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From the pulpit/Christ always has the last word

There was a song several years ago that said “you’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you, don’t you?” Our society has become increasingly self-centered. Many people judge things according to how they feel about it, or how it affects them. I remember a young man several years ago who was talking about how Christians in the United States were persecuted. I asked him how he was persecuted. He said, “Well for one thing, I will die.” My response was, “So if you were not Christian, you would never die.” He had no response. He was angry. He wanted to feel that he was being persecuted, when in fact, what he thought of as persecution was simply what all humans experience. In a country where churches are given tax preferences, and where it is hard to be elected to office if you are not a Christian, he wanted to feel persecuted.

In a similar way, I remember someone talking about a woman who had an unruly child. The comment was that this was “her cross to bear.” Once again, having a child that acts out is not about suffering because we are Christians; it is something that people in all parts of the world, and in all religions experience. It is simply part of being human: Some people have children who are more work to raise. Our cross to bear is suffering real physical danger because we are following Jesus. Very few people in the United States suffer in this manner. Certainly many people suffer, but most suffering in this country is from our normal human condition. We suffer because we have arthritis. We suffer because we eat too much. There area also people in this country who suffer from injustice. We have seen on the news about people being shot when they presented no danger. What we generally do not see is Christians suffering because they are Christian. Instead, what we frequently see is people suffering from bad choices.

There was a man in a bad relationship, and it broke up. Instead of being honest with his ex-wife, he tried to avoid conflict, and tried to play down some of the issues. It did not help. It is like dealing with a splinter, we cannot heal until the splinter is removed. The same is true with a boil. We cannot heal until the poison is allowed to come out.

We all deal with problems. First Peter tells us that if those problems are the result of following Jesus, then we should be happy. However, what about when we suffer from injustice, and others also suffer from injustice?

There was a monk named Telemachus. He saw the injustice that was happening in the arena. Rome had become a Christian Empire, but the gladiatorial battles still continued. He saw the injustice that was happening, and he decided to do something.

He intervened in a battle, and he was killed. It was the last gladiatorial battle: They were stopped. Another man who was killed because he tried to bring justice was John Brown. He tried to bring about an end to slavery. Archbishop Oscar Romero also died trying to bring justice and freedom to those who were oppressed.

All of these individuals, who suffered for doing what was right, had grounds to rejoice, because they were trying to follow God’s will, even though we always do this imperfectly.

What gives us the ability to do God’s will is the reassurance that Christ has the last word: Death does not. In spite of the injustice in the world, Christ has the last word. In spite of the pain in this life, Christ has the last word. In spite of our imperfect efforts in serving Christ, he still has the last word.

In spite of strong opposition to the gospel from many who claim to be Christian, Christ has the last word. In spite of our own sinfulness, and our own reluctance to always follow Christ, Christ still has the last word. Because of this reassurance, and because of the power of the Holy Spirit that is given to each and every one of us in baptism, we are able to follow Christ, and do his will, even though it is always incomplete.

(From the Pulpit is a weekly sermon provided by the clergy members of The Weirton Ministerial Association.)

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