Read-Along Service for Sunday, January 12, 2025 – Baptism of the Lord

Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church
Order of Worship
Sunday, January 12, 2025 – Baptism of Jesus

Prelude
Words of welcome, announcements

Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle as a sign of God’s Spirit that is still at work in the world. May its light brighten our spirits, and may the light of God shine through us to brighten the world.

Introit       This Little Light of Mine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Call To worship
We are gathered to worship our God who created life and all that exists. We come from many places, with many joys, and many burdens. We turn our hearts to you, O God to give us comfort and hope for the living of these days.  We gather to ask God to send the Holy Spirit upon us, so we might have the assurance that we are part of God’s beloved family. Come, let us gather together as God’s people in this place. Amen.

Hymn                  A Little Child the Saviour Came                         VU 445

1. A little child the Saviour came,
   the mighty God was still his name;
   and angels worshipped as he lay
   the helpless infant of a day.

2. He who, a little child, began
   the life divine to show God’s plan
   proclaims from heaven the message free,
   “Let little children come to me.”

3. We bring them now, and in your name
   the saving love of Christ proclaim.
   Through living water, grace endow;
   baptize them with your Spirit now.

4. O God, who by an infant’s tongue
   can hear your perfect glory sung,
   may these with all the heavenly throng,
   praise you: Creator, Spirit, Son.

Prayer of Approach
Loving God, you are a constant source of revelations and epiphanies. Through the words of the prophets You have shown us the world you believe we are capable of living in. We long to share in your dream of a world built on justice. We seek to live in your world that is overflowing with enough for everyone to live well. And we long to live in a world that is full of joy.

And so you gave us your son, who is Emmanuel, for you are with us. By his living and loving, his words and actions, you have shown us how such a world might be fashioned.

As we move into this new year, may we, like Jesus, be always ready to live generously, love deeply, speak boldly and act courageously, so the Kingdom of your dreaming, may become the present reality of all the peoples of this world.

We open our hearts and our imaginations to to this new possibility, as your love grows in us this day and always. Amen.

Scripture Reader:  Sandra Comba

First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
Gospel Reading: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22   

Hymn                  When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized                 VU 100

1. When Jesus comes to be baptized,
   He leaves the hidden years behind,
   The years of safety and of peace,
   To bear the sins of humankind.

2. The Spirit of the Lord comes down,
   anoints the Christ to suffering,
   to preach the word, to free the bound,
   and to the mourner, comfort bring.

3. He will not quench the dying flame,
   and what is bruised he will not break,
   but heal the wound injustice dealt,
   and out of death his triumph make.

4. O Spirit help us be like Christ,
   to live in love and charity,
   to walk in truth and justice now,
   and grow in Christian dignity.

5. We praise you, God, source of all life,
   we praise you, Christ eternal Word,
   we praise you, Spirit, gracious gift;
   your triune presence fills our world.

Sermon “ A New Identity”
Anthem

The offering
We give thanks for everyone who continues to support TSA and our many ministries. Your gifts of support and encouragement mean a lot to us.  You can get more information about making a donation by contacting the church office or by visiting our website. For all the gifts you share, for all the people you bless by your serving and giving as a disciple of Jesus, we give thanks. 

Offering Song             Grant Us, God, the Grace                                  VU 540

Grant us, God, the grace of giving,
with a spirit large and free,
that ourselves and all our living
we may offer faithfully.

Offering Prayer
Generous God, through your Son, Jesus Christ, you have shown us what it means to love. You call us to follow Your example so we might love our neighbours as we love ourselves.  As we share the gifts of our time, our talents, our voices and our hands, may we share in your unwavering passion for justice, and a tenacious faith that will not rest until the hungry are fed, the oppressed find relief, and the outsider finds a welcome. Bless the givers and these gifts as we share in the work of blessing this world you have given us as our home. Amen.

Hymn                  A Light is Gleaming                                            VU 82

Refrain:     A light is gleaming, spreading its arms
                             throughout the night, living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love
                             is burning bright, living in the light.

1. When light comes pouring into the darkest place,
   it hurts our eyes to see the glow.
   Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears,
   our memories and tears.                                    Refrain

2. When night is round us and every shadow grows,
   a star is there to light our way.
   It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say:
   “God’s light will ever stay.”                                 Refrain

3. And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk.
   He showed us things we hadn’t seen.
   Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
   and this will be a sign:                                        Refrain

4. So let us live in the brightness God has giv’n,
   and let us rise to see the dawn.
   We trust that God is here asparkle and ablaze,
   — warming all our days.                                      Refrain

Pastoral Prayer,
The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn                  Love Divine, All Loves Excelling                        VU 333

1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
   joy of heaven to earth come down,
   fix in us thy humble dwelling,
   all thy faithful mercies crown.
   Jesus, thou art all compassion,
   pure, unbounded love thou art;
   visit us with thy salvation,
   enter every trembling heart.

2. Come, almighty to deliver;
   Let us all thy grace receive;
   suddenly return, and never,
   nevermore thy temples leave.
   Thee we would be always blessing,
   serve thee as thy hosts above,
   pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
   glory in thy perfect love.

3. Finish, then, thy new creation;
   pure and spotless let us be;
   let us see thy great salvation
   perfectly restored in thee,
   changed from glory into glory,
   till in heaven we take our place,
   till we cast our crowns before thee,
   lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Benediction
Remember your baptism and be thankful, for you are a child of God. For all living things are a part of God’s beloved community. Go out into the world in the power of the Spirit. Pursue justice, faith, love, patience, and humility, for to this you were called. Go now in peace. Amen.

Choral Amen               Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, Amen!                        VU 974 

Postlude

“A new identity”  Text: Luke 3:15-22  January 12, 2025   Baptism of Jesus Sunday
Sermon by Rev. James Murray at Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church, Renfrew.

This morning we shared the story of Jesus’ baptism. It is the moment his life takes a big jump forward. He leaves those hidden years behind, and at the ripe old age of thirty, his greatest adventure begins. It is his coming of age moment.

Coming of age is a big deal. It is a time to put aside childish things and be recognized as an adult. Some cultures mark it with a Sweet Sixteen celebration.  In Jewish culture the Bar Mitvah for boys and the Bat Mitvah for girls is their coming of age ceremony when they turn thirteen.  Such coming of age ceremonies marks the transition from being a child under the direction of the mother, to being an equal among the adults. In the Jewish coming of age ceremony, a father introduces his son to the other men, and he places his hand on his son and says “This is my son.” And it doesn’t matter if the child is his biological son, or adopted. A son is a son was a son. Once you are declared to be a son, you are part of the family history. We can see this attitude in the gospels. At the beginning of Matthew and Luke’s gospels there are the genealogies. Luke traces the family tree from Adam all the way down to Joseph. But we all know that Joseph isn’t the biological father of Jesus. Yet this is still Jesus’ family tree because we know Joseph claims Jesus as his son. So by adoption, this does become Jesus’ lineage. According to the Bible, being adopted does not make you a second class son. Being adopted does not make you a charity case. In the Bible, a son is a son is a son. A beloved child is a beloved child. In God’s eyes, love is thicker than blood.

This sense of identity is reinforced by the Roman world that Jesus lived in. Under Roman law adoption had a very powerful meaning. In those days, when a child was born, the biological parents had the option of disowning the child for a number of legally valid reasons. If they didn’t want the child, they could simply leave the baby outside to die, and that was considered to be a perfectly legal choice.  In the Roman world, adopting a child means this child has been freely chosen by the parents. Adoption was not to be entered into lightly, because parents could not disown a child they had adopted. The adopted child received a new identity as a result. Any prior commitments, responsibilities and debts are erased. Being adopted is not a second class identity. It means you are wanted, valued, and precious in your parents’ eyes. Adoption was such a powerful statement that most of the Roman Emperors did not pass their thrones on to their biological sons. Instead they chose to adopt the young man they thought who was best suited to take over the throne.

All of this historical background now brings us to the banks of the Jordan River where John The Baptist is preaching. John is preaching the need for us to build a better world where everyone is treated with dignity and justice. John is preaching the need for reconciliation. John is preaching the need to start over. John goes so far as to  call for a baptism of repentance. These are harsh words of judgement, because John is accusing the religious leaders of failing to lead the people properly. John is saying the people have left their faith traditions behind. John is saying we all need to start all over again so we can build a more just and humane world. Baptism is usually done when someone is converting to the Jewish faith. In baptism their old identity and past behaviours are washed away and they are given a new identity as members of the household of God. Baptism is not usually done to people whose family trees go all the way back to King David and Moses. It was not easy for such noble families to hear that we have lost our way and need to start all over again.

Now Jesus was a righteous man who could trace his ancestry right back to King David. Yet Jesus is smart enough to recognize that his people have lost their way. They think they are all grown up and they know better. But as a result they are not listening to God. They are not living out the life giving Commandments given by his ancestor Moses all those centuries before. Something needs to change. And if Jesus is going to be part of that change, he has to own how his world has fallen short. If you can’t admit you are part of the problem, you can’t be part of the solution. So Jesus chooses to be baptized in the Jordan River. At the same place where the Israelites first entered the Promised Land,  Jesus shows he is willing to start over.

The scriptures tell us that  ‘after all the people were baptized, Jesus is baptized. As he is praying, the sky opens up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, comes down on him. And along with the Spirit, there is a voice from Heaven saying “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, you are the pride of my life.” (Luke 3:21-22, paraphrased). Jesus’ life was changed when he was adopted by Joseph. As Joseph’s son he becomes part of a great family that traces its roots all the way back to King David, all the way back to Moses, all the way to Abraham, all the way to Adam. At his baptism, Jesus’ life is changed forever when he is adopted by God. As God’s own son, he is recognized as being divine. He is God’s beloved child.

When we are willing to start over by turning to God, that same spirit of adoption is ready to embrace us. We live in a world that is full of troubles. This is a world full of people who think they know better but have in fact turned against each other. But we are a witness that there is another way to face these troubles. We have the chance to start again, to humbly start over with God, so we might face these challenges in a healthier way.  For this reason Saint Paul tells us that “all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you have received a spirit of adoption. When we pray, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are all children of God. As God’s children, we are God’s heirs and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:14-17, paraphrased)

This is your true identity. You are God’s beloved children. You are part of God’s family. You are precious in God’s sight. And God wants you to live like you are part of God’s Kingdom every day. As the prophet Isaiah once put it, God is saying to you “Don’t be afraid, I’ve claimed you as part of my family. I’ve called you by your name. You are mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end. So don’t be afraid to start all over again, for I am with you always. (Isaiah 43:1-7, paraphrased)  Amen.