Friday, July 13, 2012

Looking Toward Sunday



July 15, 2012 - Seventh Sunday in Pentecost 

"True Identity"

Our scripture reading for Sunday comes from Paul's letter to the Ephesians (verses 1:3-14). This week we'll be using Eugene Peterson's paraphrased Bible entitled The Message. (You can read the lesson here.)  In the letter's opening lines, Paul reminds the Christians at Ephesus what a blessing it is to be "in Christ" - to have been loved and claimed and adopted by God - to be "made whole and holy by his love".  Paul reminds the Ephesians who and whose they are - the beloved children of God.

We, too are God's beloved – a truth that is affirmed in the waters of baptism.  It is in our baptism that we are reminded of who we are – that we are God’s daughters and sons – that we are God’s beloved – that in us, God is well pleased.  That is our real identity.  

The story is told that in moments of despair, the great 16th century Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, would touch his forehead and say the only words that would help him to grasp hope: "Remember, you are baptized".  What if, like Luther, we could continually claim our baptismal identity instead of developing amnesia about who and whose we really are?  How might our lives be different if we were to define ourselves not by the names and labels that others place on us, but by our truest identity as the beloved of God?   

It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it, found yourselves home free – signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.  (Eph. 1:13)
See you on Sunday!

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