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Press On toward the goal: Into the Water

          1 Peter 3:18-22 The flood a symbol of baptism

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive,[a] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah  while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God.[b] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 

 Mark 1:9-15 The baptism, temptation, and preaching of Jesus

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ 

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’ 

Friends, as we enter another Lent, we begin with water; the water of Noah’s flood and the water of your baptism into Jesus in the water.  

Peter speaks about both ‘waters’. He does this to speak God’s grace into your heart as you ponder God’s heart of love for you in the innocent suffering and dying of his Son these forty days.  

Peter is speaking to people suffering some kind of “fiery ordeal”. Some say this is something like a mild persecution in their region – being excluded from life in the community because of their faith in Jesus.  

I don’t know what kind of ‘fiery ordeal’ you may be facing at the moment. But Peter says this ‘water’ is the cleansing stream that will enable you to get through well.  

On the experience of suffering, Peter asks the question: Is it better to suffer for evil or to suffer for good? 

Some might say, “Who cares!? I just don’t want to suffer!!” Fair enough. But there is a bit of difference between suffering for something evil you have been engaged with or suffering for doing only good.  

If you suffer for evil, you probably deserve it. You are getting your just reward. But if you suffer for good, then you probably don’t deserve it and are not getting what is just.  

Peter’s little question might have come from well-known words of one of the famous philosophers lots of people in his communities would have known. From Plato:

“To act unrighteously is worse, in that it