The upshot of all of this? Be like God and name the people of God not just faithfully and graciously but also in care-filled and responsible ways.
Remind them also of their baptismal name. Which is what? It is the same name, I suggest to you, that the Father gives to Jesus at his own baptism: beloved. In all three accounts of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Father’s voice from heaven is heard audibly. And all three accounts include the same basic statement: You are my Son, the Beloved, with whom I well pleased.
Think for a moment how astonishing this is. The Father presumably could have made his voice heard countless times throughout Jesus’ ministry. But he speaks out loud only three times, and two out of the three times—including at Jesus’ transfiguration—the eternal, infinite, supreme God repeats himself.
The Father knows all the words in the world. He knows all the words that could be and yet shall be, world without end, and he could have said a million things about the Son. But instead, he says one thing: You are my Son, the beloved.
When you feel discouraged by the lack of evident fruit in your labors, what’s your truest name? Beloved.
When you feel irked by specific people in your community, what’s their truest name? Beloved.https://t.co/7kQ0dIeGk7
— CT Pastors (@CT_Pastors) July 16, 2019