Sunday, January 07, 2018

sermon, "Water Birth...", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, Patten, ME, January 7, 2018, Epiphany/ Baptism of the Lord Sunday



January 7, 2018
Stetson Memorial UMC
Baptism of the Lord/Epiphany Sunday
Mark 1:4-11(Voice)
Psalm 29 (CJB)
Matthew 2:1-12

Luke 2:22-40


“Water Birth…”

Let us pray…
Please stand for the reading of the Gospel according to Mark. Chapter 1, verses 4-11, I will be reading from The Voice this morning. Listen to the Word of God for you and I, Words of Renewal…

water birth-
(noun)
a mode of childbirth where the mother delivers the baby while in a tub orpool, 
designed to emulate the watery placenta from which it is delivered

A water birth means at least part of your labor, delivery, or both happen while you’re in a birth pool filled with warm water. It can take place in a hospital, a birthing center, or at home. A doctor, nurse-midwife, or midwife helps you through it.

What are the potential benefits of water birth? Benefits for Mother: Warm water is soothing, comforting, relaxing. ... Buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and improved blood circulation resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother, and more oxygen for the baby

Good Morning… Water birth… I wish this process of giving birth was popular when I was having children. I got to do it the old-fashioned way…through pain and suffering… But in the end what a wonderful gift I was given. All the pain and suffering, was well worth it. There was chaos during the time of giving birth, but God created, out of the chaos, something beautiful when He created the earth, as well as when my own children were born.

This whole being birthed out of water reminds me of the day that we celebrate today…the Baptism of the Lord. He came into a chaotic world and as he rose from the waters, a new thing was birthed. The Holy Spirit descended as a dove upon Him and a voice was heard from above, “You are my Son, my Beloved One, and I am very pleased with You.” Now instead of being baptized by water, as John the Baptizer did, we are now washed in the Spirit of God. Instead of just a ritual cleaning, there was now a soul cleaning. What Jesus did to take away our birthing pains into New Life…

As a side bar, this was not the only time that Jesus was proclaimed to be the Son of God, the Messiah. It began with the Magi. When Yeshua, Jesus. was young, Magi came to worship the King of the Jews and offer gifts. (Matthew 2:1-12) At the time Jesus was taken to the temple to be presented to the Lord, as every first-born male was then. When they went to the temple there were 2 people, Anna and Simeon, who were in the temple day and night waiting for God’s Anointed One, God was praised because they knew what had happened. A Savior was born out of chaos into a world of chaos to bring about a new life. (Luke 2:22-40)

So here we are back at the Jordan River. Why do you think Jesus needed to be baptized? He was the Son of God after all… He was baptized because it is part of the new thing God was doing. No more was there going to have to be sacrifices for the atonement of Sin. Jesus was going to be that. Now when we are washed in the waters, as we do our “ritual cleaning” for the first time. We come up from the waters as Jesus did…Beloved sons and daughters. Can you imagine for a moment…when we are baptized, God too says, from heaven this is my son in who I am pleased, this is my daughter in whom I am pleased… Jesus was modeling, to humanity, what needed to be done…not that He had to do it because He was already God’s Son… We are told to follow in His footsteps. We too must be baptized by water and Spirit as Jesus was.

Each year, we celebrate and remember the baptism of our Lord and Savior. But what about us and our own baptism? How many of you remember your Baptism? There are some that believe we should be baptized as adults…we are making the choice. Others say we baptize as infants and then make out confirmation at an older age confirming what was already done as a child. Either way…wouldn’t it be nice to just reaffirm what has already been done? Wouldn’t it be nice to start this New Year remembering and saying “Yes! I believe!”? Well this morning we are going to do just that. I would ask if you would reaffirm with me our baptism. There is and order of service in the bulletin. Let’s do this together as we usher in a New Year of Hope, of Promise, of Love, of Peace, of Joy and of Remembrance of that Spirit within you and I…

Go through the Re-Affirmation of Baptism Bulletin and remember…

AMEN!









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January 7, 2018


January 7, 2018
their lives were changed
January 7, 2018
as Jesus rose through the water
January 7, 2018
We come up from the waters
January 7, 2018
they sought the King
&
January 7, 2018
dwell in the Spirit
January 7, 2018
uniting with the Holy Spirit
January 7, 2018
the indwelling Spirit
Acts 19:1-7
The Baptism of the Lord
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2018
“God Our Redeemer”
January 1, 2018 to January 7, 2018
Stephen B. Chapman
devotion for January 7, 2018
read January 7, 2018
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
&
January 7, 2018
the same promises in Christ Jesus
January 7, 2018
falling into the water
January 7, 2018
striving forward together
January 7, 2018
joining together in worship
Mission Statement of the United Methodist Church:
"The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world."
Ephesians 3:1-12
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2018
“God Our Redeemer”
January 1, 2018 to January 7, 2018
Stephen B. Chapman
devotion for January 6, 2018
Epiphany
read January 7, 2018
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
&
January 7, 2018
uniting with the Holy Spirit
January 7, 2018
the indwelling Spirit
January 7, 2018
falling into the water
Mission Statement of the United Methodist Church:
"The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world."
January 6, 2018
born of the fire
January 6, 2018
born in the water, born of the fire
January 6, 2018
Burn within us
January 6, 2018
Spirit of Fire - 2
January 6, 2018
in the fire, in the water
January 6, 2018
we come to the waters
January 6, 2018
born from the water
edited January 6, 2018
an image of the Christ – v2
edited January 6, 2018
rising from the water – v2
edited January 6, 2018
God’s voice thundered – v2
edited January 6, 2018
the sky split open – v2
edited January 6, 2018
the Spirit descending – 2 – v2
January 6, 2018
the Spirit descending - 2
January 6, 2018
the sky split open
January 6, 2018
God’s voice thundered
January 6, 2018
God’s voice must have thundered
edited January 6, 2018
what did they hear by the Jordan – v2
January 6, 2018
what did they hear by the Jordan
edited January 6, 2018
They knew His path – v4
January 6, 2018
Epiphany, Baptism
January 6, 2018
drawn to Bethlehem
January 6, 2018
arriving in Bethlehem
January 6, 2018
speaking from heaven
edited/ renamed January 6, 2018
to claim His Son
January 6, 2018
claiming His Son
January 6, 2018
rising from the water
January 6, 2018
an image of the Christ
edited January 6, 2018
with Water and Power
January 6, 2018
with Power and Water
edited/ merged January 6, 2018
their joy overflowing - v2
edited/ new name January 6, 2018
their joy overflowing – 2
January 6, 2018
their joy overflowing
edited/ alternate name January 6, 2018
a glimpse of Christ’s true nature
January 6, 2018
evoking His true nature
January 6, 2018
breaking the holy silence
January 6, 2018
up through the living waters
January 7, 2018
Epiphany Sunday
(Matthew 2:1-12 NIV
Luke 2:22-40 NIV)
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Psalm 29 (Complete Jewish Bible)
Mark 1:4-11 (The Voice)
Matthew 2:1-12
Luke 2:22-40
Reaffirmation of Baptism
and sermon “Water Birth…”
text

video

by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Children’s Message

by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Epiphany
January 6, 2018
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
January 7, 2018
&
edited January 5, 2018
would Christ have forgiven Judas – v2
edited January 5, 2018
An invitation to Life – v2
edited January 5, 2018
we are gifted life – v2
edited January 5, 2018
A new year, a new beginning – v2
January 5, 2018
A new year, a new beginning
edited January 4, 2018
in the end, our beginning – v3
edited January 4, 2018
in the end, our beginning – v2
January 4, 2018
in the end, our beginning
edited January 3, 2018
sharing new life – v3
edited January 3, 2018
sharing new life – v2
January 3, 2018
we are gifted life
January 3, 2018
An invitation to Life
edited, reworked January 2, 2018
remorse for his actions – v2
January 2, 2018
would Christ have forgiven Judas
January 2, 2018
remorse for his actions
Matthew 27:1-10
January 2, 2018
The invitation of Advent, of Christmas
January 1, 2018
a garment of peace 
January 1, 2018
Filled with Hope 
January 1, 2018
in the call of the angels 
edited January 1, 2018
Paul is the Judas that did not hang himself – v2
edited January 1, 2018
If Christ could redeem Paul – v2
edited January 1, 2018
come to the table – v2
January 1, 2018
in the light of the star
January 1, 2018
a new day dawning
January 1, 2018
sharing new life
merged January 1, 2018
sharing the seeds
January 1, 2018
Sharing the seeds – pt 2
January 1, 2018
sharing the seeds – pt 1
edited January 1, 2018
dissolved, melted – v2
January 1, 2018
dissolved, melted
January 1, 2018
the table has been set
January 1, 2018
come to the table
edited January 1, 2018
If Christ could redeem Peter – v2
January 1, 2018
If Christ could redeem Peter
January 1, 2018
If Christ could redeem Paul
January 1, 2018
Paul is the Judas that did not hang himself
edited January 1, 2018
I am making all things new – 2 – v3
January 1, 2018
I am making all things new – 2 – v2
edited December 31, 2017
I saw the holy city – v2
December 31, 2017
I saw the holy city
December 31, 2017
Leave it in the water
December 31, 2017
I am making all things new - 2
December 31, 2017
Melting our Fears
December 31, 2017
waters of new life
edited December 31, 2017
an ending, a beginning – v2
edited December 31, 2017
A new life in Jesus – v3
December 31, 2017
an ending, a beginning
edited December 31, 2017
A new life in Jesus – v2
December 31, 2017
A new life in Jesus
December 30, 2017
A New Year Beginning
December 30, 2017
we are offered new life
December 31, 2017
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Happy New Year
Sermon Series: “The Invitation”
“An Invitation To New Life”
Psalm 148
Revelations 21:1-7
“The New Jerusalem” (NCV)
and sermon “An Invitation to New Life…”
“A New Year Beginning”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
New Year’s Eve
December 31, 2017

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,890 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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