Quick thoughts, and brief (very) outline

 An incomplete outline:

Baptism & Epiphany

Ø          Definition, and for whom & for why

Ø          We normally practice infant, but Jesus was not

Ø          We celebrate now, were you like me this might be infant, since we just celebrated the arrival of the   magi

Baptism as adoption

Ø                  Ephesians text last week – adoption as first born son, w/ rights and responsibilities

      3 kings (gentiles) adopted w/out baptism 

  Last week – light in the darkness, similar to heavens opening and God speaking

Ø           Now all 3 aspects of God here, dove, incarnate Jesus, voice from heaven

Ø           Trinity aspects for our consideration

Further thoughts on sermon:

1.       Opening 2 pictures – Adult and infant baptism

2.       Refer to last weeks sermon with adoption (Ephesians) and Light images from John

3.       My disconnect on baptism

a.       With recent birth, I closed my brain and was imaging Jesus as infant

b.      Reality – 30 year old, amongst the multitudes, walking into deep water

                                                               i.      Clean?  Where did waste go during these years?

4.       Incarnational aspects to tie in – Jesus as light/human, now baptism

5.       How are we saved – baptism or by grace by faith

6.       Washing away of sins

a.       How do I get individual members a black stone?

b.      When do I get them to put said stone in font?

c.       At svc end, I want them to pickup up a now clear stone, and to not be afraid of wet hands and crossing themselves. (not rebaptism, remembrance of their baptism)

d.      Get these words somehow into the sermon

7.       Annunciation – Is this Announcements, announcements, announcements, now listen, now listen, …

8.       Jews did baptize – Gr baptize – to wash

a.       All the ritual clean/unclean issues in Deut

b.      But you could be recleans (Jew)

c.       Xn – Baptize once, eucharist for continuing

9.       Font location, river baptism.

Face to Face Gospel

A decent article, with some already expected comments and thoughts.  A number of points:

1.       His comments about televangelists, which nowadays can be remedied with a dvr. (for review of the text.  This actually places this a little ahead of a sermon in a church

2.       His comment about tech not replacing, but transforming comm..  It is a rare change which is truly revolutionary, most are evolutionary and therefore easier to digest if we think of transforming.

3.       Situational use of differing comm. Styles.  I hate to say it, but DUH!!!

4.       Doesn’t address that the usual human response to change is to not embrace it.

Ethics and the Use of Sermon Resources

I don’t think that he really addressed the plagiarism issue well.  He walked around it, but…

1.       Plagiarism in writing results in academic censure and potential dismissal

2.       Unattributed speech is ok (legally)

3.       His background is as a supply preacher, but he strongly advocates for you to synthesize the Scripture reading and the congregation,

4.       Doesn’t indicate how he did this as a supply preacher.  Would be interesting to have him address this one specifically

5.       Reading someone else’s – may be ok if one attributes it.  But isn’t that what many of us do if we excerpt a story to tell from a book, article, magazine, etc.  Don’t we make a qualified decision to not add all the attribution to the sermon, if nothing else than to keep it brief and to the point?

PowerRangers (Point) Preaching – Yes or No

Articles could be considered throw-aways, ok but nothing earth-shattering in them, but…

1.        NO:

a.       Watch out for the tech gremlins – power, wrong cueing, etc.

b.      Poor presentation techniques by preacher/instructor

c.       Sermons and Seminarians are “forced into a mold”  Just think about our preaching classes and some of our classes in general.

2.       YES:

a.       Similar to Silver Screen & 95 theses– images carry more info

b.      Right brain (touchy-feely) vs left brain (reason)

c.       Good (and common sense comments) about use of images, few words, etc.

d.      I don’t necessarily agree on the “never reference your picture.”

e.      Sermon and what it proclaims is key, not the Powerpoint

Witte – Video as Ethos

1.       Recent churches still had services which revolve around one or two people (LCA worship in 70’s,)

2.       I finally got why most sermons use “homily” as interchangeable, exposition of a passage

3.       Augustine –importance of delivery, delighting and moving hearer – charismatic preachers of today???

Sermon for this week, Matt 3: 13-17

Yep, I took this thought and ran with it, to use this class to prepare for this forthcoming Sunday, when I'm supply preaching at my Teaching Parish, so...
This will be at a suburban church, whose Pastor is currently recovering from surgery and a rehospitalization.
2 Services, a church with high church style of worship.
East wall altar, typical rectangular set-up, high ceilings, glass backwall.

Considering using black pebbles as representative of our sins being placed in the baptismal font at some point, and converting them to clear glass for the congregation to walk out with after the service, so 



Isaiah 42:1-9
42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

42:2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;

42:3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

42:4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

42:5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:

42:6 I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,

42:7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

42:8 I am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols.

42:9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

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Psalm 29
29:1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

29:2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.

29:3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.

29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

29:5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

29:7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

29:8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

29:9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

29:10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

29:11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!

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Acts 10:34-43
10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,

10:35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

10:36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all.

10:37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:

10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

10:39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;

10:40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,

10:41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.

10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

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Matthew 3:13-17
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.

3:14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

3:15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

3:16 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.

3:17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Isaiah 42:1-9

Psalm 29

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 3:13-17