Week 5: Resurrection

Baptism and Reconciliation

We have spent a few days exploring John’s theology on the resurrection. Now we move back towards Paul for today and tomorrow. We have thoroughly explored our union with Christ in his death and burial through baptism. Yet, in our baptism, we not only participate in Jesus's death and burial. We also participate in his resurrection. It's been my honor and blessing to baptize many people over the last few decades. One thing I have begun to relish and appreciate is the resurrecting force of baptism. As I pull people up and out of the water, I feel the weight of the water as it slides off of my arms, off of their head, face, shoulders, and chest. They stand powerfully reborn in the resurrection of Jesus. It's like death's cruel grip cannot hang on. The water, like a vacuum, fills the absence of their now-resurrected body.

Paul's theology of being resurrected with Jesus is both a present reality and a future hope. Tomorrow we will explore this future hope, but today we reflect on the current reality and virtue of being resurrected with Jesus.

As you will see in some of the readings today, resurrection is experienced and lived out through reconciliation. This loaded virtue is a visible sign of God's new creation.

Paul argues that in his death, Jesus took all the dividing hostility of this world and nailed it to the tree. The sin that gripped the world and plagued it with racism, hate, injustice, and genocide has been nailed to the cross with Jesus. That is of the old Adam and is dead. The corpse lingers as the world awaits its final reconciliation.

In the resurrection, Jesus creates a new humanity capable of complete reconciliation. This new humanity is capable of eternal reconciliation between gender, race, and role. This is the beauty of God's resurrected church. Remember that anytime Paul speaks of our personal reality with Christ, it is always as the collective body of Christ. Our union with Christ is not exclusive to ourselves. Instead, we join the united body of Jesus. The new humanity can hold together all people. God's beautiful church reflects that resurrection. That is why we are called as Christ's body to practice reconciliation and peace across all areas of division. To be Gospel formed is to partake in reconciliation.

Of course, the central place for this resurrection practice is at the table of God. When we look across and see people of all varieties in the same new humanity, we practice resurrection. That's why we share bread and a cup.