The Baptism Of Our Lord / Epiphany 1 / OT 1
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
-- Acts 10:34-35
What if it was really true that anyone who fears (has reverence for) God and does what is right is acceptable to God? You do not have to belong to the proper race, nationality, or religion to be saved. In Acts, Peter spoke of this new understanding having begun "after the baptism that John announced." This was truly the baptism that rocked the world and broke open our preconceptions. In a sense, it was a return to the covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:1-7), which Jewish understanding suggests is the basic covenant that God requires of all humanity. To fear God and do what is right is to have a reverent care for all of life and to recognize that every living human is a reflection of the image of God. This basic covenant was embodied in the life of Jesus who was anointed by God "with the Holy Spirit and with power (and) went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil...." In this way, Jesus' baptism shattered the power of religion to offer or deny salvation. The grace of God transcended the narrowness of all religion. What then is the role of Christianity in such a world? In the same way that Jesus gave up power over others and became their servant, so Christians are invited to become servants of all humanity and seek to release in all individuals the image of God within them. "He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that [Christ] is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead." And that judgment is based on humans demonstrating a "love of God and neighbor." In one sense it is quite simple, but it is also frighteningly radical. The church, historically, has never been very good at using power and judgment. It is invited to try servanthood and grace.
-- Acts 10:34-35
What if it was really true that anyone who fears (has reverence for) God and does what is right is acceptable to God? You do not have to belong to the proper race, nationality, or religion to be saved. In Acts, Peter spoke of this new understanding having begun "after the baptism that John announced." This was truly the baptism that rocked the world and broke open our preconceptions. In a sense, it was a return to the covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:1-7), which Jewish understanding suggests is the basic covenant that God requires of all humanity. To fear God and do what is right is to have a reverent care for all of life and to recognize that every living human is a reflection of the image of God. This basic covenant was embodied in the life of Jesus who was anointed by God "with the Holy Spirit and with power (and) went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil...." In this way, Jesus' baptism shattered the power of religion to offer or deny salvation. The grace of God transcended the narrowness of all religion. What then is the role of Christianity in such a world? In the same way that Jesus gave up power over others and became their servant, so Christians are invited to become servants of all humanity and seek to release in all individuals the image of God within them. "He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that [Christ] is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead." And that judgment is based on humans demonstrating a "love of God and neighbor." In one sense it is quite simple, but it is also frighteningly radical. The church, historically, has never been very good at using power and judgment. It is invited to try servanthood and grace.
