A Vision of the Old Rugged Cross

As we continue to journey together and pray that God will reveal to us His vision for First Baptist Church, there is an image that comes to mind that will not go away. It is an image for me, for First Baptist Church, and I believe ultimately it is a vision for all who call themselves Christ-followers. It is the vision of the old rugged cross! And upon this vision we must cling or lose everything that is true and right. At the old rugged cross we find our birth place and our final resting place! This is a vision of life!

As the first stanza of the classic hymn with the same name declares, "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain" (George Bennard, The Old Rugged Cross, 1913). The old rugged cross is not beautiful or ornamental because upon this emblem of suffering and shame Jesus Christ, the Son of God, once and for all reconciled all of humanity to God the Father. The beauty we find in this divine vision is not of the blood-stained nail-pierced wood itself, but of the blood-stained nail-pierced body of the Lamb of God who willingly placed Himself on the old rugged cross for me and you! Jesus Christ took my sin and yours upon Himself and in that moment of faith when we asked Him to forgive our sins and accept us as His children He without hesitation gave us new life; life eternal! As the fourth stanza of Bennard's The Old Rugged Cross proclaims, "To that old rugged cross I will ever be true, its shame and reproach gladly bear; then he'll call me some day to my home far away, where his glory forever I'll share." What a beautiful vision to behold!

This is a vision that I want to characterize and define my life and the life of our church community! And that is why the image of the old rugged cross is the centerpiece of our new logo that we will use to communicate who and why we exists as First Baptist Church in New Castle, Indiana. In our logo, you will see that there are four people of different colors who are holding hands forming a circle hanging upon the old rugged cross. This is the vision of our unity within our diversity centered and dependent upon the old rugged cross. I believe that the overarching vision for First Baptist Church is that we are to be a house of reconciliation for our region and beyond. We are to be Kingdom-builders! We are to be a church community where people are reconciled to God and to each other through faith in Jesus Christ. With that said, everything we do must pass the test of the old rugged cross. Does this activity, event, program, business item, transaction, decision, etc. facilitate our vision to be a house of reconciliation? Is this conversation or activity a movement towards restoration and reconciliation? We must be intentional with our time, our talents, and our treasures!

My challenge to you and to all who are called to be a part of God's mission to the nations through FBC is to pray for God to reveal to you how He has gifted and equipped you to join us and get on board with the ministry of reconciliation. We are praying for men and women, boys and girls, who are ready to declare, "I once was blind, but now I can see." Who are ready to declare, "I too am a sinner, but I have been saved by grace and let me tell you about that grace!"

May our unity be dependent on the old rugged cross of Jesus Christ! May our unity be lived out in a shared vision to make His glory known to the nations! One relationship at a time!