There's a wonderful story about a Chicago bank that once asked for a letter of recommendation on a young Bostonian being considered for employment. The Boston investment house could not say enough about the young man. His father, they wrote, was a Cabot; His mother was a Lowed. Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstalls, Peabodys, and other of Boston's first families. His recommendation was given without hesitation. Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was altogether inadequate. It read, "We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes. Just for work."

Neither is God a "respecter of persons." He accepts those from every family, nation, and race who fear Him and work for his Kingdom. Read text. The Apostle Peter says that he now understands that God doesn't show partiality. God doesn't show favoritism. He doesn't judge us by who we are or what we look like. For Peter, that was quite a revelation! We need to understand that Peter and his fellow Jews grew up thinking that God accepted Jews because they were Jews, the nation chosen to bring the Messiah into the world, and that God rejected Gentiles because they were Gentiles, not Jews. Peter was taught to judge by the externals of the law, and he thought God would judge the same way.

Well, if God judges us by externals, then we are in trouble. Imagine what God sees when He looks at us! Other people in this world may seem different to us because of ethnic, cultural, or racial backgrounds. But those little differences are nothing compared to the difference and the distance that sin has put between us and God! Our imperfection makes us the exact opposite of God - completely different, disappointing, disgusting, and detestable. God hates the very sin that has infected all of our lives. Do we want Him to judge us by our own merits? Do we want God to be using a system of partiality? I pray not, for my sake!

We use that system all the time, though, don't we? We know we're not supposed to judge a book by the cover, but we do. Aren't there people we meet, and neighbors we live near whom we judge by credentials, status, and other external things? Do we ever find ourselves showing special treatment to those who are able to help us out the most? And do we avoid those who we find to be so different and disgusting to us? Even right here in church - isn't it easy to observe how other people worship or how often they attend, and make judgements about what we think is in their heart when we only look at externals? And don't we often show partiality or favoritism to the ones who seem to have more to offer us? I think it is difficult, being human, not to get caught up in externals and showing favoritism, based on what others can do for us.

So isn't it great to know that God doesn't show favoritism when it comes to judging us? Isn't it comforting to know that He doesn't judge us partially by what our lives deserve? That would be depressing since the Bible tells us how disgusting our sins have made us in God's sight! But instead, God accepts people from every nation who fear Him! He accepts everyone who has faith in Him - faith in what his Son Jesus Christ has done for us! God doesn't look at our customs or traditions or even our awful track records - He looks at the condition of our hearts. And He is simply looking for faith - looking for hearts that fear Him. Fearing God means that we recognize who we are in light of who He is. It means we recognize our sinfulness, but also trust in his love and free forgiveness for us! It means we believe in Jesus as our Savior.

Think of how amazing that is! Even though you are who you are, The Lord of All Wants You! If He shows favoritism, than He shows it to everyone! He wants all people to be His! The Lord wants You! He Wants You To Have the Peace He won. That's why He has given us the message of good news about the Peace that Jesus won for us! That's why He told us how Jesus came into this world, lived the perfect life in our place, died on that cross for our sins, and rose again to life to assure us of eternal life with a God who we are now at peace with!

The peace we have with God through Jesus Christ is good news! The term "peace" not only indicates the absence of war, though it certainly indicates that too. It also means that everything is alright, that everything necessary for our well-being is present. The proclamation of peace is another way God communicates the verdict of "not guilty." God not only has forgiven us our sins, He also has credited to us our Savior's life of love and obedience. Jesus went about doing everything that is good. In the same way, God not only declares peace with us, but He also treats us as his children and supplies us with everything we need.

The Lord wants you to have this kind of peace. He wants you to have the kind of peace Eric Barker had. Eric Barker was a missionary from Great Britain who had spent over fifty years in Portugal preaching the gospel, often under adverse conditions. During World War II, the situation became so critical that he took the advice to send his wife and eight children to England for safety. His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship. Barker remained behind to conclude some mission matters. The Sunday after Barker's loved ones had left, he stood before the congregation and said, "I've just received word that all my family have arrived safely home." He then proceeded with the service as usual. Later, the full meaning of his words became known to his people. He had been handed a message just before the service, informing him that a submarine had torpedoed the ship, and everyone on board had drowned. Barker knew that all on board were believers, and the knowledge that his family was enjoying the bliss of heaven enabled him to live above his circumstances in spite of overwhelming grief. That is peace. That is the peace the Lord of All wants you to have!

The Lord of All also Wants You to Be Devoted to Him. People who fear God, who trust in Him as their Savior, will do right. They will live upright lives to say thank you to God. It is a natural reaction. Jesus makes us want to do what is right. We want to be devoted to a God who has given us such a wonderful peace. And that is what the Lord wants of us too.

Being devoted to the Lord means loving Him above all things, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. And it is amazing what the peace Jesus brings can do in our lives! For example, Person A and Person B have been quarreling for years. They just can't see eye to eye, and in fact, it seems that Person A and Person B can never be reconciled to one another. What is the answer? What is the only way out? Ephesians 2:14 says: "For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." In other words, we know that Person A and Person B will never get along. They have already proven that over the years. The only answer, then, is for both of them to become a new person: Person C! They will make peace with one another when they realize that Christ has made peace with them. They will be united together when they live in Christ and He in them. Love, compassion, grace, and forgiveness will be second nature as they both strive for the same thing: to be like Christ for one another. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." The old persons could never get along. The new ones can live as one in peace, and in that way, also be devoted in thanks to the Lord!

In Baptism, the Holy Spirit worked faith in our hearts and made us believing children of God. The water and the word washed us clean, drowned our sinful nature, and made us new people! Baptism is a wonderful sacrament. And being devoted to God means living in our baptismal grace every day.

Today we are celebrating Jesus' baptism. Since baptism washes our sins away and makes us God's children, we might be wondering why Jesus had to be baptized, since He had no sins to wash away and already was God's Son. I don't know if I have heard a better explanation than one by Oscar Cullman, a German theologian. Even though he acknowledges it is difficult to understand, he gives a simple explanation for Jesus submitting to baptism: "It was not a baptism of repentance for HIS sin; it was a baptism of repentance for MY sin, and yours. Just as Jesus died on the cross, not for his own sin, but for yours and mine, so also was he baptized in solidarity with, and on behalf of, you and me."

By this act of going to John to be baptized, by this act of joining people who were acknowledging that their lives were totally messed up and empty and uncertain and in need of a fresh start, Jesus publicly demonstrated the meaning of "Immanuel." God is with us; God has come to us; God has joined us in this world, in our human condition, in our human predicament. God understands! God knows what life and death are really like for you and me!

Jesus' baptism also certainly has significance that his ministry was now beginning, and that his Father had chosen Him and was pleased with Him. But for us, maybe the most important thing to remember is that Jesus was baptized for you and me. And that might help explain why the Lord wants you! He doesn't want you because you are great or anything. He doesn't show favoritism. He wants you because He loves you. He wants you because you look great to Him robed with Jesus' perfection. He also wants you to have that peace in your lives. And He wants you to be devoted to Him by living every day in light of who you are because of your baptism.

As this year of our Lord, 2002 begins, live in the relationship God has created with you in your baptism; know, learn about, and respond to the love God has offered you; and in that love, may you find healing and hope. That is what the Lord of All Wants for You! Amen.

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