A Reading
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 26-28)
A Thought
During the last video of the Alpha series on Monday, Nikki Gumbel explained the consequences of our repentance and belief in Jesus Christ. Through the act of our baptism, we become united with Christ through death and life. We have become brothers and sisters with Jesus in a very spiritual way.
Nikki Gumbel illustrated this with a piece of paper (us) which he placed inside a book (Jesus). Whatever happens to the book now happens also to the piece of paper. As Jesus died, we die. As Jesus was buried, so our old lives are buried. As Jesus rose, so we rise with him into new life. Our baptism is complete. We are united with Jesus and fellow Christians.
During an earlier video, Nikki had referenced a sponge immersed in water. The sponge is in the water, and the water is in the sponge. We are in Christ, and Christ is in us.
The church community at Hannington illustrated this process on Sunday in a unique way.
After the service, we were treated to a slice of marble cake. The chocolate sponge wove its way colourfully through the orange sponge, but it was impossible to separate the two. The baking process had bonded the two respective mixtures together.
Whenever I took a bite, both components were captured, and the tastes were combined in a new flavour. Others commented that they enjoyed the same experience.
The concept of unity with Jesus Christ is awesome and humbling, inasmuch as it becomes available to us through God’s love and not through our worthiness. No one is sufficiently worthy through their own efforts, but Jesus took our failings upon himself when he died upon the cross.
I hope that this concept will be explored again at Hannington soon.
A prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, at your Last Supper you prayed to the Father that all should be one.
May we be reborn through repentance and faith into eternal unity with you.
Amen
Opmerkingen