Our Idols

I'm sick over these shootings. I'm sick that these have become status-quo. I'm sick that as a country we have apparently become so impotent: "Nothing can be done. It is what it is."

Yet some say we are exceptional. But we can't be exceptional if citizens can't go to a concert, the movies, school, or church safely. We can't be exceptional if we can't band together and make sensible change. We can't be exceptional if living here means we simply accept these tragedies as normative and magically wish and pray they don't happen to me or my loves ones. Exceptional people make exceptional, sacrificial, courageous decisions.

Yesterday I preached on the topic of Solus Christus, salvation in Christ alone. Nothing else can save us, but Jesus Christ. In Christian churches, heads nod and "Amens" are heard throughout when sermons like this are preached! "We love it! We love Jesus! He's my King! He's my Lord!"

But we have our idols. If we're honest, it's not always Christ alone, and guns are but one of those idols. Our inaction on sensible gun control illustrates the fact that we would rather cling to our weapons for a feeling of safety and security than lay our lives at the feet of Jesus. We would rather hold fast to our claims as citizens of America who uphold the "laws of the land" than our identity as citizens of the Kingdom of God with Scripture as our one and only guide.

We are experiencing a crisis of faith. Too many of us who claim to represent our Lord and King, Jesus the Christ, are double-minded and divided in our loyalties, something our Holy Scriptures warns against. It's no wonder the next generation is walking away from this badly conflated, syncretistic version of nationalistic faith we have passed down.

Agree or disagree, these moments call for confession, repentance, prayer, unity, and the courage to move forward with hope as our guide, rejecting the FEAR so many will alluringly dangle before us.

To my friends and congregation, I'd love to begin face to face conversations on how we move forward as followers of Jesus that we might better represent his Kingdom while we sojourn on this earth. Lord, have mercy. May the peace of Christ be with us all.