Nested Inside

Romans 6:1-11 Dying and Rising with Christ

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

REFLECTION:

At my grandfather’s house when I was a kid, there was a set of Russian nesting dolls I used to love playing with. You have probably seen these before – not really dolls, but more like egg-shaped figurines, each one smaller than the next. What makes them fun is that they all fit inside each other, so when you put them all together, all you see is the largest one, and all the smaller ones are nested inside. (I think I used to pretend they were eating each other – not really the intent of the toy, but fun nonetheless). I do remember pretending that there was some obstacle they had to get across (a river with alligators in it, or something similarly dangerous) – and so to survive, they would all hop inside the largest one, and he would keep them safe.

In the New Testament, Paul uses a similar image for what happens in Baptism. As the water flows over our heads, we are nested inside Christ…and from that point on, it is he who is righteous for us – it is he who destroys sin for us – it is he who dies for us. We pass safely through every obstacle, including death itself, because we rest safely inside the Promise.

            

So whether it is alligators in a little boy’s imagination, or the very real struggles we face, today I am celebrating that no obstacle, including the ones I myself create, can keep me from living my life to God…

I am also celebrating the life of Don Kletti, whose funeral service was this morning, and the life of Gert Roots, who died unexpectedly on Sunday morning. They rest nested safe in Christ himself, passing through death to life eternal. Thanks be to God for that incredible gift...

PRAYER:

God of the empty cross, help me to see through the challenges and brokenness in my life, so I can see you leading me to a life of thanksgiving and praise. Amen.