Baptism of Christ

The Baptism of Christ.
(A short reflection for the 8am service)

As we hear the words spoken at Christ’s baptism ‘you are my son, my beloved, with you I am well pleased’ we may wonder at what this says about Jesus. Here, at the beginning of Christ’s ministry, he receives affirmation that he is beloved of God, and receives the touch of the Holy Spirit to enable him to begin his work.

This is a great story about Jesus, the Christ, but I think it is also a story about each one of us.
Over the Christmas period we may well, at some stage, have heard the beginning of John’s gospel, where it says:
“to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”

The coming of Christ and the ministry of Christ makes us all sons and daughters of God. And today we can hear the voice from heaven ‘you are my beloved, with you I am well pleased’.

Each one of us here is the beloved child of God. God declares that each one of us is loved beyond measure and that he is well pleased with us. And he offers each of us the strength and comfort of the holy Spirit so that we can follow Christ.

At this table we can know ourselves fed and loved – and with that knowledge we can live our lives to God’s praise and glory. Thanks be to God.
Amen.

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