Christ

 All western civics are a footnote of scripture. (This fact can be sourced in tremendous detail through literature from inspired minds such as T.S. Eliot, Tom Holland, Vishal Mangalwadi, and G.K. Chesterton.)

 This biblical idea that humans are made in the “image of God” led to a radical shift in the concept of individual worth which has led to unique advancements of liberty never before seen in our ancient world; human rights, abolition of slavery, and aid to the marginalized and oppressed. 

 In places such as America, it’s meant free speech and aided our gathering in churches to talk about that man- “if it be lawful to call Him a man*”- Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of Yahweh, wherein you’d meet certain execution in places in other countries for even reading God’s word. 

  Jordan Peterson said, “With the death of God, many other things die. Things you don’t expect.

 And one of the things that dies when God dies is science. And no one expects that.

 Science as a practice is a religious practice. It’s predicated on religious axioms. 

 “You have to believe that there’s such a thing as truth. You have to believe the truth is understandable. You have to believe that understanding the truth is good. You have to believe there is such a thing as good. 

  “Those aren’t scientific claims.

 “Those are metaphysical claims.”

 In education, it has- at a magnitude far greater than any other driving force known to man- pushed literacy, printing, and wisdom into every culture by adapting their languages to written form just for the sake of having God’s word be understood by weak and vulnerable peoples who might not have ever, otherwise, had access. 

 It has been leveling the playing field between the most wealthy, powerful, hierarchical, dominant members of society with the lowest, poorest, weakest, and most in need by demanding we see the content of peoples’ characters and inward parts in contrast to which masks we’re mandated to wear; king or slave. 

 Even in cases where nations have changed their beliefs of Christ’s sovereign reign in their collective hearts, the principalities, government structures and ways of life have retained borrowed capital from His message of repentance and the systems introduced by Yahweh to the Israelites through Moses. 

 Hindus, Buddhists, Islamic, and secular/postmodern worldviews either ask one to empty their mind altogether, or otherwise try to convince one that a fallible human being is capable of reaching everlasting euphoria with either positive-thinking and good behavior, fanaticism and discipline, and other various practices that place the burden upon mankind to ascend to heaven. None of them focus as much on faith, hope and love as they do on the God-given result of these pursuits; peace, offering it through temporary means; thieves and robbers always skirting the door to the sheepfold and the Good Shepherd. 

 Jesus tells us our troubles will be many, but our peace will be full. God tells us, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.” We carry the trouble others refute, and we do so because we know we can do nothing of ourselves, but in Christ, we can accomplish all things. In this contrast, we are released of the burden of climbing to heaven, as God descended to us, and gave Himself for us, and we are blessed to rest our trust in Him rather than wrestle with it in our fallen selves.

 An unknown 2nd century writer, only decades after Jesus walked the earth, said about our faith:  “For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe.

“For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines.

“But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.

“They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.”

 Universal communication was cut off after Noah and restored after Christ.

 Moses was blocked from the Promised Land, but entered with Christ. 

 Judas was a betrayer of our Messiah, but through Christ, he was an instrument of our redemption. 

 Caiaphas, the High Priest, condemned our Messiah to Roman authorities, yet Christ fulfilled the prophecy Caiaphas had received from God, and many more than the High Priest was likely to determine in his day. 

 Pontius Pilate found no fault, but washed his hands and allowed our Savior crucified, and that blood has restored generations of our brothers and sisters through the strength of the Holy Spirit. 

 In these and many other examples- both in history and our personal lives- we can rest in the promise that "all things work together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

 Brothers and sisters, we stand as the most powerful army on the face of the earth throughout our era’s recorded history; outlasting mighty empires and nations. Our spoils are a fruit called by various names: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Our armor consists of the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of gospel peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. We have inherited a priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek through Jesus Christ, our redeemer from Yahweh, the God of our salvation. 

 Today, stand up! & claim your inheritance gifted from our Maker- the Author of all things. Sing praises to Jesus Christ, as we are now, in our weakness, made the righteousness of God through His sacrifice on the cross. 

 Sing praises or groan- both are carried to the Father through the Spirit. Rise or fall in flesh- our souls are saved through the Son of God. 

 It be so. 

 (*quote about Jesus of Nazareth from historian Flavius Josephus)