History is divided between BC and AD. The dates labeled BC (before Christ) take place before Jesus was born, and those labeled AD come from Latin Anno Domini meaning “In the year of Our Lord.” There is not a zero year, so the year AD 1 immediately follows the year 1 BC. And for any others who may at time struggle with this numbering system, think of the BC numbers as being on the negative scale—the bigger the number, the farther it is away from the year of Jesus’ birth.

The center of history is not one of the greatest empires or most majestic emperors of the past. Neither is it the center their modern-day counterparts: The United States, China, Russia, or any other powers that have yet to appear. The center of history, the most important point of impact, is the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The geographical center is in a small country on a tiny hill called Calvary where our Redeemer died for all our sins and then defeated death forever for those who believe.

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History Centered—His Story

Holy Ground
a thin place where heaven and earth intersect,
a place to be in God’s presence,
a place of sacrifice to honor God.

Holy Ground: Mount Moriah
where Abraham climbed to sacrifice his son Isaac,
but the Lord provided a ram, (Genesis 22)
which David purchased to offer sacrifices for his sins so that
God would stop a plague and save his people, (2 Samuel 24)
where Solomon built “the house of the LORD” so that
God would meet his people who came to offer sacrifices
for their sins. (2 Chronicles 3)

Holy Ground: Calvary
500 yards to the west, two thousand years after Abraham,
where The Father offered His only son as a sacrifice for the sins
of Abraham, David, Solomon, and all of us
through God’s mercy and grace,
through Jesus’ blood, sweat, and death,
a final sacrifice as Abraham prophesied,
“In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14)

Holy Ground: Nicodemus’ Tom
in a nearby hillside, three days later,
sealed with a stone, guarded by soldiers,
where the women, then the disciples, saw that His body was gone,
and Jesus asked Mary Magdelene, “Why do you weep?”
and she proclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!”

Holy Ground: Pentecost
hiding in an upper room, Jesus’ followers, frightened, alone,
where wind and living flame came down from heaven:
Paraclete, Advocate, Helper, Holy Spirit. (Luke 24, Acts 2)
God tabernacled in man
so that, in His power, they could say and do things
they had never imagined were possible. (Acts 11:24)

Holy Ground
Is no longer a place
but a person, a life, a soul, a broken and repentant heart
in which, by invitation, the Holy Spirit resides. (Psalm 51:17)

Holy Ground
Is where we are, where we offer our sacrifice of praise:
our bodies (Romans 12:1-2)
our mouths, the fruit of lips giving praise to his name (Hebrews 13:15)
our actions of love and obedience. (Hebrews 13:16)

Holy Ground
Is where two or three are gathered, (Matthew 18:20)
His church, His bride. (Matthew 21:9, Revelation 21:9)
We are His temple, His holy ground,
living alters on which we offer our true praise and worship. Rom.12:2)

We believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
      and born of the virgin Mary.
      He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, died, and was buried;
      he descended to hell.
      The third day he rose again from the dead.
      He ascended to heaven
      and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
      From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy corporate church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.

~Kathleen Evenhouse, September 2018, with Apostles Creed

Photo by Caleb Stokes on Unsplash