Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, January 13, 2019
Six weeks ago, George W. Bush was told that his father only had a few minutes to live. So he called his father, George H.W. Bush. The person who answered the phone said, “I think he can hear you. But he has not spoken for most of the day.” Without expecting to hear anything in return, he told his father, “I love you and you have been a wonderful father.” His father said his last words, “I love you too.” It was beautiful to hear the 43rd president tell this story at his father's funeral, to hear him choke on his emotions, and see his eyes well up with tears. It reminds us that even those who occupy the highest offices are human. They too are daughters and sons who need to know that they are seen, heard, and loved. That is what happens at Jesus’ baptism. The heavens open up. The Father does something he rarely does. He speaks. And it is not even clear that anyone besides Jesus can hear. He says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” This is the Father saying to the Son “I love you.”
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| "Baptism of Christ" fresco by Giotto di Bondone (c. 1305) |
The great commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as we would have someone love us. God is love. To be in a loving relationship with our Creator and those around us is our life’s purpose. Gary Chapman describes five ways of saying “I love you”—what he calls five love languages. We love through words of affirmation, physical touch, giving/receiving gifts, quality time, and acts of service. Some favor one way more than another. Some people never hear those words, “I love you.” “I’m proud of you.” Some were never hugged or held. Some did not receive many gifts or not any at all. Some did not have the attention of their parents. They never played with them. They did not show up at their athletic events or performances. They had to fend for ourselves. Some never heard the words “I love you” but their dad or their mom always showed up to support them and cheer them on. Maybe they did not receive many material things but they were showered with words of affirmation and affection.
What the Baptism of our Lord shows us is the very human need for us to know we are loved and cherished. In Christ’s baptism, God the Father expresses his love for God the Son. “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” All of us need unconditional love. We need to hear that we are enough. We are lovable. We are special. We are acceptable. We’re not broken goods. We’re not junk. Someone in this world cares, sees me, hears me, and prays for me. And, of course, those first in line to do this should be our parents. But we also owe love to one another whether we are parent or child, sister or brother, Christian friend, fellow church member, neighbor, or stranger.
When is the last time you and I reached out to let someone know that we see them? That we care? Do we take opportunities to tell others we appreciate them and value them? Do we by word or deed let them know we love them? That is the great command. That is our life’s purpose. I like what the song “It’s a beautiful world” says: “I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do. They’re really saying I love you.” When we say to one another, “The peace of the Lord be with you.” We are saying, “I see you. I accept you. You are family. You are God’s beloved child.”
In Christ’s Baptism we witness the loving relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father gives words of affirmation, the physical touch of water splashing and running down back into the river, the gift of the Holy Spirit, shared quality time and intimacy, and the act of Baptism itself. Jesus grew up with his Heavenly Father saying, “I love you.” He was not afraid to publicly tell his eternal Son and—in his humanity—adult Son, “You are loved. You make me proud and give me pleasure. I like you.” God loves his Temple—the Body of Jesus who offers himself for the life of the world. God loves his Ark—the one who takes us safely through the flood of sin and death to a world where he makes all things new (St. Ambrose). Jesus’ Baptism is our Baptism. We are baptized into Christ. It is for our sake he was baptized.
In Brooke’s baptism, we will see the splash of water and trickle of God’s love which covers her. We will hear words of affirmation and witness her adoption into God’s Holy Family. She will be assured that her sins are forgiven. And she will join us on Christ’s mission to love God and the world he created. We will hear the proud words of her Heavenly Father that she is dressed in the beautiful robe of Christ’s righteousness and bears the burning light of Christ. “Brooke, You are my beloved daughter; with you I am well pleased.” And then you and I will get to welcome her in the name of the Lord. We get to say, “You are my beloved sister in Christ. You bring us joy just as you do the Father.” “We love you too.”
Dearly beloved, you and I are the baptized. We are royal children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. We are precious daughters and sons of the heavenly Father. God’s infinite affection for us will never wear out. He sees you. You are enough. You are lovable. You are acceptable. He loves you. He even likes you.
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