Last night was my first Bible Study here in Louisville. We read the first 2 chapters of Daniel, which is no light reading. As we shared about the passages we spent a lot of time on the meaning of the Vision that Nebuchadnezzer had interpreted by Daniel (or by God through Daniel). One of the pieces of the vision includes the Rock that destroyed the gi-normous anti-god figure.
As we talked we began thinking of the Rock in terms of Jesus’ proclamation to Peter – “upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not stand against it”. For me this is what it’s all about – the church, the bride of Christ, living in such a way that all of the anti-gods in the world are overcome. We live in a really weird time – it is a time with seemingly overwhelming pain and torment – globally. Darfur, Burma/Myanmar, the recovery of the Balkans, nuclear threat, terrorism, imperial advancement, shortage of basic food for starving nations and the threat of an environment going totally beserk, all point to the fact that our world is suffering HELL now.
I think so often, we Christians, think that Hell is just some place reserved for the after-life. But Jesus was pretty clear the gates of hell – and the forces behind those gates – are active today, in this plane of existence. Again, all we need to do is to look around to see that Hell in the lives of those closest to us. BUT, the good news is that this Hell on earth is already defeated. Those who find life in Christ are the ones who have joined this Kingdom of Heaven Movement that has hell quaking in it’s boots.
The distinction, of course, lies in how this Kingdom of Heaven Movement is lived out. Will it follow a pattern of violence and militancy that is more like the gates of hell or will it adopt the way of Life that Jesus modeled for us – living in and through and by the Spirit of God – bringing sight to the blind, food to the hungry, clothes for the naked, hope to those in despair, healing to a world poisoned by years of misuse and ecological torture?
This is the mission of those who call them selves Christians – followers of the Way – to be available to the ever-present move of God to bring HIS Kingdom to earth as it already is in Heaven. As I start this new adventure, here in Louisville, I am energized and excited to see how this New Community will continue to be a ROCK that grows and LOVES LOUISVILLE.