Jesus and Turmoil
This has been a tough week for our nation. We all became eyewitnesses to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer, who was trusted by the public to protect civilians, not kill them. It set off race riots in Minneapolis and other major cities, where unrelated business and property owners were robbed of their property, by looting and burning. The nation is in the middle of attempting to come back from an all-out economic collapse, due to COVID-19 quarantine measures, and at the same time, up against major conflict with China and it’s takeover of Hong Kong. It feels like the world is burning around us.How do Christians speak into chaos and be good neighbors in the middle of injustice, upheaval, violence, and peril?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.”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 those with prejudice and hate. Jesus is the answer for those who abuse their power and oppress, harm, and even kill those who are supposed to be under their care. Jesus is the answer for those who are experiencing injustice. Jesus is the answer for those taking to the streets in angry protest. Jesus is the answer for those opportunists who loot, burn, and destroy other people’s property. 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."