St Clement Church Community Sunday Service
Good morning to you all as we celebrate our Sunday service commemorating The Baptism of Christ. This service is for you to read at home if you’re unable to worship with us in person at St Clement.
May Christ’s love sustain you always.
Much love to you all,
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray.
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymn: ‘O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness’
Our prayers of Penitence
In his Baptism, Christ identified himself with sinful humanity. Through our Baptism, we are united with him, in his new Body, the Church. Let us therefore acknowledge all that challenges us about our commitment to God:
When we have grown tired of searching for truth or seeking God’s will…
Lord, have mercy.
When we have strayed from the command to love and serve our neighbour…
Christ, have mercy.
When we have offered less than the best in our worship and service of God…
Lord, have mercy.
May our Almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever. Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for today
Heavenly Father, at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son: may we recognise him as our Lord and know ourselves to be your beloved children; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Readings:
Isaiah 43. 1-7
Acts 8. 14-17
Hymn; ‘Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Gospel Luke 3. 15-17, 21-22
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.)
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.
He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)
Reflection
Have you ever had an expectation that very nearly filled your every waking moment? Those of us with children in the family know exactly what I’m talking about if we think back just a few days. The term “filled with expectation” doesn’t come close to describing how a young child awaits the coming of December the 25th.
And I’m sure from own childhood we can remember feelings of eagerness. Maybe it was for Christmas, or perhaps a birthday—not something I eagerly await any longer—but that’s the kind of feeling I’m talking about, the kind of expectation that just won’t leave your head.
Likewise, “filled with expectation” doesn’t come close to describing the feelings the Jews had as they awaited the coming of the Messiah.
It’s described as ‘anticipation’ in Luke’s 3rd Chapter, but I don’t think we fully understand it, as our English language loses the emotional impact of what Luke intended in the translation from the original Greek text.
We can gain an understanding of what this waiting meant for the Jews though if we consider that when the original text of Isaiah was written—between 700 and 800 years before the birth of Jesus—They’d been told to prepare and get ready for the coming of the Messiah, and then they’d had to stay prepared and ready for over 800 years. If we think a young child is bouncing off the walls in eager anticipation at the beginning of December—with only three or four weeks to go—imagine what the Jews must have been experiencing after 800 years of staying ready, full of expectation.
And that’s what this Gospel lesson is partly about. It’s about the people being so excited about the expected coming of God into their world, that they mistake the prophet John for the prophesied Christ.
Of course, the difference between the people standing on the banks of the Jordan with John the Baptist then, and us now, is that, with the benefit of hindsight, we know the Messiah is Jesus Christ, and by our own baptism we have been claimed and redeemed by him.
But we should listen again to this Good News that’s so powerful in today’s readings, not just with our ears, but with our heart and soul; From Isaiah;
Thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
There on the banks of the Jordan, the people were confused. They wondered whether John was the Messiah they had prepared for, waited for, and so eagerly expected. But John told them “No,” that he baptised them with water but that there was another coming who was more powerful; one who would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire.
And when Jesus was baptised; ‘The heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ All those people, all that preparation and expectation, how did they miss the moment? And they must have done so, because Luke doesn’t go on to tell us of an epiphany experience for those present. I think they missed the moment because it wasn’t what they expected. God surprised them, and came in the most unexpected of ways, not in glory or as a warrior prince on a white charger. But instead as:
A poor baby in a manger.
As a child, the son of Mary, spending his childhood in Joseph’s carpenter shop.
As a just another man stepping into the muddy Jordan to be baptised by a fire-and-brimstone preacher.
As a wandering teacher followed by the outcast.
As a rejected rabbi nailed to a cross.
And God continues to come to us in surprising ways,
in our baptism, we are marked with the cross of Christ forever, through his grace we die with him and we are reborn with him.
In the Holy Eucharist, God comes to us with grace through the bread and the wine, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And through God’s grace we are justified with him, not by any act of our own, but through the incredibly surprising acts of God, through the faith given to us by the Holy Spirit.
So, our gospel reading might have an Advent message, be prepared and wait, but it also includes an epiphany realisation too.
He is the LORD our God, the Holy One of Israel, our Saviour.
Let us not be like those people on the banks of the Jordan, and miss the moment, let us hear the message loud and clear, and live accordingly. Amen.
Hymn; ‘Come Down, O Love Divine’
Affirmation of our faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist.
We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Intercessions are written by Liz Davies
As we celebrate the Baptism of Christ, we rejoice in the completeness of His coming in human flesh. Let us therefore pray for our own witness to His life in us. As we think of Jesus’ baptism, let us think of our own baptism and the promises that were made at that time, and let us live the life of the baptised, rejoicing in the love of the Father. We pray for all baptised members of the body of Christ, in all churches and denominations. We pray that we may be alert to signs of God’s kingdom among us and live as those who know their home in heaven as well as on earth.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Jesus’ baptism was public, may God give us boldness to own our faith before others – especially in situations of difficulty or opposition.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Jesus’ baptism was God-centred, may God build prayer in us, the Church, to deepen and broaden our relationship with him, to find him in unexpected places and to trust him closely.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Jesus’ baptism was humble. May God bring gentleness to us the Church, that we may faithfully reflect the servanthood of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
We live in a troubled world where intolerance, hatred and contempt seem to be growing; where there are leaders who want to control their people rather than work for their good; where the leaders of some countries feel they have the right to attack and take over other countries. We pray that the Holy Spirit may breathe a breath of tolerance, of kindness, of peace across all nations and all peoples.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving Father, too often we look at the troubles of the world and feel helpless that we can do anything about them. Help us to see that it is in doing small, positive actions in our own communities that a wave of ‘we can change things’ can be the beginning of far greater changes across the world.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
In a moment of quiet, we pray for those we know who are unwell at this time, whether in body, mind or spirit. May God give them strength and renew them.
We pray also for all those caring for others in their homes and also in hospitals especially those in the NHS who are extremely stretched at this time.
We remember especially: Ken and Reverend Diane, May, Susan, Lynda, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Maureen, Pam and David, Barrie and Sandra, Roger, Michael and Patricia, Daphne and Dave, Rob and Alison, Stella, Jeremy, William, Jane, Anita and Stephen, Callum and Elaine, Andy, Anne, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Dave and Jeanette, Jane, Carrie and John Paul and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
We pray for those whose remaining time in the world is short; for those whose earthly journey has now ended, remembering those whose lives have been cut short by terrorist attacks, in war,
in natural and man-made disasters. May they all have the assurance of God’s eternal love and grace.
We also remember those whose year’s mind occurs at this time.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving Father who poured out your Spirit on your obedient Son, grant us, His obedient disciples, that we too may know the reunion of your Spirit and be true witnesses of the new creation.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Clement, St Andrew, and St Allen,
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn; ‘God is Working His Purpose Out’
The Peace
Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.
May the peace of God be always with us. Amen.
Blessing
May Christ the Son of God perfect in us the image of his glory and gladden our hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us, those whom we love, and remain with us always. Amen.