THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

What Baptism Reveals January 10, 2021

WELCOME

Welcome in the name of Christ Jesus. As we worship, we pray that you will open your heart in preparation as our Savior comes to us through the word and sacraments. If you are a guest, please sign your name, address and most importantly your phone number in our Guest Book in the entrance and come and worship with us again. If we can be of assistance to you in your spiritual walk through life please let us know. We invite you to join us for refreshments after the service in the room adjoining the worship facility.

AS WE GATHER

Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. At Jesus’ Baptism, God the Father speaks from heaven, revealing Jesus to be His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove. All three persons of the Trinity make their presence known at Jesus’ Baptism. All three persons of the Trinity made their presence known at our Baptism as well as we are revealed to be God’s beloved children.

COMMUNION PRACTICE

Lamb of God celebrates the Lord’s Supper in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust in His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may show forth His death until He comes. Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, are asked first to speak with the Pastor or an elder. For further study, see Matthew 5:23ff; 10:32ff;18:15-35;26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

“It is prudent and wise to let our church family know you have broken people sitting around you; this is a place for the broken as Jesus describes in the gospels. We have/may have folks in the congregation that have been alcoholics, drug abusers, spousal abusers, formerly violent and even sexual offenders. This is a house for the broken. We certainly understand that this is a Lamb of God Lutheran Church Ministry and have taken diligent steps to create a safe environment for all who would like to worship our Father.”

X PREPARATION X

HYMN “You Are Beloved in the Lord” [You are the Way Through You Alone]

You are belovèd in the Lord And in His name baptized;
You have, according to His Word, Been taught and catechized.

Renounce the devil’s works and ways; His promises are lies.
He tempts God’s people all their days To faithless compromise.

God goes behind you as a shield Protecting you from harm;
To Him each deadly foe must yield Before His mighty arm.

God goes beside you as a friend To strengthen you when faint;
On Him you always can depend To hear your soul’s complaint.

God goes before you and He leads And guides you day by day.
God knows your hurts and deepest needs; He hears you when you pray.

Dear child of God, your cares commit To God, the Lord of all;
He will sustain and not permit His righteous ones to fall.

To God the Father glory be; Sing glory to the Son,
Who with the Spirit endlessly Reigns ever Three in One.

Text: Stephen P. Starke. Copyright © 2008 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.


INVOCATION

P: In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Genesis 1:1–2; Psalm 29:3–4

P: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
C: And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

P: And God said, “Let there be light.”
C: The voice of the Lord is over the waters.

P: The voice of the Lord is powerful.
C: The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

P: The voice of the Lord reveals Jesus as His Son.
C: The voice of the Lord reveals we are His children too.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

P: In Holy Baptism, each of us was baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In Baptism, we were united with Christ. Yet, we have often lived as if we were entirely independent and autonomous. We have lived as if our identity were not in Jesus, but in our own selfish desires. Yet, our heavenly Father invites us to turn back to Him and ask for His forgiveness.

Silence for reflection.

P: Heavenly Father,
C: we confess that we are by nature sinful and have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. On account of Jesus, forgive us, renew us, and unite us to Your name.

P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die and rise for you. In Baptism, you were united to Christ in both His death and resurrection. You were buried with Him, but also raised to walk in newness of life. As a called servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen. We are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

X WORD X

HYMN OF PRAISE “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” [Sts. 1–2: LSB 394]

Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar;
Branch of royal David’s stem
In Thy birth at Bethlehem;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana, wedding guest,
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

SALUTATION

P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, at the Baptism of Jesus, You revealed Him as Your beloved Son. Unite us to Christ, that we may daily die to sin and arise to newness of life, so that we might share the truth of Your Gospel; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 1:1–5 (God creates the heavens and the earth.)

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Psalm 117:1–2a; 96:8

Praise the Lord, all nations!
 Extol Him, all peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us,
 and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
 bring an offering, and come into His courts!

EPISTLE Romans 6:1–11 (We are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection.)

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? 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. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 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— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over 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.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Mark 1:11b

C: Alleluia. You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL Mark 1:4–11 (Jesus is baptized by John.)

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY “O Love, How Deep” [LSB 544]

SERMON

CREED Nicene Creed

C: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life X of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Dear heavenly Father, in the Jordan River, You revealed Jesus to be Your beloved Son. Lord, by mighty work and wonder,
C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, strengthen all those who have been baptized, especially those who have been baptized recently, with Your heavenly protection. Lead them to find their true identity in You as Your beloved sons and daughters. Lord, by mighty work and wonder,
C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, comfort all those who are suffering in grief. Console them with the sure and certain hope that just as we have been united with Christ in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. Lord, by mighty work and wonder, C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, give courage to all those who live in conflict with their family members, especially regarding differences of faith. Lord, by mighty work and wonder,
C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, bless all pastors, church planters, missionaries, and servants in Your Church who proclaim Your Word and administer Your Sacraments. Embolden them to seek and to save the lost and bring those who have strayed back into Your family. Lord, by mighty work and wonder, C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, place Your healing hand upon all who are sick, injured, and recovering, [especially . . .]. Have mercy upon them, and lead them on the path to health according to Your will. Lord, by mighty work and wonder, C: reveal Your grace to us.

P: Lord, we commend all these things to You in the name of Your beloved Son, Jesus. Lord, by mighty work and wonder, C: reveal Your grace to us.

OFFERING Plates are in the Fellowship Hall

OFFERTORY “Take My Life and Let It Be” [LSB 784]

X SACRAMENT X
PREFACE 2 Timothy 4:22 [Colossians 3:1][Psalm 136]

P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

PROPER PREFACE

P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who was baptized in the Jordan River and furthermore gave to us the gift of Baptism that we might be His children. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

SANCTUS “O Holy, Holy, Holy Lord” [He is Risen! Glorious Word]

O holy, holy, holy Lord, You draw the nations ever toward
The joy of Your pure reigning.
For You rule all in heav’n and earth With love and light, with might and mirth,
Your care the world sustaining.
So we beg Thee, Save us, Jesus! Come and free us From sin’s wages,
Blessed King of endless ages.

Text: Andrew R. Jones. Copyright © 2020 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

P: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your beloved Son to reveal Your loving kindness to the world. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and re-create us by Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25

P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My X body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My X blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST 1 Corinthians 11:26 Revelation 22:20

P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood in this Sacrament You lead us to remember all that You have done for us before we were born, to realize that You are with us today, and to await Your promised return one day to receive us into Your eternal kingdom. So remember us in Your kingdom now and teach us to pray:

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

C: 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 and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

PAX DOMINI

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: Amen.

AGNUS DEI “O Lamb of God, You Take Away” [He is Risen! Glorious Word]

O Lamb of God, You take away The sin and guilt and shame that weigh
So heavy on our hearts, Lord.
Grant us Your mercy, hear our plea! Without Your grace, Lord, we would be
Beyond all hope and wayward.
Still You come to Share the myst’ry Masked through hist’ry That salvation
Is for ev’ry tribe and nation.

Text: Andrew R. Jones. Copyright © 2020 Concordia Publishing House.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

DISTRIBUTION HYMNS

To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord LSB 405

POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace”
POST-COMMUNION THANKSGIVING

P: Let us pray. We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have revealed to us Your beloved Son, Jesus. We implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through His body and blood and empower us to live as Your children; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS and BIRTHDAYS

BENEDICTION. Numbers 6:24–26

P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and X give you peace
C: Amen.

HYMN “Baptized into Your Name Most Holy” [LSB 590]
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B Quarter 1. Copyright © 2020 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.