Message: Good News spreads
Another Sunday roles around, and the reading from Luke’s gospel today is from chapter 3 following the grown man John proclaiming the baptism of repentance in the wilderness and before the list of the ancestors of Jesus (give it a go pronouncing those names). Some of the ancestors you will recognise, and some are obscure.
John’s message in the wilderness was gaining popularity and influence. And as messages of change and challenge, he was ruffling the right feathers (Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great). The message John preached had roots in Isaiah chapter 40 (see Luke 3: 4-6 and Isaiah 40:3-5) and was called good news. When Jesus is in the synagogue in Nazareth, as recorded in chapter 4 of Luke’s gospel (reading in two weeks’ time), he read from Isaiah 61:1-2).
The Good News spreading among the people, the good news reaching and upsetting those in power was news of God coming to help and it spread uncontained.
And as a reminder that everyday can be a day of learning, I noticed something for the first time reading through Luke chapter 3 this week: the gospel writer notes John’s arrest BEFORE Jesus’s baptism. Luke 3:18-20 states that Herod and his dad had done awful things and while John’s message was good news to the people, it was not to King Herod Antipas and this reality cost John his freedom and eventually his life.
People heard John’s proclamation of the need for change, a turning, a hope of the Messiah, of God’s promised righting the wrongs, of help for those who needed it most, and they were baptised in the Jordan. Crowds were coming and Jesus came, too.
Here in a couple of verses in the gospels, Jesus is baptised in the Jordan River, the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove and the voice is heard, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.’
These words were collected and shared and remembered and spoken of before the gospel writers collected their words to share more widely as the Good News of Jesus Christ spread beyond the communities in Judea and Galilee into all the world, so the good news and the recollections would influence and inspire people of other cultures and languages to hear the Good News of Jesus, of God’s love, of returning to God and following Jesus and would be changed (turned upside down or downside up). Before Jesus’s miracles, before his sermons and teaching, before he called disciples to learn and then take his teaching to others, Jesus was baptised and heard of the Father’s love and delight in him.
Jesus presented himself, not with fanfare or great crowds following him (yet) but was part of the crowd to be baptised to seek to follow God’s ways. Jesus came and then took some time to be present with God before embarking upon preaching and teaching. Jesus will spend time in the wilderness (we will get to that during Lent in March) and be tempted to follow another way that is not God’s way for him.
Today as we read the words of God’s presence with Jesus at his baptism, we also hear the words of the prophet Isaiah from centuries before that were for the people who had seen challenges and oppression and yet were good news in the midst of what was not good. The reminder from the prophet's words alongside Jesus’s baptism is that even when facing challenges, difficulties, and the like there is Good News of God’s love and presence with us in the waters, fires and heartaches. Whatever we are facing, wherever we find ourselves today in our faith journey, God’s words of presence and love remain. We may not always get it right, but the turning from wrong - the repenting of mistakes and shortcomings - reminds us of the Good News God offers of steadfast enduring love, of forgiveness and of guiding in new paths of righteousness (right-living).
May this Good News of the turning and returning spread in our lives. May God’s love and promise reach us in our day-to-day living so that we may remember who we are (beloved children of God) and how we are called to live our lives following Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life so others may see in our living Jesus’s light shining forth.
May the times and seasons before us, no matter what they hold, be places where we remember the Good News of Jesus, the promise in the words of the prophets and the whisper of God’s words of love deep in our hearts as we seek to be God’s message of love, peace, hope and faith in a world struggling and straining to find a way. May we live out our faith so the Good News spreads among us and into the community each and every day.
Call to Worship:
Come, all who seek a deeper understanding of God's presence in our world.
We come with open hearts, seeking the Spirit that moves among us.
As Jesus was baptised in the Jordan, He stood alongside all humanity.
Let us seek to live lives of compassion, justice, and love.
Let us worship the God of love,
For God calls us all beloved.
Prayers from Roots on the Web:
Jesus said,
‘Come to me all you who are weary and burdened.’
So let us come to him now
with the weariness of our return to everyday life,
and the burdens of the year ahead.
Let us put them and ourselves
into his strong arms,
so that he can lower us into the waters
and raise us, cleansed and refreshed.
A gathering prayer
God, our loving parent, our Father
you encouraged Jesus at his baptism,
saying you were well pleased
when he presented himself
along with the community
for baptism in the Jordan.
May you be pleased with us
as we present ourselves here today. Amen.
A prayer of confession
Almighty, Eternal God,
we have walked journeys we should not have walked;
done things we should not have done;
said words that should not have been spoken.
We have ignored the gifts of your Spirit,
seeking to quench it rather than be cleansed by it.
We have been as silent as a dark night when we should have
been like a crackling fire bringing comfort,
warmth and reassurance.
Almighty and Eternal God, forgive us, we pray,
and kindle your flame within us.
Amen.
Assurance of forgiveness
God turns our darkness to light,
forgives our sins,
accepts our repentance
and sends us on our forgiven way,
walking with God’s Spirit within us. Amen.
Prayers of intercession
When we walk through the flood
and the world seems dangerous and unpredictable
May we not be afraid!
Help us to know that you are with us and will never leave us.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When social media spreads misinformation, mistrust and hate and where many voices compete for our loyalty and attention;
give us wisdom in choosing where we place our trust.
Help us to challenge lies with facts.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When the vulnerable go cold and many children live in poverty, but others enjoy luxury and plenty
and close their eyes and hearts to the need all around:
help us to hear your call to build a more equal world.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When conflict destroys hope and life and reduces neighbourhoods to rubble
across the Middle East, in Ukraine, in South Sudan, in Yemen;
keep us believing that a new future is possible.
Help us to restore what has been shattered by war and fear.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When leadership fails and there is dissatisfaction with political responses
and insurgency seems appealing in the name of change; give us wisdom and patience for the long-term work that is needed.
Help us to pray continually for all with leadership roles in church and in society.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When people are in danger and homes and businesses
are destroyed by wildfire, floods or earthquakes,
may we remember our true security in you.
Give courage to emergency and rescue services, hospital staff and all who seek to mend broken bodies and lives.
Help us to show compassion to all in need.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When suffering comes and we walk through the dark
not knowing if we have enough strength for tomorrow;
give to us what we need to manage this day
and be close to those we know who are in need.
Help us not to lose hope.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.
When the way ahead is uncertain
go ahead of us and lead us always onwards -
deeper into the love that made us and that will bring us home.
Help us to hear you day by day calling us by name.
Strengthen your people, O Lord.
Surround us with your peace.