Sunday, January 8, 2023

Pastor Karen Muntzing

God’s Promise of New Life

Scripture

Psalm 29 Common English Bible

29 You, divine beings! Give to the Lord—
    give to the Lord glory and power!
2 Give to the Lord the glory due his name!
    Bow down to the Lord in holy splendor!

3 The Lord’s voice is over the waters;
    the glorious God thunders;
        the Lord is over the mighty waters.
4 The Lord’s voice is strong;
    the Lord’s voice is majestic.
5 The Lord’s voice breaks cedar trees—
    yes, the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon jump around like a young bull,
    makes Sirion jump around like a young wild ox.
7 The Lord’s voice unleashes fiery flames;
8     the Lord’s voice shakes the wilderness—
        yes, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The Lord’s voice convulses the oaks,
    strips the forests bare,
        but in his temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the floodwaters;
    the Lord sits enthroned—king forever!

11 Let the Lord give strength to his people!
    Let the Lord bless his people with peace!

Matthew 3:13-17 The Message

13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”

15 But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.

16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”