21 December 2006

Yesterday 1 Peter worked on our suffering, today we pick up with Christ's suffering.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which is 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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. (3:18-22)

So suffering for someone who we would never think we should suffer - one of them...one of the bad ones...one of the dirty ones...one of the unrighteous. What a dynamic picture to remember. Once and for all. In that movement of suffering, we hear a whole new story for the world. It is not all about me or us or my people or a chosen few...it is about all. Baptism doesn't safe guard us and it doesn't make us clean. Baptism brings new life that has its beginning and end in the way of Jesus - suffering for all and nothing less. We are brought into the new light and this new way of taking part in the life of the world. We announce -with the living of our lives- what God has done through Jesus and now continues to do through us. This is not so much about story telling as it is about story living...and the living...the standing with and for all of "those"...tells the story as it unfolds in ordinary lives in to the way of Jesus. We now live within the domain of the one who has lived contrary to the patterns of life and suffered for do that. That domain is not able to be controlled by any power and so we go on following our Lord through water and into new life.

Connection: This saving story is not all about me or you...it is about all. And yet, this means it is most definitely about me...and you - all. Assured by such a word, how does that begin to shape things?!?

By your power, O Lord, you entered into our suffering humanity and endured all things as you unveiled your living Reign of Peace among us and for us. With the simple trickle of water, we are reminded of our welcome into this walk with you. Thanks be to God. Amen.