This is a special musical presentation of For Everyone Born by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church.

Grace to you and peace from God our parent, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Ahh yes, the Beatitudes, one of the passages of the Gospel that everyone seems to have heard and many love it. A nice passage providing hope for the future, even possibly for after we die and are joined with the saints in the heavenly kin-dom. A passage letting us know that even if things aren’t all that great here on Earth, that they will be much better once we are with God. Or is it?  Is this what it is about?  I think there is a lot more here.

Just like much of Jesus’s life and preaching, Jesus was being counter-cultural here. He was going against everything that society, religion, and government was telling people. Wealth, religious piety in high positions in the church, power, strength, fighting for what they thought was right, forcing people into their ways, happiness - were all things society, then, and still today, values as a whole.

In other parts of the Gospel, John the Baptist and others tell people to repent, which means to turn around. They were being told - “Hey - you are going the wrong way - you are on the wrong path - turn around!” They were being told that they were living their lives not as God intended.

In today’s Gospel, the message changes to tell us which people are blessed. As Pastor Ellen very nicely explains in her study guide for today’s readings, “Jesus begins his message, the inaugural address of his ministry, by saying, “Blessed.”  Now, the Jewish people really knew their Hebrew scripture and they knew the Psalms. They knew that the great Law Psalm, Psalm 1, begins with exactly the same word, blessed.  You see, Psalm 1 begins like this, “Blessed is the one who walks not in the way of the wicked but in the way of the Lord.”  And ashar, the Hebrew word for blessed, really means something like ‘You are on the right road.’”

So we are switching from telling people that they are on the wrong road - to telling us who is on the right road, the right path, headed in the right direction - and it isn’t anything like what society is telling people.

The ones on the right path are those who are poor in spirit - maybe they feel like they aren’t worshiping correctly, or don’t have the resources to worship as society tells them they should. Those who want righteousness and peace, not war and violence. Those who are truly pure in heart - not just putting on a show for others. The ones who were probably shunned or outcast from society because of who they were and what they believed in or had the means to do, were now being told that they are on the right path, they are blessed.

Also to note is that who is described as blessed tends to be based on who they are, not what they do.  “Blessed are the merciful”, not “blessed are those who show or act with mercy”. “Blessed are the pure in heart” not “blessed are those who act correctly”. This is showing that we are on the right path, blessed, by being true to who God created us to be, not because of doing what we think are the right things to please God. As noted in today’s Micah reading, the people of God often had it wrong as to what would please the Lord - they think that offerings of a calf, or thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil would please the Lord. However, they are told that isn’t what the Lord wants - all that is required is “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Also, the promises for us, are for us now - not for some far off future. We often think of the kin-dom of God or the kin-dom of Heaven as where we’ll go when we die, but as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer “your kin-dom come”, we are calling for the kin-dom to come to us here, in our lives today, as has been promised to us. It may be hard to see the comfort or mercy or inheritance we receive now when we are on the right path because it is often hidden by society and the ways of the world, but the promise is there for us now, and if we open our hearts and minds to receive it, we’ll start seeing it amidst the turmoil of the world.

So the Gospel is telling people that they are blessed, on the right path, because of who God created them to be, even though society says otherwise. We have all been called blessed in our baptism, not through our actions. We are all God’s children because of who we are since we were created whole as a child of God.

So how does this pertain to us today? Before we get there - a brief story about me.

You all know me as “Rich”.  However, that isn’t my only name.  My legal name is “Richard” and that is what I use when signing legal documents and in more formal situations. Although I don’t remember it, I’m sure I was baptized as “Richard” as well. When I was a baby and infant - up until I started kindergarten, I was called “Ricky”. Then, and this is one of the strange things I remember from my childhood, after church one Sunday, by the coat rack, my dad talked to me and said that I’d be starting school soon and if I had thoughts about what I wanted to be called in school - and I decided on “Richard.”  So in elementary, middle, and part of high school, I was “Richard.”  Then somehow in high school my friends started calling me “Rich,” even though I still used “Richard” for everything.  Well, “Rich” stuck around and I eventually started using it myself, and that is who I am today.  Except for my family.  My family still calls me “Rick.” Oh yeah, and occasionally growing up when I wasn’t behaving the right way, my name became a very stern “Richard Dale”.  So here I am, one person, the exact same person God created me to be, with a handful of names over the years.

And God is like that. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, Creator, Holy Ghost, Jesus, Savior, Abba, Teacher, Servant, Holy Wisdom, and so many more names - all referring to our one God. In Islamic scripture it says they have 99 names for God, but when they list out the names, there are more than that.  So while God has many names, each name looking at a different aspect of God, there is still one God. Different names don’t change who God is, God is still God.

During the transfiguration of Jesus we are told, “And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” [Luke 9:29] yet even with his drastic change in appearance, the disciples knew who Jesus was. The appearance of Jesus was just that - his appearance, who Jesus is, didn't change. Just like me - I didn’t always have a beard and I used to have more hair on the top of my head, that has changed. I wear different clothing. None of that changes who I am, a child of God. I was created whole, and that stays the same.

So, names and appearances don’t change who we are or who God is. The nature of who we are is always the same - a child of God, exactly how we were created whole. Many things about us may change, a little bit or drastically, over the years, but the very nature of “self” remains the same.

So, the beatitudes today. Just as Jesus was counter-cultural and declared people to be on the right path, declare them blessed, for who they are, against what society said of them - that is the call of us as proclaimers of Christ today. To be counter-cultural today and proclaim God’s unconditional love for all, to proclaim that people are created whole as a child of God, and are on the right path, are blessed.

We live in a society that wants to call gay, lesbian, and bisexual people as groomers and proclaim they are corrupting our youth. That transgender people are perverts and against God’s nature and that they shouldn’t exist or participate in society. That our black and brown siblings should go back where they came from, they aren’t welcome here, and that they are criminals and their lives don’t matter. That our Asian American siblings are also not welcome here, that they come from countries that bring disease, and do nothing but cause problems. That Native Americans should adopt “our ways” and be happy with small pieces of land we “give” to them. Our society constantly vilifies these people, declares they are all on the wrong path and need to repent. Society is often against these people so much that society will often murder them either directly or indirectly by not providing the care they need.

This is where we, as proclaimers of Christ, come in - we must proclaim to these people the true message, the counter-cultural message, that they are loved, they are children of God, not because of anything they do, but simply because they are God’s children. They are created whole in God’s image and they are blessed. Living into the person God created us to be is what puts us on the right path with God.

In case my message wasn’t clear before when stating that names and appearances don’t change who we truly are, I am talking about our transgender siblings here. God loves our transgender siblings for exactly who they are, who they were created to be, a beloved child of God. From before birth and continuing forever, God loves them for who they are. No matter what appearance they have today, yesterday, or tomorrow; no matter what name or pronouns they use, and no matter how often they might change - God loves them, and all of us, for our very being.

Declaring God’s truth of God’s unconditional love and proclaiming it to the world, shouting “You are blessed” to everyone that society calls “other” or  “unwanted” is hard work. As Jesus showed, very hard work - to the point that going against society, religious leaders, and the government got him murdered.  Yes - to fully live into God’s call to us can be risky. Fully living into our call is what is needed if we are going to stick to the truth of our call as stated in Micah 6:8, to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.

No doubt this is hard work, no doubt we are going to get it wrong, but that is where the good news comes in - we have been given grace by God, through our faith in Jesus, so that we can do this work.  As my friend Pastor Rachel Laughlin mentioned in a comment on Facebook recently, “Grace isn't a pass for not trying. ‘Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means!’ writes Paul in Romans 6:1-2. Grace is freedom to boldly strive to do justice and mercy and love our neighbors even when we aren't sure how to do those things well. It is freedom to fail at all of it, then try again and again and again as we learn and grow.”

We have been created whole by God, every single one of us, we are blessed by being God’s children and living fully into who God created us to be, let us go and boldly strive to continue to proclaim that to all. Amen.

This is a special musical presentation of Come to the Table by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church.

I am sure some of you remember former United States Senator John Ashcroft, who also served as Attorney General during the George W. Bush Administration.  A story has been told about his father, J. Robert Ashcroft.  I don’t know if this tale is true, however, it provides a great illustration. According to the story, in January of 1995, J. Robert Ashcroft had fewer than forty-eight hours to live and he was holding on to life, hoping to see his son, John, sworn in as a US Senator the following day.  As his family and friends gathered around, J. Robert Ashcroft asked his son to play the piano while everyone sang, “We Are Standing On Holy Ground.”  After the song, the frail old man spoke some powerful words, saying, “John, I want you to know that even Washington can be holy ground.  Wherever you hear the voice of God, that ground is sanctified.  It’s a place where God can call you to serve him.  Wherever we are in our vocation…..that place is a holy place of service for God.”

Called!  It is one of the great biblical themes. God calls!   And all who follow Jesus are called.  Wherever we are in our vocation, whatever we are doing with our lives, God calls us.  Even in a place like Washington, DC.  Even in places like Okemos, Haslett, Williamston, East Lansing, Perry, Mason, Holt, Laingsburg, Owosso, Dansville, DeWitt, Grand Ledge, Charlotte, Eaton Rapids, St. Johns, and Lansing, MI. Even in the most unlikely of places and situations, God calls us, and that place is a holy place of service for God. It is holy ground.

In today’s gospel reading, we hear the call stories of Simon, Andrew, James, and John.  All these men were fishermen.  Now, at that point in time, fishing was not a relaxing, easy job.  It was hard, difficult, dirty work.  There was nothing easy about it.  Anyway, as we meet up with Jesus in today’s reading, we find him walking beside the lake one afternoon and he sees these four fishermen busily working. Two are trying to catch fish and two are mending their nets.  As he walks by, Jesus disrupts what they are doing and says to each of them, “Follow me.” 

Truthfully, the response of the four men makes me wonder.  Their response is rather hard to believe, because Jesus essentially offers them a job with no pay when he says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”  Jesus does not say, “Come, follow me, and make more money than you could ever make fishing.”  I could understand a response to that summons.  But no.  Jesus’ call and the response of the four really seems implausible.  And yet, the gospel reading today says they immediately dropped their nets, they immediately dropped what they were doing to head off to God-knows-where, to lives that were uncertain and a life they could not begin to imagine!  The disciples’ immediate acceptance of Jesus’ unusual invitation is a dramatic, life changing encounter.  Jesus comes along, disrupts their lives, and summons them from the fabric of family relationships.  He summons them from the midst of the workaday world.  And he calls them into a new set of relationships and a new vocation.  I must say, this is one big, heavy duty fish story!!

Many of us, throughout life, face big decisions about family, about jobs, about faith.  There are times in our lives when we stand at a fork in the road and must make decisions.  Sometimes, there are experiences in our lives when we need to take risks.  And there are even times in our lives when we must sacrifice something to follow Jesus.  But chances are that for most of us, the situation will never be as dramatic as it was for these four disciples.  It is not very often that we drop everything to start a new life.  And yet, the call is the same for each one of us.  Jesus comes along, disrupts our lives, and summons us from the fabric of family relationships.  He summons us from the midst of the workaday world.  And he calls us into a new set of relationships, a new vocation.

God calls us, each in our own setting, to repent, to turn in a new direction, to open our lives to a radical renewal that may upset and re-orient our neat little, hard-won patterns of comfort and familiarity.  God calls each of us to follow and open our lives to a radical change that will upset our unquestioned assumptions and the privilege we enjoy without even being aware of it.  Just how willing are we to have our lives turned upside down in order to follow this Jesus?  Truthfully, we might have questions about such a call, a call where Jesus disrupts what we are doing and seemingly calls us to abandon family and occupation. 

Well, I really don’t think Jesus asks us to abandon family or work.  But God calls us to live differently within those relationships.  Our work and family life are transformed when God calls us to follow. The disruption in our lives and the call to follow is not to destroy, but to renew, and our lives are transformed in the process.

And yet, the call to follow does mean leaving something behind.  Following Jesus means letting go of old securities and certainties and trusting the God who promises to be with us wherever we go.  It means leaving behind that which has enslaved us, leaving behind that which controls us, letting go of the fear that imprisons us, and letting go of our need to control.  And the call to follow Jesus means letting go of self-centeredness, that intense focus on self.  Remember what Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”  Following Jesus means living a countercultural life and dying to self as we are summoned from life’s easy ruts of comfort and safety to enter the future without knowing exactly where we are headed.  Yes, we do leave something behind.  But the call to follow means finding security in a new place.  When we follow Jesus, it means we live our life under new management as Jesus becomes Lord of our life. To be called means we are invited into a relationship with Jesus, and that relationship is all about love, grace, and compassion.  To follow Jesus means being led by the one who frees us, who embraces us, and who lovingly claims us as God’s own.

And what we will find out as we follow Jesus, is that living in relationship with him connects us to a whole new set of relationships.  Jesus not only calls us, but then sends us out to be fishers of people.  We will find that the grace that calls us and the love that invites us leads us to new places in life, and that means we will form some new, even unlikely relationships – sometimes relationships with people we would otherwise never meet.  We will find that, just as the disciples were sent, we, too, will be sent to fish for people, carrying God’s message of love and proclaiming the good news of a gracious God to a hurting, broken world.  And there is nothing more sacred than carrying and proclaiming that news.  There is nothing more sacred than walking with people through life’s painful times and sharing God’s good news of grace.  There is nothing more sacred than walking with people through the tough, challenging times of life, and sharing the good news of God’s love.  Yes, it is grace that calls us, love that invites us, and it is compassion that moves us and takes us forth to do this work of discipleship.  And, wherever we are called to serve, we will find ourselves in a sacred place, we will find ourselves on holy ground.  Even as we work with the former residents of Knob Hill apartments, as we work with the refugees in our care, as we gather food for the hungry and daily stock the pantries, as we sit with people in the hospital, as we hold the hands of the dying, as we have coffee with someone who is hurting, as we sit behind our desks at work and interact with our colleagues, as we do the work of advocacy and seek justice for the most vulnerable in this world.

I think that is precisely what J. Robert Ashcroft was trying to communicate to his son, John.  God calls us every hour of every day, wherever we find ourselves, to share the good news of God’s love in a broken world.  That is the call, the vocation, and the mission of each one of us! And when we do this, we stand on holy ground.

This is a special musical presentation of I Am For You by the Chancel Choir with a solo by Tammy Heilman at Faith Lutheran Church.

I am technologically challenged.  Just ask my husband.  I am challenged when operating the TV remote and trying to access various streaming services; I am challenged when trying to show a DVD or connect my computer to the large TV in the Fellowship Hall; and I am challenged when something happens to my computer.  While technological understanding comes very naturally to some (my husband for example), I always find myself befuddled and cannot seem to make sense of what needs to be done.  I have always been one of those people who needs to learn and verify things experientially.  I am an experiential learner and I usually must seek out someone to show me what to do, how to do it and thereby, through that experience, finally understand.

Because I am an experiential learner, I appreciate the sequence of events described in today’s gospel reading.  Today we are told of John the Baptist who has the experience of baptizing Jesus.  John has the experience of seeing the Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and then he is able to confidently point to Jesus as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  John’s experience gave him insight and he could then assuredly proclaim who Jesus is.

Because of John’s experience, two of his disciples decide to follow Jesus to try and learn more about this unusual man.  As they begin following him, Jesus turns to them and we hear the very first words Jesus speaks in the gospel of John.  What is so fascinating is that Jesus’ first words appear in the form of a question as he asks, “What are you looking for?”  Jesus, as he frequently does, uses a question to draw these two men into relationship, into the experience of relationship with him.  It is helpful to look at the original Greek when listening to what Jesus asks.  Jesus’ question would be better translated as, “What are you seeking?” or “What do you hope to find?” or “What do you long for?”  And, what I find so captivating is this – Jesus speaks these same words to each one of us as we meet him.  Jesus asks a question that goes directly to the deep yearnings of our hearts.  Jesus’ words invite us to look into the depth of our being and ask, “What is my deepest longing, what is it I hope to find in this one called Jesus?” 

I believe there are many seekers around us who are asking the same question.  As a Faith community that desires to engage the greater community, this is something we should keep in mind. I know there are many in our greater community who are longing for something more, something deeper in life.  As we work to connect to those beyond these walls, I have to ask each one of you, what is the hallmark of this Faith community that we can lift up so others may see who we are, see whose we are, and what we offer in this place?

It is interesting that the disciples reply to Jesus’ question by asking where he is staying.  Again, it is important to look at the original Greek as we try to make sense of this experience.  The disciples’ question to Jesus goes much deeper than simply asking about a geographical, physical location.  The Greek word used implies they are really asking about where Jesus is dwelling, where he is abiding (a word we find used over and over again in the gospel of John).  The disciples are asking Jesus where he is remaining, abiding, and indwelling.  This question takes us to a deeper place.  They want to know where they can come and simply experience being with him.

We live in a culture that is all about doing.  Our lives are all about what it is that we do or must get done.  I intently feel this focus on doing, this doing aspect of life every single day.  And I am very aware of it every time we gather for worship.  Quite honestly, the plethora of focal points that demand intense doing in people’s lives takes away from participation in the life of the Faith community.  Each focal point attempts to demand ultimate concern in people’s lives, and a life of faith no longer fits in that ultimate concern slot.  Furthermore, in a culture where more and more of us have our faces buried in our phones or tablets, simply being with, abiding with, intentionally remaining with, and being present to someone is increasingly rare.  So, what does it mean for us to reply to Jesus’ question by desiring to come and simply be with him?

It is intriguing that Jesus does not offer an answer to the disciples’ question.  Instead, drawing them ever more deeply into the experience of relationship, Jesus’ response is a simple invitation to “Come and see,” an invitation that is profoundly relational and experiential.  His invitation is non-threatening, simple and very clear.  Jesus’ response is so beautiful because it is open ended and does not require any prior pre-judged concepts of Jesus. And isn’t that the miracle of the Jesus journey?  Despite the countless layers of doctrine, dogma, and varied identities the church has put onto Jesus, as well as the requirements so many communities put on prospective followers before they even begin a faith journey, Jesus does not do this.  His invitation is simply to come, see, and experience.  Come and see.  It is an invitation to unprejudiced, undetermined encounter and relationship.  It is an adventure where the disciple and the teacher live together in relationship.  It is an invitation to come and participate in this Jesus reality and it is the pathway to life, eternal life which, in John’s gospel, means life that truly matters.

Living in relationship is what this faith journey with Jesus is all about.  When we respond to Jesus’ audacious invitation to come and see, we begin an experiential journey of continual discovery as we learn that this God of whom Jesus speaks is all about relationship and love.  We will discover more about our very selves, and we will grow in ways we never before thought possible.  We will discover true life that is always relational, life that is all about a flow of love and a dance of grace. 

Jesus' answer, "Come and see!" is an answer that captures a primary message of John's Gospel:  If you want to know the Word made flesh, come and see Jesus. If you want to know what love is like, come and see Jesus. If you want to experience God's glory, to be filled with bread that never perishes, if you want to quench your thirst with living water, to continually be born anew, to abide in love, come and see Jesus.  If you want to behold the light of the world, to enter into life everlasting and to experience life that truly matters, come and see Jesus.  If you want to know God, come and see Jesus!

On this weekend we remember Martin Luther King, Jr.  We remember the work he did, work which brought transformation to culture.  He was able to do that work because he answered Jesus’ call to come and see.  He was a person who abided in Christ’s love, abided in Christian community, and through community brought change to so many people’s lives. That abiding enabled and brought forth necessary change in culture.  It happened because all kinds of people came together and experienced living in relationship as the body of Christ. 

I said at the beginning that I am an experiential learner and I deeply want to live a life that truly matters.  As I long for this in life, I cannot think of a better learning experience than responding to Jesus’ invitation to come and see and experience the joy of living in relationship with Him.  And, that is something one richly experiences when you live in relationship to others in the Faith community, when you participate in the life of the Faith community, and when we live together as the Body of Christ in this place.  Lutheran professor, Andy Root, when talking about living together in relationship as a community of Faith, writes:

Relationships of persons encountering persons are the very way that we encounter Jesus Christ…..[We live together and go through life together], sharing in the humanity of each other as the very joyous journey of sharing in the life of God.  

As we move into a new year, let’s be intentional about making this journey together.  Come and see, experience what the body of Christ has to offer.

This is a special musical presentation of Noble Magi, a Quartet by Mike Eschelbach, Diane Hill, Linda Triemer & Rich Triemer at Faith Lutheran Church.

I have a friend who, when discussing people or individuals, will often say, “That person has a unique story, and his/her story should be honored.”  I share this statement because on this day, it is important to remember that each one of us has an important story to share about our identity, about who we are as a person.  You see, every single one of us has a valuable story to tell about the priceless identity each one of us has been given in baptism.  Today, as we remember and give thanks for our baptisms, we remember these words that were spoken over us, “Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ in your life – forever.” 

Think about that!  Wow!  What a story that is to tell! 

Today’s gospel reading gives us the story of Jesus’ baptism.  Now, quite honestly, John did not know what to do with the fact that Jesus came to him to be baptized.  And, from the time Jesus first presented himself for baptism by John until today, Christians have puzzled over why Jesus had to be baptized. At that time, the act of baptism was understood to be an act of repentance and the cleansing of one’s sins.  So, John does not understand why Jesus, whose sandals John is “not worthy to carry” should seek to be baptized. Instead, John declares to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you.”  Why should the Son of God need to be baptized?

Theologian, Frederick Dale Bruner, says that he considers Jesus’ first miracle to have occurred at his baptism. The miracle is that Jesus was humble. The divine Son of God humbles himself by allowing John to baptize him. This act of humility is an act of obedience to God and an act of pure love as Jesus begins his ministry. This first action Jesus takes as he begins his ministry is to deeply enter into solidarity with all of humankind and all of creation. Jesus did not need to be forgiven. However, for us, he goes down to the river of repentance with all the other sinners to be baptized. He willingly enters into the depths of human life and is baptized.  And, Jesus’ baptism, his first adult act as recorded in Matthew’s gospel, gives us a clear indication of how he will act for his entire ministry and life. The Son of God, out of love for human beings and all of creation, comes down to us and with us, on our level, identifying with our needs and our brokenness. His baptism, then, foreshadows how his life will also end, on the cross. In his death, Jesus experiences the worst we could ever experience as mortal humans. But, because Jesus united with us in baptism, we are united with him in both his death and resurrection. Through his humility, Jesus comes down to us in the depths of our humanity and shows us that we are beloved!  He shows us that God loves us!

Yes, there definitely is a story to tell about baptism.  I love what Richard Rohr says when talking about this aspect of Jesus’ ministry.  He writes, “Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity. Jesus came to change the mind of humanity about God.”  Just think about that.  “Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity. Jesus came to change the mind of humanity about God.”

 Yes, Jesus came to proclaim that we are God’s beloved!  You see, it is all about what God in Christ has done for us!  Remember, when Jesus was baptized and the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove, a voice from heaven said, “This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  That word “beloved” is such a beautiful word.  To be beloved is to be adored.  To be beloved is to be cherished and to be treasured.  And, this is also the promise given to us in our baptism.  You see, baptism is first and foremost an act of God.  It is about God claiming us as God’s very own, as God’s beloved children.  It is all about God declaring to us that we belong to God.  And, because we belong to God, baptism is about God telling us that God is well pleased with us!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think that is a story each one of us should be proclaiming from the mountaintops.  It is a story about our identity!  We no longer need to work so hard to justify ourselves or our existence because we have been given this priceless identity.  We are beloved by God and God is pleased with us!  I am beloved by God and God is pleased with me!  And, it is all because of what God has done!

Yet, that is not always the story we tell ourselves.  Quite honestly, many of us have another story that runs in our head. Sometimes we call this storyteller the inner critic, that one who reminds us of just what a failure we are, or reminds us of the way we think people may only be pretending to like us.  You know, if they really knew the truth about me, they would run away. That inner critic sometimes tells us we are not attractive enough or talented enough or clever enough or intelligent enough to be beloved, let alone have someone be pleased with us.  I know this because I have experienced that inner critic far too often.  And so, in our brokenness, we desperately do all kinds of things as we attempt to justify our existence, just so we can measure up!  Or, we listen to another story, the story the world often tells us.  You know what that story is, the one that says to be truly beloved you must possess something: money, house, good looks, great physical physique, much power. 

That’s why we need to tell this baptism story over and over again – to counter the story of the inner critic, and to counter the story the world often tells. Yes, we tell our baptismal story over and over to counter the stories that make us feel as though we don't measure up or that we don't belong.  You see, we need to remember our true identity, remember how deeply we are loved, and we need to hear that story told to us over and over again and celebrate this precious gift! 

But, there is yet more to celebrate about this gift of baptism!  The story of baptism is not only that we belong to God and are beloved by God; it is a story that we belong to each other, that we are a part of a community, that we are part of a larger story of God's presence in the world.  You see, we, who sometimes feel rejected because we just don’t measure up, are chosen to be a part of something big and beautiful.  Just as God has chosen us in our baptism, God has also made us members of God’s family!  We are part of God’s kingdom.  So, it is important that we come together in worship, not only because we need to hear over and over again that God loves us and has claimed us as beloved children, cherished and treasured.  We also need to come together in worship because our wells sometimes have run dry and we need to feel those refreshing waters of baptism trickling over us, washing over us again and again.  Quite honestly, sometimes life is just so hard we have no words to pray or no songs to sing; we are just that empty. Sometimes it's the community of the baptized that sings those hymns we can't always sing, and sometimes it's the community that prays the prayers we can't always pray, and sometimes it's the community that speaks the words of faith that we might have trouble speaking ourselves or even believing ourselves.  And, we just deeply need to let those words and songs and prayers wash over us, reminding us of God's love, reminding us that in the waters of baptism, God has called us and claimed us as God's own, beloved, delightful and cherished children! 

Jesus entered that baptismal river to become one with humanity and to tell us we are beloved.  That is the story of baptism and the story of our baptisms. That is the mark we carry, and it is our identity.  That's a story worth living in.  And, that is a story worth telling, over and over and over again!  Thanks be to God.