Sunday service for 15 January 2023, Baptism of the Lord Sunday

Sunday 15 January 2022, NL1-22-23, Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143 
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Prelude Music

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship
One: The day is here, the way is revealed —
All: The kingdom of heaven has come near.
One: The path is prepared and Christ leads us on —
All: The kingdom of heaven has come near.
One: The Spirit pulls us close to whisper God’s love and God’s call —
All: The kingdom of heaven has come near.
One: In our worship and in our lives, we proclaim:
All: The kingdom of heaven has come near.

Sanctuary Hymn 167: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Prayer
Holy Spirit of love,
Your blessing is always active,
calling, pushing, leading, driving,
at the riverside and in the wilderness,
in our homes and our work,
strengthening us to face the adversary
within ourselves and out in the world.
You have told us, O God, what is good.
And we confess that we have strayed from your path,
we have turned away when your way is difficult, or inconvenient, or uncomfortable.
And we also confess that it’s easy, week after week,
to admit those purposeful diversions and ask your forgiveness,
but harder to truly commit ourselves to turning back to you.
For if we are fully honest, it is inattention and apathy that draw us away.
You lived in the strength of God’s love,
the knowledge of God’s word,
and connection to God in prayer,
and stood firm through trials and triumphs.
We confess that when we cannot see your abundance, we settle for a trade-off,
believing we can separate body and spirit without consequence.
We confess that we sometimes spiritualise needs instead of feeding hungry people,
and that we sometimes forget there’s more to justice than a single meal.
Forgive us, and remind us that neither bread nor word alone will suffice,
and your promise is that we will thrive with both.
We confess that we long for proof of your love, or proof that your word is true,
and we test one line to justify ignoring the rest.
We confess that we’d love everyone to recognise that you love us best,
so they’ll come to our way, our interpretation, our tradition.
Forgive us, and remind us that you are love, and those who abide in love abide in you.
We confess that we long to have a voice in the halls of power,
and to extend our reach beyond our own circles of influence.
We confess that we sometimes believe the end justifies the means,
if we can just find an in then we’ll be the only ones to use it wisely.
Forgive us, and set us free from the trap of trading away your purpose in pursuit of our goals.
Connect us to the deep wells of your word today,
that we may draw courage and discipline, faith and love,
and so offer a vision of your kingdom and an invitation to your Way.
Re-orient us once again this day,
and strengthen our resolve to put your love into action.
We ask in the name of Jesus, who embodies your word for us. Amen.

Online Hymn 622: We Sing A Love

Sanctuary Children’s Time

Reading: Matthew 3.1 – 4.17 (New Revised Standard Version)
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ’Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.” ’
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ’You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ’I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’
But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’
Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered,
‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’
Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
   and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
’Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.’

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

For the word of God in scripture,
for the word of God among us,
for the word of God within us,
thanks be to God.

Sermon: Trade-Offs
I don’t know about you, but this isn’t exactly how I remember my own baptism going. You may not remember your own baptisms, if you were baptised as children, claimed for God’s family as a sign of grace. But you’ll no doubt have witnessed many a baptism since then, and been part of the community welcoming and promising to show God’s love to others. For those of us who were teens or adults when we were baptised, it may have been a memorable experience — I can tell you what I was wearing, what the weather was like, where I was sitting in the sanctuary, how cold the marble steps were, how I wondered about my hair once it got wet, even the voice of the minister and the way his hand rested on my head at the end, and the feeling of turning around and seeing the whole church looking back at me with welcoming smiles. I couldn’t tell you what hymns we sang or what the reading was or what the sermon was about….but I can say with certainty that it wasn’t “you brood of vipers, who told you to come here?” And there was no literal clouds-parting-voice-from-heaven on that particular day.

Even without all the details of the day, we hopefully recall the feeling of welcome, of grace, of belonging in the midst of God’s people. At a baptism I say that the one being baptised always has a home with us, on good days and bad days. Because of God’s love, we love one another. And though the heavens may not literally open to let God’s voice speak directly, through the voice of the Body of Christ, we nonetheless hear “you are mine, I love you, and your life brings me pleasure.”

Now normally when we read about the baptism of Jesus, we stop there and hear the rest of the story weeks later, disconnected from the baptism. But what happens next, immediately after Jesus comes out of the river, is so important for us to pay attention to, because it is also what happens to us as we go about living our baptised Christian life.

Matthew tells us Jesus came up from the water and heard God’s voice claiming him as Beloved, and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove and basically sat on his shoulder…and then there’s not even time for cake afterwards before the Spirit takes Jesus from the water and ushers him out into the dry desert. From that experience of love and commitment, he is moved straight into an experience of isolation and challenge.

Isn’t that what it feels like sometimes? We have moments of deep spiritual connection, and then everything else feels lacking. We feel fed and nurtured and supported, and then wonder why sometimes praying feels difficult or worship doesn’t give us the same good feelings it used to. We hear affirmation of God’s love and then the world tells us what others think about our worthiness or competence, and we start to waver.

Immediately after his baptism, hearing God’s love and joy, being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was out on his own having to face the temptations of the world. And so are we. Our lives are not lived standing in the river waiting for the next time the clouds part — they are lived as baptised people in the world having to face the challenges of choosing God’s way in the midst of everything.

The tempter offered Jesus three solutions to problems — solutions that we too may be tempted by.

First, the opportunity to feed himself, and maybe even to feed others too — turn these stones into bread. The world is full of stones, of course, and if this was a way forward then surely Jesus could solve hunger, his own and the world’s?

But as with any easy answer, there’s a trade off. Jesus knows we live not by bread alone, not by word alone, but both*. To take this easy answer, he’d have to separate body and spirit, choosing between bread and word. How often have we been tempted by this same trade-off? Sometimes it happens with the tangible need, and we think we can meet that and get back to God later. Sometimes it happens with the word — we think if we offer God to people, that’ll be good enough even though they’re still starving or homeless or addicted or grieving or cold. Not by bread alone, but by both bread and word. Relying on the belovedness he’d experienced at his baptism, Jesus stood strong and insisted that he would not separate body and spirit, solving one problem by creating another.

Next came the opportunity to show everyone just how beloved he was. It would be a quick way to ensure that people listened to him, since they’d all know he was that guy God rescued from falling off the Temple! And bonus, it would reinforce the idea that God was extra present in this building, too.

This quick and easy solution also comes with a trade off. Trying to prove someone’s love with tests actually leads to more insecurity, not less*. Jesus knew one test would lead to another and another, because those who need them can never be satisfied without one more. Instead he, and we, would have to trust God’s love and let our lives — the things we do and say — be the proof of God’s love, presence and care for us and for the community, in and outside the special building.

Third came the chance to accomplish his whole mission in the blink of an eye, without any of the pain or difficulty. Just one little bent knee and bowed head, and Jesus could be master of all the kingdoms — lord of all.

The biggest shortcut comes with the biggest trade off though. Jesus could have the power over all the kingdoms, but he’d have to abandon God, and his identity as God’s beloved son, to get it*. The tempter offers Jesus the opportunity to skip to the end, to reach the goal immediately. It’s an opportunity I suspect many of us would think twice about — to get all the benefits without any of the work! To have a central seat at the table in the halls of power! But to trade away our identity and purpose to gain power is…well, that’s a devil of a choice, if you will. Jesus knows he belongs to God. He knows his purpose is to embody God’s love. And knowing those two things, he also knows that there are no shortcuts. The purpose he is meant to pursue is to make the kingdom of heaven visible on earth…there’s only one means to that end, and it is for love to give itself away, not to take power over.

We know these temptations to make these trade-offs. We know the desire for the easy answer or the quick solution. The question, then, is…are we grounded in God’s love, God’s word, God’s presence with us so we can remain committed to live for God’s pleasure when faced with these challenges? Do we have at our fingertips the things we need to rely on when we’re out in the world feeling alone? Are we clear about God’s purpose for us, so we can pursue it without getting distracted by the other options on offer? Do we know ourselves as God’s people, beloved and belonging?

The grace and love and grafting into Christ’s family declared at our baptism will be the strength we need when the Spirit leads us into the wilderness — that landscape of grief, confusion, change, uncertainty, aloneness. The wilderness is uncharted territory and we are all in it, and the beacon that lights the way is the voice proclaiming “you are my child and I love you and you belong here” — a voice we hear through scripture and song and prayer, through the church’s voice, through reminders we can see and touch when we feel alone and can’t hear anything at all.

Today I invite you to hear it again: you are God’s beloved, and you belong, and when you live as if that is true, it not only makes the kingdom of heaven visible on earth, it also brings God pleasure and joy.

May it be so. Amen.

(*thanks to the Bibleworm podcast for insights that led to this week’s sermon)

Sanctuary Hymn 622: We Sing a Love

Online Hymn: Lord Reign in Me

Offering

Sanctuary Offering Response
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise God all creatures here below;
praise God, the Trinity of love,
before, beneath, around, above.

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Your kingdom come, O God, we pray.
We ask yet rarely look for the answer,
consigning heaven to some other time and some other place.
Today we pause in that prayer,
asking first for the blessing of meaning what we say.
Your kingdom come on earth, O God.
For the world needs us to pray with purpose, and to listen when you answer
by calling us back to your way.
The situation is urgent, we are struggling to keep up with all the needs,
and we may finally be ready for the upheaval that will come when you break in,
disrupting our systems of domination and control and greed.
Reveal your kingdom of justice,
where your abundance is enough for everyone,
where no one starves while others gorge themselves,
where all are loved for themselves and not for how they can serve another,
where who we know or where we went to school or what people think of our names
no longer determines our station or worth.
Reveal your kingdom of peace,
where no parent needs to flee with their children,
where the air is filled with birdsong instead of sirens and guns,
where homes are safe and each person is respected,
where our words build up rather than tear down.
Reveal your kingdom of compassion,
where community cares for each other,
where we hold one another accountable with grace,
where there is space for each person to let go of what holds them back
as they grow and bear fruit you have made them to bear.
Reveal your kingdom of love,
where we can face difficult things by standing in your strength,
where we value your priorities even when they are not profitable,
where blessing flows in every direction.
Gather us in to the kingdom of heaven
and give us what we need
to step into the role you have for us.
We ask these and all things in the name of Jesus the Christ,
fully human and fully divine, tempted and resilient,
who is the way for us, and who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn: Lord Reign in Me (praise band)

Benediction
Go from this place knowing you are God’s beloved, and wherever the Spirit sends you, carry your belovedness with you. As you go to live Christ’s way, may you be filled to overflowing with blessing that reveals the kingdom of heaven come near.
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

Postlude Music

Announcements

* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and all Sunday worship is also online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print). If you are able, please enter by the front door in Bath street, and only those who need step-free access should use the back door. If you feel unwell, please worship online, to protect both yourself and others in our community.

* The choir rehearses immediately after worship, in the sanctuary.

* Did you know that it costs us about £10,500 per month to do the ministry we currently do at St. John’s? That includes heating and lighting the building and keeping it in good repair for church and community groups, programming and pastoral care for people of all ages, our contribution to minister’s stipends, and other ministry costs. The Kirk now has online giving! If you have not already set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Peter Bennett, our treasurer, or Teri and she can give you his details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. Remember: no one is coming to your door to collect your envelopes, so please be safe!

* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email devotions! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word on Youtube, pray with video devotions on Facebook, and consider a new angle on something with a devotional email. Feel free to share with your friends, too!

* Would you be interested in joining the readers rota in 2023? Whether you read in the sanctuary or online, or both — whether recording yourself or being recorded by Teri — we’d love to have your voice bringing God’s word to life in our community! There is a wee training to help you feel confident. Let Teri know if you’d like to join in. Even if you have previously been on the rota, please reply as this is a brand new list for the new year.

* Young Adult Bible Study meets in the manse on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 7pm for a meal and discussion of the gospel according to John. Everyone in their 20s is welcome!

* The Contact Group meets on Tuesday the 24th at 2pm.

* Smalls for All: During January and February the Contact Group is facilitating this year’s Smalls For All appeal, and everyone is invited to contribute packs of pants for ladies, girls and boys. There is a box for contributions at the Bath Street entrance to the church building. Thank you for your generosity.

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study meets in the manse at 7:30pm. All are welcome as we continue reading through the Bible in slightly more than a year!

* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.