We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (2 Cor. 4:8–10).
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. Today we mourn yet another national tragedy. We were already prepared to mourn tomorrow, but God has seen it fit that we mourn today. And so we should. There is a time to mourn. Now is that time.
Charlie Kirk was murdered by a man who surely thought he was doing the right thing. But woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Is. 5:20). Their wickedness will not last, but today it hurts the Body of Christ throughout our country. Because, politics aside (sort of), Kirk was a voice that encouraged young people in particular to reject the demonic culture around them, and rather to find peace in the love of Christ and His order of righteousness and goodness and purity.
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. You are hard-pressed on every side. But do you feel the pressure? Do you feel the pressures of sin, vying for your attention, vying for your affection, as Christ calls to you to look only to him for relief? Do you feel the pressures of sin, trying hard to distract you from the goal of eternal life, trying hard to detract from the profound beauty of Christ’s death in your place? Do you feel the heavy weight of apathy amidst your sin? Do you hear the pressure of that ancient demonic voice asking you amidst your struggle against temptation, “Did God really say?”
Dear Christian, do you feel the pressure? Surely you do. But through faith in Christ, you are not crushed. Christ’s heel was crushed as He crushed the devil’s head. The blood of Christ cries from Calvary for you, that when you feel the pressure of a hard-pressed Christian, you would look to His victorious cross and resurrection and boast in His Gospel which cannot be undone, and which cannot fail to shield you from harm. Through faith in Christ, you are not crushed.
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. You are perplexed, you’re confused. Perplexed that the next tragedy has happened to a man with a Christian wife and two small Christian children. Perplexed that prayers are offered online but the pews on Sundays still long to hear once more the prayers of those who have abandoned them. Perplexed at why God allows the gruesome death of His saints. You’re perplexed about the present, apprehensive about the future, but duty bound by your Savior not to worry for a second. Indeed, today you are perplexed, but through faith you are not in despair. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace. Despair doubts the resurrection of the body, but faith clings to the Truth: that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Saints remain God’s for ever and ever. For God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And so all who die in the Lord live with Him. And they will rise on the last day in their bodies, that their very own eyes may behold without perplexity, but with peace, that Christ has saved them.
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. You are persecuted. But have you noticed? There’s no such thing as a secular world. Secular just means a realm of existence without consideration of God. Secular means unbelieving. And secularism is on the attack. You are persecuted. Your brother is shot. Your faith is being minimized, misprioritized, relegated to irrelevance by a world which teaches that faith is private; but it’s not. In the name of secularism your children are taught evolution, they’re taught career over family, sports over church, sex before marriage, hell over heaven. To what end? Sprint home to the Church of Christ, dear Christians! Because although you are persecuted, yet through faith in Christ you are not forsaken.
There is nothing new under the sun. Open your eyes to see the sun shining on the fangs of the devil as he strikes at your faith in the name of so-called neutral secularism. If praying constantly, coming to church frequently, and confessing at all times the glory and righteousness of Christ, if being a Christian is weird and radical, then become weird and radical. Who cares? The secularists do. Because they want you to die to Christ and to live to the world. But no! The world will persecute you, it will forsake you in death, but through faith in Christ, you are not forsaken.
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. You’re struck down. Perhaps the next martyr, but so what? Through faith in Christ, you are not destroyed. You have all things when you have Christ: eternal life, peace, and a foretaste of the world to come.
Dear Christians, walk around with confidence and cheer, even amidst the days of mourning. Your body and soul is bought and paid for by the blood of your God, Jesus Christ, shed for your sin and death on the cross. You have hope. Christ is risen! Let the light, life, and this certain hope of Christ’s life for your eternal life radiate from you into this wicked world. The world will see the light of Christ through you. And most will hate you for it. Just look at that martyr, Charlie Kirk. And yet, according to God’s gracious will, some may still be drawn to the light of faith in Christ and live—yes, live forever.
The wickedness of our world is ramping up. But this world will be crushed, it will be in despair, forsaken, and destroyed on that final day of judgment. Yet, through faith in Christ, not you—not those who die in faith and for the faith. No. You are a Christian. Carry that around with you. Do not be ashamed. Be proud to die someday as a Christian—and through faith in Christ to live forever. Amen.
