You may wish to light a candle before you begin.
May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.
Collect
Heavenly Father, at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son: may we recognize him as our Lord and know ourselves to be your beloved children; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Confession
The grace of God has dawned upon the world with healing for all. Let us come to him, in sorrow for our sins, seeking healing and salvation.
Friend of sinners, you bring hope in our despair - Lord, have mercy:
Lord, have mercy.
Healer of the sick, you give strength in our weakness - Christ, have mercy:
Christ, have mercy.
Destroyer of evil, you bring life in our dying - Lord, have mercy:
Lord, have mercy.
May the God of all healing and forgiveness draw us to himself and cleanse us from all our sins, that we may behold the glory of his Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God’s Word - Acts, chapter 1, verses 1 to 7 :-
In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I gave an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these men he showed himself after his death and gave ample proof that he was alive: he was seen by them over a period of forty days and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. While he was in their company he directed them not to leave Jerusalem. ‘You must wait’, he said, ‘for the gift promised by the Father, of which I told you; John, as you know, baptized with water, but within the next few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
When they were all together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time at which you are to restore sovereignty to Israel?’ He answered, ‘It is not for you to know about dates or times which the Father has set within his own control. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will bear witness for me in Jerusalem, and throughout all Judaea and Samaria, and even in the farthest corners of the earth.’
After he had said this, he was lifted up before their very eyes, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were gazing intently into the sky as he went, and all at once there stood beside them two men robed in white, who said, ‘Men of Galilee, why stand there looking up into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken from you up to heaven will come in the same way as you have seen him go.’
Mark, chapter 1, verses 4 to 11 :-
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism in token of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins; and everyone flocked to him from the countryside of Judaea and the city of Jerusalem, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. John was dressed in a rough coat of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he fed on locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed: ‘After me comes one mightier than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and unfasten. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. As he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens break open and the Spirit descend on him, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my beloved Son; in you I take delight.’
Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.
Reflection on the Readings
We don’t know whether Theophilus, to whom Luke addresses his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, was a real person. His name means “Lover of God,” so it may be that Luke is using this name to address all who come to read his words.
But, whoever he is, as Theophilus begins Luke’s second book, the Acts of the Apostles, he reads of Jesus ascending into heaven, after he has given his disciples some final teaching and instructed them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And a distinction is made between the baptism of John, with water, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But of course John himself makes the same distinction in our second reading: “I baptize you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Clearly there is both water and Spirit when Jesus comes to be baptized; the Holy Spirit descends like a dove to rest upon him. But perhaps our own experience of baptism, the christenings of infants and children, feels less to do with the Holy Spirit and more about just what we do with water.
So can we distinguish between two different baptisms? Baptism with water, and baptism of the Spirit? Infant baptism and believer’s baptism? The Church has always said no. All the member churches of the World Council of Churches and the British Council of Churches share a stated belief in “one baptism”. There may be differences in practice and belief, but it’s one baptism, wherever and however it’s done.
But in that case, there must be more to baptism than just the event. There is the event by which a person is made a member of the Church, and that ceremony involves water, together with declarations of faith made by the candidate or often by others on behalf of a child too young to answer for him or herself. But there is what God offers - of himself, of his power, of his love, of his Spirit.
There’s what we do, and what God does; and what God does doesn’t happen automatically, just because of what we do. For it has to do with engagement and discovery; it may take time, maybe a lot of time. It may never happen, for God gives us freedom not to engage, not to even ask. So though we may think of baptism as an event, it’s really a process. There’s always more to discover, more to know, more to receive, and more to give, as we take the road of faith, as a lifelong journey.
The disciples waited in Jerusalem for the gift of the Spirit. When it came, it knocked them off their feet - and straightaway they began to minister and teach, with joy, with power, and with authority. But they’d still plenty to learn, mistakes to make, things of which to repent. The Spirit will lead you into all truth, Jesus promised them - but not all in one go - even for them it would be a process of discovery.
They would discover new things about God, and about the wonders of his grace; and they would discover new things about themselves, and what they were called to be and do as God’s people. Baptism is a commissioning into God’s service. It was for Jesus - as he joined those who flocked to hear John and respond to his call, and was baptized to identify himself with all who are searching for God, the Spirit descended upon him as a sign of his Father’s call and commission.
Our baptism testifies to God’s gracious response to our search for grace and a new beginning. But it’s an assurance of God’s promise to send his Spirit to "Theophilus", to each lover of God. Why? So we can go for him, and do what he has for us to do, so we can share his love, and be lights to a dark world, and bring faith and comfort to those in doubt or despair. So the work to which he commissioned Jesus at the Jordan can continue in us, whom Jesus calls - with his first disciples - sisters and brothers.
Statement of faith -
We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers - We pray we may be faithful to the promises made at our baptism, following in the steps of our Lord, and sharing his love in acts of mercy and forgiveness. Within the Anglican communion we pray for the Province of New Zealand, Aotearoa and Polynesia. We pray for our own Diocese and Bishop Richard, and for the churches and communities of the Bridgnorth Deanery.
We continue to pray for the peace of the world, and for the welfare of all who are treated badly or exploited by others. We pray for all in high positions in government and society, that they may act with wisdom and for the good of all, and honour the democratic institutions that preserve our freedom. We continue to pray for co-operation among nations in the struggle to counter the Covid virus, and for vaccines to be widely available.
We pray for all who are ill, and especially for the work of our local hospitals and health centres. We pray for the safety of staff, and for all involved in ensuring that those who are vulnerable receive the vaccination they need. We pray too for all whose wait for diagnosis and treatment has been made longer by the present crisis.
We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. We pray for all who teach and instruct others, in our schools and colleges, and in apprenticeships and training schemes, and for all who are embarking on new courses of learning. And may we look out for each other through this testing time, and keep safe ourselves.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing -
ay Christ the Light of the nations bring love and peace into every dark place; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
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