Listen up, descendants of Jacob,
this is what the LORD says to you:

“I am the one who created you,
and formed you into a nation.
Don’t be afraid of anything,
because I have put things right for you;
I have singled you out by name,
you are safe in my possession.

I will stick with you when you cross through the waters,
when you ford swollen rivers,
I’ll get you safely to the other side.
When you walk through fire you won’t be burned,
flames might surround you,
but you’ll come out unscathed.

You can depend on this, because I am the LORD who saves you,
the Holy One, the God of your land.
If need be, I would surrender territory to bail you out.
I would hand over whole continents in exchange for you.

I love you and cherish you,
you are my most treasured possession.
If anyone forces me to choose between you and them,
I’ll turn my back on them to rescue you.

Do not be afraid, my people, because I’m sticking with you.
Even if you get scattered all over the world,
I’ll reunite you from every corner of the globe.
North, south, east and west,
I’ll leave no stone unturned until I find you all,
until every one of you, my cherished children,
is free to come home from wherever you’ve ended up.

I’ve marked you out as my chosen ones,
I’ve written my name on you.
I created each and every one of you
and you have done me proud,
you have brought honour and glory to me.”

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

LORD God, like your angels in heaven
we speak of you in glowing terms,
for your glory and strength deserve rave reviews.
We give you a huge rap, LORD;
we put up you name in lights
and hold a huge ticker tape parade
but it still falls short of the worship you deserve.

Your voice, LORD, rings out like thunder;
resounding over the waters,
drowning out even the waves of the sea.
Your voice echoes with power;
it would bring anyone to their knees.

Your voice, LORD, shatters the Ironbark tree,
and splinters the Mountain Ash like match sticks.
Your presence makes Mount Bogong jump like a calf;
Uluru like a rock wallaby.

Your voice, LORD, strikes fire from stone.
The sound of your voice convulses the wilderness;
the Simpson Desert shudders in labour.

Your voice, LORD, is like a cyclone,
howling through a rainforest,
stripping the leaves from the trees.

We all gather to worship and cheer with all our might;
for you rule forever, LORD,
and neither surging flood
nor tidal wave can undermine you.
Give strength to your people, LORD!
Bless your people with peace!

©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Philip had been preaching in Samaria and many people there embraced God’s message. The news got back to Jerusalem and the apostles sent Peter and John off to meet with the new believers. When they got there, they found that although the people had been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given to them. So Peter and John placed their hands on them and prayed for them and, sure enough, they all received God’s Holy Spirit.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

The activities of John the Baptiser struck a chord with the deep yearning for a national saviour, and people began to speculate that perhaps John might be the one who God had chosen. John was quick to hose down such ideas, saying, “I’m only baptising you with water. The One who is coming is way out of my league – the chance to polish his boots would be more than I could aspire to. When he gets started, it won’t be just water that he’ll be plunging you into. He’ll baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He’s ready to start with his flame thrower in hand. He’ll release an uncontrollable fire into the dry bushland of your lives, completely incinerating the rubbish and germinating the good seeds that lie in wait for that day.”

Now among all the people coming to be baptised, Jesus himself came and was baptised. As he was praying the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit came down bodily, like a diving kookaburra, and took hold of him. And a voice filled the air, saying, “You are my Son; the love of my life. You fill me with pride.”

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for in our union with Christ, you baptise us in grace
and declare us to be the children who please you.

When your voice first thundered over the waters,
you created the earth and all who live in it.
You called a people by name to be your own,
and you led them by fire, through the waters,
to the promised land of freedom.

You sent your beloved child, Jesus, among us.
Baptised by your servant, John,
he embodied your love
and fulfilled your desire to redeem your children
from all the earth.
Baptised again in the fearful waters of death,
he tore open the heavens
so that all might be baptised with your Holy Spirit
and pass safely through water and fire
into the glory you have prepared
for those with whom you are well pleased.

Therefore with .....

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ,
who comes to redeem your children from all the earth.
Baptised in the fearful waters of death,
he brings us safely through water and fire
into the glory you have prepared for your beloved children.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for in our union with Christ, you baptise us in grace
and declare us to be the children who please you.

When your voice first thundered over the waters,
you created the earth and all who live in it.
You called a people by name to be your own,
and you led them by fire, through the waters,
to the promised land of freedom.

You sent your beloved child, Jesus, among us.
Baptised by your servant, John,
he embodied your love
and fulfilled your desire to redeem your children
from all the earth.
Baptised again in the fearful waters of death,
he tore open the heavens
so that all might be baptised with your Holy Spirit
and pass safely through water and fire
into the glory you have prepared
for those with whom you are well pleased.

Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Do not fear, for Christ has redeemed you.
Baptised in the deep waters of death
he has washed away your sins
in the depths of God’s mercy.

Sisters and Brothers,
  your sins are forgiven;
    be at peace.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Go now, confident that you are God’s  precious and pleasing children.
Trust in God and do not fear.
Accept the Word of God
and point others to the one who baptises with Spirit and fire.

And may God be your protection and your strength;
May Christ baptise you with his Holy Spirit.
And may the Spirit be with you
to empower you and give you peace.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
   In the name of Christ. Amen.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net