{"id":10814,"date":"2026-01-08T08:20:50","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T14:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=10814"},"modified":"2026-01-07T20:50:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T02:50:21","slug":"january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things\/","title":{"rendered":"January 11, 2026 &#8211; Preparing the Way for New Things"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><b>Prepare<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This week\u2019s Gospel reading is brief and familiar, so looking back at Matthew\u2019s opening chapters helps us see the context for Jesus\u2019 baptism and the figures who prepared the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Matthew begins with a genealogy, reminding us that Jesus\u2019 story is rooted in humble beginnings. Then we meet Joseph, who responds to angelic messages with courage\u2014adopting Jesus, honoring his vow to Mary, and protecting the Holy Family from Herod\u2019s wrath. Next comes the Magi, who defy Herod\u2019s orders through civil disobedience, ensuring Jesus remains safe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, some years later, John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, preaching repentance and baptizing in the Jordan. Crowds gather\u2014Jews and Gentiles alike\u2014as John calls out injustice among both the royal family and religious leaders. Like the prophets before him, John points beyond himself to the One who is greater, preparing hearts for Christ\u2019s arrival.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As many worshipping communities affirm baptismal promises on this Baptism of the Lord Sunday, these chapters remind us that even Jesus entered the waters with guidance and support. From the start, Matthew shows that discipleship is communal\u2014woven through family, neighbors, and prophetic voices. Jesus\u2019 life bears witness to this truth: we walk the journey of faith together, grounded in God\u2019s promises and strengthened by one another.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Opening Exercise<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Did you make a resolution this year? Maybe your resolution matches one of these <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/today.yougov.com\/society\/articles\/53789-americans-new-years-resolutions-2026-poll.\"><b>most popular resolutions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from a recent YouGov.com US poll.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What immediate thoughts do you have about this list?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How many of these most popular resolutions are personal or internally focused?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How many are community-based or externally focused?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What do you believe these resolutions say about our society or culture?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>Texts to Read Aloud<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?passage=Isaiah+42:1-9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isaiah 42:1-9<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?passage=Matthew+3:13-17\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Matthew 3:13-17<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h4><b>Preparing the Way for New Things<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A power couple in the ancient Roman pantheon, deities Janus and Jana were guardians of beginnings, transitions, and<\/span><\/p>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_10815\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10815\" class=\"wp-image-10815 size-medium\" title=\"JESUS MAFA. John baptizes Jesus, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https:\/\/diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu\/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48290 [retrieved January 7, 2026]. Original source: http:\/\/www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https:\/\/www.librairie-emmanuel.fr\/contact).\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021-250x165.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021-529x350.jpg 529w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10815\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John baptizes Jesus*<\/p><\/div><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">doorways. They were often depicted with two faces\u2014one older, looking backward, and the other younger, looking forward\u2014symbolizing reflection on the past and anticipation of the future. This duality makes them central to the New Year, as January\u2014the first month\u2014is named after Janus. Since before Jesus\u2019 time, people have embodied this double gaze at the start of a new year: looking back with wisdom and forward with hope. That perspective helps us read today\u2019s Gospel, where something new happens at the Jordan River.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Matthew\u2019s brief account of Jesus\u2019 baptism is a hinge moment. Jesus arrives from Galilee; John hesitates. Jesus insists. The waters receive him. The Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares, \u201cThis is my Son, the beloved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why does Jesus insist on baptism? He does not need repentance like the others John baptized. Yet, Jesus chooses solidarity\u2014stepping into our story to launch God\u2019s new creation. As at Christmas, this is another incarnation moment. \u201cTo fulfill all righteousness\u201d is not a checkbox; it\u2019s a covenantal act\u2014God joining humanity and opening a path forward. The Spirit\u2019s descent and God\u2019s voice make this a communal blessing: God\u2019s life poured out for the world in a very public way for the first time in Matthew\u2019s Gospel. This is not just an origin story for Jesus\u2019 public ministry\u2014it\u2019s a sacramental reveal of God\u2019s way in the world: relational, embodied, transformative.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standing beside Jesus in the water is John\u2014a trending wilderness prophet dressed in camel\u2019s hair, eating locusts, and calling out the injustices perpetrated by kings and religious elites. John is popular\u2014very popular. Crowds flock to him: Roman soldiers, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor. He calls people back to covenant faithfulness, modeling a kind of fiery devotion to God and neighbor that is not dressed in fancy robes or crowns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">John could have refused to baptize Jesus because this was a new and different kind of baptism. He could have grown jealous or seen Jesus as a threat. He could have capitalized on or even monetized his wilderness fame. Instead, he uses his influence to spotlight Jesus. His viral quote: \u201cHe must increase, but I must decrease\u201d (John 3:30). Instead of trying to gain more followers, John freely chooses to point many away from himself and loose his flock to Jesus\u2019 care. That\u2019s not just humility\u2014it\u2019s a countercultural resolution in a world obsessed with riches, followers, and fame. If John had a New Year\u2019s resolution, it might read: \u201cLess me, more Messiah.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So what does this mean for our double gaze this January\u2014looking back with wisdom and forward with hope? This new year and this holy day give us a chance to revisit our baptismal identity. It\u2019s an opportunity to reaffirm our baptism daily and to let the promises made at baptism define this new year. It\u2019s an invitation to posture ourselves like John in practicing prophetic hospitality\u2014using your influence to point to Jesus in tangible ways for the good of creation or aligning more fully to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elca.org\/our-work\/publicly-engaged-church\/advocacy\"><b>what the Church is already doing,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> bringing justice to broken systems and communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, may we stay open to the new things God may be doing in our life together, even if it causes a moment of hesitation, as we look to Jesus daily and follow after his ways in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Reflection Questions<\/b><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What all happens at Jesus\u2019 baptism in Matthew 3:13\u201317?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why does John the Baptist hesitate to baptize him?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How does baptism reflect both remembrance and new beginning?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">John uses his influence to point others to Jesus instead of building his own fame. This year, what is one concrete way you could \u201cdecrease\u201d and point others to Jesus\u2014one action you can commit to for the next month (examples: a weekly act of service, a social-media habit, inviting a friend to church or youth group, joining a justice project)?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><b>Closing Activity<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask each person to choose one promise from the Baptismal covenant (\u201cAffirmation by the Assembly,\u201d Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 237), or to create a new year\u2019s resolution based upon one of these promises. Write it down or discuss ways that the group might make these resolutions come alive and really stick in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Closing Blessing or Prayer<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Consider closing with a Remembrance of Baptism. Prepare a bowl of water and use the words from the Thanksgiving for Baptism in Setting One (ELW, p. 97) or a similar liturgy. After speaking the liturgy, make the sign of the cross on each person\u2019s hand or forehead with water, encouraging them to remember their baptism. Use chosen names to honor each person as they present themselves today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a Remembrance of Baptism is not possible or is already part of your worship, consider another closing. Psalms are not just ancient poetry\u2014they are prayers. <a href=\"https:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?passage=Psalm+29\">Psalm 29<\/a> offers a powerful reminder that, despite the turmoil in our world and nation, God reigns above all. God does not condone evil but calls us to honor God\u2019s will and partner with our Creator in bringing wholeness to a broken world. Close by reading Psalm 29 together as a prayer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Biography<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aaron Shoppa serves as the Program Director for Youth Ministry with the ELCA. His greatest joy in this vocation is connecting with other youth leaders across the nation and deeply listening and engaging with their hopes and concerns as they live out this important ministry. While not at work, Aaron keeps busy chasing three young kids around the house and attending to his millennial midlife-crisis by planting way too large of a vegetable garden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h6>* JESUS MAFA. John baptizes Jesus, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https:\/\/diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu\/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48290 [retrieved January 7, 2026]. Original source: http:\/\/www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https:\/\/www.librairie-emmanuel.fr\/contact).<\/h6>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-10727\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-300x162.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-1536x827.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-250x135.png 250w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt-650x350.png 650w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/09\/FaithLens_logoalt.png 1950w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prepare This week\u2019s Gospel reading is brief and familiar, so looking back at Matthew\u2019s opening chapters helps us see the context for Jesus\u2019 baptism and the figures who prepared the way. Matthew begins with a genealogy, reminding us that Jesus\u2019 story is rooted in humble beginnings. Then we meet Joseph, who responds to angelic messages [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":310,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[190,16717,16718,467,16716,486],"class_list":["post-10814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post","tag-baptism","tag-baptism-of-our-lord","tag-elca-advocacy","tag-john-the-baptist","tag-matthew-313-17","tag-resolutions"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>January 11, 2026 - Preparing the Way for New Things - Faith Lens<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore the meaning of Jesus\u2019 baptism in Matthew 3 and how it shapes discipleship, baptismal identity, and new beginnings on Baptism of the Lord Sunday.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"January 11, 2026 - Preparing the Way for New Things - Faith Lens\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore the meaning of Jesus\u2019 baptism in Matthew 3 and how it shapes discipleship, baptismal identity, and new beginnings on Baptism of the Lord Sunday.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Faith Lens\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-08T14:20:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Mafa021.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"700\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"463\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"pastorcogan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"pastorcogan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.elca.org\\\/faithlens\\\/january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.elca.org\\\/faithlens\\\/january-11-2026-preparing-the-way-for-new-things\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"pastorcogan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.elca.org\\\/faithlens\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9dcc3c02c079750230320b7b3965472e\"},\"headline\":\"January 11, 2026 &#8211; 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