INCREASING AND DECREASING - LUKE 3:15-22 - REV GRAEME PETERS
Have you ever taken a step back so that someone else could have a turn to shine? Have you ever made a conscious decision to put someone else’s name forward instead of your own for an honour or a promotion? Are you willing to put the needs of others ahead of your own needs? John the Baptist was such a person.
In John chapter 3, John the Baptist shows his understanding of his role in relation to Jesus’ ministry: He says: ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him…. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:28-30 John’s role was not to big-note himself or to draw attention to himself.
His role was to point people to Jesus and to prepare the people’s hearts for repentance and faith. His role was to decrease as the role of Jesus increased.
1. Jesus’ Increasing:
a. He is more powerful (16)
b. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (16)
c. He will judge: his winnowing fork is in his hand (17)
2. Johns Decreasing:
a. I am not worthy to unite the thong of his sandals (16)
b. I baptize you with water - a preparation for his greater baptism.
c. John is shut up in prison by Herod.
3. God’s word:
a. The heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him (21)
b. A voice from heaven: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
To Think About:
Who is first in our lives? Is it me, or is Christ?
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR KEITH SCOTT
A memorial service for Keith Scott will be held next Friday, January 14th, at 11am.
WEDNESDAY 26TH JANUARY 10AM SERVICE
Due to the public holiday, there will be no service.
HYMNS
TIS 275 Hail to the Lord’s anointed Let the weak say I am strong
TIS 594 Fight the good fight
TIS 411 Filled with the Spirit & power
COVID RULES
At the moment all services are now open to all people without distinction of vaccination status. However, QR code check-in and masks are still required.
SUMMER UNDER THE SUN(SUTS)
CMS is again running ‘Summer Under the Sun’ (SUTS) from 13-15 January 2022. More details Theme SOMETHING BIGGER. It will be a time of great teaching, fellowship, world mission and children's program. The gospel is a vision expander. It causes us to look up and lookout. Our immediate existence is given an external perspective. That is Something Bigger. https://www.cms.org.au/vic/get-involved/exploringmission/mentac-victoria/
SUNDAY 6PM SERVICE
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?” Join us this Sunday from 6pm to find the source of this living water.
PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:
We pray for those who are sick or troubled in body or mind, or who have special needs: (Please email contact@stjamesdandenong.com or contact clergy for prayers for anyone who is in need of them). This week we continue to pray for: Mike; Mark; Hazel; Clovis; Rose; Rhonda; Tim; Muznah; Eva; Cecil. If you have placed a name in the Book for Prayers, please remove anyone who no longer needs them. Alternatively, email the office.
We also pray for Iglesia Anglicana de Chile (Abp Tito Zavala, Primate); Locums and all retired clergy; Caulfield Grammar School (Ashleigh Martin, Principal; Ryan Holt, Amanda Lyons and Kate Jacob, Chaplains); Holy Trinity, Bacchus Marsh w. Christ Church, Myrniong and St George's Balliang (Richard Litjens); St Mary’s Camberwell South – Pastoral Service (Bp Genieve Blackwell).