I Have Called You By Name; You Are Mine

Isaiah 43:1-7

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; 6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth— 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

English Standard Version Chapter 3

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

In our Gospel text, Luke shares the story of a time when people were waiting for the Christ— the anointed One of God. John was baptising in the Jordan River and people were wondering if he was the Christ.

To say John was a little different is an understatement. One of the reasons people may have been wondering if he was the Christ is because he was so distinctly different.

The Gospel of Mark 1 says: John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.... 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

As the herald of Christ, John the Baptist was setting a tone. John’s role was to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17). John was stirring hearts to repentance in readiness for Christ.

When inquiring minds wanted to know, John humbly confirmed his purpose:

16 ...“I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I am is coming. I’m not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals.

John informs and warns:

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Comfort and conviction. Anointing and accountability.

“His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Winnowing involves tossing harvested grain into the air to separate the lighter straw from the heavier grain.

This means that Christ will stir up whatever is going on as he arrives. He will disrupt what has been stacked again and again. That which may be lovely but light and dry will be separated from the grain of substance.

Christ will sift the harvest of people; he will separate the wheat from the chaff.

Christ will call folks on the carpet to account for their own ways.

Any superficial chaff will be separated from the grains of substance.

Our Lord is interested in our substance not our surfaces.

Those who had come to John for show were duly warned not to be complacent but to bear fruit worthy of repentance; not to be cavalier about being descendants of Abraham and not actively growing in and living out their faith.

The New Revised Standard Version The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

As Jesus was baptised, a voice from heaven said for all to hear, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

God the Father authenticated Jesus,

He is claimed, named, and proclaimed by God.

God the Father gave his Son to bring new light into the world…new ways of being, new ways of seeing.

At his baptism, Jesus was accepting his call to lead and embarking on his adult ministry to fulfill God’s purpose. Jesus would experience challenges and triumphs as he served multitudes. Regardless of the circumstances or temptations, he sought to fulfill the purpose of the One who sent him.

So it is with us. Baptism begins a new life in Christ, a new chapter of God’s purpose to fulfill.

As we remember our baptism and accept our calls to lead, today’s scriptures warn us against complacency and being cavalier about our baptism and responsibility.

Consider the prophetic words of Isaiah. The Lord gave these words to an ancient people. But the LORD is the great I AM. The God who spoke is the God who speaks to us today.

Take this to heart. The Lord says:

I have called you by name, you are mine.

This means God sees and knows all about you and has claimed you with faults and frailties but sees the fullness of your potential and purpose.

God sees your heart and mind, knows your spirit and will hold you accountable.

Our God of order and excellence has expectations of her children.

Our Creator chuckles at our curious antics and intercedes to compassionately correct when possible or to render consequences for our disobedience.

God is with us and knows us by name. There is nothing hidden, nothing that can be hidden. God says, “You are mine.”

God says:

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

God is with us through peaceful times and raging storms.

“... when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

God is our refuge and our refiner; our protector and purifier; our comforter and convictor who created us in His/her image and expects us to reflect his holiness.

Why all this:

I have called you by name, you are mine. 4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.

The LORD makes sacrifices for us. That is how valuable we are to God.

How many parents have made sacrifices for their children?

God gave nations for God’s people. Withholding nothing, God gave his Son for the world. Withholding nothing, Jesus..the Beloved, gave his life so we might have new life.

God says, “I have called you by name; you are mine. .I will be with you..Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.

Let us remember our baptism and be conscientious about our responsibility.

God is with us and watching our words and deeds. The Lord is coming again with the winnowing fork to separate the wheat and the chaff.

Let us speak and do what is pleasing and purposeful to the Lord. May our lives bring glory to God, telling our Divine Parent “You are precious in our hearts and honored and we love you”.

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Lk 1:17). (1989). Thomas Nelson Publishers.