This Sunday, we celebrate a baptism. When I read this passage, the ministry to "justice" stands out. How can the baptism of this baby, in the midst of us, a symbol of our life in Christ, be an image of God's call to the community to walk in the ways of justice? One of our adult learning groups will be focusing on refugees for the next three weeks - certainly a justice issue as we try to find safe and healthy homes for all of God's creation. In Baptism, the congregation has a role in providing a safe and healthy (wholeness, salvation) home for the baptized. Are we not all seeking a home with our questions of meaning and fulfilment and service? Do we get to invite this baptized baby to journey with us on this search for "home". Just some thoughts to get us going.
Tom in TO
This Sunday, we celebrate a baptism. When I read this passage, the ministry to "justice" stands out. How can the baptism of this baby, in the midst of us, a symbol of our life in Christ, be an image of God's call to the community to walk in the ways of justice? One of our adult learning groups will be focusing on refugees for the next three weeks - certainly a justice issue as we try to find safe and healthy homes for all of God's creation. In Baptism, the congregation has a role in providing a safe and healthy (wholeness, salvation) home for the baptized. Are we not all seeking a home with our questions of meaning and fulfilment and service? Do we get to invite this baptized baby to journey with us on this search for "home". Just some thoughts to get us going.
Tom in TO
This is the inner experience of Jesus. I believe that Jesus deeply lived the words of Isaiah and here they reflect the inner meaning of our Lord's ministry. Because it is our Lord's ministry it is also ours. We must embrace these words as we were the one being baptized in the Jordan River. Indeed, at every baptism something happens! The newly baptized becomes the "Anointed One" with water and oil. The newly baptized is the Christ within our midst. We are all anointed and therefore called to live out this vision of Isaiah.
tom in ga
What happens to the meaning if a couple of commas are inserted in verse three: "a bruised reed, he will not break; and a dimly burning wick, he will not quench." It draws me to the suffering servant image and seems to tie in with verse 4. Comments?
michael in the snow
"In whom my soul delights" what an awesome thought, God taking delight in one unique human being. I believe that most people have been told "God loves you" but tragically they have never been told "God takes delight in you". It is almost too wonderful to comprehend (OK that is like a Yogi Berra statement). Be thou my vision, thou my best thought.... HOw could anyone believe that God takes delight in them personally and not feel inspired? Manzel
A rather late submission but here it is anyway: Christ opened himself to the spirit of God thru baptism. And the spirit desended upon him. Isaiah said in vs. 1 "Ihave put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." So too thru baptism we receive the spirit of God descending upon us. But are we receptive and open to that spirit. If we are the spirit will lead us into doing justice and it is not entirely dependent upon our own skills and abilities. I find comfort in that. Bob in WP
There is one stand of Christian scholarship that suggests the sufferign servant passages were originally meant to describe the Israelite community. Theologically, I also read them to represent Jesus. Therefore, I will be preaching about them as a call to ministry for the church, as the new Israel and the body of Christ. How I will do that? That's still coming . . . Bruce in PA
One way of looking at this poassage is to consider the Body of Chriat as the servant described here. Yes, it may have originally referred to the Jewish community, yes, it may be a prophecy of Jesus, but the rubber hits the road for us when we see ourselves as grafted onto that original people of God, when we see ourselves as having put on Christ and Christ dwelling within us.
And what are the implications of this? That we in the church are spirit-filled, called into righteousness, given as a covenant to the people, a light to nations ("You are the light of the world", after all). We are called to work for justice, for freedom (think debt-bondage, perhaps), to bring light to those in darkness (think evangelsim). What began with the baptism of our Lord continues in us - as is evident from the reading from Acts.
Bruce on Pender Island, BC