The Baptism of Christ by Carl Bloch

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, January 12 are from the Lectionary Year A First Sunday after the Epiphany: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43 and Matthew 3:13-17. The text is from the Bible Study Tools - New International Version.

Isaiah 42:1-9

¹ “Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
     my chosen one in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,
     and he will bring justice to the nations.

² He will not shout or cry out,
     or raise his voice in the streets.

³ A bruised reed he will not break,
     and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
     In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

⁴ he will not falter or be discouraged
     till he establishes justice on earth.
     In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

⁵ This is what God the LORD says—
     the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
     who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,

who gives breath to its people,
     and life to those who walk on it:

⁶ “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
     I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you
     and will make you to be a covenant for the people
     and a light for the Gentiles,

⁷ to open eyes that are blind,
     to free captives from prison
     and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

⁸ “I am the LORD; that is my name!
     I will not yield my glory to another
     or my praise to idols.

⁹ See, the former things have taken place,
     and new things I declare;

before they spring into being
     I announce them to you.”

Psalm 29

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
     ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
     worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
     the God of glory thunders,
     the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
     the voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
     the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
     Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
     ⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
       the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
     and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple
     all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
     the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
     the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Acts 10:34-43

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. ³⁹ “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Matthew 3:13-17

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. ¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.