Found out yesterday, from the Historic Scotland website, that that only internal feature of our present building at Bristo worthy of real note is the marble baptistry. I like that. Appropriate.
But it gets me thinking about how baptism can be quite a problem. Shows us the transformational power of love. I am not sure we like that, all the time. We like to think of love, as does a pampered child. But God is in the business of perfecting us through the act of transformation. This is writ large in the history of Israel – and, as time goes on, we see it also in our own lives.
Love engulfs us through the Cross. This is the gateway for us into the love of God. This is how we deal with our guilt and failure. The embrace of sinners by God, through Jesus Christ.
The Biblical focus is not presents at Christmas nor ecstasy at Pentecost. It is the Cross. Love engulfing us. Love embracing our broken and sinful humanity and taking it into death, so it might arise into life. Ending life ruled by sin. And by the power of Chist’s resurrection, entering life infused with righteousness by the Spirit of God.
The Biblical focus is not presents at Christmas nor ecstasy at Pentecost. It is the Cross. Love engulfing us. Love embracing our broken and sinful humanity and taking it into death, so it might arise into life. Ending life ruled by sin. And by the power of Chist’s resurrection, entering life infused with righteousness by the Spirit of God.
A special feature worth holding onto .....
