Bethel United Church of Christ
  • Home
  • Church Info
    • Church History
    • Pastor's Page
    • Related Links
  • Get Involved
  • Photos
  • Contact
    • Submit a Prayer Request
    • Join Our Church Newsletter

WEEK OF JANUARY 5-11, 2020                      MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR

1/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I used to attend Wake Forest Baptist Church, where the above image was on the front of every Sunday bulletin, as well as on the front of the pulpit.
Notice the halo on the sheep/ lamb.
Notice the book with seven seals under his feet.
Notice how he is skillfully managing that flagpole!
—flying the banner of the cross.
Of course, the lamb stands for Jesus, who John the Baptizer pointed out to his followers as the “lamb of God” (John 1:29)( in Latin, “Agnus Dei”)
O Lamb of God,
    that takes away the sins of the world,
    have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God,
    that takes away the sins of the world,
    have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God,
    that takes away the sins of the world,
    grant us thy peace.
This has been a part of the prayer for the Eucharist (Holy Communion) since the earliest times of the church.
How can we pray this from our hearts?    Especially since we are so far removed from those ancient times when people used to literally sacrifice lambs to God on the Temple altar— ?
 
Bible scholar and theologian Walter Brueggemann refers to both John 1:29 and to 1:41 (where Andrew tells his brother Simon, “We have found the Messiah”) to say this:
“The twinning of ‘Lamb’ and ‘Messiah’ evidences the way in which Jesus, from the outset, is seen as power-in-weakness, as authority-in-vulnerability, the newness that will confound the authorities of the world and make newness possible.
“The church's task is to let the world have access to this power-in-weakness that will transform reality.”
If the powerless, innocent Lamb is also God- become- flesh, then the world’s usual notion of what power is, is turned on its head. Given this flipped-on-its- head understanding of Who God is, we now need not pray as if God is huge and heartless Being or Force “out there.” God is every bit as much a lamb, Who lives in the same pastures as we, and Who calls us sisters and brothers. Jesus Christ, God-become-flesh, even went to be baptized, as we should, as a sign that he also submits to the Father’s will.

Picture
                          “The Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan”
                          Albrecht Dürer, woodcut made in A.D. 1489
                            (when Dürer was about 18 years of age)
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Contact info

    Rev. Dan Bassett
    Bethel United Church of Christ
    2451 Bethel Church Rd
    Elkton, Virginia 22827
    540-298-1197

    betheluccelktonva@outlook.com

    Archives

    December 2022
    October 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    June 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.