9/11 21 Years Later
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked airplanes intent on flying them into buildings intent on causing as much harm and fear as they could. They may not have succeeded as well as they planned, but they did manage those two objectives. They also managed two objectives that they could not have planned: we were united and we were humbled.
You may remember the day and the days that followed it differently, but united and humbled are what I remember.
Our country has always faced some internal division but on that day, more than most, we set aside our differences and stood united as one nation.
Our country has long since distanced itself from God, driving Him further and further from the public square. But on that day, confronted with the prospects of our own vulnerability and mortality, we stood as one nation under God.
We also swore to never forget.
So, how is that working out? How well have we done compared to our collective fox-hole conversion? Did we remember? Are we united? Are we humbled?
Sadly, my answers would be: no, no, and no.
We have not remembered. We are not united. We are not humbled.
21 years and we are more divided today than at almost any time in our history. Sure, we have not devolved into open, armed conflict and civil war. But shots have been fired from both sides and bodies have buried on both sides. And you can pretty much define sides however you want and that will be true. Division is real, it is deep, and it is as likely to be repaired as the Grand Canyon is.
That is a bleak assessment, I will grant you that. What are we to do? What are we, as Christians, to do? And I don’t mean to save ourselves. Most of us have some sense of how unpopular our faith is. What are we to do to help mend the divides? Most of us would like to see the divisions healed.
Transition
Again, I come back to my bleak assessment. The divisions are unlikely to mend. And we are unlikely to be any help. That sounds wrong, but it matches reality. Our help toward real unity is a somewhat complicated matter.
Our Mandate Is Divisive
Our Mandate Is Divisive
Take, for instance, a simple verse that we discussed just two weeks ago:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus is not A way, A truth, and A life; He is THE way, THE truth, and THE life. That is very exclusive. If we believe that, than any other way, and other truth, and any other life is wrong. Jesus alone is right. Those that follow Jesus alone are right. Everyone else is wrong. That is pretty divisive.
Jesus knew this to be true.
51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.
Jesus knew people would be divided because of Him. And so there was.
43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
It is a hard truth, but it is truth. And it is not all bad news.
Our Model Is Inclusive
Our Model Is Inclusive
When we come to Christ, He makes us anew as citizens of His kingdom.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Part of the old that goes is the “side” we were on and the victory we sought.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
We are united citizens in His kingdom and for His cause.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Ideally, all believers demonstrated these three sames
We speak the same thing - The Gospel at a minimum, ideally, the Scriptures
We have the same mind - that is we possess and understand the same knowledge: that of God as revealed in His Word
We share the same judgment - that is we respond to truth in the same way: we believe it and let is shape us.
Does that always happen (or ever happen)? Not so much. Why?
Our Execution Is Imperfect
Our Execution Is Imperfect
Imperfection is seen in our nature
Imperfection is seen in our nature
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
We get saved from our culture and from our positions about our culture. But it is still a part of us and we generally bring some of it, or much of it, with us into Jesus kingdom.
Imperfection is seen in remedying our nature
Imperfection is seen in remedying our nature
10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
Ideally, those who cause division are recognized as carnal, admonished to be spiritual, and ultimately rejected as rebellious so that there are no divisions within the kingdom.
Does this create new divisions? Usually, yes. Is that the plan? No. The plan is that a rejected person becomes repentant. All too often, though, the rejected person gathers with a few other rejected people and start their own city in Jesus’ kingdom.
Yep, we’re pretty much a mess.
Conclusion
What are we to do?
17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
There are four solid pieces of advice for us in this passage:
Follow the faithful
Mourn the fallen
Await the finale
Remain the faithful
21 years on and nothing has really changed. The divides are deeper and wider, but they were always there. We are unlikely to bridge them alone. But as we reflect Jesus, we will occasionally be able to introduce people to Him and He can draw them across the divides, making them citizens in His kingdom.
Invitation
Reflect Jesus. It does not seem like much. But is all we have. And it is all we need. And it will take everything we have to make it work.
In order to reflect Jesus well, we must become like Him, eliminating the parts of our life that don’t reflect Him. And that is the work of a lifetime, so don’t minimize it. Accept the challenge to Reflect Jesus!