Many of us have a perspective on the new building on Parris Bridge Road. I think it looks like a peach shed. Others are surprised at how big it is. Everyone is glad there will be no steps to climb! But one perspective I want us to think about and draw an observation or two from is Scott Carter's; he thinks it looks like a prison. Now, you have to understand that he said this jokingly, and to be honest it does resemble a prison right now without the skin on the metal studs. But Scott knows, as we all do, that the building stands for something completely the opposite of a prison - it is a place of freedom because of our crucified King!
Because the gospel we embrace and preach is a gospel that sets prisoners free, the place where it is both embraced and proclaimed must be considered a place of freedom as well. At the outset of Jesus' ministry, while in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (Luke 4:18-29 [cf. Isaiah 61:1-2]).
After Jesus read these powerful words He said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." It is impossible not to hear these words as a personal application to Himself. It is through the proclamation of the good news of Christ's death that those who are held captive by sin are set free.
This is what has been done at Calvary since its beginning in 1923, it is what we are doing at Calvary today and this is what we will be doing when we relocate. A new building has never changed what has been central to this church, and there is no need to think that moving down the street is going to cause us to change now.
Grace & Peace,
Scott
Comments (0)
Post a Comment