01/13/2019
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Sarah Neff
“The Epiphany story that most tempts my memory is the story of Jesus’ baptism. There is John at the river Jordan, and there are all those unwashed people who have come for his baptism, and in the queue is Jesus, who is without sin, who shouldn’t be in that line with all those sinning people…this year, hearing in the church again about Jesus’ baptism, I wonder if, before the voice from heaven and the celestial dove, it is also Jesus’ standing in line by the river that tells us who he is. At Christmastime, the church called Jesus Emmanuel, which means God-with-us—and now he is with us in the baptismal queue. He is the One who stands with humanity in this line that is all about our sinning, our shame.” –Dr. Lauren Winner, Still
“Butwe, little fishes, after the example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ, Jesus Christ,are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water.” –Tertullian, “On Baptism”
“Wade in the water
Wade in the water
Children wade, in the water
God’s gonna trouble the water”
–Spiritual, first published by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901)
Season Resources:
Joy is for Epiphany, tooby Miroslav Volf (Christian Century)
Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of Godby Bobby Gross
Scripture:
Songs for Today’s Worship Gathering:
Abide by White/Vice
Peace Like a River by Traditional
River Where Mercy Flows by Miller
How Firm a Foundation by Rippon/Funk
Oceans by Houston/Crocker/Lightheim
Hast Thou Heard Him, Heard Him, Known Him? by Rowan/Twit/Littlepage
Doxology
