“What’s in a Name?” – Luke 3:15-17; 21-22 (Year C, Baptism of Jesus)
I’ve been thinking lately about baptism. Specifically, the baptism of Jesus.
The story, of course, is that John – the world’s first Baptist – is doing what Baptists do – baptizing people in the Jordan River. Have any of you been baptized as an adult? How about in a river? Anyone here ever been baptized in the Jordan River? I have. And it was COLD!
Well, John is out by the Jordan River baptizing. Jesus comes along and asks to be baptized. So John plunges Jesus into the frigid cold waters of the Jordan. And as Jesus comes up out of the water, something strange happens. The heavens seem to open up, and a dove descends. It lands on Jesus’ shoulder – a sign of the Holy Spirit. And then comes a voice. A voice from heaven.
Do you remember what the voice from heaven said?
“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a “bris” ceremony. The name derives from the Hebrew word “berith” which means “covenant.” For a male Jewish child, this is the ceremony in which he is circumcised and made part of the covenant of Israel – the berith. And one of the truly wonderful elements of the service is that, after appropriate blessings are offered by the grandparents on both sides, the parents of the child give him his name. And the name is always one of special meaning – expressing ancient Jewish traditions as well as contemporary family relationships. The naming of the child is always very special, and the name itself has deep significance.
So it is interesting to me that, when Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth, Joseph and Mary gave him the name “Jesus” as the angel had instructed them. But thirty years later, when Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized, God himself got into the act. As with many of our baptismal traditions today, God used that occasion to name his child.
Do you remember what it was?
It was “Beloved.”
God named him, “The Beloved.”
Do you know what the word “beloved” means? It means “dearly loved”. That’s the name God gave Jesus.
And here’s what I think is so special about this name. When you and I were baptized – some of us as children with waters from a font, some as adults by immersion in a tank, some of us even in the Jordan River itself – when we were baptized, we were baptized into the name of Jesus.
You took upon yourself the NAME of Jesus.
Do you see? The spiritual name God has given you…is…what?
“Beloved”.
In fact, some of you may at one time or another have attended a wedding and heard the congregation welcomed this way, “DEARLY BELOVED, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the presence of these witnesses to join together…”
Why did the minister call you that?
Why did he call you “Beloved”?
Because that is what God calls you!
That is your name!
Beloved.
Dearly Loved.
And so when those moments of life come along that make you question your value, or fill you with self doubt, or make you wonder if who you are, what you have done, how you have doubted, or even how you have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God disqualifies you from God’s acceptance and love, I hope you’ll remember the most important thing about you.
Your NAME.
The name God gave you.
The Beloved.
Dearly Beloved.
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Previously…
“A Long Way From Home!” – Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (Year C, Lent 4)
Read the Lectionary Texts Can you picture him this morning? He is a long, long way from home. There is something about this parable of the prodigal son that captures our imagination. I think [READ MORE]
“Give ’em Some Time, and a Little More Manure” – Luke 13:1-9 (Year C, Lent 3)
Read the Lectionary Texts Today’s Scripture reading from Luke is to me one of the most interesting of all the parables of Jesus. It is actually a backwards parable, because Jesus starts with the explanation first, [READ MORE]
“The Problem With Being a Prophet” – Luke 13:31-35 (Year C, Lent 2)
Read the Lectionary Texts A church member who recently returned from Florida told me he thought it strange that we are now in the season of Lent. Last time he was here, it was Advent! [READ MORE]
People of the Valley” – Luke 4:1-13 (Year C, Lent 1)
"Jesus walked that lonesome valley… had to walk it by himself. Nobody else could walk it for him… had to walk it by himself." This old African-American spiritual powerfully captures the essence of today’s reading [READ MORE]
Astounded by the Wonder of it All – Luke 9:28-36 (Year C, Transfiguration Sunday)
Read the Lectionary Texts I, for one, have long puzzled over why so many important historical events seem to have taken place right next door to a gift shop! Coincidence? I think not! Our ancestors [READ MORE]
“A Glimpse of Grace” – Luke 27-38 (Year C, the 7th Sunday after Epiphany)
Read the Lectionary Texts Daniel Boone, the legendary wilderness trailblazer, was once asked if he had ever been lost. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Lost? No, I never was lost. But I [READ MORE]
“The Sermon That Still Shakes the World” – Luke 6:17-26 (Year C, the 6th Sunday after Epiphany)
Read the Lectionary Texts One of the many makeshift athletic fields where we played as kids was our Whiffle Ball Diamond. It sat at the intersection of Calumet Avenue, where Cataumet Street met it [READ MORE]
“Love is…Fishing the Deep Water” – Luke 5:1-11 (Year C, Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany)
Read the Lectionary Texts I’m glad the snow event of this week didn’t amount to much. Although I was in Florida and not directly affected by the storm, I was concerned that the white [READ MORE]
“Peeking Outside the Box” – Luke 4:21-30 (Year C, the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)
Read the Lectionary Texts When his sermon was over, the people of his hometown church wanted to throw Jesus off a cliff! Not good! Those of us in the preaching business know all about [READ MORE]
“The Day Jesus Changed the Bible” – Luke 4:14-21 (Year C, Third Sunday after Epiphany)
Read the Lectionary Texts Considering how carefully Jesus chose his words during his ministry, it strikes me that this morning's passage from Luke 4 provokes an interesting observation about what Jesus left out of the reading [READ MORE]