Debra K. Brazzel - Sermon Untitled (January 9, 1994)

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-	Grace and peace to you	0:22
	in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.	0:23
	Welcome to this service of worship	0:25
	at Duke University Chapel	0:27
	on this first Sunday after Epiphany.	0:29
	We are delighted to welcome all students	0:31
	back to campus for this new semester,	0:34
	as well all the members of our chapel choir,	0:36
	and our conductor, Rodney Wynkoop,	0:39
	who have been away for the holiday break.	0:40
	Today's preacher is the Reverend Debra K. Brazzel,	0:45
	who is assistant dean of the chapel,	0:47
	and director of religious life.	0:49
	And our lector is Ms. Betsy Close,	0:51
	who is a member of the congregation at Duke Chapel.	0:53
	This afternoon, there will be an organ recital at 5:00 p.m.	0:57
	performed by Wolfgang Rubsam on the Flentrop organ.	1:01
	Admission is free.	1:05
	You are also invited this week	1:07
	to attend the Taize evening prayer,	1:10
	and choral vespers services,	1:12
	which will resume according to their usual schedule.	1:13
	Please note also that Ruth Overman	1:16
	will be assisting chapel organist David Arcus	1:18
	in accompanying the first choir anthem for today's service.	1:21
	Please note the remaining announcements	1:25
	as they are printed in your bulletins.	1:26
	Please stand, as we join together in the greeting.	1:29
	The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.	1:37
Congregation	And also with you.	1:41
-	The splendor of Christ shines upon us.	1:43
Congregation	Praise the Lord.	1:46
	(reverential organ music)	1:49
	♪ Oh, morning star, how fair and bright ♪	3:00
	♪ Thou beamest forth in truth and light ♪	3:07
	♪ Oh, sovereign meek and lowly ♪	3:14
	♪ Thou root of Jesse, David's son ♪	3:24
	♪ My lord and master, thou hast won ♪	3:31
	♪ My heart to serve thee solely ♪	3:38
	♪ Thou art holy ♪	3:47
	♪ Fair and glorious, all-victorious ♪	3:53
	♪ Rich in blessing ♪	4:01
	♪ Rule and might o'er all possessing ♪	4:07
	♪ Thou heavenly brightness, light divine ♪	4:18
	♪ Oh, deep within my heart now shine ♪	4:25
	♪ And make thee there an altar ♪	4:33
	♪ Fill me with joy and strength to be ♪	4:42
	♪ Thy member, ever joined to thee ♪	4:49
	♪ In love that cannot falter ♪	4:57
	♪ Toward thee longing ♪	5:05
	♪ Doth possess me, turn and bless me ♪	5:13
	♪ Here in sadness ♪	5:20
	♪ Eye and heart long for thy gladness ♪	5:26
	♪ What joy to know, when life is past ♪	5:37
	♪ The Lord we love is first and last ♪	5:45
	♪ The end and the beginning ♪	5:52
	♪ He will one day, oh, glorious grace ♪	6:02
	♪ Transport us to that happy place ♪	6:09
	♪ beyond all tears and sinning ♪	6:17
	♪ Amen, amen ♪	6:25
	♪ Come, Lord Jesus, crown of gladness ♪	6:33
	♪ We are yearning ♪	6:40
	♪ For the day of your returning ♪	6:46
-	Almighty God, whose son, our Savior, Jesus Christ,	7:02
	is the light of the world,	7:07
	having seen a great light which guides us	7:09
	in our darkened world,	7:11
	we have gathered to search diligently	7:13
	for all that you would reveal to us.	7:15
	Send upon us your grace,	7:19
	for you have called us to be its stewards.	7:21
	Speak to us your word,	7:25
	for you have summoned us to be its witnesses.	7:26
	Show us your body,	7:31
	for you have made us to be its members.	7:32
	Let the working of your power	7:36
	be made manifest among us, oh God,	7:37
	that our works might declare	7:39
	your presence among the nations.	7:42
	In the name of Jesus,	7:44
	in whose baptism we, too, are baptized, amen.	7:46
-	Let us pray together the prayer for illumination.	8:06
Everyone	Open our hearts and minds, oh God,	8:12
	by the power of your Holy Spirit,	8:16
	so that, as the Word is read and proclaimed,	8:19
	we may hear your message with joy this day.	8:24
-	Amen.	8:27
	From the Old Testament,	8:31
	I will read from the first chapter of the book of Genesis,	8:33
	starting with verse 1.	8:38
	In the beginning,	8:42
	when God created the heavens and the earth,	8:43
	the earth was a formless void, and darkness covered deep,	8:47
	while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.	8:54
	Then God said, "Let there be light", and there was light,	9:00
	and God saw that the light was good,	9:07
	and God separated the light from the darkness.	9:11
	God called the light day, and the darkness he called night,	9:16
	and there was evening and there was morning, the first day.	9:22
	This is the word of the Lord.	9:30
Everyone	Thanks be to God.	9:32
-	Let us sing responsively Psalm 29, on page 761.	9:45
	Please stand for the psalm and Gloria.	9:52
	(reverential organ music)	9:56
	♪ Ascribe to the Lord, oh, heavenly beings ♪	10:02
	♪ Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength ♪	10:07
	♪ Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name ♪	10:13
	♪ Worship the Lord in all his splendor ♪	10:19
	♪ The voice of the Lord is upon the waters ♪	10:25
	♪ The God of glory thunders ♪	10:30
	♪ The Lord upon many waters ♪	10:34
	♪ The voice of the Lord is powerful ♪	10:38
	♪ The voice of the Lord is full of majesty ♪	10:44
	♪ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ♪	10:51
	♪ The Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon ♪	10:56
	♪ The Lord makes Lebanon to skip like a calf ♪	11:03
	♪ And Sirion like a young wild ox ♪	11:08
	♪ The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire ♪	11:14
	♪ The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness ♪	11:21
	♪ The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh ♪	11:26
	♪ The voice of the Lord makes the oaks to whirl ♪	11:32
	♪ And strips the forests bare ♪	11:36
	♪ And in his temple all cry, "Glory" ♪	11:40
	♪ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood ♪	11:46
	♪ The Lord sits enthroned as ruler forever ♪	11:51
	♪ May the Lord give strength to his people ♪	11:57
	♪ May the Lord bless his people with peace ♪	12:03
	♪ Oh, glory be to you, Creator ♪	12:10
	♪ And to Jesus Christ, our Savior ♪	12:14
	♪ And to the Holy Spirit, the Trinity ♪	12:19
	♪ As it was at time began ♪	12:26
	♪ Is now and will be forevermore ♪	12:31
-	This reading is from the book of Acts,	12:55
	the first seven verses from chapter 19:	12:58
	While Apollos was in Corinth,	13:03
	Paul passed through the interior regions	13:06
	and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.	13:09
	He said to them,	13:14
	"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"	13:17
	They replied,	13:22
	"No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."	13:24
	Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?"	13:30
	They answered, "Into John's baptism."	13:34
	Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance,	13:39
	"telling the people to believe in the one	13:46
	"who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus."	13:48
	On hearing this,	13:54
	they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.	13:56
	When Paul had laid his hands on them,	14:00
	the Holy Spirit came upon them,	14:04
	and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.	14:06
	Altogether there were about 12 of them.	14:10
	This is the word of the Lord.	14:15
Everyone	Thanks be to God.	14:17
	♪ This is the day of light ♪	14:33
	♪ Let there be light ♪	14:49
	♪ Let there be light ♪	15:05
	♪ Today ♪	15:21
	♪ This is the day of light ♪	15:48
	♪ Let there be light ♪	15:57
	♪ Let there be light ♪	16:06
	♪ Today ♪	16:16
-	This reading is from the first chapter	16:45
	of the Gospel According to St. Mark, beginning with verse 4:	16:48
	John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness,	16:56
	proclaiming a baptism of repentance	17:00
	for the forgiveness of sins.	17:02
	And people from the whole Judean countryside	17:05
	and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him,	17:09
	and were baptized by him in the river Jordan,	17:14
	confessing their sins.	17:18
	Now, John was clothed with camel's hair,	17:20
	with a leather belt around his waist,	17:25
	and he ate locusts and wild honey.	17:27
	He proclaimed,	17:32
	"The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me.	17:33
	"I am not worthy to stoop down	17:40
	"and untie the thong of his sandals.	17:42
	"I have baptized you with water,	17:46
	"but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."	17:50
	In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee	17:54
	and was baptized by John in the Jordan.	18:01
	And just as he was coming up out of the water,	18:05
	he saw the heavens torn apart,	18:09
	and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.	18:12
	And a voice came from heaven,	18:17
	"You are my son, the Beloved.	18:21
	"With you I am well pleased."	18:25
	This is the word of the Lord.	18:29
Everyone	Thanks be to God.	18:32
-	1994.	18:45
	Even though it may take a while to get the date right,	18:48
	the new year has begun.	18:52
	The beginning of a new year can be such a hopeful time,	18:55
	when the world is full of potential,	18:59
	and everything is possible.	19:01
	I really can lose 25 pounds if I start right away,	19:03
	exercise three times a week, and lower the fat in my diet,	19:07
	and if I stick to my budget,	19:12
	I really can afford the vacation that I've dreamed about.	19:13
	The new year brings new hope and resolve to meet goals,	19:18
	realize potential, and accomplish dreams.	19:23
	What was on your list this year?	19:28
	Or are you one of those people	19:31
	who stopped making resolutions	19:33
	because of last year's broken list?	19:35
	So often our new beginnings	19:39
	quickly become tainted with disappointments	19:41
	and bad habits acted out again and again.	19:44
	It can become embarrassing to tote out	19:49
	the same list of resolutions year after year,	19:52
	clinging to the hope,	19:56
	maybe this year something will be different,	19:57
	maybe this year I'll be able	20:00
	to keep the promises I make to myself.	20:01
	We all need new beginnings,	20:05
	times when the slate is wiped clean,	20:08
	and we have the chance to start anew.	20:12
	All our scripture texts today deal with new beginnings.	20:15
	In the passage from Genesis,	20:20
	we remember God's creation in the beginning,	20:23
	when the earth was formless and void, chaotic and dark.	20:26
	The Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters,	20:32
	and brought forth light and life.	20:36
	God spoke, and the world was redefined in new ways.	20:40
	The passage from Acts depicts Paul's encounter	20:46
	with disciples who were followers of John,	20:50
	lacking in a full understanding of the Christian faith.	20:53
	He baptized them in the name of Jesus Christ,	20:57
	and they received the Holy Spirit.	21:00
	They were transformed by their encounter	21:03
	with the Spirit of God,	21:05
	and given a new beginning,	21:07
	and a new identity as followers of Christ,	21:09
	who knew both the form and the power of faith.	21:13
	The Gospel of Mark tells us of Jesus' baptism by John.	21:18
	When the Spirit of God,	21:23
	descending like a dove upon him, proclaimed,	21:25
	"You are my son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.",	21:28
	in Mark's Gospel,	21:35
	this is the first declaration of who Jesus was,	21:36
	and it marked the beginning of his ministry,	21:40
	as he was led immediately by the Spirit into the desert.	21:43
	On this first Sunday after Epiphany,	21:48
	it is traditional for the Christian church	21:52
	to celebrate and remember the baptism of Christ	21:54
	and our own baptism,	21:58
	for Jesus' baptism was an epiphany,	22:00
	a defining moment when God's claim upon him was revealed.	22:04
	It was also the beginning,	22:09
	the starting point for his ministry.	22:11
	Likewise, our baptism was also a defining moment,	22:15
	when God's claim upon us was proclaimed,	22:19
	and our membership in the community of faith was begun.	22:23
	Each of these lectionary texts	22:27
	reflect upon beginnings in the faith,	22:30
	and the share in common the baptismal elements	22:33
	of water and the Spirit.	22:36
	In Genesis, the chaotic power of water is untamed	22:39
	until the Spirit of God moves over the water,	22:43
	creating a new order.	22:46
	And in Mark and Acts,	22:49
	water and the Spirit are the essential elements	22:51
	through which the baptism is enacted	22:54
	for Jesus and the disciples.	22:58
	In each of these scriptures,	23:00
	it is God who acts to bring about some new creation	23:02
	that did not exist before God created it.	23:06
	These scriptures call us at the beginning of a new year	23:10
	to remember our own baptism through water and the Spirit.	23:14
	It invites us to examine how faithful we've been	23:19
	to our call to follow Christ as baptized disciples,	23:22
	and to wonder again what new thing	23:27
	God might want to create in us and through us.	23:30
	What does it mean to be baptized Christians in 1994?	23:36
	Does it make a difference in who we are,	23:41
	and what we hope for, and how we live?	23:44
	As Christians, our baptism should be	23:48
	the single most important	23:51
	defining characteristic in our lives.	23:53
	Let me say that again.	23:56
	As Christians, our baptism	23:59
	should be the single most important	24:02
	defining characteristic in our lives.	24:04
	It isn't something peripheral	24:08
	that can get tacked onto our lives	24:10
	after taxes and vacations.	24:12
	It is central, the defining element.	24:15
	Baptism is the initiatory act	24:19
	when we are claimed by God and the community of faith	24:21
	as members of Christ in God's own beloved family.	24:25
	In our baptism, as in Christ's baptism,	24:31
	the heavens are torn open, and a voice proclaims,	24:34
	"You are my beloved, and in you I am well pleased."	24:38
	How we understand ourselves is forever changed	24:44
	by this primal identification as a beloved child of God,	24:47
	and an inheritor of God's Kingdom,	24:52
	with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.	24:54
	As baptized Christians,	24:58
	we understand ourselves to have a unique identity,	25:00
	which must come before any other identifying characteristic.	25:03
	Christian, female, Debra, 35, married,	25:08
	Caucasian, homeowner.	25:14
	Christianity is the primary identity	25:18
	which shapes and directs the other qualities of our being	25:21
	and gives meaning and coherence to the whole.	25:26
	However, as much as we are shaped	25:30
	individually by our baptism,	25:32
	baptism is never a private gift, but a communal one.	25:35
	In the sacrament of baptism found in your hymnbook,	25:40
	the opening words of the baptismal rite proclaim:	25:44
	Brothers and sisters in Christ,	25:47
	through the sacrament of baptism	25:50
	we are initiated into Christ's holy church.	25:51
	We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation,	25:55
	and given new birth through water and the Spirit.	26:00
	All this is God's gift, offered to us without price.	26:04
	In these few words are summed up so much of the meaning	26:10
	of Christian baptism in the Christian faith.	26:14
	First, through the sacrament of baptism,	26:18
	we are initiated into Christ's holy church.	26:20
	Baptism is not a private act of salvation,	26:24
	but a corporate act that brings us into the body of Christ.	26:27
	Hence, the baptismal rite begins,	26:32
	"Brothers and sisters in Christ."	26:34
	Baptism is something we are meant to share	26:37
	with Christ and with each other.	26:40
	Baptism is given to bring us into closer fellowship	26:42
	as members of one family.	26:46
	As we enter this new year,	26:49
	we must ask ourselves how faithful we have been	26:51
	to our brothers and sisters in Christ.	26:54
	Have we acted like members of one family	26:57
	who care about one another?	27:00
	The baptismal covenant goes on to charge us	27:02
	with the responsibility to nurture one another	27:05
	in the Christian faith and life,	27:08
	to so live that we surround our brothers and sisters	27:11
	in a community of love and forgiveness	27:14
	that empowers them to grow in their trust of God,	27:17
	and in their service to humanity.	27:21
	As baptized Christians,	27:24
	we are accountable for how we live in community,	27:26
	for the example we set and the care we give to one another.	27:29
	Our world is in such need of the caring communities	27:34
	that baptized Christians are called to offer.	27:37
	There are signs of the breakdown	27:41
	in our fundamental human relatedness everywhere around us.	27:43
	We live as lonely strangers surrounded by people.	27:48
	Without the sustaining support	27:52
	of family and friends and community,	27:55
	more and more people are losing their ability to cope,	27:58
	and taking out their frustration on strangers	28:02
	through acts of violence.	28:05
	We're seeing countless examples of despair	28:07
	erupting over the past year,	28:10
	on the commuter train, in the schoolyard,	28:13
	at the grocery store, in courtrooms.	28:16
	We must reach out to one another	28:20
	to bear one another's joys and sorrows	28:22
	as brothers and sisters in Christ.	28:26
	Let us remember that our baptism	28:29
	calls us first into community,	28:31
	the community of students who give time every week	28:35
	to help Duke employees improve	28:38
	their reading and writing skills,	28:40
	the community of a professor who organizes people	28:42
	who visit prisoners every weekend in the jails,	28:46
	the community of secretaries and housekeepers	28:50
	who hold and rock children with AIDS,	28:53
	the community of countless volunteers	28:56
	who provide the food and do the cooking to feed	28:58
	the countless homeless people in soup kitchens every day.	29:02
	There are so many ways to serve	29:07
	in Christ's ministry of love.	29:09
	Baptism also incorporates us	29:13
	into Gods' mighty acts of salvation.	29:16
	In other words, no one and nothing less than almighty God	29:19
	has acted to save us.	29:24
	Baptism is not a trivial, outmoded rite of the church,	29:27
	but a mighty act of recreation	29:31
	accomplished by the divine power of God.	29:34
	Our baptism, whether received as an infant or as an adult,	29:37
	reminds us that no matter how we feel,	29:42
	in God's eyes, we have been judged worthy to be saved.	29:46
	And no matter how powerless we may be,	29:51
	our God is a mighty god who acts on our behalf.	29:54
	Through baptism we're given the gift	29:59
	of new birth through water and the Spirit.	30:01
	As God's Spirit moved over the waters of chaos	30:05
	in the beginning of creation,	30:08
	in baptism, God's Spirit moves over the chaos of our lives,	30:10
	to make us into new beings,	30:15
	to bring forth new possibilities	30:17
	we haven't even begun to dream.	30:20
	In baptism, water is the symbol	30:23
	of God's ability to cleanse and renew us.	30:25
	It washes over us to remove the stain of guilt	30:29
	built up for years of broken promises and broken lists.	30:32
	It revitalizes us and quenches our deep thirst	30:37
	as we're filled with the ever-flowing life of God.	30:42
	The Spirit of God is the power of God	30:46
	to break the habits of the past.	30:49
	Whatever grip sin has had on our life,	30:52
	whatever has shown up on the broken promises list	30:55
	year after year,	30:58
	whatever things we keep hidden in shame,	31:00
	these are the things that are transformed	31:03
	by the Spirit of God in baptism.	31:06
	The Spirit is God's will and power	31:09
	to recreate us into new beings	31:12
	who look a lot more like Christ	31:15
	than we ever though possible.	31:17
	Remembering our baptism reminds us of God's power	31:20
	to refresh and renew us whenever we're dried out,	31:24
	and whenever we're far away	31:28
	from the person God calls us to be.	31:30
	Remembering our baptism reminds us	31:34
	of both the power and the form of faith.	31:37
	After being released from a Japanese	31:43
	prisoner-of-war camp in World War II,	31:45
	Leonard Wilson broadcast these remarks:	31:48
	I remember Archbishop Temple in one of his books	31:52
	writing that if you pray for any particular virtue,	31:55
	whether it be patience or courage or love,	31:59
	one of the answers that God gives	32:01
	is to give us the opportunity for exercising that virtue.	32:04
	After my first beating,	32:09
	I was almost afraid to pray for courage,	32:11
	lest I should have another opportunity for exercising it.	32:15
	But my unspoken prayer was there, and without God's help,	32:20
	I doubt whether I could've come through.	32:24
	Long hours of humiliating pain were a severe test.	32:28
	In the middle of the torture they asked me	32:33
	if I still believed in God,	32:35
	when by God's help I said, "I do."	32:38
	They asked me why God did not save me.	32:42
	By the help of the Holy Spirit I said, "God does save me.	32:46
	"He does not save me by freeing me from pain or punishment,	32:51
	"but he saves me by giving me	32:55
	"the spirit that I need to bear it."	32:57
	And when they asked me why I did not curse them,	33:00
	I told them it was because I was a follower of Jesus Christ,	33:04
	who has taught us that we are all brethren.	33:08
	Mr. Wilson went on to become Bishop of Singapore,	33:13
	then Bishop of Birmingham.	33:16
	And one Sunday, he found himself	33:19
	confirming some candidates in a church,	33:21
	and laying his hands on someone he recognized from the past.	33:23
	It was his principal torturer	33:29
	to whom he had spoken those words.	33:31
	Baptism is God's gift, freely offered to us.	33:36
	There is nothing that we can do to earn it.	33:43
	There is nothing that anyone else can do to earn it,	33:46
	or to be denied it.	33:50
	The desire to be baptized and to be like Christ	33:53
	is all that is required.	33:57
	But while baptism is God's free gift,	34:00
	it is also the most costly gift we could ever receive,	34:02
	for in being baptized with Christ,	34:06
	we also must die with Christ,	34:08
	in order that we might live with Christ.	34:12
	What does this mean to baptize Christians?	34:15
	It means that we never live for self alone,	34:18
	that we live with the awareness	34:22
	that Christ lives in us as we live in Christ.	34:24
	It means that whatever we do, wherever we go,	34:28
	we are part of the mission and the work for Jesus Christ.	34:31
	Everything we do has greater meaning and greater possibility	34:35
	because we are part of Christ's ministry	34:40
	of love and service.	34:43
	It also means that whatever we do and wherever we go,	34:46
	Christ is with us.	34:51
	We are empowered to live as followers of Christ	34:53
	by the same Holy Spirit who accomplishes our baptism.	34:57
	It means that we need never be enslaved	35:01
	to the power of habits,	35:04
	or to the limits of our own willpower,	35:06
	to accomplish dreams and goals.	35:09
	When we remember our baptism,	35:14
	our goals and dreams get redefined,	35:17
	but we also get empowered to walk in the way of Christ.	35:21
	As baptized Christians,	35:27
	we can face 1994 and whatever the future may hold	35:29
	with hope and the power of faith,	35:34
	knowing that we are members together	35:39
	of the one body of Christ.	35:41
	Let us rejoice and give thanks for our baptism.	35:44
	(reverential organ music)	35:55
	♪ When Jesus came to Jordan ♪	36:41
	♪ To be baptized by John ♪	36:46
	♪ He did not come for pardon ♪	36:52
	♪ But as his Father's Son ♪	36:57
	♪ He came to share repentance ♪	37:03
	♪ With all who mourn their sins ♪	37:08
	♪ To speak the vital sentence ♪	37:14
	♪ With which good news begins ♪	37:19
	♪ He came to share temptation ♪	37:26
	♪ Our utmost woe and loss ♪	37:32
	♪ For us and our salvation ♪	37:38
	♪ To die upon the cross ♪	37:43
	♪ So when the Dove descended ♪	37:49
	♪ On him, the Son of Man ♪	37:54
	♪ The hidden years had ended ♪	38:00
	♪ The age of grace began ♪	38:05
	♪ Come, Holy Spirit, aid us ♪	38:13
	♪ To keep the vows we make ♪	38:18
	♪ This very day invade us ♪	38:24
	♪ And every bondage break ♪	38:29
	♪ Come, give our lives direction ♪	38:35
	♪ The gift we covet most ♪	38:41
	♪ To share the resurrection ♪	38:47
	♪ That leads to Pentecost ♪	38:52
-	The Lord be with you.	39:03
Congregation	And also with you.	39:05
-	Let us pray.	39:06
	From the beginning, eternal God,	39:21
	your Spirit has moved over the face of the waters	39:24
	to create order out of chaos.	39:26
	You breathed into us the breathe of life,	39:30
	and called us by name to be your people.	39:33
	As women and men of different races,	39:37
	traditions, cultures, and experiences,	39:40
	we come together in response to your call	39:44
	to form one body to the glory of Christ on earth.	39:47
	Help us as we stand in the life-giving waters of our baptism	39:52
	to embrace fully the new creation	39:56
	which you have called us to be.	39:59
	Oh, God, who art the hope of the ends of the earth,	40:03
	hear us while we pray.	40:06
	Let us pray for all who are striving	40:09
	to follow in the steps of Christ,	40:11
	and for those who are longing for the gift of faith.	40:14
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:19
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	40:21
-	Let us pray for the church,	40:24
	that we may be directed in the ways of unity,	40:26
	of service, and of praise.	40:30
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:34
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	40:36
-	Let us pray for prisoners and captives,	40:39
	and for all who live within war-torn countries.	40:42
	Lord, in your mercy.	40:47
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	40:49
-	Let us pray for all those charged	40:51
	with the responsibilities of governance.	40:53
	Grant them the wisdom to forge new paths	40:56
	to peace and reconciliation among the world's peoples.	40:59
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:05
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	41:06
-	Let us pray for those whose work	41:09
	is exhausting and unrewarding,	41:11
	for those who can find no work,	41:14
	and for those who decide who will work and who will not.	41:17
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:22
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	41:24
-	Let us pray for the sick and the infirm,	41:26
	for all who are growing weary with the journey of life,	41:30
	and for all who walk with them.	41:34
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:37
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	41:39
-	Let us pray for all who are blinded by anxiety	41:43
	and self doubt at the beginning of a new semester.	41:45
	Grant them the ability to discern	41:49
	your loving guidance in their lives.	41:51
	Lord, in your mercy.	41:55
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	41:56
-	Let us pray for those who suffer	41:59
	most acutely from the cold	42:01
	due to a lack of heat or adequate shelter.	42:04
	Teach us the ways to truly care for those in distress.	42:07
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:13
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	42:15
-	Let us pray for children whose surroundings	42:18
	are filled with violence and destruction.	42:20
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:25
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	42:27
-	Let us pray for artists and musicians,	42:30
	for researchers and scholars.	42:33
	May their works serve the wellbeing	42:36
	of all humankind to the glory of God.	42:37
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:43
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	42:43
-	Let us pray for all hurt or oppress us.	42:46
	Forgive us for the times when we have hurt others.	42:50
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:55
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	42:57
-	Let us pray for the unspoken needs of this congregation,	43:00
	and for all who are forgotten by us,	43:03
	but are dear to you.	43:06
	Lord, in your mercy.	43:10
Everyone	Hear our prayer.	43:11
-	Oh, morning star,	43:15
	who beamest life and light into our world,	43:16
	help us to reclaim our baptism,	43:20
	that you may say to us,	43:21
	"This is my beloved daughter, this my beloved son.	43:24
	"With them I am well pleased."	43:27
	Make your voice plain as you enable us	43:31
	to discern your will for our lives,	43:33
	and not simply our own.	43:36
	Grant us your strength, and bless us with your peace.	43:38
	In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.	43:44
	As a forgiven and reconciled people,	43:50
	refreshed by the cleansing waters of our baptism,	43:52
	let us offer our gifts and ourselves unto God.	43:55
	(reverential organ music)	43:59
	♪ Father God ♪	44:50
	♪ Grant to us ♪	44:57
	♪ The Holy Spirit ♪	45:03
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	45:25
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	45:34
	♪ Father God ♪	46:06
	♪ Grant to us ♪	46:13
	♪ The Holy Spirit ♪	46:19
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	46:40
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	46:48
	♪ Come ♪	47:19
	♪ Come, all good people ♪	47:23
	♪ And praise the Lord ♪	47:30
	♪ With gladness ♪	47:41
	♪ Come, good people, praise the Lord ♪	47:47
	♪ Come, good people ♪	47:51
	♪ Praise the Lord ♪	47:53
	♪ With gladness ♪
	♪ Come, good people, praise the Lord ♪	47:57
	♪ Come, good people, praise the Lord ♪	48:02
	♪ With gladness ♪	48:09
	♪ With gladness ♪	48:13
	♪ Oh, Lord, shine ♪	48:21
	♪ In the dark, Lord ♪	48:26
	♪ Shine forth ♪	48:34
	♪ Oh, shine forth, Lord ♪	48:37
	♪ To darkness ♪	48:47
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	48:59
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:03
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:08
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:14
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:21
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	49:30
	♪ Father God ♪	49:54
	♪ Grant to us ♪	49:59
	♪ Grant the Holy Spirit ♪	50:03
	♪ Come ♪	50:31
	♪ Come, all good people ♪	50:35
	♪ And praise the Lord ♪	50:45
	♪ With gladness ♪	50:53
	♪ Father God ♪	51:04
	♪ Grant us peace, oh, Lord ♪	51:11
	♪ Shine forth, oh, shine ♪	51:22
	♪ To all men ♪	51:33
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	51:53
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	52:02
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	52:17
	(reverential organ music)	52:41
	♪ Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ♪	53:40
	♪ Praise God, all creatures here below ♪	53:47
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	53:53
	♪ Praise God above, ye heavenly host ♪	54:01
	♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪	54:07
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	54:13
	♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪	54:20
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	54:27
-	Gracious God, we have followed the star	54:40
	which revealed a sign to all the world.	54:43
	Having heard the good news of Christ's reign among us,	54:46
	we offer these gifts in the spirit of those who long ago	54:50
	presented precious gifts to the infant king,	54:54
	singing with gladness, "Allelujah, allelujah."	54:57
	Lead us, who know you now by faith,	55:01
	to your eternal presence,	55:05
	where we may see your glory face to face.	55:06
	This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ,	55:09
	who taught us boldly to pray.	55:12
Everyone	Our Father who art in heaven,	55:14
	hallowed be thy name.	55:16
	Thy kingdom come.	55:18
	Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.	55:20
	Give us this day our daily bread,	55:24
	and forgive us our trespasses,	55:26
	as we forgive those who trespass against us,	55:28
	and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.	55:32
	For thine is the kingdom, the power,	55:36
	and the glory, for ever, amen.	55:39
	(reverential organ music)	55:44
	♪ Break forth, oh, beauteous heavenly light ♪	56:50
	♪ And usher in the morning ♪	56:58
	♪ Oh, shepherds, shrink not with affright ♪	57:06
	♪ But hear the angel's warning ♪	57:14
	♪ This child, now weak in infancy ♪	57:22
	♪ Our confidence and joy shall be ♪	57:30
	♪ The power of Satan breaking ♪	57:39
	♪ Our peace eternal making ♪	57:47
	♪ This night of wonder, night of joy ♪	57:57
	♪ Was born the Christ, our brother ♪	58:06
	♪ He comes, not mighty to destroy ♪	58:14
	♪ To bid us love each other ♪	58:22
	♪ How could he quit his kingly state ♪	58:32
	♪ For such a world of greed and hate ♪	58:40
	♪ What deep humiliation ♪	58:48
	♪ Secured the world's salvation ♪	58:56
	♪ Come, dearest child, into our hearts ♪	59:07
	♪ And leave your crib behind you ♪	59:15
	♪ Let this be where the new life starts ♪	59:24
	♪ For all who seek and find you ♪	59:32
	♪ To you the honor, thanks, and praise ♪	59:41
	♪ For all your gifts this time of grace ♪	59:49
	♪ Come, conquer and deliver ♪	59:58
	♪ This world, and us, forever ♪	1:00:06

Item Info

Title:

Debra K. Brazzel - Sermon Untitled (January 9, 1994)

Description:

Sermon start time: 18:45. Sermon end time: 35:49.
The preacher emphasizes the importance of baptism for Christians and encourages listeners to put God at the center of their lives. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: As Christians, our baptism should be the single most important defining characteristic in our lives. It isn’t something peripheral that can get tacked onto our lives…Baptism is the initiatory act when we are claimed by God and our community of faith as members of Christ in God’s own beloved family.

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r47659w8f

Date:

January 9, 1994

Speaker:

Brazzel, Debra K.

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 VHS-0352
ref9357_7bi
uachapelsermaud
duke:321419
dcrmv001337
ark:/87924/r47659w8f
221b7e3d-84a0-42d8-a9c1-527d9ab82338

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

Source Collection:

Duke University Chapel recordings

Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

Format:

Provenance:

The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

Rights:

Limited Re-Use

CC BY-NC 4.0

Rights Note:

This recording may contain 3rd party materials, such as music or readings that are therefore not covered by the Creative Commons license indicated here. For more information see https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/citations-and-permissions.

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