Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to a special-edition series of the Kingdom Perspective.

What should we do in the face of the coronavirus epidemic?

We must be careful to humble ourselves before the cross of Christ, so that we can experience the exaltation of His grace.

You see, Jesus is a god who by His very nature shows us both the seriousness of our crimes against God and the certainty of His compassion toward us. And He does this in one fell swoop—at the cross. At the cross, Jesus swallowed the fullness of the judgment against our sin and, by that, demonstrated the fullness of His love in kindness toward us. Therefore, approaching God through the cross, both humbles us (it shows us our guilt) and lifts us up (it shows us His grace).

The great French thinker and mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) put it this way:

“Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.”

The good news of Jesus attacks both our arrogance and our insecurity.

This is of great help when we are facing crises like the pandemic. We can know that whatever God may send our way is not meant to punish us but to purify us.

This is why the writers of Scripture say things like this: “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble….. [Therefore,] Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

~ James 4:6-10 (NASB)