This world is no stranger to tragedies! Modern
catastrophic events bring to mind the tragic loss of human life.
However, untold millions anciently also died horrifically in natural
disasters, widespread disease, and military conflict. This world is no stranger to tragedies! Modern
catastrophic events bring to mind the tragic loss of human life.
However, untold millions anciently also died horrifically in natural
disasters, widespread disease, and military conflict.
Relatively modern history alone chronicles the
tremendous and tragic loss of human life. For example, between
1918-1920, about 22 million people around the world died of a
flu epidemic. A single earthquake in 1923 killed about 120,000
people in just two cities in Japan. A tornado ravaged southern
states in our country in 1925, killing 689. More recently, within
our lifetimes, an earthquake in Turkey killed over 17,000 people.
The Twin Towers terrorism of 9/11 killed about 3,000 people in
one building complex, besides those who died at the Pentagon and
the southwestern Pennsylvania airplane crash. About 50 million
innocent babies are aborted around the world every year. Very
recently, an estimated more than 160,000 people from 11 countries
died from an earthquake and tidal waves in Asia. Truly, this world
is no stranger to human tragedy and the heartbreaking loss of
lives.
As awful as the catastrophic loss of human life
is, the greatest tragedy of all is for one soul to be lost (Matt.
16:24-27). This, of course, does not minimize the human tragedies
in either the recent or distant past. All loss of life is tragic.
Sometimes we are simply numbed by the sheer number and horrific
nature of human tragedy. However, it is important to prioritize
spiritual things foremost in the lives of Christians and in congregations
of the Lord's church (Matt. 6:33). Every child of God is obligated
to love God foremost (Matt. 22:37). God must be above family allegiances,
too (Matt. 10:37).
Christians and the church that they comprise have
an overriding, God-given mission to evangelize the world (Matt.
28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). This means that the primary mission
of the Lord's church is to broaden the borders of the kingdom
of God "disciple the nations," ASV. We spend too much
time (and money) concerned with incidental and peripheral matters
(i.e., padded pews, air conditioning, lawn care, etc.). Yes, by
Biblical implication and correct inference, it is right to have
church buildings with all of their trappings, but Jesus commanded
that we take the Gospel to the whole world.
The effect of Christians like the apostle Paul
and those who labored with him was to "turn the world upside
down" (Acts 17:6). That means that the early church saturated
the world, one community at a time, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes the church was called "that way," referring
to the way of life characteristic of Christianity that
was spreading around the first century Roman world (Acts 19:9,
23; 24:22). Christians and the church have the divine mandate
of taking the "whole counsel of God" to the whole world
(Acts 20:27).
Everywhere the apostle Paul went preaching the
Gospel, he normally had a great Gospel meeting or a riot (or both).
Comparatively few souls became Christians through Paul's efforts
in Athens (Acts 17:34). It is also possible that, after the dust
clears from deliberate efforts to evangelize any community, few
will obey the Gospel. Yet, usually, some will obey the Gospel
of Christ, as in Athens when Paul preached there. Still, it is
the Christian's responsibility and the church's obligation to
tell people about Christ, by which, if we do, we are successful
as far as God is concerned (1 Cor. 3:6-7).
Consequently, Christians and the church need to
be aware of the lost world and be amply motivated to reach it
with the Gospel. As an apostle, Paul was gravely aware and concerned
about many congregations in the first century (2 Cor. 11:28).
Since he had great dedication to the cause of Christ, he was willing
to endure great persecution, affliction, and deprivation for the
advancement of the church (1 Cor. 11:23-27). Likewise, each elder,
deacon, preacher, teacher and all other members need to have an
unquenchable interest in and concern for the welfare of the church
and those who comprise it (1 Cor. 11:28).
Yes, this world is no stranger to tragedies, but
the greatest tragedy of all is for one soul to be lost. What will
really matter when this life is over is whether our souls are
saved. What will really matter when this life is over is, "Have
we tried to take any with us to heaven?" -RD 3 Box 28, Cameron,
WV 26033. http://www.gospelgazette.com/ rushmore@gospelgazette.com