The voice from heaven declared, “You are my Son, the Beloved…”
“You.”
“You.” What a simple but powerful word that descends from heaven for all to hear that day at the river of baptism. It is only three letters long, but it is a word that has the power to include someone into a community if uttered aloud. “You are now a child of God.” It has the power to honor someone for years of service when it echoes through those gathered, “You have been a faithful servant, and we are all the better for it.” It has the power to bind the two as one: “I love you” and “I now declare you as husband and wife.”
The word, “you” also has the power to do just the opposite. “You are not welcome here.” “You are a disgrace; I cannot even look at you.” “I hate you.”
Our message from Luke could have gone in that direction this morning. After-all, our message does allude to the separation of the wheat from the chaff, the good from the bad, the acceptable from that which is simply trash.
But, there is no direct mention of “you” in any of it, even as the ideas surrounding repentance (changing our ways) is explored. No, that subject is quickly noted and then moves quickly to a positive reflection on “you.”
As a group of people with John are baptized that day, Jesus included, the heavens rip open, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in a form like a dove, and the heavenly voice rings out, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
“You are my Son…” not “that guy over there is my Son.” It is not, “he is my Son.” Rather, God has something to say directly to Jesus, but for all to hear, “You are my Son, the Beloved.”
It is the same “you” that is spoken at our own baptism when we hear the words, “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”
It is the same “you” that is spoken when the pastor places hands on your head and speaks the words, “You are forgiven.” It is not a generic, “We are all forgiven,” but rather the powerful, “You are forgiven.”
“You.” It is the sort of word that pierces the soul and drives its message deep. “You are included.” “You are a part of the family.” “You are loved.”
God’s family is a real family after-all. This thing that we call the faith is not merely some head trip…some conscious consent to a set of doctrines or beliefs. It is not a philosophy of life nor is it a political platform to which you either agree or disagree.
Faith is being accepted into a very real family; living as a sister or brother of Jesus Christ. And, in this family, the word “you” has the power to change your life. “You are forgiven.” “You have been given the fire of the Holy Spirit.” “You have been given gifts by God.” “You are loved.” “You are God’s child.”
This simple message rocked the life of a 90 year old woman after a pastor preached this word from the pulpit…it rocked the 90 year old woman’s world in a good way though. The Rev. Caroline Lewis, in her January 6th, 2019 “Dear Working Preacher” article explains:
---
After the [worship] service, a long time member of the church, 90-year-old Dott …came up to me and said, “Karoline, is that really true?”
“What?” I responded. “That GOD baptizes you?” “Well, yes. This is what we believe, Dott.”
She then told me why she doubted the “you.”
Dott had a sister, born too early and not expected to live, about three years before Dott was even born. The only option was to bring her home for her two-to-three month lifespan. During that time, the grandmother baptized her. Then, when Dott’s sister died, of course her parents set up a meeting with the pastor for the funeral. The pastor told them that he would do the funeral, but not in the sanctuary because he had not baptized the baby. The funeral was held in the basement of the church.
Dott then said to me, “Do you mean my sister is okay?” The sister she never met. The sister she had mourned for her entire 90 years. The sister for whom she wondered, “is God really for her?”
Oh, yes. I said. The “you” your sister heard, God meant. And God did not, and will never, let her go.
---
“You” is a powerful word. It can include someone into a community if uttered aloud. “You are now a child of God.”
It has the power to honor someone for years of service when it echoes through those gathered, “You have been a faithful servant, and we are all the better for it.”
It has the power to bind the two as one; “I love you” and “I now declare you as husband and wife.”
And, it is a word of grace from God that has the power to change your life. “You are loved, no matter what. God will not ever let you go.”
It is a holy word. May its sound grace our ears. May the gracefulness of its tone ring from our own lips. In baptism, “you” were made one with Christ. “You” are a part of God’s family forever. That is a promise.
"You Are Beloved" by Jira Albers
Copyright, 2019
(Capo 8th)
G D C D G D
Come draw near. Come draw near. Come to the water.
G D C D G
Come draw near. Come draw near. You are God’s child.
C G D G C G D
You are beloved. You are God’s child.
G D C D G D
You are loved. You are loved. Washed with the water.
G D C D G
You are loved. You are loved. You are God’s child.
C G D G C G D
You are beloved. You are God’s child.
G D C D G D
One with Christ. One with Christ. Joined in the water.
G D C D G
One with Christ, one with Christ. You are God’s child.
C G D G C G D
You are beloved. You are God’s child.
C G D G C G D
You are beloved. You are God’s child.
No comments:
Post a Comment