News and Announcements Christ Lutheran Church Eagan Minnesota
January 10th, 2016
Verse of the Week:
““But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” –Isaiah 43:1
This Week in Sunday School :
The Students will be studying “The Birth of John” through several verses in Luke (New Testament 1- Lesson 4 of “Growing in Christ”).
A Note From Pastor Today we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. This great event is an “Epiphany” (a manifestation, a revealing) of the one true God in the flesh and blood of Jesus. In divine mercy He takes His place with sinners and takes their sins upon Himself. In Luke’s gospel, from which we get today’s Gospel lesson in this Year C of the Lutheran lectionary, the baptism of Jesus is reported in an almost after-thought manner. In Chap. 3 Luke reports about the appearing of John the Baptist “proclaiming a baptism of repentance” (vv. 1-6), then John’s blunt words to the crowd, “You brood of vipers” (vv. 7-9); then his call to produce good fruit (vv. 10-14). Finally John speaks to the crowd about the coming of One “mightier than I,” and then the report that Herod had John locked up in prison (vv. 15-20). So much drama that we almost miss, “Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized
and was praying, the heavens were opened…the Spirit descended…a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son’” (vv. 21-22). But this is more than “when all the people were baptized” and (oh, yeah) when Jesus was baptized too. Here in the Jordan River Jesus identifies completely with us. He has no sins of His own, but He takes the sins of the world upon Himself. In our baptism we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection so that we may “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). All who are baptized into Christ receive His anointing of the Holy Spirit and are marked by the Father as beloved sons and daughters. Pastor Heggen