Pastor’s Corner – January 11, 2026
Baptism of the Lord – Matthew 3:13-17
Between the Christmas season and Lent, we have Epiphany. The first Sunday of Epiphany begins with the baptism of the Lord, ending with the Transfiguration. We are reminded of the significance of our own baptism and our identity as followers of Christ. By sharing baptism, our lives and faith are intertwined with each other, empowered by the Spirit of God and held by God’s grace. Essentially we share our identity with Christ, thereby sharing in his ministry and mission. When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God descended upon him in the form of a dove and a voice was heard, “This is my son, the beloved, whom I am pleased.”
It is with this conviction, the seal of identity of beloved, the affirmation of love from above that our ministry and mission begins. Our spiritual journey begins from this place of love, our relationship with God as beloved that we are able to face the challenges of life no matter what circumstances we may be in. As a church, the body of Christ, we place our lives out in the world to transform and restore human dignity and rights toward freedom and peace. We witness daily human struggles around the world toward this end; Iran protesting in the streets raging against oppressive regime, thousands of dissidents imprisoned in gulags of North Korea to Palestinians slaughtered in Gaza and West Bank, and in our own country Minnesota, the death of Renee Nicole Good, shot and killed by ICE, sparking protests across the nation, and in Dallas in front of city hall.
Our human struggles to live, to be alive in full humanity, not just to survive but to thrive and flourish, seems like there is no end. Here, in the midst of our struggles, as a church we are blessed and given the tools, vision, traditions, and a well-spring of powerful faith stories to live out with courage and hope, to raise the dead to life, to heal broken lives and be ambassadors of reconciliation and peacemakers.
During our season of Epiphany, with the light of Christ in our hearts, let us remember our baptism and hear once again the voice from above, the affirmation of our identity as beloved. Come, let us worship together and hear once again the gospel message of hope and the transforming power of God’s love. Come let us hold space for each other by being present, showing up for one another, to bless and encourage each other. Thanks be to God!
Pastor Dae