With the Dobbs decision out this last week, supporters of Molech, supporters of abortion and the murder of babies are in frenzies of panic and rage. Threats of violence have increased, particularly against Christians, churches, and pro-life pregnancy centers. It is perfectly lawful to take extra measures of precaution to protect ourselves and our property from lawlessness, but we must not forget that the tip of our spear is worship. The most important thing we do every week is gather here for worship. Worship is our warfare.
When Abraham was promised Canaan, we went through the land building altars to the Lord, and 400 years later, when Joshua began to take the land, the first fight was the Battle of Jericho, and God gave that victory through worship. But shortly after that, Joshua set ambushes for a battle in the very same place where Abraham had built an altar to the Lord, hundred of years earlier. The point could not be clearer: the battle belongs to the Lord. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord. Some trust in chariots, others trust in horses, we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
And the particular name that we trust in is the name of Jesus. And Jesus means savior because He saves His people from their sins. The panic among unbelievers is actually at root panic about this. They have contrived schemes of trying to deal with their guilt and shame and sin. Abortion is one of their central schemes for trying to hide their sin, and it is their blood sacrament that has been threatened this week. But this means we have an opportunity to proclaim what their guilt really needs. We have an opportunity to proclaim what has taken away our guilt and shame: the blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
That’s what we proclaim and sing and celebrate here, and from this place, from this Table, we take that message to everyone: Christ crucified for sinners. Christ was not crucified for good people. He was crucified for bad people. Christ was not crucified for people with their acts together. He was crucified for criminals and sinners, outcasts and losers, for druggies and alcoholics, for the scum of the earth. Are you a sinner? Then you qualify. So come and welcome to Jesus Christ.
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
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