The readings for this Sunday are for those of the Baptism of Christ (Epiphany 1):

• Isaiah 43. 1-7
• Psalm 29
• Acts 8. 14-17
• Luke 2.15-17, 21, 22

You might like to use the link below to find the above readings, and click on any of the reading above that you wish to use: http://www.katapi.org.uk/CommonWorship/CWLectionarySelV.php

Collect of the day

Let us first spend a few moments in silence to centre ourselves,
to gather ourselves in our souls,
to come before the Lord just as we are with our joys and sorrows,
our hopes and our fears, our loves and our pains.
Let us just focus our minds and hearts on Jesus who is the answer for every problem.
Let us pray that the Spirit will work through our lives
to bring Christ to the world.

Silence is kept …

Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus
revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit
in the Sacrament of Baptism,
that we may be faithful to our calling
as your adopted and beloved children
and share your love with those in need;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen. 

The Prayer after Communion

Lord of all time and eternity,
you opened the heavens
and revealed yourself as Fatherin the baptism of Jesus
your beloved Son:
by the power of your Spirit
complete the heavenly work of our rebirth
through the waters of the new creation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Prayer before the Sermon

Loving Heavenly Father,
we thank you for the words you have given us today.
We know they are words of life and salvation.
Open our hearts O Father,
touch our souls,
help us to respond to your word
and know that you are indeed our Lord and Saviour.
May we experience in our hearts
your love and your presence always.
Amen.

A homily based on the readings of today is given below:

“You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased!” (Luke 3.22)
“I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43.1)

1. Introduction

This morning the Church Calendar reminds us of the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. As such, the Church wants us to remember our own Baptism.

In fact, the Word of God has a great message for us today. It is the message of being “called” and “chosen” by God.

The key verses that, I think, come to the fore are Luke 3.22: “when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’” and Isaiah 43.1: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.”

The two verses remind us of Jesus’ baptism but also ours. In fact, when you and I were baptised years ago, God was telling us: “You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3.22) and the same sense of call and selection is reflected in the words of the prophet Isaiah:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43.1b)

2. Baptism affirms a Christian’s identity as God’s child

We human beings all seek affirmation; we seek to be taken notice of, respected and appreciated. We all want to be loved and to love. Now, to be affirmed by God your Creator and Saviour is the greatest thing that can happen to you or anyone alive. In fact, when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and you are baptised, God accepts you as his child. God affirms you as his child. He tells you as he told Jesus at his baptism: “You are my child, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke, 3.22). He is also telling you, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43.11)

What happens in Baptism is something truly marvellous. We haven’t understood the meaning and mystery behind the holy sacrament of Baptism.

If you feel you are alone, that nobody really loves you as you are, that you are just a ‘nobody’, that you don’t matter, God is telling you quite the contrary. He is telling you: “I love you. I have redeemed you. You are mine.” Isn’t that the most wonderful thing on earth? To be loved and accepted and forgiven and affirmed by God? This is the mystery of Holy Baptism.

3. My Baptism

You all will have your story of Baptism and how you came to Jesus Christ. It would be wonderful to hear the stories of faith of each one of you. If you would like to join a group just to share stories of faith, do let me know.

Anyway, let me just share with you how I became a Christian. I belonged originally to a Church that claimed its origins to the mission and ministry of Saint Thomas in India. My parents shared their faith with me when I was only a week old when they took me from the hospital to the church for me to be baptised even before I was taken home! I’m so grateful to my beloved parents who did that for me. They couldn’t have given me a better gift than the Christian faith. I feel it has been a great privilege to have been baptised at that very tender age! Like, as if, possessed and owned by God early on in life! I couldn’t have asked for more. My parents nourished that faith in me, was confirmed, and as an adult personally and convincingly accept Jesus as my Personal Lord and Saviour. This happened when I was 18 years of age while in college.

Of course, my life has not been all of a straight line! Whose of us is? I have fallen many times and always tried to get up and move on. Sometimes I have taken God for granted, but the personal love and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus has always continued to redeem me again and again and support me in my life. I can now absolutely tell you that I have experienced the personal love of Jesus over and over again, in spite of my weaknesses. And God has helped me on in my life, in all circumstances, good and bad, and in all places, and I have been to quite a few!

I would like to joyfully affirm that Jesus is a wonderful and beloved Saviour! Jesus makes all the difference in my life. Without Jesus, I’d be lost. I’d lose the compass of my life, the fulcrum of my human existence. Jesus is everything to me, the real answer to all problems. With Saint Paul, I joyfully affirm that Jesus as the “yesterday, today and forever!” (cf. Hebrews 13.8) of my life! My life means nothing without Jesus!

This is what Baptism and allegiance to Christ has done for me! I wish to testify for Jesus to the world and say: You are God’s child! The beloved of God! No matter who you are, you are personally loved by God!  And with prophet Isaiah: “Do not fear, for God has redeemed you; He has called you by name, you are his.” (Isaiah 42.1)

4. God loves you and calls you into an intimacy with him!

Each one of you will have your faith story. For God loves you and calls you to an intimacy of relationship with him. He calls you to be united to him in faith and love.

That is why the Word of God today is beautiful as it is powerful – you are chosen by God. You are called by God. You are loved by God. You are His!

Unfortunately, some have got it all wrong. Some think Christian life is joining an exclusive club. Some think Christian life is a particular theology or a particular policy. Some think Christian life is merely studying the Bible. Others think it is all about rubrics, rituals and sacrament. Some think Christian life is action.  These are good and needed, but primarily, Christian life is following Jesus Christ! It is all about your trusting surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ in your life.

This is what the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism reminds us today, that we have a special identity as a child of God and we are called to follow Jesus Christ every day and every moment. Let me read again the key words of the Word of God that we heard and reflected this morning:

“You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased!” (Luke 3.22)

“I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43.1)

Pause to pray …

Lord Jesus,
I believe you are the Son of God.
Thank you for becoming one of us.
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
Thank you for rising from the dead
to give me hope and the gift of eternal life.

I repent of my sins
and invite you into heart and life
as my Lord and Saviour.
Please grant me your Holy Spirit
so that I may know you, love you
and follow you every day of my life.

Amen.

[Revd Dr ST Mattapally, Rector, Springline Parish, Diocese of Lincoln]