Psalm 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
January 10, 2016
Every year we recognize the Sunday after Epiphany as the Baptism of the Lord. His baptism by John in the Jordan is recorded by all four gospel writers...I should note here that it is in the Jordan. Apparently I gave a Baptism of the Lord sermon once and named the river of the baptism the Nile the whole time. Truman gave me quite a hard time about it afterwards so let's be clear, the baptism took place in the Jordan River! We have a very brief description of the baptism here in Luke's account. The lectionary portion doesn't even mention the river. But my question this morning is why baptism? First, why baptism of the Lord...who certainly didn't need to be forgiven of sins or repent. And then why us; why does this tradition carry on today?
January 10, 2016
Every year we recognize the Sunday after Epiphany as the Baptism of the Lord. His baptism by John in the Jordan is recorded by all four gospel writers...I should note here that it is in the Jordan. Apparently I gave a Baptism of the Lord sermon once and named the river of the baptism the Nile the whole time. Truman gave me quite a hard time about it afterwards so let's be clear, the baptism took place in the Jordan River! We have a very brief description of the baptism here in Luke's account. The lectionary portion doesn't even mention the river. But my question this morning is why baptism? First, why baptism of the Lord...who certainly didn't need to be forgiven of sins or repent. And then why us; why does this tradition carry on today?