it out of nothing. There was not any pre-existent matter out of which the world was produced. The fish and fowl were indeed produced out of the waters, and the beasts and man out of the earth; but that earth and those waters were made out of nothing. Observe 4. When this work was produced; In the beginning - That is, in the beginning of time. Time began with the production of those beings that are measured by time. Before the beginning of time there was none but that Infinite Being that inhabits eternity. Should we ask why God made the world no sooner, we should but darken counsel by words without knowledge; for how could there be sooner or later in eternity? Verse 2 [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Where we have an account of the first matter, and the first Mover. 1. A chaos was the first matter. 'Tis here called the earth, (tho' the earth, properly taken, was not made 'till the third day, Genesis 1:10) because it did most resemble that which was afterwards called earth, a heavy unwieldy mass. 'Tis also called the deep, both for its vastness, and because the waters which were afterwards separated from the earth were now mixed with it. This mighty bulk of matter was it, out of which all bodies were afterwards produced. The Creator could have made his work perfect at first, but by this gradual proceeding he would shew what is ordinarily the method of his providence, and grace. This chaos, was without form and void. Tohu and Bohu, confusion and emptiness, so those words are rendered, Isaiah 34:11. 'Twas shapeless, 'twas useless, 'twas without inhabitants, without ornaments; the shadow or rough draught of things to come. To those who have their hearts in heaven, this lower world, in comparison of the upper, still appears to be confusion and emptiness. And darkness was upon the face of the deep-God did not create this darkness, (as he is said to create the darkness of affliction, Isaiah 45:7.) for it was only the want of light. 2. The Spirit of God was the first Mover; He moved upon the face of the waters - He moved upon the face of the deep, as the hen gathereth her chicken under her wings, and hovers over them, to warm and cherish them, Matthew 23:37 as the eagle stirs up her nest, and fluttereth over her young, ('tis the same word that is here used) Deuteronomy 32:11. Verses 3-5 [3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. [4] And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. [5] And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. We have here a farther account of the first day's work. In which observe, 1. That the first of all visible beings which God created was light, the great beauty and blessing of the universe: like the first-born, it doth, of all visible beings, most resemble its great parent in purity and power, brightness and beneficence. 2. That the light was made by the word of God's power; He said, Let there be light - He willed it, and it was done; there was light - Such a copy as exactly answered the original idea in the eternal mind. 3. That the light which God willed, he approved of. God saw the light, that it was good — 'Twas exactly as he designed it; and it was fit to answer the end for which he designed it. 4. That God divided the light from the darkness - So put them asunder as they could never be joined together: and yet he divided time between them, the day for light, and the night for darkness, in a constant succession. Tho' the darkness was now scattered by the light, yet it has its place, because it has its use; for as the light of the morning befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the evening befriend the repose of the night. God has thus divided between light and darkness, because he would daily mind us that this is a world of mixtures and changes. In heaven there is perpetual light, and no darkness; in hell utter darkness, and no light: but in this world they are counter-changed, and we pass daily from one to another; that we may learn to expect the like vicissitudes in the providence of God. 5. That God divided them from each other by distinguishing names. He called the light Day, and the darkness he called night - He gave them names as Lord of both. He is the Lord of time, and will be so 'till day and night shall come to an end, and the stream of time be swallowed up in the ocean of eternity. 6. That this was the first day's work, The evening and the morning were the first day - The darkness of the evening was before the light of the morning, that it might set it off, and make it shine the brighter. Psalm 29 Verse 1 [1] Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Ye — Ye potentates and rulers of the earth. Glory — By an humble and thankful acknowledgment of it. Verse 2 [2] Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Give, … — The honour which he deserves: own him as the Almighty, and the only true God. Holiness — Or, in his holy and beautiful house. Verse 3 [3] The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The waters — Above in the clouds, which are called waters, Genesis 1:7; Psalms 18:11. The Divine power displays itself in those high places, which are far above the reach of all earthly potentates. Many — Upon the clouds, in which there are vast treasures of water, and upon which God is said to sit or ride, Psalms 18:10,11; 104:3. Verse 5 [5] The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. Lebanon — A place famous for strong and lofty cedars. Verse 6 [6] He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Them — The cedars; which being broken by the thunder, the parts of them are suddenly and violently hurled hither and thither. Sirion — An high mountain beyond Jordan joining to Lebanon. Lebanon and Sirion are said to skip or leap, both here, and Psalms 114:4, by a poetical hyperbole. Verse 7 [7] The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The flames — The lightnings. Verse 8 [8] The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. Kadesh — An eminent wilderness, vast and terrible, and well known to the Israelites, and wherein possibly they had seen, and observed some such effects of thunder. Verse 9 [9] The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. To calve — Through the terror it causes, which hastens the birth. He names the hinds, because they bring forth their young with difficulty, Job 39:1,2. Discovereth — Heb. maketh bare, of its trees, which it breaks or strips of their leaves. Glory — Having shewed the terrible effects of God's power in other places, he now shews the blessed privilege of God's people, that are praising God in his temple, when the rest of the world are trembling under the tokens of his displeasure. Verse 10 [10] The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. The flood — The most violent waters, which sometimes fall from the clouds upon the earth. These are fitly mentioned, as being many times the companions of great thunders. And this may be alleged as another reason, why God's people praised him in his temple, because as he sends terrible tempests and thunders, so he also restrains and over-rules them. Sitteth — He doth sit, and will sit as king for ever, sending such tempests when it pleaseth him. Acts 19:1-7 Verse 2 [2] He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Have ye received the Holy Ghost? — The extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, as well as his sanctifying graces? We have not so much as heard - Whether there be any such gifts. Verse 3 [3] And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Into what were ye baptized — Into what dispensation? To the sealing of what doctrine? Into John's baptism - We were baptized by John and believe what he taught. Verse 4 [4] Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. John baptized — That is, the whole baptism and preaching of John pointed at Christ. After this John is mentioned no more in the New Testament. Here he gives way to Christ altogether. Verse 5 [5] When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And hearing this, they were baptized — By some other. Paul only laid his hands upon them. They were baptized — They were baptized twice; but not with the same baptism. John did not administer that baptism which Christ afterward commanded, that is, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Mark 1:4-11 Verse 4 [4] John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Preaching the baptism of repentance — That is, preaching repentance, and baptizing as a sign and means of it. Verse 7 [7] And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose — That is, to do him the very meanest service. Verse 9 [9] And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. Matthew 3:13; Luke 3:21. ____________________________ BEGINNINGS By Brett Younger Mark 1:4-11 The most skeptical New Testament scholars, the ones who question the historicity of almost everything, agree on this story. The baptism of Jesus happened as certainly as any event in the Gospels. They come to this conclusion not only because three Synoptic Gospels record it, but because the early church wouldn’t have told this story if they didn’t have to. Jesus’ baptism is hard to explain and a little embarrassing. Why would the Christ, the child of God, submit to a baptism of repentance? If baptism is for the forgiveness of sins and Jesus is sinless, then what does Jesus’ baptism mean? Matthew points out that John himself was uneasy and hesitant. Luke makes as little of the event as possible, casually mentioning that Jesus was baptized after mentioning that John is in prison. Mark only allows Jesus’ baptism three verses. The church has trouble explaining this story. This story is difficult, in part, because John the Baptist is difficult. John storms out of the wilderness, eating locusts and washing them down with honey, proclaiming a new kingdom, coming in water and fire, and warning— especially the religious people—of the wrath to come. John’s baptism is revolutionary. He treats Jews like Jews treated pagan converts, requiring them to be baptized, calling them to repentance. Surprisingly, crowds flock to John to be baptized; but he knows his work is preparatory and partial. After him one will come who will baptize not in water but in Spirit. The day soon comes when this one wades out into the muddy Jordan. When Jesus comes up out of the water, he sees heaven split wide open and the Spirit descending like a dove. He hears the voice of God saying, “This is my child.” The people gathered on the shore have no idea what it all means. They probably assume that Jesus is now one of John’s disciples. Without the rest of Jesus’ life his baptism is incomprehensible. The purpose of Jesus’ baptism is seen in the days and years that follow that afternoon in the Jordan. It’s when we see Jesus take his place with hurting people that his baptism starts to make sense. Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan foreshadows his baptism on the cross. Baptism is Jesus’ commissioning for ministry. During the week before Jesus’ death, the leaders of the temple challenged him, “By what authority do you do these things?” Jesus answered with a reference to his baptism, “Was the baptism of John from heaven or not? I was baptized. That’s how all this started.” In the waters of baptism, Jesus heard the Spirit calling him to speak the truth and live with grace. Jesus was true to the voice. Jesus gave everything— his days and nights, his hopes and dreams, his work and his life itself. Jesus gave himself to God’s people—sharing, listening, and ministering. When Jesus cried on the cross, “It is finished,” it was his baptism that was complete. Baptisms, like all beginnings, find their meaning after the event. Starting, by itself, is of little consequence. Beginning is easy. Finishing is hard. Bobby Knight, the former basketball coach at Texas Tech University— who isn’t quoted in many sermons—was asked about a player who was doing a great job coming off the bench, “When will he get to start?” The coach responded, “You don’t understand the game. It doesn’t matter who starts. It matters who finishes.” A month before the wedding, glassy-eyed couples try to convince the minister that they are the perfect couple. One of the joys of ministry is getting to tell them. “You get no points for getting this far. On your wedding day, almost every couple is capable of creating a life together filled with faith and joy, and almost every couple is capable of creating something worse than your worst nightmare.” Marriages can’t be judged on the wedding day. After ten years, you start to see what they’ve done with it. What does it mean to get married? Sometimes the meaning may be found in pictures of strangely attired bridesmaids and ill-at-ease groomsmen. More often it’s discovered each evening as you sit around the dinner table. The significance of any decision takes a while to be fully understood. The first draft doesn’t look like the final copy. The moments of initiation take on meaning when we’re true to the promise of that beginning. We too often think that what we need is a new start. Our culture has an insatiable appetite for new things. People look for something new, but we can add a thousand meaningless new things. “What’s new?” isn’t a bad question, but if we constantly pursue only what’s new, the result is an endless parade of trivia. We ought to be consumed with the question, “What’s best?” Too many lives are spent looking for what’s new without exploring what’s true. We don’t need new beginnings nearly so much as we need to make sense of the old beginnings. Baptism is a beginning, the introduction to a book waiting to be written. Beginnings by themselves lack meaning, so our baptisms wait for fulfillment. We are handed a map, but we have to take the trip. It takes our whole life to finish our baptisms. All of our days are commentary on our baptisms. Repentance, conversion, and growth are a lifelong process. Just as Jesus’ life gave meaning to his baptism, so our baptisms wait to be given meaning through each of our lives. When Martin Luther was tempted to give up on following Christ, he would sit in his study and recite, almost as a mantra, “I am baptized. I am baptized. I am baptized.” What did it mean when you were baptized? It might be helpful to look back to that day, but the meaning of your baptism is more likely to be seen this day. Are you grateful today for the grace of God? What have you done today that you wouldn’t have done if you had not been baptized? We are always answering the question, “Why was I baptized?” AFFIRMATION AND ASSURANCE By Thomas Lane Butts Mark 1:4-11 Did Jesus come into the world with full knowledge of his identity and destiny from the very beginning? The idealized image of Jesus with which I grew up saved him… read more WORSHIP ELEMENTS: JANUARY 11, 2015 by Bryan Schneider-Thomas, Worship Elements   Mark 1:4-11 Did Jesus come into the world with full knowledge of his identity and destiny from the very beginning? The idealized image of Jesus with which I grew up saved him from the human struggle of not knowing everything from the outset. This early orientation in the faith was heavy on the divinity of Jesus and light on his humanity. The Bible clearly tells us that “because we don't have a high priest who can't sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Since all of us can recount a journey of struggle with identity and destiny, we can assume that Jesus struggled with “not knowing” everything about his identity and destiny. We know practically nothing of what he was thinking or doing from early infancy to age thirty. Only Luke saves us from knowing absolutely nothing of the first thirty years of his life. Luke tells us that Jesus “The child grew up and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him.” (Luke 2:40). Luke also tells us that Jesus’ family went every year to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. He then recites the lovely story of how Jesus went to Jerusalem for Passover with his family when he was twelve. When they were a day out of Jerusalem on the way back home, they discovered that Jesus was not with them. Jesus’ parents then retraced their steps and after three days found him in the temple “He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers.” (Luke 2:46- 47). After his parents chided him for treating them with such disregard, he said to them: “Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that It was necessary for me to be in my my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49). They did not understand what he meant. Jesus went home with his family where Luke tells us “Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people” (Luke 2:52). We know nothing more about his life until he emerges from obscurity at age thirty and is baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. We do not know what other affirmations or signs he received during those hidden years, but on the occasion of his baptism he received a divine affirmation that must have given him strength and courage for the rest of his life. All four Gospels give essentially the same account. “While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.'” (Mark 1:10-11). The three Synoptic Gospels give the distinct impression that this was not an experience seen and heard by present observers, but that it was private to Jesus. The Gospel of John says that John the Baptist saw the Spirit coming down and resting on him as a dove from heaven, and it rested on him (John 1:32). This sign certified to John that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. We do not know what other signs of role and identity came to Jesus as he withdrew (as he often did) to pray alone, but Jesus seemed to have a great need for this means of communing with “the Father.” The next notable affirmation came in the Transfiguration experience, which was attended by Peter, James, and John. Here the voice from the cloud addresses the three: “Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke from the cloud, 'This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!'” (Mark 9:7). At Jesus’ baptism the voice of God addresses Jesus. At the Transfiguration the voice of God affirms Jesus’ identity to the three disciples. We do not know at what point Jesus’ identity became clear to him, but apparently it was already clear before the Transfiguration. Jesus has a firm grasp on his identity and he moves with increasing confidence in his unfolding destiny. In the garden of Gethsemane he was deeply distressed over the direction in which his destiny was unfolding. He prayed to God: “Take this cup of suffering away from me. However—not what I want but what you want.” (Mark 14:36). We are not privy to any additional dialogue between Jesus and “the Father” on that occasion, but he leaves the garden with his commitment intact and walks into the control of his enemies. What manner of person is this Messiah, whose earthly life is freighted with a full dose of humanity, and yet who is so obviously equally divine? Here is an individual who is plagued by the struggles such as are common to us all, yet he remains without sin. Jesus’ questions and hesitations are not counted as sin, but as a legitimate process by which Jesus lives out, and dies with loyalty to God intact. We each struggle with our identity. We all want to know God’s will for our lives, and we pray for faith and courage to fulfill it. We want to know more than we need to know, more than is in our best interest to know. Perhaps we want to know more than it was ever intended in the scheme of things that we should know. We want to know before it is timely for us to know. We lust after knowledge, when the best we can do is trust. No one describes our dilemma more graphically than the writer of Ecclesiastes: “I have observed the task that God has given human beings. God has made everything fitting in its time, but has also placed eternity in their hearts, without enabling them to discover what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:10-11). I do not know of any person of great spiritual stature who has not experienced periods of frustration and depression from not having a clear sense of direction. How should we deal with the pain of this inevitable struggle? We had best remember Jesus who has already been down our road. Jesus knows what the landscape looks like when we are caught up in the struggle for identity and destiny. Jesus is the pioneer who has gone before us and is therefore not only our Savior but also our model for coping. Martin Luther was plagued by depression all of his life. When conflicts and doubts assailed him, he would say to himself over and over, “I am baptized.” Remembering the spiritual high points in our lives can give us strength to go on. God does not come by every day to reassure us. Faith is the bridge between God’s reassuring visits. Remember what God last said to you and hold on to that until once again God speaks. WORSHIP CONNECTION: JANUARY 11, 2015 by Nancy C. Townley, worship connection Baptism of the Lord Color: White Scripture Readings: Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Call to Worship #1: L: From the waters of Creation, the earth sprang forth. P: From the waters of a womb, God’s blessed Son was given to us. L: From the waters of a river, people were baptized and marked as God’s Children P: Praise be to God, whose loving gifts and presence have called us together. L: Let us shout our love to God for God’s abundant love P: AMEN. Call to Worship #2: [ Use the following piece of music from THE FAITH WE SING: #2253, "Water, River, Spirit, Grace" , in the following way. As the people enter the worship area, hand each of them a small stone, or glass pebble. Tell them that they will receive instructions concerning this pebble during the worship time] L: Come, come into the presence of the Lord today! P: We come, with all the joys and sorrows, all our hopes, dreams, and cares. L: You have been fashioned by God’s love. You are called across the waters of creation to be a blessing. Choir: (singing): Water, river, spirit, grace, sweep over me, sweep over me! Re-carve the depths your fingers traced in sculpting me, in sculpting me P: We have been called to be people of hope and light. L: You have been offered nourishment and cleansing by creations waters P: Help us to receive again the blessing of adoption by God.  Choir: Water, river, spirit, grace, sweep over me, sweep over me! Re-carve the depths your fingers traced in sculpting me, in sculpting me. All: AMEN PRAYERS, LITANY, BENEDICTION Opening Prayer God who watches over us, offering us light and hope, Be with us this day as we hear the story of Jesus’ baptism. Help us to remember your healing, cleansing, and claiming love for us. Remind us again of the many ways in which you reach out to us. May the image of the waters be for us an image of hope. Bring us closer to you, loving God. Embrace us again with your love. We open our hearts to you this day. AMEN. Prayer of Confession [use this prayer of confession in conjunction with Call to Worship #2] Lord, you have blessed us with life. We praise you for this blessing. What we have done with our lives has both delighted and perplexed you. We are far too often inclined to be stubborn and arrogant, believing that we are all powerful, that we have no need for you. But there is an emptiness in us - a place where we are raw and hurting, bleeding, and bruised. We have tried our own healing methods, and they have not worked. We feel as though we are an oar-less, sail-less boat drifting in water, unable to gain direction, unable to see the shore. We long for home and hope. From across these waters, you have called us. Now let us come to you in contrition, seeking your healing and forgiving love. Dear people in this place, you have been given a small rock (glass bead). Let this rock be a reminder of the strength which God has placed in you. Let this rock represent your hopes and your desire to be again connected to God. Come forward with your rock, placing it in the glass bowl. Thank God for God’s gracious and absolute love for you. Come, dear friends, bring your token of your life, your rocks, and your hopes. [As the people come forward, have the choir sing "Come, Be Baptized" (#2252 THE FAITH WE SING] [When the people have returned to their seats, continue the prayer] [When all the token have been placed in the bowl, the worship leader or other designated person takes a pitcher of water and gently pours it over the stones, as the prayer is concluded ] God of mercy and love, you have called us over the waters, and through the waters of baptism you have blessed us. You have cleansed and healed us, and adopted us as your beloved children. Help us to live as children of the light, serving you faithfully all our days. AMEN. Words of Assurance The love of God is always offered to us, freely, joyfully, for all eternity. Rejoice, dear friends, this is the Good News of our Lord. AMEN. Pastoral Prayer 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 when he came up out of the water 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. Our world is in the midst of strife; wars, oppression, famine, hunger, alienation, situations in which we have abused the world and each other. 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. Litany L: We are wanderers, those who arrogantly believe we know the right direction P: Whether or not we like it, we have a tendency to be arrogant and stray away from God’s love. L: We seek adventure that leads to darkness; fear becomes an enticement P: Our television shows promote fear and alienation. L: Our news papers shriek with stories of horror, injustice, division P: Lord, we need your healing presence L: God has always offered light to us. This is nothing new, but it is renewing. P: Lord, we need your light. L: God offers a relationship with God’s self that is healing. P: Lord, we need to be in relationship with you. L: God offers us hope and asks us to be peacemakers P: Lord, we need that hope in our spirits. L: Come, let us trust in the Lord. God will abundantly love and forgive us. P: Lord, come to us, and help us to come to you for healing, forgiveness, and renewal. L: Praise be to God who always is with us. P: Thanks be to God for all mercies and blessings. AMEN. Benediction, Blessing, Commission 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. ARTISTIC ELEMENTS Note: It is a good idea to write a brief description of the visual presentation in the worship bulletin describing the symbols and their meaning. The traditional color for this day is white. However, if you are doing a baptismal renewal service or baptisms I would recommend the addition of light blue fabric. SURFACE: In the center of the Table, toward the back, place a 12" riser on which the cross will be placed. Place one riser, approximately 12" high, on the upper left portion of the worship table. Place one riser, approximately 6" high, on the center right section of the worship center. Place a riser about 2" lower in front of the worship center. It is on this riser that a bowl with rocks and water will be placed, so the riser must be sturdy. FABRIC: Since the traditional color for this day is white, you may want to cover the whole worship area with white cloth, including the riser that is in front of the worship table. The cloth should be adequate to "puddle" on the floor in front of the worship table and the front riser. It should cover both table risers as well. Using approximately 6-8 yards of silky medium to light blue fabric, beginning with the top left side riser, weave the strip of fabric across the table, over the right side riser and then over the riser in front of the worship center. You should have enough fabric so that it drapes well and softly. Do not pull the fabric tightly. This blue fabric represents water. CANDLES: On the top of the left side riser, place three candles, one 10" white pillar candle; one 8" white pillar candle, and one 6" pillar candle. On the right side riser, place 3 candles: one 4" white pillar candle, one 3" white pillar candle, and one white votive candle. FLOWERS/PLANTS: Behind the riser on the left, place a fern or other green leafy plant. Avoid plants with hard angular lines. Behind the right side riser, place the same kind of plant that you used on the other side. Ferns and other leafy plants may be placed at the base of the worship center, near the front riser, but not in front of it. The blue "puddled" fabric should spill down there. ROCKS/WOOD: Near the base of the riser in front of the worship center, place rocks of various sizes. Smaller rocks may be scattered on the worship table itself, near the candles and the cross. Wood is not recommended for this setting. OTHER: Have a large clear glass bowl placed on the riser in front of the worship area. Place about a dozen small stones in the bottom of this bowl. On the center of the worship table, have a clear glass pitcher filled with water. Make sure that someone will be able to reach this pitcher without interference with the rest of the worship center. During the service when the people have placed their rocks in the bowl, have someone (could be pastor, worship team member, choir member) carefully pour the water over the stones in the bowl, covering the stones, but not filling up the bowl to the rim. Then place the pitcher out of the worship center, do not return it to the table.  [Note: if you are having a baptism that day, reserve some special colored glass flattened beads, for the person being baptized and any members of the family to put into the bowl, signifying their adoption by God into God’s holy family] WORSHIP FOR KIDS: JANUARY 11, 2015 By Carolyn C. Brown, Worship for Kids Baptism of the Lord The title this Sunday could be, "Oh, what a difference the Holy Spirit makes" to Jesus at his baptism, to the Ephesian disciples at theirs, and to creation. From a Child's Point of View Gospel: Mark 1:4-11. Children need help to understand the difference between John's baptism of the people, and the baptism of Jesus. The people who came to be baptized by John were repenting that is, they were admitting that they were not living the way God had taught them to live and were promising that they would work hard to do better. John warned that if they did not make the needed changes, God would punish them. John was like a stern teacher or coach. The people were like errant students, promising to work harder. It was up to the people to make the promised changes. But when Jesus was baptized, something very different happened. Jesus did not make promises about what he was going to do. Instead, he turned himself over to God. In response, God called Jesus "My Son" and sent the Holy Spirit to work through Jesus. Jesus was like a boat owner who turns over command of his boat to a new captain, to be used however the captain wants. Epistle: Acts 19:1-7. The disciples Paul met, like the disciples of John the Baptist, were trying to live better lives. But after they turned their lives over to God through Jesus, they found new power. They were surprised by what God could do through them that they could not do on their own. Literal-thinking children wonder why they cannot speak in tongues, as those Christians did. The answer is that God's power works through different people in different ways. Some people become great teachers, some build hospitals, and so forth. These Ephesian disciples were able to speak in tongues. But no matter how God chooses to work through us, we are often surprised by what God can do. Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-5. The story of creation offers a familiar example of God's power. Few children, however, will have noticed the presence of the Holy Spirit in the opening verses of the creation story, and they will not notice it today unless it is pointed out. But once it is pointed out, children are awed by the fact that God wants to put the power that created the world to work through them. Older children, who tend to be very ecologically aware, find meaning in hearing their efforts to clean up the world described as one of the ways God's Holy Spirit works through them. Psalm: 29. This celebration of the power of God, displayed in a thunderstorm coming in from the sea, across the mountains, and out into the desert is meant to be enjoyed rather than analyzed. The frightened child in each of us is comforted by the fact that the power of the storm is God's power. The psalm can challenge worshipers of all ages to let this immense power be unleashed in their lives. Watch Words Identify Holy Spirit as God's power at work in the world and God's presence with us. If you use Holy Ghost, explain that it is not a good Halloween-type spook or God's ghost (God is not dead), but another name for Holy Spirit. You might also want to speak of God's Spirit. Review the terms you use in talking about baptism and in your baptismal rite. Take time to explain terms that may be foreign to children. Let the Children Sing Hymns about Jesus' baptism are filled with difficult words and concepts. "Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized" can be sung by older children after the worship leader reads through the verses and explains their meaning. (This is also good preparation for adults who may be singing this for the first time.) Celebrate God's great power with the concrete creation language of "I Sing the Mighty Power of God." Even beginning readers quickly learn the chorus of "The Lone Wild Bird." Before singing it, explain that the bird you are singing about is the dove and that this is a song about and to the Holy Spirit. Promise submission to the Spirit with "I'm Goin' to Sing When the Spirit Says Sing." Consider making up verses that coincide with the points of the day's sermon. The Liturgical Child 1. This prayer of confession should be read by a worship leader (it is too hard for children to read): God, you have baptized us with the Holy Spirit. You have filled us with your power, but we are afraid to use it. You have told us we can do great things in your name, but we say, "I've never done that before!" or "We couldn't do that!" You have promised that you will tell us what to say, but we are shy about speaking for you, even among our friends. You have given us eyes to see problems and minds to solve them, but we look away and say, "What a problem! That's too big for me to figure out!" Forgive us for ignoring the power you promise us. Forgive us for not trusting your power. Forgive us for not really wanting to try. Amen. Assurance of Pardon: God understands. God knows our fears and forgives them. God sticks with us and urges us on. God's power gives us the courage to try scary new ministries, to speak up when we know we should, and to say, "Let's try this." Thanks be to God. 2. If there are to be baptisms today, invite the children to come to the font or pool just before the baptism. Explain the ritual, paying special attention to the ways it reminds us that we are God's sons and daughters, and also to the role of the Holy Spirit. Allow the children to stay where they can see easily. 3. Remind worshipers of their own baptisms with water: Worship leaders could walk up and down the aisles, dipping a hand or evergreen branch into bowls of water, flinging the drops over the congregation, and saying such phrases as, "Remember, you are God's sons and daughters!" or "The power of God is with you and works through you!" Keep the phrases simple so that children understand them as they feel the water spray over them. Sermon Resources 1. Introduce dove as a Christian code word. Recall other dove stories in the Bible and instruct listeners to expect stories of God's power wherever doves appear. Point out any dove symbols in your sanctuary. 2. Tell stories about the surprising power of God's Holy Spirit. For example, Robert Coles interviewed black children during the early 1960s when the schools in the South were being integrated. He was astounded by their courage in the face of daily threats from angry mobs. One eight-year-old girl from North Carolina told of a time when she was "all alone, and those [segregationist] people were screaming, and suddenly I saw God smiling, and I smiled. . . . A woman was standing there [near the school door], and she shouted at me, `Hey, you little n*****, what you smiling at?' I looked right at her face, and I said, `at God.' Then she looked up at the sky, and then she looked at me, and she didn't call me any more names" (The Spiritual Life of Children [Houghton Mifflin, 1990], pp. 19-20). Adapted from Forbid Them Not: Involving Children in Sunday Worship © Abingdon Press SERMON OPTIONS: JANUARY 11, 2015 In the Beginning Genesis 1:1-5 What is your first memory? Some people claim to remember images from infancy; others don’t recall any clear memories before age six or seven. If the universe could speak—and perhaps in some ways it does, through natural revelation—the first memory it would have is of God, the Creator. Creation is God’s handiwork. The opening verses of Genesis reveal some marvelous truths about God and his creation. I. God Is Before Creation Before there was anything else, God was. “In the beginning, God.” Before the human mind could comprehend, before anything we know existed, God was there. Before the Big Bang or the Little Pop or anything science imagines, God was there. God is foundational—before all, above all, beyond all, over all. That is why idolatry is a heinous sin in the Bible—because it puts the created thing above the Creator. II. God Is the Active Agent in Creation When the time of creation arrived, God was the agent of creation. He is the prime mover, the supreme creator. Anything that exists does so because God brought it into being. How God creates is of little importance. When we get hung up on such questions—was it a twenty-four-hour day or an aeon?—we are majoring on minor things. What matters is that God is at the center, the foundation of all creation. As Madeleine L’Engle said, “To argue about how God made us is to argue about non-essentials. . . . The important thing is that creation is God’s and that we are part of it.” In his grace, God allows us to be part of his continuing creative work. Anyone who has held a tiny baby in his or her arms must rejoice and marvel that God allows us to be a part of his creative process. III. God Accomplishes His Purpose in Creation Though some people argue that the universe is a giant accident—a cosmic coincidence—the words of Genesis ring true to ears of faith. Creation has a divine purpose. God has a reason in all he creates. God accomplishes his own purpose in creation: • from nothing—something! • from formless—structure! • from darkness—light! That is how God creates—taking what seems like nothing, and in his divine hands transforming it into an incredible something. What was once “without form and void” is now the miraculous universe in which we live. That is also what God has done in us through Jesus Christ. He has transformed us into his children—sinners into saints, lost into found, nothing into something! (Michael Duduit) Have You Heard About the Spirit? Acts 19:1-7 There’s a wonderful true story about the brilliant pianist, Artur Schnabel. In the middle of a public performance of a Mozart piano concerto, Schnabel had a memory lapse and forgot the notes! The conductor, Toscanini, kept the orchestra playing, although there was an unexpected pause of about three minutes in the piano music. When they found out later that an unauthorized, pirated recording of the concert was going to be reproduced for distribution, Schnabel was told he would have to play the piece over. He refused, on the grounds that if he did it again he “might play it better, but it wouldn’t be as good.” He used the word “good” to mean moving “under the influence” of the Spirit. I. The Spirit Brings Cleansing and Power In Acts 19 , we catch up to Paul in Ephesus, “where he found some disciples” (v. 1). He asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit and they answered: “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (v. 2). They had experienced the water baptism of John. But Paul told them that was just a prelude, as John himself had said, to the main music of Jesus baptism. Outlined here are two distinct levels of religious experience. The first, water baptism, is the baptism of repentance; the humble admission of sin, which draws one to seek forgiveness and cleansing. One is then technically “better” because one is allowed to “forget” and make mistakes, as one is released from the fetters of the unforgiving law. But what then? Is that it? No, that is just the first step. Then comes the fiery baptism by the Holy Spirit, which illumines one to live in the fullness of grace, inspired to be really “good.” II. The Spirit Brings Awareness and Communication When Paul baptized the new disciples “in the name of the Lord Jesus (v. 5), the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (v. 6). As at Pentecost, when the first disciples received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues, so too did the disciples in Ephesus. When they received the Holy Spirit they could speak to foreigners and be understood. They weren’t just babbling in foreign tongues—they were communicating. The Spirit had lifted them to a new level of awareness. This is the same Spirit that Genesis 1 tells us brooded, like a hovering bird, over the formless void and darkness of the deep. As the voice of God spoke the Spirit brought light out of the darkness. And then there was morning. This is the same Spirit that Old Testament prophets likened to water in the desert. It brings forth new life and hope out of parched places. It makes all things new. The Spirit releases us to go forward and then inspires us to become what we were created to be. III. The Spirit Brings Unity and Growth Christians need not act as if they have never heard of the Holy Spirit! We can move with the Spirit, beyond old assumptions, beyond ego and pride, beyond the need to look “good.” The Spirit calls us as Christians to be able even to look foolish in the world’s eyes. We can be open to new understandings, new connectedness, and easy access to our unity with each other. We can be ready to be amazed at how the Spirit can lift us out of deep waters, washed, renewed, and ready to be recreated in love. We can wait with assurance for this daily baptism. My daughter told me a story that reminded me of the Spirit’s presence in daily life. One day while she was folding clothes and singing as she worked, a friend dropped by. He came into the house, sat down, and just looked at her. “What?” she asked him, thinking he must have something to tell her. He responded, “Don’t stop. It makes me feel so secure when I hear you singing.” No concert hall, but real “good” Spirit. (Kathleen Peterson) Taking His Place Mark 1:4-11 A rather active layperson came to me seeking baptism. Her request caught me off-guard. Being somewhat new to the congregation, and having seen her at almost every function, I had assumed she was already a member of the congregation, perhaps of long-standing. Membership aside, it had never occurred to me to wonder whether she had ever made a public profession of her faith—in fact, she had done so regularly since my arrival! So when she made her request I expressed my honest befuddlement. She smiled and said, “It’s only been lately that I’ve decided I’m ready to take my place.” She went on to say that membership in the church was a sacred responsibility to her—too many people had given too much of themselves for too long for her to take it lightly. She had wanted to make sure she was ready to take her place, shoulder to shoulder with others for whom our congregation was life and home. She had wanted to be ready to give completely of herself before she took the vows of membership. And even more to the point, she said she wanted to be sure she was ready to take her place through baptism. While she had always believed, she had not always been sure she was ready to commit in the fashion so many faithful others had. “After all,” she said, “so many have died for the faith—I just wanted to be sure I could live for it. And now I am ready to take my place with them—to be one of y’all.” I. Jesus Modeled the Way for Us Look at the text from Mark and you see a story of Jesus taking his place such as the laywoman did. He goes to the Jordan to get in line and be baptized by John. Did he need to do it? Why did he submit to such a thing? The Lord of the universe, the Word by which all that is made was made, being baptized like a common sinner? What’s going on here? These questions and others like them have haunted theologians and exegetes through the centuries. And while I have no decisive conclusions to offer , I am reminded of Frederick Buechner’s observation that Jesus honored human life by living one. He hallowed human death by dying one. He created new life by being raised to one. He took his place among us that we might take our place with him. Similarly, it would seem that Jesus commends baptism by submitting to one. Jesus takes his place with sinful Israel as a means of accepting Israel’s plight onto himself. He is more ready to give himself to the task before him, there to take his distinctive place among other prophets of God who ultimately gave their lives for the restoration of God’s people. That which drips off Jesus face as he rises from the water is no less than his obedience and his commission, his commencing to do the will he came to do. Theologians and exegetes should expect no less, then. In fact, the more speculative question might be, “Why not earlier?” All we can say is that, somehow, the time was right. II. Our Call Is to Follow Him In Mark’s Gospel, the baptism serves as the second scene in a three-part introduction to Jesus ministry. The first scene is John’s ministry, and the third is the temptation. Mark uses each to offer distinctive insights into the work Jesus will do. In this scene, explicit connection is made between Jesus work and the Holy Spirit’s leading; implicit connection is made with the generations of faith who, at the right time and at the leading of the Spirit, will take their own place in line to do God’s will. (Thomas R. Steagald) ____________________________ 201 8th Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37202 United States

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