Redeemer Lutherhan Church

Praising God, serving neighbors with Christ at the center!

The Baptism of our Lord

Pastor Mark BerlinJanuary 13th 2019

First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

1But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. 4Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. 5Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. 6I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-- 7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.'

Psalm: 29:1-11

1A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. 3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. 4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. 7The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. 8The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, 'Glory!' 10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. 11The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Epistle: Romans 6:1-11

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel: Luke 3:15-22

15The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.' 18And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. 19But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. 21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'