Menu
Togetherness in the Ark of the Church
Baptism, which corresponds to [Noah’s ark], now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…. – 1 Peter 3:21
The apostle Peter, a fisherman by trade, compares the Church to Noah’s ark. The Church exists because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we joyfully celebrate every time we come together on Sunday, especially on Easter Sunday and during the Easter season.
Peter sought to emphasize that, in the Church, the faithful are drawn together in the unity and safety that God provides through the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In the Church, the Holy Spirit calls us together. He gathers us to enlighten us together. And by calling, gathering and enlightening us together as the one body of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit inspires us to support each other as we journey towards our eternal home with Him. In other words, we are in this boat together.
When we come together as the Church, we remember that our faith in Christ is not just personal. Our faith is tied to others. Not that one person can believe for another, but that we belong together, united in faith, as the Holy Spirit works through His Word and Sacraments in us individually and in us together as Christ’s body, the Church.
So when the Triune God places His holy name on us in Holy Baptism, God does more than just save us from our sins (although that is crucial to our eternal salvation!). He ties Jesus’ resurrection to our resurrection. And He also brings us into His family, the community of believers (“saints”) of all time and place. Because we are baptized into Jesus Christ – into Jesus’ death and resurrection – we become part of God’s plan for saving this world.
And God has a specific plan and a purpose for us, His baptized family here at Holy Cross, in this time and in this place. Last year we devoted significant effort and time considering how and where WE, TOGETHER, as a congregation of God’s family in Western New York, are sharing God’s blessings in terms of mercy, witness and service to others. This year we will be beginning an intentional process of discerning what God’s plan and purpose is for US TOGETHER as we look forward to our next 10 years as His family, His people, and His body right here during the next 10 years. We are in this boat together. We each have a role, whether it’s an oar to pull, a sail to trim, or a rudder to steer. But Christ calls us to do it together. May our Savior and Lord guide us on this journey together.
~Pastor Nickel
