The Exodus Story: Our Identity as the Church of Jesus Christ
As we reflect on the institution of the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded that it was rooted in the Passover feast, an event that looked back to God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt while anticipating a greater deliverance to come. By establishing this sacrament, Christ skillfully wove together existing themes of exodus, further developing the narrative that would shape the identity of his people.
Looking Back and Looking Forward
When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we gaze back at that last supper, beyond which lies the Passover, with all its expectations of a greater deliverance. Simultaneously, we look forward to the ultimate deliverance yet to come. As a people formed by this story, we find our place within it, and our identity is inextricably linked to it. This anticipation echoes the grand wedding feast of the Lamb, holding us within the fabric of time, just as the Passover feast did for Israel, suspended between remembrance and anticipation.
Baptism: A Declaration of Our Identity
Similarly, baptism anchors our bodies in the events of death and resurrection, declaring us to be a people defined by Christ’s exodus and his resurrection. We see this mirrored in Paul’s writings in Romans, where he describes our journey through water, meeting with the law, and entering the promised land, led by the Spirit into the new age to come. These events of exodus are recalled and woven into our lives through baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and other celebrations, their rhythms becoming the cadence of our very existence.
Why Study the Book of Exodus?
Understanding our own story as the church of Jesus Christ is crucial to grasping our identity. The book of Exodus sheds light on Scripture’s unified message of redemption from slavery to sin through Jesus Christ, illuminating the theme of exodus throughout both the Old and New Testaments. By exploring this narrative, we gain insight into the events that have shaped us, allowing us to find our place within the grand tapestry of God’s redemption story.
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