God's Beloved

Epiphany 1A; Isa 42:1-9; Matt 3:13-17; St. Paul’s 1/12/2020

Jim Melnyk: “God's Beloved”

          Just barely a month ago we came across Luke’s version of John the Baptist standing waist-deep in the Jordan River crying out, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” And now, just a few weeks later, we find ourselves immersed in Matthew’s meeting between the fiery Baptist and his cousin Jesus.

            I’m thinking Jesus is the last person John expects to wade out into the waters of the Jordan to be baptized – and the reality of Jesus’ presence seems to bank the raging fire within the Baptist’s heart – it takes the wind out of his sails – it’s just not what cousin John ever expected to have happen. “I need to be baptized by you,” he tells Jesus. “And yet here you are, standing before me.” I don’t understand. “Don’t worry John,” Jesus tells him. “It will all work out – this is a necessary step for me.” Perhaps it is an important act upon the part of Jesus signaling his willingness to completely empty himself before God and embrace the frailty of his human flesh. We cannot know for sure on this side of eternity.

            Jesus coming to the shores of the Jordan River is steeped in the mysticism of his Jewish faith – and his actions invite us into his experience of the Holy. The Jordan River is a meaningful place. It was the final barrier for Joshua and the Israelites fleeing Pharaoh and finding a new home.[1] The prophets Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan on dry ground.[2] Elisha healed Naaman’s leprosy by having the Aramean commander bath in the river seven times.[3] The Jordan is where John the Baptist chooses to carry out his ministry and where Jesus flees for a while later in his ministry when his enemies seek to capture him.[4]

And it’s at the Jordan River where Jesus and those around him hear the voice of God proclaim, “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” “You are my beloved!” That’s the promise the Gospel – or Good News – of Jesus Christ makes known to us. It is the quiet chant that lies just below the deepest level of our consciousness at times – the mysterious whisper that is the Breath of God speaking to our hearts – speaking to each of us as children of God. “You are my beloved

When we follow Jesus down to the river’s edge to enter the sacred waters of Holy Baptism we claim the name of Christ – we claim our birthright as God’s children before the whole people of God gathered in this place. And though we are not celebrating the sacrament of Holy Baptism this day – it is the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord – and we recall on this day our own baptisms – we celebrate our own belovedness today.

All who enter the waters of Holy Baptism are called to make the hard confession that all too often we live lives lukewarm in our love for God – with sand-dry prayers, banked-fire hearts, and complacency toward the status quo. Each of us renewing our Baptismal Covenant this morning are challenged – are called – to make the same confession as well. It’s so easy to find ourselves caught up by the siren song of a world that would call us away from the Good News of God in Christ – that would tell us to be patient with the world’s injustices – to watch out for ourselves and let others fend for themselves – to believe the world should not, or cannot change – that power and control are our birthrights as human beings born to privilege and plenty.

There’s enough of an attitude of privilege going around in the world these days – we don’t need to add to that mindset. Rather we need to transform a world that favors power for a few and mediocrity and apathy for the rest – all couched in terms of angry rhetoric that feeds a passion for hatred and violence.

Baptism celebrates the gift of Emmanuel – the gift of God With Us – in a particular and somewhat mind-boggling way. But baptism is much more than the celebration of God With Us. It is the celebration of God with us, AND IN US! Baptism is the beginning of life in Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelled among us”…and the Word that became flesh now dwells within us – dwells within you!

Considering the mystery that is baptism I am reminded of the words of theologian Richard Rohr: “We are not so much human beings trying to become spiritual. We’re already inherently spiritual beings and our job is learning how to be good humans!” Rohr continues, “that’s why Jesus came as a human being: not to teach us how to go to heaven, but to teach us how to be a fully alive human being here on this earth.”[5] Our baptisms call us to seek and serve Christ in one another because the Spirit of God recognizes itself within the heart and soul of those we choose to call “the other.” The Spirit of God recognizes itself within the heart and soul of “the other” because in Jesus, God knows what it is like to be outside the circle of power – to be outside the circle privilege – to be outside the circle of acceptance – to be, in reality, “the other.”

Jesus not only knew, but ended up living the words of the prophet Isaiah, first, and still meant for the nation Israel, whose calling has always been and is still today to be a light to the nations, God's own beloved people: “Here is my servant…my chosen, in whom my soul delights…. I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from prison those who sit in darkness…. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare!”[6]

God’s hope and promise for us is to be a light to the nations – to be the Good News proclaimed by both Isaiah and Jesus – to live as beloved children of God, and to welcome all into God’s loving and saving embrace.

As baptized followers of Christ we have the possibility to grow into a new reality of hope and promise – into our own belovedness – if we give ourselves the freedom to do so. Recalling the prayer we ask for all who enter the waters of Holy Baptism, will we allow ourselves to embrace the “inquiring and discerning hearts” God promises us? Can we claim, and then live out, “the courage to will and to persevere?” Will we long for and accept “a spirit to know and to love [God with all our heart?]”[7]

During the season of Advent I suggested some homework – asking ourselves at the end of each day, “How have I lived into my baptismal covenant today?”I wonder how mindful we’ve each been of our baptismal covenants since I first asked that question. I’ll admit to dropping the ball more than a few times. But asking ourselves that question is a practice that should be a part of our lives every day of every week – of every month and every year. But this week I’d like us all to add one additional action each day. 
Take some time this week to just look into a mirror for a moment or two each day. Not to brush your teeth or wash your face (although those things are important) – but to just look with love at the image staring back at you. You will be looking at one of God’s beloved in the mirror. Will you do that? Just a couple of moments each day – and hear God saying to you, “You are my beloved.” And then I invite us each into a daily, day-long exercise of living as one of God’s beloved – and honoring that belovedness in everyone we meet.

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[1] Joshua 3:15-17

[2] 2 Kings 2:8; 2:14

[3] 2 Kings 5:14

[4] John 10:39

[5] Richard Rohr, quoted in Synthesis Today

[6] Isaiah 42:1a, 6-7, 9

[7] BCP, 308