Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 2022Jan09

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 baptize 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 baptize 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 baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized 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.” [NRSA]

• One is coming
• He will baptise with the Holy Spirit 
• He comes carrying a windowing fork

Why was Jesus doing the baptism thing? Affirming the family connection vs need for repentance.  Baptism is the claiming part of the Covenant.

The winnowing fork, is a tool of division, harvest, and labor…

Jesus has that job, not us.

Our task is to remember our faith-family connection and charge to keep.

For us the message is from John to those who know they need to repent, need to the fresh start initiative, grace – mulligan 

• Remember your baptism
• Remember Gods promise
• Remember your promise and vows 

Do the words and actions of Baptism have meaning today?

Do the words of our membership vows carry power and significance?

• Is God happy with 3 out of 5?
• The image of a barrel with a missing or shortened stave
• They whole runs out the hole. 

Repentance is affirming there is a hole in my 🪣 

Baptism is God’s claiming us in our broken stage and making us into the new person God is greeting and building us to become. 

Today we open the invitation to Baptism, 

We begin a season of epiphany– a season of renewal, birth and rebirth

Time to do more than sticking our toe in the water…

(Wahpeton ND, the heated pool that was not heated)

Remember your baptism and reclaim the power, authority, and life of prayer, participation, generosity, service, and sharing the story of your faith journey. 

About Me

Hi, I’m John. This site is in reconstruction mode after the great crash of 2020. Thank you for your patience and support.