"Anoint" - It means to pour, usually oil, over. In the Bible priests and kings were anointed when they were appointed to office. When the temple was dedicated it was anointed. When Jesus began his ministry he said that the Holy Spirit had anointed him to preach good news to the poor. Also Jesus was anointed by a woman who poured oil over his head. We often call Jesus the Messiah or the Christ. Christ was not Jesus' last name. Both titles mean "The Anointed One."

James says that if any are sick they should call for the elders to anoint them with oil and pray for them. That is what we do when we have a healing service. We use perfumed oil to anoint those coming for prayer. Many Christians perform services of anointing to this day. One might even think of baptism as an anointing to follow Christ.

In the anointing the oil represents the presence of God. That is one of the reasons that perfumed oils are often used. Like the scent which you cannot see but which you know is there. God cannot n-be seen but we know that God is there.

Why this lesson on anointing? Because the concept is important to our passage this morning. Another important thing to know is the context of our passage in Acts. The Spirit has just been poured out on a group of Gentiles who have believed in Jesus. In the earliest days of the church only Jews were followers of Jesus. But the Spirit led a Roman Centurion and Peter to meet. The Centurion and his household believed in Jesus and the Holy Spirit came upon them just as it had come on the disciples at Pentecost.

It was in this context that Peter says that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit. As a result of this anointing Jesus began the three year ministry we read about in the Gospels. Jesus performed miracles and healed the sick. Jesus reached out to the poor and downtrodden. And Jesus taught any who would listen about the truth of the Kingdom and the love of God. Then in obedience Jesus died and rose again for our salvation.

After his resurrection Jesus commanded that the disciples to proclaim the Gospel to the world. Pentecost, when the Spirit came, was their anointing. Just as God had anointed Jesus to preach the Good News so Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to anoint the disciples. And they began proclaiming the Good news.

So to recap, Jesus is the Anointed One, the Christ. At his baptism God sent the Holy Spirit to anoint Jesus. At Pentecost Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to anoint the disciples. And down through the years Jesus has continues to anoint his disciples to carry on the ministry of proclaiming the truth of God's love.

Baptism is a symbol of this anointing. Just as the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh, the water is poured out for baptism. One of the early church's symbols for baptism was a shell. The shell was used to scoop up the water so that it could be poured out.

Do you see where all this is leading? Jesus was anointed by God. And then Jesus anointed his disciples. You are anointed to serve God. Your baptism was your anointing to serve.

Do you remember what I said about anointing at the beginning of the sermon? Among the people anointed in the Bible were priests and kings. The Bible says that you are a royal priesthood. (1 Peter 2:9) You have been anointed by God. You have been adopted by the king and made royalty. You have been appointed as a priest to represent God before the world.

Many Christians think being a Christian is just about getting saved. That is important! But that is just the first step. Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior and are forgiven, then God sends the Holy Spirit. And that Holy Spirit equips and inspires you to serve God.

If you are not serving God then you are not doing your duty as one anointed by God. That does not mean you have to be a preacher or a church office or in a committee. It does mean you have to be seeking ways to spread the love of God and the Good news of Jesus. It means you will look for ways to Love your neighbor. And you will strive with the Spirit's help to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit. It means you will participate in religious activities like prayer and worship and study. And it means you will invite others to join in those activities.

This is a new year. It is as good a time as any to develop new habits. Try making regular study and worship a part of your life. Come to Sunday School. No one here knows too much to attend Sunday School. I have two Masters Degrees in Divinity and Theology and I attend Sunday School! If you don't do that, then come to one of the five Bible Studies we have going on during the week. Jesus the Anointed One has anointed you!

Once upon a time there was a king. He ruled over his kingdom from a castle on a hill. Each morning he would go out on the balcony and look over the kingdom. And each day people would come and wave to him on his balcony. Every day people would come to his court and bring requests to him. And his advisors would give him reports about the state of affairs in the kingdom.

But he longed to see for himself what was going on. He could look over the villages from his castle or hear reports from his advisors, but as long as he was king he could not experience what life was really like for the people he ruled over. He was detached from the real life of the people.

So one day he called off all his meetings and audiences and he dressed as a farmer. He snuck out the back of the castle to walk down to one of the villages. He saw people working and heard in the market place what they really thought. As he was walking from one village to another he came upon one of his many public works. It was an aqueduct which would bring clean water to the villages. He admired the construction but then he noticed something. In the path of the aqueduct was a barn and farm house. The workmen were about to destroy the barn and farm house to continue the work. The king could see that the aqueduct could easily be redirected around the buildings.

He approached the farmer and his family and they told him that his family had lived in that house for generations. He told the disguised king that he had pleaded for them not to destroy his house. So the King approached the work crew who was about to begin demolishing the barn and raising his voice said, "Stop." One of the men stepped forward and said, "I am the king's engineer and am building this aqueduct on the king's authority, who are you?" The king pulled back his hood and instantly was recognized by everyone and said, "I am the king." All the men put down their tools.

Who is he? Who is this Jesus really? Knowing who someone is really; is important. Sometimes people pretend to be someone they are not. They put on airs and act more important than other people. But eventually someone sees through their charade and reveals them for who they really are.

The opposite is also true. Someone with power and authority can appear as a regular person. Like stories of Kings who dressed as commoners to walk among their people. Even though they appear like one of the people, they still possessed the authority and power to do things that the regular people lacked.

So it is with Jesus. Who he is; is important. Does he possess the authority and power to change our lives for the better? Sure he appeared to be just another carpenter from Nazareth, but was he really a king on commoner's clothing?

John knew who Jesus was. John was at the Jordan telling people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. To help them prepare he told them to repent of their sins and be baptized. And people from all over can to him to be baptized. They heeded his call recognizing him as a man of God. Among those crowds was a carpenter from Nazareth.

John knew who Jesus was from the moment he saw him. Jesus was not just another face in the crowd. He knew Jesus was the one that he was preparing the people to receive. So when Jesus came to be baptized he said, "I should be baptized by you." After all John had said that the one to come after him was greater then him and would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John would have prevented Jesus from being baptized because he realized his own unworthiness and Jesus' authority. Only after Jesus told him that this was God's plan did John baptize Jesus.

Who Jesus was became clear in that moment. John recognized the authority of his King. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in a visible form. And then the Father said, "This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased." So John and everyone else there knew who Jesus was.

Peter knew who Jesus was. The Holy Spirit led a Roman Centurion named Cornelius to call on Peter. In a vision God told Peter to go to Cornelius. Cornelius was a believer in God. Even though he was not a Jew he prayed to God. And God sent an angel to tell him to send for Peter.

So what is the first thing Peter told Cornelius about? The first thing he told him about was Jesus. He told him that Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead and taught. He told how Jesus lived and died and rose again.

But most importantly Peter told Cornelius that salvation comes through Jesus. More precisely he said that all who believe in Jesus receive forgiveness "though his name." It is who Jesus is that affects our salvation. He is the only begotten Son of God as declared by the Father. He is the one who lived a perfect life and died as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. He is the one who can give us new life.

Who is he? Who is this Jesus? He is the Son of God. He is the king come down from his lofty throne to walk amongst his people. He came to know firsthand our trials and troubles. And he came to die for our sins: to deliver and save us from our own self-centeredness and loneliness.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the one with authority. He can command any power in our world to cease and desist from its demolition. He can redirect the powers that threaten to destroy our lives. He himself paid the ultimate price for our sin. And he has the authority to give us new life. He has made a way for us to have a personal relationship with our creator. Through him we can know God the Father directly and we can live with his Holy Spirit in us.

Who is Jesus? He's the one about whom God said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." He is the one that all the prophets testify about and that Peter said "everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Jesus is the one who can change your life. Believe in him.

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior do it today. Simply tell him in your heart that you want to make him the King of your life. Ask him to come in and give you new life. Ask him to forgive your sin and reveal to you his grace. And if you are already a Christian then continue to put your trust in him. Turn to him daily and ask him to guide you.

Who is Jesus? He's the only on that can help us. Believe in Him!

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came to the Jordan with the full intention of being baptized by John. The fact that this was Jesus' intention is important. He didn't just happen to be passing by and decided to be baptized. This was not an impulse decision. Jesus traveled all the way from Galilee for the express purpose of being baptized.

You see, Jesus knew that God had a plan for his life. He had been living in this world for 30 years waiting for this time. His Father had planned for him to proclaim the Gospel - to preach and heal - and then to be rejected and die for the sins of the world. And Jesus knew that the time had come for him to begin that mission.

You know the Father has a plan for our lives too. "Who Me? I'm no Jesus or John!" But God does have a plan for each of us. That is why Jesus came and died. Salvation is the beginning of that plan.

Jesus knew God had a plan for him so he came to the Jordan with the full intention of being baptized by John.

But John tried to stop Jesus! You can understand his logic. John knew who Jesus was. Not just that he was the son of his cousin Mary. But that he was the Lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world. He had just finished telling the Pharisees and Sadducees that someone was coming who was so much greater than him. He baptized with mere water but the one coming would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John realized that Jesus was this great one he had spoken of. So he told Jesus "You should baptize me!" But Jesus knew that this was part of God plan so he insisted.

You know sometimes, like John, we have trouble seeing God's plan. The logical course is in one direction but God has other plans. And so we find our good intentions to be in contradiction to God's. Even as we are trying to be faithful, we find ourselves facing God and saying, "No, that's not right. I should be going that way." We know God wants us to serve him but sometimes we find roadblocks in the way and we come to realize that God's plan is really for us to go in another direction.

But that is part of finding Gods plan for us. It's no sin. Even John tried to stop Jesus.

John may have tried to stop Jesus at first, but he listened to his Lord and baptized Jesus. Sure it didn't make sense at the time. But when he objected Jesus straightened him out. He said, "This is the way to fulfill all righteousness." I am sure John couldn't see how baptizing Jesus fit into God's plan. But John listened to his Lord.

And then John's obedience was rewarded! As Jesus came up from the water God showed him. John saw the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And then he heard the voice of God confirming his faith "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased."

That is the way it is for us too. Sometimes our intentions are in opposition to God's. But if we will listen to our Lord and do as he says. Then our faith and trust in him will be rewarded.

What are your intentions? God intended for his son to die for the sins of the world. Jesus intended to be baptized by John. John had at first intended to stop Jesus. But in the end John, who had called other to repentance, repented himself and baptized Jesus. And in the end he saw the power of God and heard God's voice!

So what are your intentions? You know sometimes people intend one thing but are really doing another. Sometimes Christians think they are doing God's will when really they are not. It can be a rude awakening to come face to face with God, like John did, and be told, "No, that's not right." Sometimes that can mean changing the way we think of life or the world. Sometimes it can mean having to change our very way of life.

Sometimes Christians can actually do wrong by intending to do right. Many "Christians" intend to save themselves from Hell by doing good. They think that they will get to heaven by being good, by joining a church, or doing good deeds. The problem is that we are incapable of being good enough to merit or earn Heaven. God's intention is not that we get to heaven by being better than most. God's intention is that we simply put our full trust in him.

It is like bungee jumping. Has anyone here ever been bungee jumping? I don't think I will ever do that. You can show me that the cord is strong enough and even explain to me the physics of it, but I simply won't take the risk.

You see a person can believe in their head that they will not fall to their death. But it takes faith in the strength of the bungee cord to actually jump off a bridge with a bungee cord tied to your legs. That's what it's all about - faith - or rather taking a leap of faith. Many people "believe" that Jesus can save them. But salvation requires taking a leap of faith and trusting completely in Him.

Don't place your faith in bungee cords. Don't put your faith in your own good works either. Don't even place faith in your best intentions. Put your faith in Jesus. Trust him to save you. Then trust him to guide you.

What are your intentions? Are they to serve God or not? We can learn a lesson from the example of John. Sometimes even our best intentions can be in conflict with God's plan. In those instances we just need to trust our Lord.

That is not always an easy thing to do. But if we will we will be rewarded. We will see the Glory of God revealed in our lives.

If your intentions are to be a follower of Jesus, then put your trust in him. And remember what the Father said when John did that. "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:13-17

As a preacher I have a lot of people ask me about my call into the ministry. They want to know did I hear an actual voice calling me like Samuel in the Old Testament? Did I see a blinding light like Paul on the road to Damascus? Was there some cataclysmic event in my life that showed me God wanted me to go in the direction I was going? Some people ask because they are curious, but some ask because they are skeptical. They are uncomfortable with the idea that God calls certain people. They are looking for an authority to support their skepticism and say that God doesn't really call people.

God does call people. I know that because God called me. I heard no audible voice calling me, but I did experience a constant pulling within me. As a child if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up it was usually something like an oceanographer or astronomer. But when I was about ten I started saying a preacher. I felt that my interest in the stars and nature was really because God made it all. My parents took me seriously enough to take me to talk to the preacher about it.

For a long time I felt that pulling, but there were doubts. While I was in High School those doubts began to diminish. I began to "hear" more and more clearly a call into the ministry. At times I doubted if that really meant preaching. Maybe it was music ministry. I was good at science and math maybe it was to be a missionary that builds bridges and digs wells. By the time I got to college I was preparing to go to seminary to be a preacher.

The last time I doubted my call was during my freshman year at U.S.C. I began to think to myself that life would be a lot easier if I became an engineer or entered the computer field. I could finish School in four years and go to work and I could get a nine to five job like regular people. But as I was thinking about this while walking across campus it hit me like a ton of bricks. I could become an engineer or go into computers, but I would only be living. The only way I could find fulfillment was to take the more difficult road of becoming a preacher. I can still show you the place on U.S.C.'s campus where that realization took place. I wasn't blinded by a light from heaven, but God did shed a light on the path I was to follow to do his will. I didn't hear a voice from heaven, but I did feel an assurance in my heart that I heard God's call to me.

The reason I share this is that the passage I read from Matthew is really Jesus call to ministry. I know it may seem odd to speak of Jesus being called to the ministry. After all he was born the Son of God right! But for years he lived the life of an average Jewish man. Presumably he was a carpenter like Joseph his foster father. Sometimes these years are called the "hidden years" because the Bible tells us nothing about them.

But somehow through the ministry of John Jesus heard that the time had come for him to begin teaching and healing. That the time had come for him to begin his earthly ministry and the journey to the cross the tomb and beyond. So Jesus responded to that pull on his life by going to John to be baptized. And God said, "This is my Beloved Son In whom I am well pleased," God was calling Jesus into action.

Names are important. They are more than just labels. When you give something or someone a name that name denotes a function or role. A dining room is a place for dining. An automobile is to make you mobile by means of mechanical automation. In the same way God called Jesus "My beloved son." That title assumed certain responsibilities. Because Jesus was the Son of God, he was expected to be the Messiah who saved the world by dying for our sins.

It's important to note that Jesus' call into action took place at his baptism. Through this event God expanded the meaning and role of baptism. For the Jews a baptism was a ritual washing. The Greek word for baptism "baptizo" literally means, "to wash." The Jews were constantly baptizing people and things. If something or someone was unclean they would baptize it. If someone died on a bed it would be unclean by contact with a dead body. So they would ritually wash it or baptize it. When the Pharisees criticize Jesus for not washing his hands they literally asked why Jesus doesn't "baptize" his hands. That is what John was doing at the river Jordan. He was ritually washing people. They came confessing their sins and repenting and he was washing them to ritually demonstrate the change taking place within them.

At Jesus' baptism God changed that understanding. How do we know that God intended to change all that. First of all John had prophesied this change. He said I baptize with water, but the one who comes will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Secondly, Jesus didn't need to be baptized in the Jewish sense. He was sinless. He had nothing to repent of or confess. He was pure and didn't need to be purified. That's why John tried to stop Jesus. It is obvious that the Father had other things in mind when he led Jesus to be baptized.

The events of Jesus' baptism show us this new meaning. First of all after Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit descended on him. This shows us that Baptism was no longer merely a ritual cleansing but through Christ it became a means of God's holy presence. Those who are baptized are given the Holy Spirit. Secondly, it was at his baptism that God named Jesus his son and called him into service. In the Christian Church baptism identifies a person as a member of God's family and calls them into ministry.

The logical result of all this is that everyone who is baptized is called. Not everyone is called to be a preacher, but all of us have a calling. Because we have been baptized we are a part of God's Holy Church. We are self-acknowledged members of the Family of God. When we are baptized by water and the Spirit we are marked as Children of God. The ritual of Baptism that we perform in the church is a symbolic representation of God adopting us. Baptism is the ritual by which we enter God's church. In some churches the baptism font is placed at the front door. Because the front door is where one enters the church physically. And the Baptismal font is where one enters the church spiritually.

This identity or place in God's Family given to us at baptism is also a call to ministry. God called Jesus "My beloved son" and at that point he began his work as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Through your baptism God has called you his son or daughter. And as a result you have a calling, a role in God's family. As sons and daughters of God we are called to live lives of righteousness. We are called to live like our Lord and be servants to our Father's will.

That service takes many different forms. For me it meant taking the long path to Seminary and the parish ministry. For others it could mean any number of things. It could mean missionary work, or Christian education. It could mean serving God through volunteering for the Wheels Van, or Sharing God's Love. It could mean dedicating oneself to study and prayer. It could mean serving in a local church as a leader or teacher. I once heard the story about a woman who heard for the first time that all Christians are called to something. She asked her preacher what her calling might be. The Preacher knew that she was good at baking pies and said, "Bake pies for Jesus." She was puzzled. How could she bake pies for Jesus? Then one day a friend was having problems and without thinking she baked her a pie and took it to her and the two of them sat and talked. Her friend thanked very warmly for coming over and then she realized what that preacher meant. From then on she baked pies for people going through hard times and that was her ministry. Your calling may change as you mature and change. Jesus' ministry changed over the years. He began as a healer and teacher. But later he took on the priestly role of sacrificing himself for our sins. Callings come in many different forms but they all are ways of serving God.

Jesus' Baptism gives us a model for understanding our calling. His calling came during a ritual cleansing. Likewise, we have to give ourselves to Christ to accept our calling. To be ready to receive our call we must be willing to leave the old behind and move on. We have to be willing to accept the forgiving grace that God is pouring out upon us. To accept Christ as the sacrifice for our sins.

At Jesus' baptism God claimed him as His own. In the same way God claims us. When we dedicate ourselves to Christ, God adopts us as his children. And that identity is our calling. God calls us to act like Children of God. We are called to imitate the grace and love of our heavenly Father, and to follow in the footsteps of our Big brother Christ.

Like Christ we are called to a life of service. Jesus responded to his call by becoming the Savior of the world. Follow in Jesus' footsteps and respond to your call. And God the Father will affirm your response and pour out his Holy Spirit on you.