January 11 2026 —

 “Epiphany” comes from a Greek word that means “reveal.” It is the season when you see Jesus begin his public ministry, revealing the reason the Son of God came to earth. During Epiphany, you will come to understand that when the true identity of Jesus is revealed, you realize your own true identity as well.

 “Christ” is not the family name of Jesus. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing: “The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. When the Lord had someone anointed, He also poured his Spirit over them. Prophets, priests and kings were all anointed in the Old Testament.

When Jesus was baptiszed in the Jordan River, He was anointed into all three Old Testament Offices. He is our Prophet, Priest and King. Jesus’ anointing was the fulfillment of promises made over centuries. Our Old Testament Lesson from Isaiah 42:1-7 is one of those many promises. Here, the Lord promises to put his Spirit on the Messiah.

God also anoints us through baptism. In our second lesson from Acts 10:34-38, the Holy Spirit was poured out onto Peter’s listeners as he told them how God anointed Jesus. In our Gospel Lesson, Matthew 3:13-17,  we have the account of Jesus’ baptism in the waters of the Jordan River. Here Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power.

Join us for our sermon on Matthew 3:13–17

“Jesus’ Baptism and Ours”

Click Here for:  Service Folder for Online Worship