No Ordinary Bath

1 Peter 3:13-4:6

In today’s epistle reading the author of 1 Peter makes reference to the “days of Noah” when “eight persons were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you – not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” (1 Peter 3:20-21). I think that the sight of a newborn child scrunching her face as water is applied to her head, or the familiarity of an adult professing his faith and receiving the sacrament has led many to consider baptism as one more cultural function performed by the church. We see it fairly often, and it seldom comes as a surprise. But when baptism is placed into the context of the flood and adjoined to the resurrection – as it is in 1 Peter – we can perhaps begin to grasp its deep significance. This is no ordinary event; this is something godly and powerful, akin to God ripping apart the fabric of creation in order to mark an individual as chosen and claimed.

Noah and his family were saved from annihilation through the waters. In his death and rising again Jesus Christ offers us the promise of eternal life. Baptism ties us to these events, to the community of faith, to all who have gone before us and all who will come after us. Baptism gives us our identity as God’s people and it cleanses us from the stain of sin. Baptism is no perfunctory obligation staged to meet cultural expectations, it is the single most important event in the life of a Christian. It is the work of God who transcends all time and space and yet draws near enough to touch each and every one of us.

Prayer: Lord, help us to recognize your presence and to understand the significance of your work in our midst. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

No Way To Run A Country

1 Peter 2:11-3:12

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:21-23). Passages like this one are really challenging to me. On the one hand I understand that Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin. In doing so he called all people to live a life of peace and community, to turn away from violence and acts of retribution. On the other hand how do you survive in this world if you are not willing to “stand up for yourself” and to look out for your own best interests?

That’s the whole point, though, isn’t it? Jesus did not call disciples to live according to the ways of the world. Jesus called his followers to something other, a higher way. When he might have struck back he suffered in silence. When he might have put up a fight he declined to defend himself. In doing so Jesus issued a monumental challenge to all of us: choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15), either the powers of the world with their expectations of violence and aggression, or the will of God with its justice, kindness, and humility (Micah 6:8).

Most days I don’t even want to think about the issues involved here. Most days I want to go about my business and pretend that there isn’t a choice to be made. As a result, I generally stand somewhere along the line that runs between Christ-like meekness at one end and a desire to lash out at those who offend me at the other. Clearly that’s not good enough, and my prayer is that over time I might find a way to live God’s will more completely. In the meantime I invite us all to reflect on what Christ did for us and to look for the strength to go and do likewise.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live the way our Savior lived in all aspects of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Abiding Vine

John 15:1-11

Remember the children’s song that says, “There are many things that I can do all by myself”? Well, our reading from the gospel of John today says something completely different, something more along the lines of “there is one very important thing that I cannot do unless I work with Jesus Christ,” which now that I think about it, doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Here’s how Jesus puts it: “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).

Try as we might we simply cannot produce the fruit of righteousness unless we allow Jesus to work in and through us. Those of us who grew up in the days before cordless phones remember that in order to make or receive calls the phone itself had to be connected to the line. Nor can we expect an electric appliance to work if it is not plugged into the socket. Trying to produce good fruit without being connected to the vine makes about as much sense. It is the vine—Jesus—who gives the branches—believers—what they need in order to bear fruit–serve God faithfully.

Another image that comes to mind is that of a factory assembly line. If the workers alone that line were to suddenly disregard the product being produced and pursue their own ideas the results might be interesting, but they would certainly be less than ideal. Only when each worker tends to the task at hand can the best product be created. Jesus has not called you and me to “do our own thing” in the work of the kingdom. We have been set aside for particular tasks that further the coming reign of God. When we embrace those tasks and go about them with energy and enthusiasm we will find ourselves as part of a greater whole and doing great things.

Prayer: Lord, may we serve you with obedient faithfulness and may we be about your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Loving Deeply

1 Peter 1:13-25

Our culture defines love in ways too numerous to count. We hear about it in music, we see it portrayed on TV and in the movies, we read it in our literature, and we use slag terms to explain it. And within this cultural context love essentially has been reduced to some level of sexual activity or the exploits of dysfunctional family systems. God begs to differ and in scripture we find love discussed in much different terms. For the believer love is centered around God and is shared by the community of faith. This is the love that makes human society possible and that allows us to hold one another in esteem and affection.

“Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love,” we read in 1 Peter, “love one another deeply from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). For the author of this passage love arises from a purity of purpose, an obedience to what is true to God's will, and a mutuality that binds people together and does not push them apart. It is only with such purity, obedience, and mutuality that we can then love each other “deeply from the heart.”

I wonder what would happen to pop music if this notion of love as pure, obedient, and mutual became the norm; TV shows and movies if characters actually loved deeply and from the heart. This is a radical thought, I know, but wouldn’t it be interesting to see people responding to one another in the daily activities of life with sincere regard and not just anger or lust. Until that day, the word of God remains a source of encouragement for those who wish to love more fully, more deeply, and in a more godly manner.

Prayer: Lord, help us to love one another as you love us. In the name of Jesus Christ who expresses your love in his life and death. Amen.

Knowing the Way

John 14:(1-7) 8-17
As I write this the final competitors in this year’s Boston Marathon are crossing the finish line. What a tremendous effort it takes to run 26 miles, and what a storied place to accomplish such a feat. Imagine, however, if the runners had lined up at the starting line, heard the signal to begin running, but then realize that the course itself was not marked. How could they possibly compete in a 26 mile race if they did not know the path to follow, did not know where to turn, did not even know where the finish line was located? How could they run a race if they did not know the way?

As farfetched an idea as that may be, it is was occurred to me as I read our passage from John for today. “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…’” (John 14:5-6). Thomas asked a good question, one that we all should ponder. As we continue on the path of life with all of its twists and turns, with all of its obstacles and obstructions, with all of its potholes and pitfalls we may feel as though there is no hope to reaching the goal for which we strive. How can we navigate the difficulties, finish the race, and arrive where we need to be without some direction? Thomas asked a good question, but Jesus offered an even better answer. If we feel lost or uncertain about where we are headed in life we need only turn to Jesus Christ for guidance. To know God most fully we must attune ourselves to what Jesus says and must pay attention to what he does. These are the markers along the way, these are the indicators of where to go, what to do, how to live. The story of Jesus’ ministry is filled with hope for all who travel though life, and in Jesus’ death and resurrection we find the final assurance that the journey is worthwhile.

The runners in Boston today were guided along the racecourse from start to finish. In Jesus Christ we find our guidance through life from start to finish, from alpha to omega, from beginning to end. And at the end we find a new beginning.

Prayer: Gracious God, give us the strength and courage to turn to Jesus Christ for guidance for the living of these days. Amen.

An Idle Tale?

Luke 24:1-12

How did the disciples react when on Easter morning the women gave them the joyous news of the resurrection? According to Luke’s gospel, “…these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11). How is it possible that the followers of Jesus so easily dismissed as foolishness what they were told? That’s a question we should all ponder, because day in and day out we are faced with good news of great joy but time after time we set it aside as nonsense. The starving are fed in impoverished parts of the world, houses are built for the homeless, justice is found for the oppressed, the sick are comforted, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Do these sound like idle tales? Why, then, do we seem most focused on dissension and schism? Why do we gage the validity of someone’s faith by worldly ideals? Why do we insist on sitting in doubt when given the chance to join Peter in a dash to discovery?

In these days following the celebration of Easter I, like many other church professionals and volunteers, face physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue. I need a chance to recharge my batteries so that I can resume my efforts. But this is no time to dismiss the news that the women bring, no time to shutter the windows and put out the lights. Jesus Christ is risen! The truth is all around us. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we dismiss the gospel in order to follow our own whims. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Simply Summing It Up

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The good news according to Paul is not terribly complicated nor is it difficult to understand. He shares it with his readers in Corinth: “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). One thing to note here is that Paul is passing along what has been given to him. Faith is a gift he has received and one he is eager to share. Another thing to note is the role that scripture plays in Paul’s message. What Paul says about Jesus is a confirmation of the promise that God has made to past generations. None of this should come as a surprise to those who are familiar with Judaism. And finally, that which Paul says is of “first importance” to people of faith centers on the sacrificial (and very real) death of Jesus followed by his resurrection.

For Paul the spread of the gospel is based on the truth of what happened in and through Jesus and its foundation in the faith tradition of Israel. We should not allow centuries of theological wrangling to cloud this simple message: Jesus died; he was buried; he was raised again just like scripture said it would be. This is the “important stuff.”

We have celebrated the resurrection. Now we return to the work of sharing the gospel, and if we follow Paul’s lead we will do so with a reliance on the simple truth.

Prayer: Lord guide us as we seek to live the faith that we have been given. In Jesus’ name. Amen.