Sermon January 9, 2010

“The Beloved One”

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ January 9, 2011

Matthew 3:13-17

with Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Matthew 3:13-17
In all the gospels Jesus’ baptism has a mythical quality. It is a point in time where the heavenly world and earthly reality meet. Like the story of the star, the opening of the heavens is making a statement about the breakthrough which is to come. It seems to carry a sense of call as Jesus begins his calling of his disciples and ministry soon after his baptism. It celebrates who Jesus is: the beloved of God.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

SERMON
The prophet Isaiah tells us of God’s promised Messiah. Through him God tells the people:
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 43:1)

Coming onto the scene and asking for baptism, Jesus is announcing himself as the one promised by God through the prophet long ago. And John's response clearly indicates his awareness of himself not as the One promised but as the one who prepares the way. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise which God gives to sinners who have no standing. In Jesus they have a place to stand in a new relationship with God. We who have put on Christ are the beloved of God.

When Jesus speaks of "righteousness," he relates it to salvation, which is another word for healing. Here is healing of the damage that has been done to our relationship with God. Commentator F. Dean Lueking writes “His baptism is the decisive opening event that further unfolds that for which he came, to lay his healing hands upon a broken, alienated world to make it right with God again."

“A broken, alienated,” ever felt broken in body, mind or spirit? Ever felt alienated at work or school or from friends, family even God? Sure you have. We all have. Some of us cause our own brokenness and alienation but others are victims of a divisive and angry world. In our baptism we are claimed by God as brothers and sisters of his beloved, Jesus.

Christ gave us two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It is a rare event to celebrate both sacraments on the same day. Today we will renew our baptismal covenant with God and claim that we are beloved. Baptism is the sign and seal of our life together in Christ. In our Baptism we die to sin and are reborn to new life in Christ. Then we will taste the break and drink of the cup of salvation found in our Lord’s Supper. We will remember that Jesus took ordinary bread and a cup and transformed them with his sacrifice into a new covenant with God for us. In the Lord’s Supper the people are spiritually nourished by Christ our host and anticipate the banquet we will share when there is a new heaven and a new earth. When we celebrate these sacraments in worship, we proclaim the Gospel. Through our experience in worship, as individuals and as a community, we are sent out into the world to share the Good News of Jesus the Christ giver of new life for all of creation. This sharing is our call. You are beloved of God. Go out into the world and let everyone you meet know how precious they are. Be loving and generous even when you are afraid or angry. There is a whole world of people yearning to know they too are beloved of God.

Resources:
See: Kate Huey, ucc.org: Sermon Seeds, lectionary ( www.ucc.org/worship/samuel/january-09-2011-i-the.html) quotes F. Dean Lueking The Lectionary CommentaryRenewal of Baptismal Covenant