Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 Holy Baptism: Identifying with the death and resurrection of Christ

1 Peter: 3:17-22
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…

The text is an exhortation that the writer of 1 Peter gives to a Christian community threatened and distraught by the perils and pain of persecution on account of their fidelity to Christ Jesus. Many among them were enduring torture as they had openly borne witness to their faith through baptism. Reassuring them, the writer conjoins the suffering readers and their experiences primarily with that of their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the cross. The writer opines that the unjust suffering and brutal death of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Roman Empire was not to be perceived as absolute catastrophe. Christ who apparently failed in the sight of his persecutors was vindicated through His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God. Jesus himself had stated this principle in other words in His Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” 

Secondly, the life and witness of Noah is also alluded to for the relief and confidence of the persecuted. Noah had to endure the flood but he was kept unto salvation from God’s judgment. 1 Peter connects the image with the idea of Christian baptism and expresses both as expressions of God’s saving grace. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is administered in the Holy Church in obedience to the directive of our Lord Jesus Christ who has been given all authority and power both in heaven and on earth. Hence, participation in the sacrament is an open indication of one’s acknowledgement of and allegiance to the Lordship of Christ. Baptism in itself cannot save anyone, but it is an important step of obedience to Christ in which we publicly identify ourselves with Him in His death and resurrection. Just as Christ who suffered a violent death was vindicated by God the baptized who share in Christ’s death will certainly share in Christ’s resurrection. In other words, it was a reassurance to the disheartened Christians that even if they had to offer their lives in martyrdom, the day is coming soon when they will be vindicated.

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” This famous last line from the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind expresses winter as a metaphor for death or gloom in our lives. However the poet cannot but express his hope about the future through the metaphor of Spring which is a season of hope. Similarly, in our times when death and destruction looms large and intimidates our innocent existence and we find it difficult to keep our hopes alive this text is all the more significant. It assures that though violence threatens to overwhelm God’s people, God certainly rescues the faithful in God’s own time. Christ’s resurrection and ascension assure us that our God is still all-powerful. We who are baptized and have sacrificially proclaimed our loyalty to the Lord need not ultimately fear and panic in utter hopelessness about the demoralizing experiences of this world today for we have a definite emancipation.

Prayer
Lord you are our hope even when our hope is apparently at risk amidst our troubled lives. Help us to remember that you are always on our side, Amen.

Thought of the day
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” Desmond Tutu.
 
Rev. Sujith Sam Mammen

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more