Text: Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Sermon:

This is a very important passage; in the same way that the act of Baptism is important to
our spiritual connection to God. What is the purpose of Baptism? The act of baptism is
symbolic event of a new life. It is also a symbol of washing away our previous life and
now living in our new life in connection with Jesus.

It is often explained that when we are lowered into the water that symbolizes our spiritual
death. When we are lifted out of the water, that symbolizes our rise out of the grave, like
Jesus, and entering our new life.

So, that leads us to a very important question: Why did Jesus Receive baptism? Since he
was sinless and he was the Son of God, it is easy to believe that he would not need to be
baptized. As we see in this passage, Luke focuses on Jesus’ human nature. He underwent
baptism and even death as only a human could. This allows us to relate to Jesus’ human
nature and our connection with the human aspect of Jesus.

This baptism was another step in Jesus further identifying with us and our human nature.
When we are hurt, depressed, or broken, remember that you have a savior that
understands your humanity.

This baptism was the first public declaration of the ministry of Jesus. Instead of
identifying with the other religious leaders, Jesus went to the river and identified with
those that were repenting of sin and looking for a clean slate.

I believe actions such as these shows the community that Jesus was building. He was not
simply creating a religion. He was not simply creating the following. He was building
connections that go deeper than a group with similar interests. Jesus was connecting with
those who believed in him.

In my times of doubt; in my times of questioning my faith. It is Jesus’ humanity that hang
on to. When I read scripture and I see Jesus caring for those that are oppressed and
ignored by the religious community, I am encouraged to show the same love and care.

This passage is also important because of what happens in the last verse. When Jesus was
lifted out of the water the Holy Spirit descended on to him and the voice of God spoke,
“You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Now, while we cannot definitively say that the voice was heard audibly by the crowds,
this is still an eye-opening revelation. I believe that this event shows us the spiritual
connection to baptism and our spiritual lives. This also shows Jesus’ divinity and
connection with the Heavenly Father.

Conclusion: Let us be people who follows Jesus’ humanity and shows love to all.

Text: Isaiah 60:1-6

Sermon:

This is the week of Epiphany. Epiphany is about celebrating the light that is Jesus the
Christ. But it is also a celebration of the community that gathers to see and follow that
light.

In fact, our first Sunday of the new year is all about paying attention. Being aware of
what is under your nose seems like a "duh" kind of message, and yet it is an appropriate
one for the beginning of a new year.

While it is easy for us to seek the light of Christ in our own personal lives, but it is just as
important that we celebrate in community. We need to be reminded that this is a walk we
take together. Making disciples is about making relationships, working on relationships,
broadening relationships, relying on relationships, and deepening relationships.

I believe that an aspect of the hope that we encounter through the light of Christ is shared
through our community; through our friendships and through the bonds that we create.

This is an opportunity to begin to see the implication of the Christ presence among us.
The Christ child, who grew “in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor,”
says Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 2:52), becomes the light by which we walk each day and the
way we find one another. We gather to the light; as a result, we grow closer to one
another.

We all need light in our darkness. We all need hope in the times that we feel hopeless. We
have all been through circumstances where we feel lost or hopeless. I pray this is the
week where we are reminded of the hope that we find in faith. I pray this is the time
where we encounter the light of Christ and the our loving community will be at our sides
during these darker times.

Its good news is time-bound and timeless and timely. For every time and every place and
every person, the good news is that “the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over
you.” And that brings light into our thick darkness.

There is hope for a dark world because the Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has
risen upon the world. He is the one who will bring the wandering captives home and the
benighted Gentiles to the true God.

In this new year we will experience new opportunities to build our faith. We will find
new opportunities to heal broken relationships. We will find new opportunities for
growth.

The hope that we find will be life-changing, which allows us to share that hope through
loving words, acts of love and care and compassion. In our hope we can help others
experience the same hope through our care for our friends and family.

Conclusion: Let us be people who seeks hope and offers hope.

Text: Luke 2:41-52

Sermon:

As this Christmas season ends, we are going to study aspects of Jesus’ live that, I believe
is often overlooked, we are going to look at Jesus’ childhood. In all my years in the
church, I have never heard anyone preach about Jesus’ childhood. Born as a helpless
babe, Jesus grows up being human and divine, in a family, in a religion, with a life.

This is what makes it a good passage for the Christmas season: Jesus is growing in
wisdom, growing in favor (divine and human), growing as the incarnate Messiah in very
ordinary circumstances.

Jesus is so deeply connected to his heavenly Father; growing in the wisdom of God is the
desire of his heart. It reveals Jesus’ growing in wisdom and favor and recognition as
distinctly tethered to his being with the Father (in this case exemplified by his being in
his Father’s house, the Temple). Jesus’ calm reaction to his parent’s looking for him
further reveals how normal this bond with the Heavenly Father is for Jesus: it is
everything for him, his baseline and basic disposition.

This passage shows that Jesus is loyal to both homes that he belongs to. He honors his
earthy parents, but at this time in his life he is drawn to build a deeper relationship with
his heavenly father. He had no intention of frightening Mary and Joseph, but he also
needs to grow into his heavenly role.

Luke introduces Jesus as a young scholar engaging in theological discussion with the
teachers in the temple. Jesus’ age is very significant in this narrative. The twelve-year old
boy impresses skillful teachers with his knowledge; this is a symbolic story of a young
prophet and future leader.

 believe that this is because 12-year-old Jesus understood life and its spiritual source
better than the average person.

It is important for us to realize that Jesus is demonstrating something significant; we can
grow in wisdom and in truth even in the most mundane moments in our lives. When we
search for spiritual growth in the mundane, it actually helps us grow personally. It also
helps us appreciate those quiet, mundane moments.

Conclusion: Let us be people who grow in wisdom in the mundane moments.