The Supremacy of Christ in an Age of Terror
This weekend is the first anniversary of 9/11 that has occurred on the Lord’s day, Sunday. Therefore it seemed good to us to step back and pose the question again about the meaning of the supremacy of Christ in an age of terror.The Supremacy of God in All Things—No Exceptions
One of the truths of the Bible that we embrace with trembling joy is the truth of God’s supremacy in all things. The mission of our church is that we exist to spread a passion of the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. When we say that, we do not mean: “except in calamities,” “except in war,” “except when Al Qaeda blows up a building or a train,” “except when cancer takes a mom or a child is born with profound disabilities.” There are no “except” clauses in our mission statement.
To read the entire sermon, click here.
This message really took me aback. I've read lots of people's attempts to answer "why do bad things happen to good people." Many fall woefully flat in the face of real pain, and other seem to minimize or gloss over it. A few good ones, in the abstract, do make sense. But now, up close and personal with tragedy, I have been struggling with why again.
I thought God was supposed to protect His own. If I believe that God is truly sovereign over everything, that means that He chose for this to happen to this person. But how could He?
This sermon does not minimize the pain experienced every day by so many, nor does it avoid the hard questions above. It is clear to me that Mr. Piper has faced and wrestled with these questions head on. And God has blessed him with some amazing insights.
Not that I'm in perfect peace, not that the pain or the tragedy is any less great, not that I'm not still struggling with a wide range of emotions and sinful responses to this. I am and I will for awhile. I know in my head where I'm supposed to be, but getting my heart to follow is much more difficult. It's an ongoing, minute-by-minute battle. Please pray for us. We need God's grace to reach a point where we can truly say we are "sorrowful yet rejoicing."
A dear friend directed me to this psalm a couple days ago.
Psalm 6
O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O LORD--how long?
Turn, O LORD, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my plea;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
I noticed immediately that the Psalmist did not end his pleading to the LORD in despair. He expressed his pain and his questions quite openly, but in the process of bringing this to God, he came to realize the God did hear him, was still there, accepted his prayer, and would eventually bring justice and punishment to his enemies.
I can find some comfort in that.
