A New Start
Have you heard of Ted Williams, the formerly homeless man from Columbus, Ohio? He became famous recently when a local television reporter interviewed while he was begging for change. Since that video went viral, he has been known as the man with the golden voice and offered several voice-over opportunities and a job with the Cleveland Cavaliers. On top of that, an appearance on the Today Show brought him back to New York, where he was reunited with his mother in Brooklyn, whom he hadn’t seen for 20 years.

We can only imagine his flood of emotions as he rises from poverty to fame. And, we can only pray that he will be able to resist the temptations that often accompany celebrity... the very addictions that caused him to be homeless in the first place.

But for now, he has been given a rare second chance. “See, the former things have come to pass and new things I declare,” says God in our first reading for today. Ted Williams has received a new start, and a totally new identity, in this New Year.

Real Life Superheroes?
Speaking of new identities, I discovered another news story, involving a foiled car-jacking in Seattle. The owner returned to his parked car, only to find someone trying to break in. Out of nowhere, a masked man confronted the car-jacker and chased him off into the dark night.

The mysterious man is known as Phoenix Jones, leader of Seattle’s Rain City Superheroes, part of the larger, international Real Life Super Hero movement. Like other real life superheroes, Phoenix Jones patrols the streets of his community at night to fight crime... as a costumed character much like superheroes in the comic books. While they don’t have super powers, they have a commitment to making their streets safe, handing out food to homeless folks and confronting drug dealers and other criminals.

As one can imagine, the police have mixed feelings about these caped crusaders. They appreciate the effort to reduce crime, but there is a fear that they will become impediments to real law enforcement, and that they might be putting themselves in serious danger.

And, it seems as if the public at large isn’t sure what to do with these caped crusaders, either. In every single news clip I watched, the reporters couldn’t help but chuckle at these self-appointed super heroes and their alter-egos. But, they claim a sincere desire to make a positive impact on their communities and they are literally putting their bodies on the line to do so.

I must confess a certain admiration for their commitment to public service and risk-taking for something they believe in, despite what others may think of them.

Let’s be honest here, when Christians take their faith seriously... when they put their lives on the line for the sake of others... they make the public uncomfortable, as well. When Jesus healed the supposedly sinful lepers, he stirred up all kinds of trouble. And, as we read last summer, those early Christians in the book of Acts stirred up all kinds of trouble, especially when they took care of the widows dared to believe that anyone could be a part of God’s covenant.

But, from a Christian perspective, these crusaders fall short in a couple ways.

Force or Suffering?
First, is their confrontational strategy when faced with the ‘bad guys.’ While they don’t carry lethal weapons, they are armed with things like mace and tazers, and many of them are trained in martial arts. They are out to fight evil in order to make the streets safe and bring about justice.

However, when we look at our Old Testament lesson for today, we find a prophetic proclamation that flips our expectations of power and justice on its head. The prophet spoke these words to the people of Judah who were in exile in Babylon. They were waiting for the mighty one who would come and free them from their oppressor.

And indeed, through the voice of the prophet Isaiah, God declares that a servant was coming, beloved of God, who would bring about justice. But, the servant would bring about justice, not by being powerful, but by being meek... even by suffering. God’s light will come, eyes will be opened, and prisoners will be set free – not by force – but by taking on suffering.

True Identity
The second thing that makes me uncomfortable with this Real Life Superhero movement is the created, fantastic identity. For members of the movement, they will say that this alter-ego is necessary for safety... for them and their families. Which makes sense. However, there are all kinds of folks whose work requires anonymity for security reasons that don’t create fantastic, Super Hero alter-egos with characters and outlandish costumes.

The truth is, the creation of an alter-ego is about much more than safety. We live in a time when identity is created and manipulated as never before. From historical reinactors to Renessaince Fayres to live action role players to kids in high school, people are actively creating alternative identities for themselves every day. The theory is that people find their real identities so uninspiring, their work so drab, their social standing so hopeless, that they go out and create alternative identities where they are heroic or beautiful or powerful.

And, I don’t think the impulse to recreate our identities is limited to these fringe organizations and movements where alternative identities are promoted. In some ways, all of us would like to our identities to be recreated.
I still remember coming home from a week of summer church camp and telling a friend how much a loved it, the deep connections I made, how I was confident and filled with joy. “It’s like, at camp, I’m someone else,” I said.

I’ll never forget his response. “Or,” he said, “maybe you’re your real self.”

Jesus’ Identity in God
And that, my friends, is what our gospel lesson is all about today.

When Jesus comes to John for his baptism, we learn who he really is. We learn his true identity.

Jesus has no sin to be washed clean of, and yet he comes to the waters… just like everyone else. John is uncomfortable by this act of submission. He knows, without a doubt, that Jesus is the Messiah they’ve been waiting for. He knew he was supposed to prepare the way and then get out of the way. But, now, this powerful messiah submits to being baptized by John... who publicly declared that he wasn’t worthy enough to untie Jesus’ sandals.

“No,” John says, “I should be washed by you.”

“It has to be this way,” Jesus says, “We’ve got to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” This was a part of God’s plan... for the Messiah, for the Anointed One, to be baptized... just like everyone else. No special treatment, no special privileges, no special powers.

We love to tell stories about people about heroes who rise from obscurity to prominence because of their uniqueness… their gifts and abilities… like the young King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, like Ted Williams and his golden voice.

Instead, our Jesus… the savior of the world… bows his head, steps into the water, and is submerged... just like everyone else.

It’s only after this gesture - this identification with humanity - that the heavens open up, the Spirit descends from heaven in the chaotic fluttering of a dove and God declares, “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

In this moment, the real identity of Jesus is revealed, and by his gesture of submission, he begins his ministry that would fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy of a suffering servant who would bring justice to the world. Jesus’ entering the waters of baptism was the first step toward the Cross and beyond.

Not only do we learn, without a doubt, who Jesus is, we learn whose he is. He is God’s beloved. And, each step of the way... to the Cross, to the grave, and beyond, God will be with him. And, it’s only by this awareness and understanding of who he is and, especially, whose he is, that Jesus is able to go on to the Cross, the grave, and beyond.

Our Identity in Baptism
When I was talking about the scripture for today with Lynette Pfund, who prepares the Sunday School lessons, she asked, “Didn’t we just talk about baptism?”

Indeed we did, especially as we were privileged to have two of them here at the church last fall. And, we need to keep talking about baptism.

Because, like Jesus, it’s where we find our real identity. In baptism, we learn who we are and whose we are. We are children of God.

All those ways we try to recreate ourselves, they aren’t who we really are. And, all those names that we’ve been given... all those names we’ve been called... all those names we want to get rid of… stupid, fatso, loser, lazy, ugly, victim... they aren’t who we really are either.
"You are my beloved child,” God says to us. That’s who we really are and that’s what really matters.

For like Jesus, we can only live into the mission that God has set for us if we believe the good news that we, too, are beloved children of God. That no matter where we go, God will be with us.

May we dare to believe it. And may we dare to live our lives by that truth.

May it be so. Amen.