Mark 1:4-11

In Mark’s description of Jesus’ baptism, it seems as though everybody’s heading out to the wilderness by the River Jordan to be baptized by John, who is described as looking enough like an Old Testament prophet that we know we’re supposed to make that connection. Jesus heads out, too, to be in solidarity with all those people who hope that being dunked in the river by John will lead to a fresh start, maybe even a new life. The dramatic description of the heavens ripping apart and the spirit descending like a dove tell us that God shows up to witness the baptism. These special effects also symbolize that this is a new beginning, a new creation, a new human being. The real focal point of the story, however, is when God speaks: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Life-giving words, grace-filled words. Words of belonging; of identity, worth, and unwavering regard. Everyone should hear those words sometime or another.

This is the very first episode of Jesus’ life that Mark shares with us, just 4 verses into chapter 1. It occurs before Jesus begins his ministry; before he does anything as far as we know. It isn’t just a preamble to all that comes later in his life; it’s the highpoint and climax of the whole story in a nutshell: You are God’s beloved. In you, God is pleased. For the rest of the gospel story, again and again, as Jesus casts out unclean spirits, heals the sick, feeds the hungry, and welcomes the outcast, he will only do to others what has already been done to him. He will tell the hurting and the broken and the ordinary folks in word and deed that they, too, are beloved children of God with whom God is well pleased.

So these words of grace and belonging are not unique to Jesus. They echo Isaiah 43: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. … Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” Just as with Jesus, these words of grace are for us before we do anything. That’s one of the reasons Presbyterians, along with many other Christians, practice infant baptism: It symbolizes that before we believe anything, before we can recite creeds, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, before we do anything, God claims us. We don’t have to do anything at all to be declared worthy of God’s love. We are worthy because we belong to God.

We also belong to each other. When we are baptized with Christ, we are baptized into his ministry of grace, to love others as we are loved, to stand with everybody whose life is messy and complicated and hard which means: with everybody. We are baptized to stand with the hurting and the doubting, the weak, the lonely, the outcast, the forgotten, the frightened. We are baptized to stand with the very old and the very young. We are baptized to stand with each other.

My New Year’s greeting and gift to all who read my blog is this YouTube video of Melanie DeMore singing, “I Am Sending You Light,” accompanied by Julie Wolf. It was recorded at Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, California in 2019. The song expresses what I believe God is saying to us, to everyone, always, all year long, all our life long. Skip through the ads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIsZuoNFtXg

“This is my beloved. In you I am well pleased.” “I have called you by name; you are precious to me.” Accept it. Claim it. Live it.

Happy New Year!