What a Tragedy!
WE DON’T HAVE A GUN PROBLEM! WE HAVE A HEART PROBLEM; A SIN PROBLEM; A LOVE PROBLEM! PLEASE READ ON.
16 people lost their lives yesterday and many more were injured! This is a terribly tragic event. How many people lost children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends etc.? It is truly heartbreaking to think about the way in which these people died.
In my mind, it is just as heartbreaking to see the country now divided over the issue of gun control. Why? Because gun control isn’t the issue. But, we now have several groups of people pouring their efforts and energies into their argument about gun control, no matter which side of the issue they fall on.
Christians, we are called to mourn and weep with those who mourn and weep. This is not the time to herald our 2nd Amendment rights, but rather the time to herald our Lord!
In some ways, the real tragedy here is that every day people are dying without knowing about the amazing love of God. People are dying without ever knowing about who Jesus is and what he is like.
Every person on the Earth is corrupted by sin! Take away the guns, and they’ll find another way to carry out their atrocious acts. If you read the Bible, then you know that when the population on Earth was only 4, tragedy struck when Cain killed Abel (and there were no guns). Murder isn’t a new problem or a gun problem, it’s a heart problem and a sin problem.
But people don’t want to talk about sin because they’ve been bashed over the head by self-righteous, religious, political and partisan ideologies that were somehow also claiming to represent Jesus! It has to stop!
As much as we have a heart/sin problem, we have a love problem (which also falls in the sin category). We (Christians) are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. This isn’t just some good feelings that we conjure up in our hearts! It has to have feet and flesh on it. We’re called to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us! We are called to hospitably present the real Jesus and heart of the Father to ALL PEOPLE, no matter their race, religion (yes even those who are radicalized Muslims), politics, creeds, sexual orientation, criminal records, immoral behavior, etc. etc. etc. Instead, we’ve spent a ton of time, money and energy trying to separate and protect ourselves from them.
Jesus hung out with notorious sinners, who once they met him were radically changed. We should be seeking relationships with those we have been building walls to keep away and begging the Lord to strip us of our judgment and fear and in some cases even hatred toward them, so that we can love them and show them Jesus.
Church, this isn’t about gun control or politics; It’s about love! What are we going to do? People are tired of hearing us say that we are going to pray because they don’t see it changing the world; they don’t even see it changing us!
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations! Notice the word ALL and think of the word nations as people groups. Now think of people groups as the worldviews that people cling to and identify with. Now, go out ALL the people groups in your own little world and make disciples. How can we expect change if we’re unwilling to go into the dark places in our own cultures and societies and tell them the Good News about Christ?
Salvation Is for Everyone – Romans 10:5-17 NLT
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
