"To bring all things together in Christ"

Monday, January 14, 2013 -- Week of 1 Epiphany (Year One)

[Go to http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html for an online version of the Daily Office including today's scripture readings.]

Today's Readings for the Daily Office
     (Book of Common Prayer, p. 942)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning)     //     4, 7 (evening)
Isaiah 40:12-23
Ephesians 1:1-14
Mark 1:1-13

God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God's presence before the creation of the world.  God destined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love.  This was according to his goodwill and plan...  This is what God planned for the climax of all times:  to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth.  Ephesians 1:4-5, 10, CEB)

There is something about the sense of God's calling and blessing that seems so sure and right that we intuitively respond, "This is what God must have intended for me.  This must have been God's purpose for me from before I was born."  When we experience the profound, loving presence of the divine, we seem to know -- God has loved me forever and will love me forever.  This must have been God's design and purpose from the beginning.

The epistle to the Ephesians gives utterance to that experience, and sees it in two stages.  Initially, God calls the church to be "the first to hope in Christ." (vs.12)  The church is the first-fruits of God's intended harvest.  The church hears "the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation."  (vs. 13)  Then we are "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" as "the down payment on our inheritance... as God's own people." (vs. 13, 14)

From the beginning, God intended to call a community to respond to the good news of Christ, and the church lives into that promise.  "We have received an inheritance in Christ.  We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design."  (vs. 11)

But God doesn't stop there.  God intends "to bring all things together in Christ." (vs. 10)  The Greek actually reads:  "to bring under one head all things in Christ." 

The phrase "in Christ" is profoundly significant in the New Testament.  The scripture insists that everything in heaven and earth is destined to be united "in Christ."  The whole of created reality is to be raised up and to be included "in Christ."  Ephesians sees this in history as a two-step process -- first the church, then the whole cosmos.  We in the church have experienced God's love and election, and that experience is so absolute that we sense that it was God's intention and purpose from the beginning.  Then we recognize that the experience is not just for us, but is intended for all of the created order, for every human being and for all that God has made.  God will triumph, and God's triumph will be complete.

Paul says it another way in his great resurrection chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians.  "In the same way that everyone dies in Adam, so also everyone will be given life in Christ." (vs. 22)

When we grasp the New Testament's vision that the whole cosmos will be united "in Christ," it helps make a fuller sense of some of the statements of that some Christians use wrongly to consign other human beings to hell.  "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) cannot mean that only those who recite a particular formula of belief will be saved.  Christ gives light to the whole world and to every creature.  "Salvation can be found in no one else.  Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)  Yes!  God reveals Jesus of Nazareth as the name who saves all humanity. 

This is what God planned for the climax of all times (or for the fullness of times):  to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth.

Lowell
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Audio podcast:  Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week.  Go to: http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html

About Morning Reflections

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.

Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html

Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location

-- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church

is to explore and celebrate

God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life: 

We aspire to...

    worship weekly

    pray daily

    learn constantly

    serve joyfully 

    live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Fayetteville, Arkansas