Closing

I have an appointment this afternoon to put my signature on the documents that close the deal on Zion’s purchase of the property at 5511 South 27th.  A check for over a million dollars will change hands.  And we commit ourselves to the payment of another $600,000 over the next two years.

I wasn’t originally one of the guys with signature duty, but Wayne is in Texas this week, so ... I was at hand. 

It gives new meaning to the idea of a representative office.  There is no way a bank or seller would take my signature individually in a transaction like this.  But I won’t be signing for myself.  I will sign as a representative for the whole church.  We are all committing together to take ownership, care, and responsibility for our new building.

It also reminds me that nothing I do as a minister of the gospel is on my own authority.  Whenever I preach and teach, I do so as an ordained minister, as a designated representative of Jesus Christ.  So I call people to repentance and faith not because of my personal feelings on the matter, but because Christ has commanded it.  I preach God’s word because it is God who has chosen the foolishness of preaching to convert sinners, to call the wicked to forsake his way, and to admonish and encourage the faithful. 

So when I sign the purchase documents today, my signature will count because it is NOT just mine.  And when I preach and teach the Bilble, my words count because they are NOT just mine; the gospel of Christ is the very word of the Living God.

(Signed,)
Pastor Keith

Posted on October 17, 2007.