January 15, 2023– Baptism of our Lord

Welcome to our visitors.

May the Lord bless you through His Word together with us today.

Prayer PreWorship: Remembrance of Baptism, hymnal, pg 10

Hymn 89:1-4

Morning Praise, front of hymn bottom of page 45

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 42:1-7

The Servant is God’s Chosen-, anointed with the Spirit & the delight of His heavenly Father. He will bring justice, mercy, & faithfulness for all people.

1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” 5 This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Verse: Alleluia! You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased. (Mk 1:11) Alleluia.

Lesson: Acts 10:34-38

God’s grace is extended to all people in Jesus who, after His baptism by John in the Jordan, embarked on His formal ministry as the Messiah.

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Hymn 89:5-6

Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus is baptized to fulfill all righteousness. The Father publicly approves of Jesus at the start of His ministry.

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Hymn 88:1-3 (words by Martin Luther)

Sermon Text: Romans 6:3-4

3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We 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.

Theme: We were buried with Christ through Baptism

1 Into His death

Matthew 28:18 Go and make disciples of all nations, washing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

“for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 2:38)

“saves.”(I Pet 3:21) wash away sins”(Acts 22:16).

2 Into a new life

5 For if we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin..... 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.............. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

Prayer to end sermon: LORD Jesus, thank You for connecting me through Baptism into your death and into a new life.

Hymn 88:4-5 replaces pgs 48-49

Thankoffering The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

Continue page 50

Prayer: Father in heaven,/ at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan/ You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son/ & anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Keep us who are baptized into Christ/ faithful in our calling as Your children/ & make us heirs with Him of everlasting life; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever.

Continue Prayer for Grace, pg 50

Hymn 91: 3 & 5