Worship Preparation - January 11, 2026
Read the sermon text: Luke 3:21-38
Read the sermon summary: At this point in the story Luke tells, John's prophetic role of preparation has been completed. The spotlight turns away from him to the one he was preparing the way for. In our passage for this Sunday, we see Jesus' baptism, beginning of ministry, and genealogy. Interestingly, Luke focuses more on what happens after Jesus' baptism rather than the baptism itself; namely, the opening of the heavens, the descent of the Spirit, and the voice coming from heaven. God himself affirms what we knew to be true of Jesus; he is the Son of God. Luke's genealogy shows that although God is doing something new, it is not disconnected from the past, nor what he had promised to do all along. Jesus, the Son of God, is also a man with a lineage rooted in God's covenant people of the past. In preparation for the sermon consider the following questions: What connections do you see in this passage from the Old Testament? What is the significance of Jesus being baptized and the events which follow? How is Luke's genealogy different from what we read in the book of Matthew? Why might Luke have put Jesus' genealogy here, between his baptism and his temptation?
Read the following song lyrics in relation to the sermon:
The Glory of Your Name
Verse 1
Into our weakness You came
Hope of the world, for lost sinners to save
Trading Your splendor for shame
For the glory of Your name
Verse 2
Into our suffering You came
Kneeling down to the broken to enter our pain
And your body was crushed for our sake
For the glory of Your name
Chorus 1
For the glory of your name
We delight to bring You praise
Emmanuel, God with us
Chorus 2:
For your fame and endless worth
We’ll proclaim through all the earth
In everything, Jesus reigns
Verse.3
Into Your story You call
Every heart You have ransomed to join in the song
Singing, “Come to the Savior today”
For the glory of Your name
Verse 4
Into the darkness we go
With hearts of compassion and lips bringing hope
See the dead made alive in Your grace
For the glory of Your name
Bridge
All the glory
All the honor
All the power, be unto Your name
Josh Via
© 2025 Josh Via