Afghanistan, Raging Nations, and Christ's Final Victory

 “The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle.” -Isaiah 13:4

The scene in Afghanistan is appalling. Witnessing desperate mothers hand their children, even infants, over barricades and into the arms of retreating soldiers out of fear of life under the war between the Taliban and ISIS would be. Watching frenzied Afghan men race retreating military aircraft along the runway to their peril. The harrowing plight of Afghanistan gravitates the Christian to remember that this disordered world groans with all creation for redemption, and the Redeemer is coming.

Christ the Redeemer has power to save sinners from the grip of this violent, evil world. He came to us and was willingly placed in the hands of evil men in the hour of the rule of darkness (Luke 22:53). Yet, the perfect, sinless Son of God conquered death in a mighty victory rising from the dead. He gathers each Christian safely upon our death. Yet, we read in Revelation that the gathered martyrs will cry loudly, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 6:10)?

Jesus comforts the heavenly martyrs with these words: “rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed” (Revelation 6:11). The world may rage in this hour of the rule of darkness, but the rule of darkness will end when the full number of the church is secured behind the safety of the Lord of Hosts.

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord will gather all the nations for battle, a final showdown. He is called the Lord of Hosts, the God of armies of angels. The nations of the earth rage, the Psalmist tells us (Psalm 2). The nations do not simply rage in an uproar simply because the world hates what is good, but their battle is with the Lord.

Isaiah later prophesied that the nations “rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters” (Isaiah 17:12). What an eloquent way of describing the disorder, anger, violence, and godlessness of our world! Paul reminded Timothy that in the last days Christians will experience difficulty in this world (II Timothy 3:1). The disorder and evil in this world seem to grow more intense as time goes by. How will this raging, chaotic, disorderly world end well?

The Psalmist writes, the Lord “makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire” (Psalm 46:9). Christ will finally gather the raging nations and end the violence forever. Christ will rule in everlasting peace.

Future hope ought to comfort us, but I cannot help but grieve the horrors Afghan Christians must face. I believe Christ will return to the earth to restore perfect order and peace, yet I also pray the Lord of Hosts thwart the enemies of God’s attacks on the church. If deliverance from the wicked hands of evil men do not come at present, I pray to the God of all comfort to bless Christians facing persecution with peace and perseverance trusting Christ will one day burn all the enemies’ chariots in fire and break their bow. May He bless even me that I may remain faithful.

Heavenly Father, I know You do not turn a blind eye to Your people crying out for mercy. Bless Your persecuted children who face danger and grief so deeply. Bless, O Lord, with peace and a persevering faithfulness trusting You gather Your church into safety, and You will gather Your enemies to end war under our Redeemer’s rule forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Sharing Abuntantly in Christ's Sufferings Together

 

“As we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” -IICorinthians 1:5

Suffering can often seem like an opponent to joy. Yet, even James says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). Not “try and find joy in suffering,” nor does the Scripture say, “if you can think of the purpose of suffering, you will find joy.” Rather, count it all joy. We share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings and comforts.

How is the Christian joyful in sufferings and trials? Sufferings and trials are not pleasurable objects to welcome. Rather, the Christian can rejoice in the Lord always, yes even in pain and suffering, because Christ in His power and mercy works even in our sufferings and trials.

What pains did our Lord endure? Our Lord was betrayed. He suffered mockery, false accusations, confrontation from respected religious leaders about His teachings. He suffered long with the disciples.

Perhaps your suffering is hurtful words from a friend, or you are falsely accused. Perhaps your suffering is physical pain. Maybe faithfulness to Christ’s commands hurts your chances of a job promotion. Perhaps following Christ has you ostracized from family and friends. Is our God the God of all comforts in such sufferings?

Our Lord truly was a Man of Sorrows. Yet, the Scripture tells us He suffered even on a cross for the joy set before Him. He suffered for the joy not only to be with the Father, but the joy that brings you to the Father. The Father comforts us in our afflictions (II Corinthians 1:4); yes, He comforts us while we suffer. When other Christians are afflicted and comforted by God, it is for your comfort (vs6). When God comforts you in your afflictions, He aims for you to take it to the church that His mercies would comfort other Christians, as well (vs 4).

Suffering and comfort are meant to be shared in community in the local church. We weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). We gather and comfort the afflicted. This is Christ’s command and mercy to His beloved bride, the church.

We remember together that these present sufferings cannot compare with coming glory (Romans 8:18, IICorinthians 4:17). There is joy set before you. The joy of enjoying God with eternal life is yours. Yet, this promise is not all future. The God of all comforts will comfort His children through our light momentary afflictions and trials.

A present purpose to our sufferings as Christians is to receive abundant comforts in Christ together. Paul says we share abundantly in comfort through Christ in our sufferings. How can we say, “I am thankful to God for this pain?” Christ’s abundant comfort comes to me. He blesses me through the comforts and encouragement at church. He blesses me with strength when I am weak. I can rejoice in suffering any loss because the pain drives me and my church family to Christ all the more!

Though you and I would not welcome the hurt, let us see clearly that each pain and trial which comes our way must draw us closer as a church family and draw our church family closer to the Father who comforts us in Christ.

Heavenly Father, we are an afflicted people. The afflictions that visit us because of our sin, forgive us Lord. The sufferings that come from the world’s conflict with Christ, strengthen us to endure with joy. The pains that come from longing for heaven with You, Lord remind us of coming glory. The trials that pains us, Lord give us joy. In all these, Lord we plead for Your comforts to us in Christ. Amen.

Offended by My Own Preaching

“The disciples said to Jesus, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?’” – Matthew 15:12

The Pharisees attended the sermons of Jesus and, on this occasion, came accusing the disciples of breaking God’s law by not washing before eating. Jesus answered their accusations by accusing them of sin. “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Jesus boldly confronted the Pharisees for their attempts to show spiritual and moral superiority over the people by adding rules to God’s Word in their tradition and even their willingness to sin against God to keep their added rules (Matthew 15:4-7).

The disciples seem to have felt they needed to inform the Lord the weightiness of His boldness in preaching and just who He was preaching to. The hostility of the confrontation led the disciples to ask if Jesus knew how offended the Pharisees were by Jesus’ sermon. Jesus answered that the Pharisees were blind guides leading others into a pit.

Jesus truly was a bold preacher, yet He preached as perfectly righteous. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus boldly preached, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Jesus’ righteousness exceeded the Pharisees. Jesus is the righteousness of God.

The Pharisees trusted in their manners, the outside of the cup, but not heart change, the inside of the cup. Hence, when offended by such bold preaching from the righteousness of God, the Pharisees became angry and bitter rather than repent.

As a preacher of God’s Word, I must be bold. Yet, my boldness does not come from my own righteousness. To be honest, I am offended by my own preaching. Knowing God is perfect and I, His creation for His glory, am a ruined creature leads to an inevitable offense at hearing His Word.

There is preaching that may seem inspiring or even “telling it as it is,” but they fall into Paul’s warning, “Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ” (Galatians6:12).

I cannot make a good impression outwardly. Even as I preach a sermon I studied and prayed over, I am offended when confronted by the righteousness of God in Christ. Christ in His Word is a bold preacher to me. This boldness in proclaiming the bad news that I am a sinner fixes my gaze on the offensive cross of Christ where by faith in Christ the righteousness of God is mine.

When offended by such a bold word, I am tempted to run like the Pharisees into anger, bitterness, allowing my suspicion of other people to question their hearts and motives to justify myself. I have learned to ask God for humility. I hate being offended. It is an unsavory feeling. This makes the grace of God in His good news so delightful. Christ does not preach offensively to me, even through my own preaching, simply to make me feel bad. My offense is a welcomed pain because it drives me from myself and to my Savior.

Beloved, know when the sermon offends you, I hear the same sermon and am also offended. This is why I preach Law and Gospel instead of Law and habits. You and I need more than a change of manners, we need heart change. Good news, Christ the crucified and risen Savior changes the hearts of His people.

Heavenly Father, be merciful to us sinners, which Your Word proclaims us to be. You have graciously not left us in despair as sinners, but have granted pardon for sin in Christ Jesus our Lord. Make my heart delight in Your Law, even when Your Law offends us, to welcome You drawing us to Your grace to us in Christ. By Your Holy Spirit in us, form our obedience to You from the new heart and new creation You have made us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.