The Kingdom Perspective

Transcript:

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

How should we respond to our genuine fears and concerns that arise from the coronavirus?

We should take our cues from brave Christians that have gone before us, such as the great St. Patrick.

St. Patrick was not always St. Patrick, nor was he even Irish. He was an ordinary youth born to well-to-do parents in 5th century Romanized Britain. However, at about age 16 he was kidnapped by the Irish, who at the time were notorious pagan tribal warriors, famous for stringing the skulls of their conquered foes around their belts. After six years of captivity, Patrick escaped. However, after some time he received a vision that he should return to the land of his captors, not in order to bring them justice, but rather to bring them Jesus. He did. And the rest, as they say, is history. He bravely went back and faced his captors, not with fear but with faith.

By the sovereign grace of God, the Irish become Christians at an astounding rate. However, this did not happen without significant danger and threats to Patrick’s life.

And where did he turn with his fears? To the promise of Christ’s presence with him. His faith-filled courage is preserved for us in a famous prayer, that comes to us as “The Shield of St. Patrick”. Here’s a bit of it:

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

Like Patrick of old, how can you today live in faith and not in fear, especially in the midst of the present challenges? The key is calling on the presence of Christ with us, moment by moment.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

Transcript:

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

How should we respond to the coronavirus pandemic?

We should be all the more committed to preaching the hope we have in Jesus Christ!

The virus has many of us scared, and rightfully so. Like it or not, it is a stark reminder of our frailty and the frivolousness of our way of life. We are wracked with anxiety—if not for our health, then for the health of our loved ones. And if not for the health of our loved ones, then for the loss of career, comfort or cashflow—or perhaps our freedom of lifestyle in this world.

My friends, this is precisely where the hope of the gospel shines. Our whole gospel banks its hope not on a better, more comfortable, or freer life in the here-and-now. Rather, it banks its hope on the promise of a new life beyond the grave. It looks to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and the sure hope of eternal life in him. And far from making us ineffective in the midst of crisis, this hope anchors us in the storm—“a sure and steadfast anchor for the soul”, as the writer of Hebrews puts it. Thus, the turmoil and tragedy become opportunity for this hope to shine through us.

Listen the Apostle Peter:

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

~ 1 Peter 1:3-7

Transcript:

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

How should we as the church respond to the coronavirus?

We should seek and follow the best science available.

The word science comes from an old Latin term for knowledge. When we speak of “science” we speak of a particular method of obtaining knowledge and the collective/generational wisdom that comes from following that method. Biblically speaking, knowledge (and its attendant concepts—understanding, discretion, wisdom) are categorically good things. Science is essentially good and true because we live in an orderly universe, created by an unchanging God who governs his world in an orderly way. Thus, we can know things through observation and testing. We can gain understanding by applying ourselves to the task of data collection and interpretation.

This is true with the present pandemic. Therefore, we should always be looking for the best “science” available. Agencies like the CDC are experts at summarizing scientific findings and guidelines that are not only proven but also helpful. Thank God for them!

On the flip side, we should avoid immersing ourselves in the media and the 24/7 news cycle. Such sources, though entertaining, thrive on the sensational “breaking news” instead of what is tested and proven. They live on the anxious edge of fear—a great tactic for attracting viewers, but not for promoting wisdom, knowledge, and compassion.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”

~ Psalm 19:1-2