Chris Tomlin’s song “Our God” has as the central theme, “And if our God is for us who can be against us….what can stand against us?”
This week in John’s first letter we are confronted by the Anti-Christ. We don’t often think about this being who is opposed to Christian values, and in fact wants to substitute self in Christ’s place. However, the Anti-Christ is at work in this world in many ways. Ways that distract us from our Christian values, our very Christianity.
Where do we find the work of the Anti-Christ in our world, our nation? Often, we look to the massive number of homeless and hungry children. We look to the destruction of people through genocide and persecution.
Closer to home there are many places that the Anti-Christ is at work in our lives.
Our political leaders are more interested in the power of their party than the people whom they are to serve.
Our negligence of our environment for which we are experiencing the backlash.
Our neighbors who are very different from us and we choose to ignore rather than embrace.
Our children are deeply entrenched in violent video and computer games.
Our gluttony as we experience shortages of goods and services. And yet we have more goods than the rest of the world.
Our ignoring the homeless among us. So long as they stay in the woods and don’t try to panhandle it is okay.
Mobs, cartels, drugs, shootings, sex trafficking, physical abuse along with mental and emotional abuse. Our world as influenced by the Anti-Christ.
What does our Lord Jesus Christ call us to do? Go into the world and make disciples of each and everyone. I don’t posses the power to combat drugs, sex trafficking, mobs, cartels, or abuse to others. What I do have is God with me to go into the world and make disciples. Go into the world in humbleness, prayer, and testimony. To share the fact of Immanuel, God with us.
In Christ,
Pastor Sallie Rathbone