Union Church Family,
Well, 2021 is off to a rough start. Politically, our nation seems committed more than ever to the polarization that has marked our last election cycle. This was punctuated on Wednesday, January 6th when anger and hatred boiled over yet again, resulting in violence and death in our nation’s capital. The whole thing will be seen as a stain on American history, and it was hard to watch. All the while, our nation and the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 threat, and attempting to come back from an all-out economic collapse due to ongoing quarantine measures. At the same time, there is fear over major looming conflict with China. It feels like the world is burning around us. So, how do Christians speak into chaos and be good neighbors in the middle of upheaval, violence, and peril?
It bears reminding that our New Testament was produced in a world with much greater tumult than our own. Rome was a ruthless tyrant and Christians were facing unjust threatenings from her, as well as local leaders in Israel and beyond. Societal ills were too numerous to name. Compared to life in America, it was a horrible existence, especially for persecuted Christians. And how did they speak into their culture? Paul tells us. After reiterating the demand of what message those around them wanted to hear, Paul said plainly in 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, “But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Friends, it is not a trite saying for us that “Jesus is the answer.” He really is and we really believe it. Jesus is the answer for politicians who are obsessed with power. Jesus is the answer for people with prejudice and hate. Jesus is the answer for those taking to the streets in angry protest. Jesus is the answer for those threatened by a virus. Jesus is the answer for an atheist dictatorship attempting to take over the world. When you find the fulfillment that only Jesus can give, his presence overwhelms the chaos in our lives and the world around us. Where Jesus is king, there is no oppression, injustice, hatred, thievery, rampage, or disorder. He is the fix to our greatest ills. So how do we speak into the chaos, injustice, and upheaval around us? “We preach Christ.”
Simply put, that is my preaching agenda for 2021! We will be spending the first several weeks working through the Book of Ephesians. My overall theme for the series is finding unity and peace in Christ amidst a fractured and hostile world. The text this Sunday is Ephesians 1:3-14 and the title is “That We May All Be One.”
Peace,
Billy
