The Texts for Sunday, January 10th, the Baptism of Jesus, 2016

First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

 1But now thus says the Lord,

  he who created you, O Jacob,

  he who formed you, O Israel:

 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

  I have called you by name, you are mine.

 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

  and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

 when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

  and the flame shall not consume you.

 3For I am the Lord your God,

  the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

 I give Egypt as your ransom,

  Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

 4Because you are precious in my sight,

  and honored, and I love you,

 I give people in return for you,

  nations in exchange for your life.

 5Do not fear, for I am with you;

  I will bring your offspring from the east,

  and from the west I will gather you;

 6I will say to the north, “Give them up,”

  and to the south, “Do not withhold;

 bring my sons from far away

  and my daughters from the end of the earth—

 7everyone who is called by my name,

  whom I created for my glory,

  whom I formed and made.”

The Word of the Lord

Psalm: Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, 

    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; 

    worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; 

    the LORD is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; 

    the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; 

    the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, 

    and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;

the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; 

    the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe 

    and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the LORD 

    all are crying, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; 

    the LORD sits enthroned as King for evermore.

Second Reading: Acts 8:14-17

14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

  21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”