In Sunday’s sermon, you may recall hearing this quote from John Alan Turner: “If following Jesus hasn’t made you more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, or gentle…you’re doing it wrong.” Perhaps these words made you smile a bit, because, here at TOCC, we’re NOT doing it wrong, we’re doing it right. And we can be proud of that – Amen?
Then, just a few hours after preaching those words, news started pouring in about the horror that unfolded during the Communion service at one of our sister congregations in Fort Worth. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling all that “loving and joyful and peaceful” anymore. Suddenly, love was replaced by hate. Suddenly, joy was replaced by fear. Suddenly, I wanted to lash out. And suddenly, I was no longer “doing it right”.
And now, I sit at my keyboard, typing again about bloodshed at a sister congregation. Meanwhile, our Jewish friends are reeling from an attack inside a Rabbi’s home after a Hanukkah celebration near New York. Not even a week has passed since Christmas Day, and it is as though the world has become an even darker place. The words to the carol, “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day”, seem to fit , once again:
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor does He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Our hearts break for the suffering of our brothers and sisters at the West Freeway Church of Christ – their pain will not only never be forgotten, but it will arise afresh each year as the Christmas season approaches. To make it worse if possible, they and we will surely hear the mocking cries of those who will say, “Where was the ‘Christ’ of this church when they needed him?”
Our faith tells us that the scoffers are wrong, and that the author of the carol [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in 1863] is right – “God is not dead, nor does He sleep”. But it so hard to see that now! We need to pray that the faith of our brothers and sisters will not fail them now, or in the coming dark days of despair. May The Lord strengthen the flickering faith of His people as we struggle to see how Romans 8:28 – “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose.” – can possibly come to pass out of the bloody chaos inside our brothers’ and sisters’ holy sanctuary. “Father, we believe. Help our unbelief.” [Mark 9:24].
There will surely be an extraordinary display of love and support for the West Freeway Church of Christ from sister congregations all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and from across the Nation. I pray this will encourage them, and encourage us as well. And I pray The Lord will restore our love and joy and peace so that we can enter the New Year bringing His wonderful light into our dark world.
~Shepherd Ambrose Ramsey
