Baptism of our Lord

+ The Baptism of our Lord +
10 January 2010
Luke 3:21-22 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
In our own Baptism, the manifestation of each person of the life-giving Trinity begins and continues our relationship with the one true God in his body the Church.
1. The manifestation of Jesus our brother
a. As Jesus prays for us, the heavens are opened
b. Baptism reveals the importance and power of prayer in our lives; prayer walks continue
2. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit, the anointing of love
a. A visible sign of what was already and always true
b. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works etc.
3. The manifestation of the Father; affirmation and acceptance
a. Public ministry requires public affirmation – Father wants everyone to know His Son
b. We are affirmed and accepted when the Gospel is rightly proclaimed and the Sacraments rightly administered; and we offer that freely the waiting world.

the best deal

On a Fox News panel discussing Tiger Woods, Brit Hume said, perfectly accurately:

"The extent to which he can recover, it seems to me, depends on his faith. He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So, my message to Tiger would be, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

reading the scriptures

“…we confess that we are greatly confirmed by the testimonies of the ancient church the true and sound understanding of the Scripture. Nor do we approve of it if someone invents for himself a meaning which conflicts with all antiquity, and for which there are clearly no testimonies of the church” (Ibid., p. 208-9); and, “There is therefore a great difference between (1) the witness of the primitive church which was at the time of the apostles and (2) the witness of the church which followed immediately after the time of the apostles and which had received the witness of the first church and (3) the witness of the present [Roman Catholic] church concerning Scripture. For if the church both that which is now and that which was before, can show the witness of those who received and knew the witness of the first church concerning the genuine writings, we believe her as we do one who proves his statements. But she has no power to establish or to decide anything concerning the sacred writings for which she cannot produce reliable documents from the testimony of the primitive church (Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent Ibid., p. 177).

eagle forum

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.


By Reverend William J. H. Boetcke

more good news

A Little Book on Joy: The Secret of Living a Good News Life in a Bad News World. By Matthew C. Harrison. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lutheran Legacy Press, 2009. Individual copies: $9.95; bulk (5 or more copies): $5.99.

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the Holy Family

Reflecting on what it might mean for us that Jesus was submissive to His parents (Luke 2) and then grew in favor with God and man, I came up with the following: we would be obedient to God’s holy family the Church by reverencing
— the Church’s book (Holy Bible)
–the Church’s songs (Hymnal)
— The Church’s prayer (Liturgy)
— The Church’s ministry (Bishop, Pastor, Deacon — Word and Sacraments included here)
— The Church’s Teaching/Confession (Book of Concord)
— The Church’s Battle (against sin and unbelief, speaking truth in love, etc.).
This more than anything I’ve heard or read about would result in a lively, vital unified in teaching and practice Church; something to be reckoned with; something the devil the world and our flesh would fear.

Benediction

Yahweh (he who exists) will kneel before you presenting gifts and will guard you with a hedge of protection, Yahweh (he who exists) will illuminate the wholeness of his being toward you bringing order and he will provide you with love, sustenance and friendship, Yahweh (he who exists) will lift up his wholeness of being and look upon you and he will set in place all you need to be whole and complete.
Amen!