The traditional Christian church calendar is comprised of seven seasons beginning with the Advent season. We are in the third of the seven seasons identified as the “Time after Epiphany”. Epiphany is the last day of the Christmas season and traditionally marks the time Jesus is revealed as a special teacher of the message of peace.
Brief Order For Confession and Forgiveness
Music to accompany this worship is on Spotify at:
Entrance Hymn
Before This Universe Burst Forth in Light
Kyrie
Hymn of Praise
Prayer of the Day
Holy God, creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace, and transform us by your Spirit, that we may follow after your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
The First Lesson
Genesis 1:1-5
1. In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
2. the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
3. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
4. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
5. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Psalm
Psalm 29 (3)
1. [A Psalm of David.] Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2. Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9. The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10. The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11. May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
The Second Lesson
Acts 19:1-7
1. While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.
2. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3. Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.”
4. Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied–
7. altogether there were about twelve of them.
The Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, | the Beloved,*
with whom I | am well pleased.” Alleluia. (Matt. 3:17)
The Gospel
Mark 1:4-11
4. John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
6. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.
8. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
11. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Sermon
Is our behavior an affirmation of our belief?
The Hymn of the Day
To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord
The Creed
The Peace
Let Us Pray for Understanding
The Prayers
The Offering
Communion
The Lord’s Prayer
Communion Hymns
When Christ’s Appearing Was Made Known
Communal Blessing
Dismissal
The Bible readings are from the New Revised Standard Version. I wish to thank the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA, and its predecessor bodies for all their teaching throughout the years. I’ve used the Lectionary published on the ELCA website at elca.org in preparation of this worship.