Sermon: Who Do You Think You Are?

LAKEWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
2601 54th Avenue South St. Petersburg, FL 33712
On land originally inhabited by the Tocabaga

727-867-7961
lakewooducc.org
lakewooducc@gmail.com

Date: January 11, 2026
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon: Who Do You Think You Are?
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Who do you think you are? We’ve heard this so many times. Who do you think
you are? Coming in here and telling me what to do. Who do you think you are?
As a student throws the trash can across the classroom in an expression of
frustration and fury. Who do you think you are? Challenging my parental
authority when I let you live here for free and feed you and provide for you? Who do you think you are? I’m the boss here. I own this business. Who do you think you are showing up late everyday and telling me what’s wrong with how things are run here? Who do you think you are? You’re illegal, you have no rights here. Who do you think you are? Challenging my authority when I was duly elected president of these United States. Who do you think you are?

This question surrounds us, forms us, shapes us, infuriates us. Who do you think you are? It presumes putting on airs, assuming undue authority, belittling someone else.

And yet this question is at the heart of the story we heard this morning about the baptism of Jesus. Who do you think you are, Jesus, carpenter’s son from back water Nazareth? But John sees a deeper reality. He has been out there in the wilderness by the Jordan River baptizing and baptizing, trying to get people ready through repentance and cleaning up their act, in preparation for the great thing God has promised to do – send a Messiah. John is watching and waiting and actively engaged in preparations. How will he know? Who do you think you are? Are you the one?

Who do you think you are? The baptism scene is the fulfillment of all that has
been promised. This is the one. Who do you think you are? This is answered in
the story by the dove and the voice from the cloud, clearly audible to those present and to all future readers: “This is my Own, my Beloved, on whom my favor rests.” This is who Jesus is. It’s crystal clear like the shining water of the Jordan probably was in those days.

This is my Beloved, on whom my favor rests. The chosen one. But does this mean that Jesus will be rich? Adulated by the authorities? Respected and fawned over? Catered to and kowtowed to? No. It means for the next three years he will tramp around Judea, Samaria, Galilee, with no home. Trying to respond to the seemingly endless demands of those made poor, the needy, the sick. It means he will be chased down, threatened, publicly challenged. They try to run him off of a cliff at the beginning of his ministry. The leaders and authorities constantly try to make a fool of him or worse. We are told he is poor. He is dependent on the generosity of others, usually people who barely have enough for themselves. It’s no regal, posh life of luxury this being God’s beloved and receiving God’s favor. And yet Jesus is known for being a drunkard and a glutton. He is known for his joy as well as his compassion. He clearly loves his life!

And we know the end of the story. Yes, resurrection, new life, love triumphs over death, but only after the ignominy, the humiliation, and the inhumane torture of crucifixion.

“This is my Own, my Beloved, on whom my favor rests.” And at the
Transfiguration, the voice from the clouds adds, “Listen to him!” Jesus can only do such great good for God, for humanity, and for Creation, because he is completely obedient to the will of God for his life.

In the movie, “The Lion King,” there is a scene in which Rafiki, a baboon, the
spiritual guru of the pride, asks Simba, the lion prince and heir to the throve of his father, Mufasa, “Who are you?” Simba is busy trying to shirk his responsibilities to the lion pride.

We can well imagine being asked, especially at certain points in our lives, Who are you? Like, What are you doing with yourself? Like, It’s time to adult. Like,
Society and those who love you have invested in you, it’s time for you to do
something constructive with yourself. Like, Doing the right thing is not always
going to be easy. Like, You’re here for a reason, you need to live up to that. Like,
Can’t you see you’re betraying all you’ve cared about?

Who are you? Who have you become? What has life done to you? What has
happened to who you were meant to be?

We are not perfect. We screw up our lives and our world in so many ways it may
even defy the imagination of God. That is why Jesus trekked back and forth across the holy land dispensing divine forgiveness. That is why we have a story of Jesus pleading from the cross, Forgive them, Abba, they don’t know what they are doing. That’s why people were coming to John and dousing themselves in the Jordan to wash away the dirt, the crud, the compromises, the capitulations, the nastiness, the dishonesty (especially with ourselves), the negligence, scrub it all off. Create a clean slate. James R. Sherman, author, rightly declares: “You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending.”

Later in the movie, “The Lion King,” Simba’s father, Mufasa, the king of the pride who has died, speaks to Simba from the sky. He announces to Simba: “Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king.” From then on, Simba assumes his responsibility as the heir to the throne for the good of the pride and the pride lands.

Who do you think you are? That is where we started. But the gospels give us a
much different answer to that question. Not one of confrontation or
disappointment. But that question is answered with God’s hope and faith – not only in Jesus but in us! The story of the baptism of Jesus reminds us to hear ringing in our ears, the affirmation of God: YOU are my beloved. Upon YOU my favor rests.

Do we have much to atone for? You bet we do. But we are beloved by a power
that only seeks the best for us and for all of Creation. Our highest good.

Does this mean everything will go smoothly for us, easy street? No. Remember
the challenges Jesus faced. But this is a life to love. To take delight in. To bring
joy.

Who do you think you are? You are beloved. Unique. Powerful. A child of God.
And as this New Year begins, we are invited to begin writing a new ending to our
story. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in
this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.