Christ the King-Epiphany, Wilbraham

The Rev. Martha S. Sipe

January 12, 2025/ Baptism of Our Lord

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Do you ever wonder what Jesus did between his birth and the time he was baptized?  We really know very little about the early years of his life, beyond his birth, his presentation in the Temple (which we, un-chronologically, will hear about in a few weeks), his family’s temporary move to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous plans, the visitation of the wise men, and his visit to the Temple when he was 12.  That’s it.  There are some apocryphal stories about his childhood, but none that made it into the canon of scripture.  The next thing we learn about Jesus in the Gospels is that he was baptized . . . at age 30.  It makes me think that his childhood, his teenage years, and his young adulthood must have been pretty unremarkable, or else we would know about it, don’t you think?

So when Jesus was baptized by John, when God’s voice boomed down from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased,” it wasn’t because of anything Jesus had done, at least as far as we know.  I think that’s really important.  Think how different it would be if this declaration of God’s favor and love had occurred later in Jesus’ life.  It would sound very different if God only proclaimed God’s love after Jesus had healed the sick and embraced the outcast and preached good news to the poor.  It would feel different because then we might conclude that God’s favor was upon him because of all that Jesus had done – that somehow Jesus had earned the blessing.  But that’s not how the story goes.  Jesus was immersed in God’s favor before he even had an opportunity to say or do much of anything. 

That’s the way it is for us, too.  When we were baptized, we were blessed by God, claimed as one of God’s children, not because of anything we had done, but just because we are beloved of God.  Being beloved is not something that we can earn.  It’s a gift.  There is nothing you have to do to be beloved.  There is nothing you can do to be beloved.  It is God’s choice.  And God chose you.  That’s what our baptism means.  How special are we!

We don’t always feel so special, though.  And no wonder.  The rest of the world operates on a completely different system, a system that says, “Work hard,” and “Earn my respect,” and “Prove your value and your trustworthiness.”  And so we forget, sometimes, or fail to understand, that God doesn’t work that way.  God doesn’t love us because of who we are or what we have done.  God doesn’t value you because you have distinguished yourself in some way, but just because God freely chose to love you.

And even though baptism is a once-and-done event, even though many or even most of us were baptized many years ago, God continues to choose us every day.  And that daily choice, just like God’s initial choice, has nothing to do with our daily choices.

God chooses to love you if you sprang out of bed this morning, eager to come to God’s house to offer prayer and praise; or if you checked the weather and contemplated staying in bed, but dragged yourself in; or if you are only hearing or reading this later on because you did stay in bed.  It doesn’t matter.  God chooses to love you, no matter what.

God chooses to love you if you joyfully put a big check in the offering plate every week; or if you struggle to give as much as you think you should; or if you don’t give at all.  It doesn’t matter.  God chooses to love you, no matter what.

God chooses to love you if you are always trying to make the world a better place; or if you focus more on helping your family; or if you stick to helping yourself.  It doesn’t matter.  God chooses to love you, no matter what.

In just a little bit, we will make affirmation of our own baptisms as we remember today how Jesus was baptized.  I pray that each of you will be reminded of the day when God first chose to love you, and that you will also remember that God keeps on choosing to love you every day.  At the same time, I pray that you will also remember that the love you are freely given is best put to use by giving it away, by serving all people and striving for justice and peace – and I pray that you will recommit yourself to doing so.  But remember, too:  God doesn’t love you because you’ve honored all your commitments.  God doesn’t even love you because you love God.  God loves you because God is love.  You are God’s beloved – always have been and always will be.  No matter what.