Sermon 150901 6pm

Preaching Christ to a hurting world

USBC - C.Butcher

Attack on America – unthinkable terrorism. Unimaginable terror

Man’s inhumanity to man?

Spiritual dimension? ‘The god of this world’

How can an omnipotent God allow it?

God HATES sin and injustice

There’s a battle going on. God has won the victory – ultimately, but we must live through the battle that continues to rage

“End times”? – no-one knows when. Be ready (Mark 13.32+)

We have been in the ‘last days’ for 2000 years

Surprise? Maybe not.

“Acceptance of the inevitable” - NO

Urgency – ‘today is the day of salvation’.

Individual deaths just as significant to God – groups have greater impact on humans.

God doesn’t watch CNN

Suffering all over the world – much goes unreported so unnoticed

People rushed to churches – ‘God-consciousness’ – searching for meaning and comfort

Need to make sense of it

Realisation that there is more depth to life

Man-made things are nothing when all is stripped away

Dangerous times ahead for us?

Muslim uprising – ‘jihad’. Taliban call. UK Muslim Youth leader call.

Impossible? No. Look at Bosnia / Kosovo

War on the innocent?

Man’s response?

Some good – unity, compassion, self-sacrifice, call to prayer

Some bad – attacks on muslims in US. Bigotry. Excuse for hatred

So how should we respond?

Ø Pray for our enemies. Forgive. So hard. ‘They know not what they do’

Ø Seek justice not retaliation

Ø Pray for the world leaders – wisdom/guidance

Ø Like Florence Nightingale – shed light in darkness

Ø Help them hear the ‘still small voice’

Ø Seek to build the kingdom

Ø  God doesn't call up reservists when there's a special need - we are all (supposed) to be fulltime soldiers in the battle against evil

Ø Too often we have failed to put God first. His kingdom has not advanced at the pace it should through the negligence / complacency / lethargy of His people. Time to change. 1 Peter 3.14-15