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!
=====================
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.
Christ,
Spirit, God, Faith, love, grace, Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church, prayer, hope, journey, treasure, Magi, joy, life, New Year,
Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord, baptism, water,
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#salvation #journey #pilgrimage #treasure #Magi #hope #love #joy #NewYear #life
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#Psalm29 #Matthew2 #Luke2 #Epiphany #king #Messiah #Savior
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