ADDRESSING OUR COMMUNITY AND NATION IN TURMOIL – SOME THOUGHTS FROM PASTOR HARRY LONG

THE DELAY IN EXPRESSING CONCERN:

We are swimming upstream as a church with the challenges of the coronavirus.  First, we were prevented from gathering together to worship, so we livestreamed the service. Then the livestream failed twice in a row, so we began to record our service on Friday to avoid the interruption of worship. We are now starting an outside service on Sunday at 10 AM., but we are continuing to record on Friday for the sake of those who cannot or should not come because they are vulnerable to the virus or just not able to handle an outside service in the heat of summer.

That lag from Friday to Sunday has a significant downside. Last Sunday morning we did not pray for the unrest that has erupted in our community and nation over the weekend. I knew it could seem like we just had our heads stuck in the sand.

THE CONCERN:

While I resist “preaching from the headlines” and becoming a weekly political commentator, I do believe the Scriptures not only address all the issues of our lives, but that the gospel of Christ is our only hope.

The events of this week remind us that human nature is sinful, hate begets hate, suppressed resentment rises to expressed violence, and the cycle continues. We need to pray for revival. The church will never be perfect and may exhibit unsanctified attitudes and behavior, but the world justifies hatred and violence. Let us not be conformed to the world, and let us not think that if we can just get it right ourselves, that the world will likewise follow. Being salt and light in the world accomplishes some good, but the perfect kingdom is yet to come. As we have been studying in John, “In this world you will have trouble….”

When I first heard of the death of George Floyd in handcuffs in police custody, I knew it was a great wrong. I tried to imagine how I would feel if that happened to my son. When I heard the officer had 12 previous complaints against him (a later article said 18), yet was still on the force, I was aghast at the systemic problems that allowed an officer capable of such an act to continue to go out with a badge. I know there are systemic problems that have fed the resentments that have broken out in violence. We should care about those problems and try to understand those resentments. As far as we are able, we should effect changes.

But that won’t fix the sinful human nature. It can only restrain it. It is wrong to assume people are essentially good, that it is just the systems that are evil. Systemic evil arises from the sinful human nature in each of us. We need a new nature that can only be given through Christ and His Spirit.

I also think that much of the violence is opportunistic vandalism and thievery that has little to do with righteous indignation over the killing of Floyd or even the systemic sins of the police force. Some are just anarchists seeking to tear down. Sinful human nature shows its ugly head there. They tarnish the efforts of the legitimate, peaceful protestors.

I appreciate so much what Floyd’s brother said in addressing the looters, that it dishonored his brother’s name. Many have spoken out well.

I am sure that the present troubles will test the church at large again, and some will fall into the anger and ugliness that besets our flesh. And then others will cast off the church for its failings. Lord, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

THE HOPE:

There is something about promoting Christ and not ourselves that helps. He never fails. He can heal the hurting heart. He can enable us to confess our sins when we do wrong, because he has paid for them. He can enable us to forgive when we are wronged because he has forgiven us. We can be that salt and light because Christ indwells us, and we can address systems that foster wrong, and we can reach out to those who are hurting. But our hope is not in ourselves, but in Christ. Our aim is not to make this fallen world fit for us, but in Christ making us fit for heaven and in him working through us to give this fallen world a foretaste of heaven. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

I wish I could say our world is getting better, but I am afraid it will go on as fallen and broken until Christ comes again. In fact, Jesus said it would. I wish I could say the church was getting better, but as soon as we stop falling off one side of the horse, we tend to fall off the other.

We are called by the Word of God to recognize:

  1. That we are all created by in the image of God. Racism is sin and an affront to the image of God in each of us. We are called in Christ to love our neighbor as ourselves.
  2. That we are all sinners in the sight of God. We do not love God or others as we should. Our world is broken by sin. The brokenness grieves us, but should not surprise us. But we are not defeated in this, because God in his great love sent his Son to redeem us.
  3. That when we are wrong and do wrong, we should recognize, confess, and turn from it.
  4. That when we are wronged, we should forgive.
  5. That Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come” (Matthew 24:6).

Paul wrote, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power”  (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Why are we surprised when we listen to the news? We need a new nature that only the gospel of Christ can give. We cannot fix a fallen world simply by restraining the fallen nature, though we should do what we can. It is in Christ that the dividing walls of hostility are broken down.

THE PRAYER:

Let us pray for repentance, healing, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation. As Proverb 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. “Covers over,” does not mean, “sweeps under the rug,” but, “forgives, atones for.”

And remember, the Bible calls us to “weep with those who weep.” Jesus did.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.  (2 Corinthians 7:10-11)