Pastor Joe Sanders - September 11, 2011
Living Radically Together in a World of Tragedy
We're constantly inundated with news and most of the news that we are fed isn't positive, encouraging or uplifting. Matter of fact it seems like almost everything on the news is depressing and a reminder of how bad things can get; like a zombie apocalypse would be a better alternative to this! There are probably 2 realities to this- one is that because of 24 hour news outlets we live every tragedy in real time, and the other is that tragedy really is all around us all the time. What is our hope? That we would run away and escape tragedy? That somehow God will step in to prevent all suffering and death in our lives? What is our theology doing with suffering and tragedy? Jesus answers some of these questions head on. He doesn't allow us to avoid the realities of life, he doesn't allow us to focus on the wrong issues. He turns the big questions back on us and forces us to deal with our own spiritual condition and relationship with him, all the while reminding us of his mercy and grace in it all, so we can live radically together for him.
Scripture References: Luke 13:1-9