Another day, another new series. As I was trying to think of another direction to take the blog, I wanted to keep a day that would be visually focused, but I also wanted to keep kind of a devotional nature to Thursdays. So here’s the idea, each week I’ll pick an image that inspires and unpack the image a little, also letting you react to what you see. As the husband of an artist, I continue to gain in appreciation for the visual arts, so don’t be surprised if many of the pieces represent either classic or contemporary paintings. These do a great job of presenting us with images that reflect on the theme you might hear from Scripture in a given week. At the same time, don’t be surprised if I throw some other image, picture, cartoon, or something else in every once in a while to mix things up. I’m looking forward to the series.
The first image is this one by Daniel Bonnell portraying the baptism of Jesus Christ. Most churches celebrated that event just this last Sunday. What I love about this image is that it captures the spirit of the baptism of Christ and baptism itself. It speaks to death and resurrection. We see the darkness of the water which had swallowed Jesus up. We see his arms stretched for the cross. But we also see him bursting up out of the water. We see vibrant colors radiating out of his body which would be resurrected. We see the Holy Spirit, the gift we receive as a promise of the new life and resurrection.
When we think of Jesus baptism, it was the beginning of his public ministry, a sign that he was taking on the sins, pain, and death of the world. Jesus’ public ministry was also the beginning of his preaching, a preaching of God’s love and grace, the doors through which one walks into new life and resurrection.
Our baptisms are the same. As we read in Romans 6 last week, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.”
Look at this painting and think about your connection to Christ. By your baptism you were on the cross with Christ, but by your baptism you were also with him in the resurrection. And so those vibrant, life-giving colors, that dove, that body, that is all for you. And it is for you to live in and enjoy today!
