Sunday Worship
Welcome to our Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish. Today is Revd Lyn's final Sunday with us, so we have just one Parish Eucharist - at 11.00 am at St Thomas' Church. If you're unable to be with us in person, you'll find the Gospel, a reflection, and prayer below.
Our first hymn this morning is "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning"
Today's Gospel
Matthew 3:13-17 The Baptism of Christ
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Reflection
This passage is full of significance to Christians. Not only does it mark the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, but it affirms Jesus as the Son God and confirms Him as the Divine Messiah.
It could be argued, that being the Son of God and also without sin, that there was no reason whatsoever for Jesus to be baptised, let alone journey over a hundred miles from Nazareth to the Jordan to do so. But this is Jesus we are talking about, He has become incarnate of human flesh to live among us, to be one of us and above all to be a shining example of humankind. He wants to be faithful to His Father and humble himself before God and the rest of mankind.
This is Jesus, who will later go to ask his followers to make disciples of other by baptising them and so he is emphasising the importance of baptism, as will be seen immediately afterwards when he emerges from the waters. So He puts John’s mind at ease by explaining that this is necessary to ‘fulfil all righteousness’.
What makes this reading so significant to Christians is that this is one of the few places in the Bible where reference is made to the three facets of the Holy Trinity at one time. Here we see Jesus, at the centre of the event being baptised in the river, followed by the manifestation of God’s Holy Spirit descending to Him ‘like a dove’ from the heavens and finally the voice of God affirming Jesus as His son.
How truly awesome and fantastic is that? All three components of the Holy Trinity in three persons yet unified at the same time. As we’ve pondered before, this is hard to comprehend, but we have to remember, this is God and through him all things are possible. We just have to have to be faithful, trust in his love for us, and like Jesus, follow the path and plan that God has for each one of us. Paul
Our Prayers
