Sermon 9-11-02
Our national alert level was raised yesterday.
I went to bed as I have many times the last year with forboding.
The past 12 months have brought that
Fear, anger, frustration, grief
Lost landmarks, lost lives, lost security, lost innocence
It is not surprising that many would say, “where is your God?”
Those who did not know the psalmists God wondered where he was.
Many today who do not know your God wonder where he has been in the last year.
We have seen great evil
We learned that in some corners, Americans are hated
There are some in this world that would just as soon kill you as have you be at this church tonight
We have learned that challenge belongs not just to those of the depression era or to those who sacrificed during WW2, but challenge has come to our generation as well.
I have learned that in my own strength Im ill prepared to face challenge
In the face of challenge, in the face of grief, I must we must remember that we do not face these things alone.
There is an edge on life that was not here 12 months ago
I seek with impunity the rock that is higher than I
Just as the deer thirsts for water so my soul longs after the living God
In him we find hope
Did anyone see the sunrise this morning? Beautiful. I called my children to see it
For every dark night there is always a sunrise
For those who put their faith in Jesus, there is a sunrise to the darkness of sept 11
I have felt anger/resentment return
Max Lucado..taxi driver….I keep getting glost. I could always look up at the towers and get my bearings. I cant do that anymore.
How do you get your bearings? What is your life compass?
Fr. Vincent Biagi, , A catholic priest from NYC very eloquently articulated the compass of a Christian under such circumstances…..
"...We cannot let this madman who caused this tragedy...change our hearts. We cannot give them this power over us. It would make their victory all too complete, and then they will have really won.
"Jesus does not reveal to us any rational solution to the problem of evil; He does not explain why there is evil in the world, but Jesus does reveal to us that evil is not ultimate -- love is; that death does not have the final word -- life does. And so we live not dominated by fear, but filled by hope and the expectation of life. As followers of Jesus we do not deny evil nor attempt to minimize its power, but we do not despair over evil and give in to it, for we believe in the power of love which Jesus proclaimed."
We gather to remember, to think back, to recollect, to memorialize to analyze and to pledge that we will never forget. But as Christians, we do not gather to simply remember an event from the past, our approach is different. Remembrance in the Christians sense means recalling an event in a way that it effects the present and the future. Jesus said remember me.
We look back, not simply to recall, but to allow the event to help us connect with our Lord in a way that today and tomorrow are better. We love and care about one another in the name of Christ.
We heal as a community
We find hope in jesus
How has your faith grown as a result of these events…
How have you found hope in God
How has this event effected your relationship with God?
Our national alert level was raised yesterday.
I went to bed as I have many times the last year with forboding.
The past 12 months have brought that
Fear, anger, frustration, grief
Lost landmarks, lost lives, lost security, lost innocence
It is not surprising that many would say, “where is your God?”
Those who did not know the psalmists God wondered where he was.
Many today who do not know your God wonder where he has been in the last year.
We have seen great evil
We learned that in some corners, Americans are hated
There are some in this world that would just as soon kill you as have you be at this church tonight
We have learned that challenge belongs not just to those of the depression era or to those who sacrificed during WW2, but challenge has come to our generation as well.
I have learned that in my own strength Im ill prepared to face challenge
In the face of challenge, in the face of grief, I must we must remember that we do not face these things alone.
There is an edge on life that was not here 12 months ago
I seek with impunity the rock that is higher than I
Just as the deer thirsts for water so my soul longs after the living God
In him we find hope
Did anyone see the sunrise this morning? Beautiful. I called my children to see it
For every dark night there is always a sunrise
For those who put their faith in Jesus, there is a sunrise to the darkness of sept 11
I have felt anger/resentment return
Max Lucado..taxi driver….I keep getting glost. I could always look up at the towers and get my bearings. I cant do that anymore.
How do you get your bearings? What is your life compass?
Fr. Vincent Biagi, , A catholic priest from NYC very eloquently articulated the compass of a Christian under such circumstances…..
"...We cannot let this madman who caused this tragedy...change our hearts. We cannot give them this power over us. It would make their victory all too complete, and then they will have really won.
"Jesus does not reveal to us any rational solution to the problem of evil; He does not explain why there is evil in the world, but Jesus does reveal to us that evil is not ultimate -- love is; that death does not have the final word -- life does. And so we live not dominated by fear, but filled by hope and the expectation of life. As followers of Jesus we do not deny evil nor attempt to minimize its power, but we do not despair over evil and give in to it, for we believe in the power of love which Jesus proclaimed."
We gather to remember, to think back, to recollect, to memorialize to analyze and to pledge that we will never forget. But as Christians, we do not gather to simply remember an event from the past, our approach is different. Remembrance in the Christians sense means recalling an event in a way that it effects the present and the future. Jesus said remember me.
We look back, not simply to recall, but to allow the event to help us connect with our Lord in a way that today and tomorrow are better. We love and care about one another in the name of Christ.
We heal as a community
We find hope in jesus
How has your faith grown as a result of these events…
How have you found hope in God
How has this event effected your relationship with God?
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