Over the past twenty-four hours I have had many thoughts come to mind as I have reflected on the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It is a time like none I have ever experienced in this nation. For many (if not all of you), the same could be said. There are all kinds of questions that the world is asking, for again it is been highlighted that man is not the answer for his own problem; his problem is in his own nature. And it is in times like these that we (the church) are able to step forth with the truth of Scripture and the light of the gospel, as it alone provides the answers.
However, tonight I simply want to remind us of some things that these events in our nation should confirm.
Aren’t we always tempted to say, “Why do we have to learn so much about God and what the Scripture means? Why don’t we just get to some practical things like how to feel better about yourself in a day when so many have self-esteem problems and leave doctrine discussions to those in academia?” But most of us saw the answer to this right in front of our eyes yesterday as individual after individual, high-jacking plane after plane was willing to drive this plane (and themselves) to destruction. It is because belief affects practice. What we think affects how we live.
These terrorists were not willing to crash a plane into a building, kill themselves, and thousands others because they were given a lesson that that would be a great thing to do. They were willing to do this because of their belief that they would be rewarded after this life because of such action. They were wrong, and they should be seen as the most miserably pitiful men who have ever walked the earth.
But as Christians, we are no different in one sense, for we should be willing to give our lives for that which we know to be true. Paul was; for he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” What this means for Paul is that because he believes the resurrection is true, he has decided to die to himself and live wholly to the authority of one. He was beaten, stoned, and left for dead on occasions, but this life was but a speck in scope of what was to follow, for Paul knew of the reality of the resurrection.
Therefore, I urge you more and more, don’t hear the lie that we need to quit studying a book (the Bible) and start focusing on practical lessons. For the man who is given practical lessons may follow when it is comfortable, but the man who is given a belief (good or bad) will find the strength to die for what he believes to be true. We saw the end product of basing your life on a lie yesterday; may we show the world what is the result of basing one’s life on the truth today and tomorrow.
For the past few weeks I have not been able to get away from Luke’s account of the early church in Acts 8. I have been amazed at God’s work in the midst of what must have seemed like the darkest time in those days. Jesus had commanded them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Then they had filled Jerusalem with the teaching of the gospel (Acts 4:28). But as they must have been celebrating the spread of the word throughout Jerusalem in the midst of the authorities’ opposition, Stephen is stoned to death; he is killed. One they had chosen to be one of the seven was now dead. Things were much more serious than the people wanting to discipline the church; they were wanted dead.
After Stephen’s death, persecution rose up greatly against the church in Jerusalem and they were scattered to the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria. In this place where they had been so joyous, now they were thinking of their friends who had been killed and likely fearing for their own lives, not knowing if it was over. They were no doubt asking, “Where is God in this?”
But as we read on in the story, we see that as they were scattered in Judea and Samaria, they were preaching the gospel there (Acts 8:4). And when we remember Acts 1:8, we see that they are fulfilling the very command that they had received from the resurrected Christ. At the point of seeming darkness and as the evil of man seemed to be prevailing, God is simply working to carry out his purpose and plan of taking the gospel to all the nations.
The same is true today. God does not look on yesterday’s events as surprising or frustrating to his ultimate plan. Rather, he is in control and will work this together ultimately for his great glory and plan to take the gospel to the whole world. In fact, the setting in which we read this promise is within the prediction of us hearing of “wars and rumors of wars,” Christians being hated by all nations, an increase in lawlessness, and increase in coldness and decrease in love, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. But then Jesus adds, in this very time, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come” (Matt. 24:14). In the midst of darkness, the light of the gospel is going out. Men may penetrate buildings with planes intent on killing, but many hearts will be penetrated with the gospel intent on giving life eternal; God will fulfill his eternal plan.
I was convicted yesterday of being concerned for the first time about masses of people around me. I say that not to say that I was convicted that feeling such a way was wrong. Rather, I was convicted that I had not felt this way before and was now only feeling that about those who live on the same land mass.
For there are indeed hundreds and thousands of brothers and sisters all over the world, from America, the Middle East, and so on who are suffering because they proclaim the name of Jesus Christ. And we are told in Hebrews, “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (13:3). Therefore, may we tonight be reminded of the suffering that those who proclaim our Lord are going through and pray that his name might be lifted up among them that they might know the joy of being counted worthy of his name.
God subjected this world to futility after the Fall. Romans 8:20 says, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope.”
Don’t think that this verse is about the work of Satan, for he does nothing “in hope” of anything good. Rather, it is of the work of God. God subjected this world to futility after the fall as a consequence of man’s sin, and that is why we all cry out in agony as we behold events like those of yesterday.
But he didn’t do it simply that we might agonize over this creation, but that we might long for redemption and remember that there is another creation for which we wait.
Romans 8:18-25 has been my meditation over these past few days, may it be yours as we close. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because so Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does the one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”
May we find that we know Him and delight in Him more as our time here passes. Amen.