2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
I Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1: 29-42
"Concern your calling"
1:1* ¶ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2* To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3* Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4* I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5* that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--
6* even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--
7* so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8* who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9* God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
29* The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
31* I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32* And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
33* I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35* The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36* and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37* The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38* Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39* He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41* He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42* He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
,
"When I have a poor case," said an attorney,"I prepare an eloquent speech, when I have a good case, I simply call the witnesses."
The gospel of Jesus Christ simply needs to call its witnesses.
Our gospel lesson and our second lesson about people being called by Christ. Peter, James and John were called to be disciples in our gospel lesson. In the lesson from 1 Corinthians, Peter speaks about his calling.
Peter was called to 'be an apostle, called to change his life, called to serve the Lord Jesus w as a witness to God"s grace in his life. Paul's watchword became, 'Not I, but Christ. His only concern was to be sensitive to the voice of God who had called him.
As members of the body of Christ, we have been called by God to be his people, called to be saints, called to be his church, called to be the ones who bring God's grace into this world. We think of God coming to us in his means of Grace, his word and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. But the other means which we often ignore is ourselves. We are called by God to be his means of grace in this world. We are called by God to be sacramental, to be a means by which his love, his forgiveness is brought into this world. Have you ever thought of yourself as a sacrament of God?? You are, you are a holy temple, a means by which God comes to those who are hurting, a means by which God comes to those who need to be forgiven, a means by which those who need love are loved. God works through people, we see that every Sunday morning as he works through the brokenness of this person to bring his grace to you. God uses me to bring his forgiveness to you at the beginning of the service when I.declare that your sins are forgiven, it is my words, my body, my arm in the air, but it is God's action working through these things that makes you not guilty, that forgives you of your sins.
I have been called by God to be an apostle, as one sent forth, just as all of you are called by God to be sent; forth into this world, just as Paul says in our first verse from I Corinthians that he was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We are sent, we are not kept safe in these four walls, we are not kept safe in our homes, at our jobs,but we are called to be sent out into the world to be with those who do not know the love of God in their lives, to be with those who. are hurting, to be with those who need forgiveness, to be with those as they are in their everyday lives, as they struggle with all the brokenness of this world.
As we see in these two lessons, the church is not these four walls, but the people inside who are called by God through Christ and his spirit to be the church.
"A little boy had fallen asleep in the nursery and as the pastor was shaking hand at the doorway, an usher brought him out of the nursery into the church. It seemed like his parents had forgotten about him. As the lad woke up in the church, he looked around and saw that the church was empty and he said, where did the church go.
Where did the church go is an apt phrase as this little boy knew it was the people inside the church's four walls that made up the church. He knew that the church was people, people called by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. This little boy understood what the church was all about and I wonder why do adults see the church only as a building, or as the pastor or as a location? I wonder.
Our lesson from I Corinthians tells us we have also been called to be saints, called to be believers in God, called to be ones who believe the promises of God are true for our lives. We know that the covenant we have with God is a covenant between a greater party and a lesser party, God being the greater and we-being the lesser. God has called us to live in his covenant, called us to be his people because he wills it for our lives. We don't seek God, He seeks us. God claims us to be his because he wills it for us who are inferior to him. Why?? That is the unanswerable question of time. Why would God call people who reject him, who would rather believe in their own selves, in their worth, in their own pride? Why would God call people who have only selfish motives in life, people who cannot see beyond themselves, why God calls that kind of people to be his we will never know. But he has, that is the amazing grace in which we live. God bas called us to be his, called us to believe in the promises he has made for us, called us to be his children. He calls us not when we can respond, but as Ryan will find out this morning in the Baptismal service, he calls us as babies, as those who have no choice, as ones who do not even understand what is happening. God calls us to be his, to believe in his promise for our lives.
Paul says further that the promises we are called to believe in enrich our lives with every spiritual gift. Paul says that the grace of God gives direction, gives purpose, gives meaning, gives vocation to ones life. We are called by God to give honor and glory to him in all areas of life. All of us have been given gifts by God with which we support our families, take care of our homes, or learn knowledge for future use.What ever we do, we have been granted that skill, that ability by God in our lives. With that gift comes a responsibility, to use these gifts to a worthwhile end, to use those gifts for the honor and glory of God and in service to our neighbor.
Finally Paul says we are called into fellowship by the grace of God. We are called into the church, we are called into this place so that we might receive support, encouragement, forgiveness, love and respect one another. It is within the church that we are to care for one another. It is a feeling that needs to be kept alive in our church. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves, that we cannot see the hurt, the frustration, the loneliness, the sorrow, the pain, the despair, or the anger in the heart of our brother or sister in Christ.
But the Christian community is a place, should be a place, where brothers and sisters can come and share their brokenness, where they can come and gain peace and comfort from a brother and sister, where one can tell to another the pain of live and know there will be support, concern and compassion. The church in its beginning was a very compassionate entity, but I wonder if we have lost some of that compassion through out the centuries. I wonder if the members of the church have turned more inward, more concerned about themselves than about their brother or sister in Christ?
Paul says we are called by God to be sent forth to be witnesses in this world for the grace of God. He says we are called to believe, to be saints, to trust in the promises of God for our lives. He says further that we are called into a fellowship, called into the church, called into the body of Christ to care for one another. We are called to be compassionate, to be loving people to our brother and sister in Christ. We are called to reach out to others in this world who need to feel the grace of God through us.
What we are talking about this morning can be summed up in one word, discipleship. We are called to be disciples, or followers of Jesus as members of the body of Christ.
Discipleship isn't what you do. Being a disciple is who you are-it changes everything. Being a disciple of Christ changes you from the inside out.
A closing story sums this all up for us as we contemplate what it means to be a disciple of God.
Let’s imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing. You take the book home and get to work.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step. You even read the words aloud so she’ll know that you’ve done your homework. “Lean with your right shoulder,” and so you lean. “Now step with your right foot,” and so you step. “Turn slowly to the left,” and so you do.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
You never thought about music. You remembered the book. You learned the rules. You laid out the pattern. But you forgot the music.
“Do it again,” she says, putting in a CD. “This time don’t worry about the steps; just follow the music.”
She extends her hand and the music begins. The next thing you know, you are dancing-and you don’t even have the book.
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
“Let God have you, and let God love you-and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.”(1)
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 14, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) as seen in Max Lucado’s weekly email devotional. From “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,” © 1995, Max Lucado
from firstIMPRESSIONS
by Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan
Monday, January 14, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
First Sunday after the Epiphany
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
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