Boston and Gospel

Friends, it was scarcely six months ago when I sat in this office, staring at a blank page with a blinking cursor, asking God what words I could possibly use to make sense of the slaughter of innocent children which took place in the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut. 

Today seems to be more of the same, and so soon. More Sandy Hook, more September 11th, more Columbine, more Oklahoma City Bombing. More. 

Regardless of how we feel about the state of our media, one thing is for sure: they guarantee that we will get on-the-spot, real time graphic coverage. 

Last night, we tucked our kids into their safe beds a little early, and like you, clicked on the nightly news. We saw the video of the bomb going off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, and then we saw it again, and again. We saw the blood-spattered cement, and clumps of what we can easily assume were dismembered body parts laying among the bodies of victims on the ground. 

We saw the victims being wheeled away, bloody and in shock, bones sticking out of legs. We desperately grabbed at the one positive thing we saw, which was the first-responders and spectators alike running to the scene to help the victims. This, a tiny beacon of light in the dark of hell. 

The chaos of evil has broken into our normal lives once again. Most of us here are not affected in the sense of losing loved ones or being there when it happened, but we are affected. We are sad and we are scared. 

How does one connect the dots to make good come out of this kind of evil, to make sense out of nonsense? 

It is tempting to try our hardest to cling to the hope for humanity which we see present in those emergency people and spectators who risked themselves to help their fellow man. Indeed, this is hopeful. But it is not enough, it is not enough to keep us from sinking into despair, drowning in the lurking notion that God is nowhere, or God hates us. 

No, the nobility of man, no matter how moving or true, ultimately does not overshadow the blatant act of evil chaos which has taken place. It is a hopeful and soothing balm, in and of itself, but it does not solve the problem or erase the evil. 

What then? 

The only thing to do today is to boldly preach the gospel in the face of hell breaking loose on earth. That’s it. There is no other consolation, no other fancy spiritual-worded mumbo jumbo to cling to for satisfaction. Just the gospel, the sweet gospel, the balm for the sin-sick soul which is Jesus Christ. 

So what we need to hear today is not an eloquent psychoanalyzing of the state of society, of the mental health system, gun legislation, the demise of constitutional America, terrorism, or any other such issue. 

We just need the sweet truth of the gospel.

Here are some truths to trust in today, some truths that are true no matter what hell we see on earth coming into our living room through our television screens: 

Through bombs and explosions, war, death, tragedy, and all suffering, the God of Israel is still our God, and is still sovereign over His Creation, completely regardless of if we understand what is going on or not. 

Jesus Christ is still His only Son, and He is still “the Word who became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14). 

Jesus is still our Savior, the lover of sinners, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). 

Jesus still died for us, for sinners in the sin-sick world. It is still finished, and He has still taken the sin of the world on Himself that we might be free (John 19:30). 

Jesus is still risen from the dead, the tomb continues to be empty (John 20). 

Through Christ, we have been given “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). We are at peace with God and we can trust that He loves us. 

Through the Holy Spirit Jesus continues to give us peace in the midst of chaos (John 14:27). 

Jesus will return to finish the redemption of the world which He has started, to judge the living and the dead, and “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God” (Romans 14:9-11). 

Through blood and tear-stained eyes, it still stands that “God so loved the world, that He sent His one and Only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God loves sinners, and Jesus came as the one and only light to this dark world. 

This is our hope, and a blessed hope it is. The truth of our salvation, of God’s love for us, and of God’s ultimate victory over evil – this is the solid rock on which we stand. Jesus as Lord does not shift with the sands, does not get blown about in the wind, and does not change due to even the ugliest and worst circumstances. 

Today and in the days to come, do not waste your time and energy looking about, looking up down and around trying to find sense and reason where there is only nonsense and unreasonableness. 

Evil is chaos. Do not stare into evil or it will lead you to despair. I do not say this to say that we should not be engaged with this suffering. As Christians, we should feel it deeply, we should pray deeply and hurt deeply. Indeed we have all shed tears and feel sick and heavy today. Love for Jesus means painful love for the broken world, love which brings tears and questions and heartache. But do not look to your own reason, to politicians or media for hope. Look to Jesus, turn your face to Him constantly. He is our Rock. 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. –Romans 8:37-39 

Lord, we pray for your presence and light today. We pray for these victims of violence and everyone affected, including the caverns of our own hearts. Be with your people who trust you, and be with those who do not know you and do not have hope. We pray that the world would turn to You and believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.