Baptism of our Lord
January 10, 2010
Behold, the Beloved
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
What Does God See in Jesus?
Back in seminary I had a prof named Bob Bertram who loved to teach by asking questions. You can discover many wonderful gospel “good news” things, Bob said, if only you ask the right questions.
And so, we come to a day like today—the Baptism of our Lord—and Bob would sit down before the class and ask a question like this: “What does God see in Jesus? Not just what do we see in him? Or even: What do we see of God in him? That is not the question—at least, not yet. But first this: What does God see in Jesus?”
And after we students stumbled around a little bit with wild stabs and guesses, then Bob would go on to answer his own question.
The thing about Jesus which made such a difference to God. The thing that made the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descend upon him like a dove. The thing about Jesus which made God burst all his buttons with pride and say like a proud dad, “You my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”
The thing about Jesus which made a difference to God is that it was “we sinners” made a difference to Jesus. Jesus loved us. Sinners mattered to him. Jesus did not write sinners off. We were his…his “beloved ones.”
And anyone who meant so much to Jesus as we sinners did, Jesus was entitled and authorized by God himself to bring home with him to his Father’s house, his Father’s home, his Father’s party.
This is what made God look Jesus in the eye and say, “Aha! I see myself in him. He is a chip off the old block. He is my Son, the Beloved One.”
It is the same glimmer that I see in the eye of almost every dad in this parish as they look at their own kids and they see a bit of their own self in them. And with pride they say, “This is my beloved one. My beloved son or daughter. He or she reminds me of me.”
Puzzle: Why Did Jesus Undergo a Baptism of Repentance?
It is something of a puzzle, isn’t it? Why should Jesus come to John the Baptist and under go “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”? Why? Why? Why?
Jesus was the sinless, faithful, obedient Son of God. Why in the world should Jesus come to John the Baptist to be baptized by him?
It should really be the other way around, shouldn’t it? John should be baptized by him. Wasn’t Jesus the stronger one? Wasn’t Jesus the one who was more powerful than John…the one who would baptize not just with water, but also with the Holy Spirit and with fire?”
And even John the Baptist caught the horror of it. And he tried to prevent this “anomaly” from happening. “Do you come to me?” John said, “I need to be baptized by you.”
But Jesus insisted that this was the way to fulfill all righteousness. This was the way to complete the promise made to Abraham: that through Israel would come “a kid,” in fact, a whole bunch of kids who would be a blessing to all the world.
Jesus Steps into Our Stead
And there you have it. Jesus steps into our place. Jesus steps into our stead. Jesus undergoes a baptism. A dying and a rising that was meant for us. And Jesus did it, not because he had to, but because he chose to.
Call it grace. Call it mercy. Call it love. Call it a foolish stupidity that only a love-struck sucker could understand. Call it anything you want.
But this…this is what made God look Jesus in the eye and say, “Aha! This is my kid. This is my son. My grown-up son. Who looks like me. And acts like me. And loves like me. This is my Beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.
And We Become Boots on the Ground
And when we are baptized with Christ and cling to him in trusting faith that title spills over past Jesus and on to us as well. The heavens again open. And the Holy Spirit descends on us in bodily form. And the very voice of God says to us: “You are my beloved one! You are my beloved sons and daughters. With you I am well pleased.”
We become God’s demonstration people. We become what the children of Abraham were always meant to be—boots on the ground. Faith and faithful ones active in love. The ones through whom God works to bring a great blessing to the world. God’s work. Our hands.
God’s Work. Our Hands
Today we install another church council for the coming year. These are the ones who lead us in this mission and this ministry—to be the baptized, to be God’s beloved ones, to be the ones who bring blessing to the world. To be the ones who love others the way that God has loved us. Love begetting love. “Lead,” I say. “Lead.” It is not their job to do all the work alone.
And so, in just a few moments we will say to them: “You are to see that the words and deeds of this household of faith reflect him in whose name we gather.”
And we will say to them, “You are to work together with other members of this assembly to see that the worship and work of Christ are done in this congregation, and that God’s will is done in this community and in the whole world.”
“Are you ready to accept and faithfully carry out these duties?” we will say to them. “Yes,” they will say, “Yes, by the help of God.”
And then we will say to you, “Will you follow their lead and share in this mutual ministry that Christ has given to all you who are baptized?” And you will say, “Yes, by the help of God.” At least, I hope you will. I hope that you will say it. And I hope that you will mean it.
God Bursting With Pride
And if you listen carefully at that moment—at that very moment—you may even hear the heavens open and God burst with pride and say: “Yes, yes, these are my beloved sons and daughters with you I am well pleased.”
The thing about Jesus that made such a difference to God was that it was “we sinners” who mattered so much to Jesus. We were his. We were his “beloved ones.”
And anyone who meant so much to Jesus as we sinners did, Jesus was entitled and authorized by God himself to bring home with him to his Father’s house, his Father’s home, his Father’s party.
And where the party begins is here. With his baptism and with his mission and his ministry.
This is what makes God’s buttons burst with pride and makes him say of us as well, “You are my beloved sons and daughters. With you I am well pleased.”
© 2010 Pastor Paul Jaster