Test Driving Theology

One of my favorite movies is the Pixar film, “Toy Story.”  I’m fairly certain, that if you’ve spent any time at all with a young person under age 10, you’ve probably seen it.

But just in case you haven’t, a quick review: Toy Story is about a collection of toys belonging to a little boy named Andy. Two of the main characters are Woody, who is a stuffed cowboy figure, and Buzz Lightyear who is a plastic toy astronaut, complete with a space suit, and a jet pack. 

When Buzz enters the story, he does not yet understand that he is only a toy.  He believes that he actually is a space ranger action hero, who can fly.  Woody tries to help Buzz understand the he is a toy, and not a real space hero. At one point in the movie Woody shouts, “You’re not a space ranger! You’re an action figure.  You are a child’s plaything.” 

Buzz tries to prove him wrong and leaps off the table to show he can really fly. But he falls on his face instead and, in that moment, he realizes the truth of what Woody has been saying. He is grief-stricken and disillusioned. His pride is broken. Looking depressed, Buzz hangs his head and says, “I’m just a stupid, little, insignificant toy.” 

Woody realizes he has only told him half the story. So Woody says: “Buzz, you’re not be thinking clearly. Downstairs, right now, there’s a kid who thinks that you are the greatest, and it’s not because you’re a space ranger; Buzz, it’s because you’re his.” It’s because you’re his.

Buzz looks down and lifts his foot and sees on the bottom of his shoe, in black permanent ink is the name “Andy.”  The name of the little boy to whom he belongs.

Today is as day of belonging.  Today is the Sunday of the church year when we remember and celebrate the baptism of Jesus.  

I’ll be honest, the baptism of Jesus has always struck me as a kind of weird story.  If you ever find yourself hanging out with a group of theologians and scholars, and you want to say something that will make them launch an argument, ask them “Why did Jesus need to be baptized?”  And then sit back and eat some popcorn and watch them fight it out.

• Because if baptism is about forgiveness of sin, which we believe it is, then why would Jesus, who was without sin, need, or even want, to be baptized?
• Because if baptism is about the promises of God to God’s people, which we believe it is, why would Jesus need that?  Jesus, who is God incarnate…God in human form, is the one to make promises, not receive them.  

So why?  Why did Jesus insist…insist that he be baptized, even though, the Gospel of Matthew tells us, John resisted…John didn’t want to baptize Jesus. 

But Jesus knew.  He knew that in that moment…in that quick moment when the waters washed over him, something was going to happen.  Something powerful.  Something important.  Something that would change the world.

In that moment, as he was rising back up out of the water, Jesus (and all the people around him,) heard the voice of God: “This is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  Let me say that again: “This is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  

Jesus didn’t come to the Jordan river that day looking for forgiveness, or for the promises of God.  No, Jesus came to the Jordan because he knew that in that moment, God would name…and claim him as his own.  In that moment, for all the world to hear, God said “this one…this one is mine.”  

And once this happened…and only after this happened, Jesus began his public ministry.  In this moment, it was as if God pushed the big green “go” button, and Jesus went to work.

Now, Jesus may not have needed the gift of forgiveness…but you and I?  We do.  And Jesus may not have been looking for the promises of God in that moment.  But we are.  These things…forgiveness…and the promises of God…we receive those things in our baptism. 

But there is something else.  What we…and all of humanity…have in common with Jesus here, is that we want…no, even more, we need, to hear the words “you are my child…you are the beloved…in you, I am well pleased.”

Theologian Dr. David Lose wrote that “baptism is about being named and claimed as children of God.”  And he goes on to say that “…we often tend to think of forgiveness as a means instead of an end.  We can easily slip into thinking that God forgives us so that we can be named, claimed, and called God’s children.  But I don’t think that’s accurate at all.  God forgives us not to make us God’s children but because we already are God’s children.  Forgiveness is a result of God’s love for us, not a condition of that love.”

An example:  Lori and I…we did not 

• Raise Nathan and Sam,
• Feed Nathan and Sam,
• change Nathan and Sam’s diapers,
• play with them,
• care for them,
• attend their concerts,
• sit for hours at swim meets, 
• Chase them around cross country meets to cheer for them,
• sit up late at night waiting for, or 
• help pay college tuition for…

…our boys in order that they would love us and we would love them.  No, we did these things because we loved them.

In the same way, Jesus was baptized and God called him by name and claimed him as his own not in order thatlove would happen, but because God already loved him completely.  This is an important distinction.  God’s love is never conditional.

In the moment of Jesus’ baptism, the love of God the father, for his son, was spoken out loud for the first time.

But wait…there’s more!  Jesus’ baptism changed our relationship with God as well.  It changed it completely.  The scriptures tell us that we are baptized into the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus.  That means that

• In your baptism, your relationship with God was changed…made new.    
• In your baptism, you too were named and claimed by God.  
• In your baptism, God said “you are my child…the beloved…in whom I am well pleased.”  God said: “you are mine!”

And in that moment, Jesus reaches out, and pushes the big green “go” button, and your ministry amidst our neighbors…begins.

You see, in the water of baptism, there are always ripples.  

In that moment, when the waters touched your forehead, you were connected to all the baptized…to each other.  You became a part of this family of faith.  God called you to care for each other, and for the world.  And you do this because of God’s incredible love…this love that brings light.

There is a legend about a Rabbi who asks his students a question: “How do you know when the night has ended, and the day has begun?”

One brave student raised his hand: “Rabbi, is it when you see an animal standing in a field, and when you can tell if it’s a cow, or if it’s a horse?  At that moment, it has become day?”  “No, my son, that is not when the night has ended and the day has begun.”  

There was a pause.  Another student raised his hand.  “Is it then the moment when you look at a building and you can tell what color it is painted?”  “No my son, that is not when the night has ended and the day has begun.”  

The students kept trying to answer the rabbi’s question, but each time they were incorrect.  Finally, they plead “Tells us Rabbi…tell us the answer.”

It is, answered the rabbi, when you look at the face of a stranger and there you see your sister or brother.  Because until that happens, no matter how light it is, it will always still be the night.”

In that moment of baptism…Jesus’ baptism…your baptism… the lights come on.  It is the moment when night turns into day, and we can see the face of our neighbor…of each other.  

The light of God reveals the true identity of our neighbor; they are our sister…our brother…in Christ.

The light that comes in baptism…is the beginning of community.  It connects us.  And the light that comes in baptism, is a gift from God.

So back to Buzz Lightyear.  If, as you walk out of the sanctuary today, I were to look at the bottom of your shoe, I’m certain that I would not see any names written there.  

But I am equally certain that if I could somehow see into your heart…see into your spirit…there, I would see a name written…written in permanent ink…

• the name of the one who loves you.
• the name of the one who has called you by name.
• The name of the one who is connected to you, and who connects you to others.
• The one to whom you belong.  
• The one who sends you out to care for your neighbor.

That name is Jesus.  And Jesus is the one who draws us all together into a single family of faith.  

Thanks be to God for that!

Amen.