No words can
truly capture what people feel after watching 20 young children and 7 adults
senselessly murdered in Newtown, CT, on Friday, December 14, 2012. As a father of four boys ranging in age from
3 to 12 years-old, and one child in heaven, whom we lost through a miscarriage,
I can’t fathom the loss that those parents and the community of Newtown are
feeling right now. My heart breaks for
them. I’m sure yours does too.
So how does
one make sense of something so tragic and senseless? There are no easy answers. Some will ask, “How could a loving God allow
little children to be murdered?” That
view suggests that God acts as a puppet master in heaven with strings attached
to everyone controlling their every move.
That’s not how God operates. The
reality is that God made people to have the ability to make choices. Unfortunately, sinful people make sinful
choices.
God is not to
be blamed for evil in this world. Satan
and sin are to be blamed for the evil in this world. It was Satan who caused our first two
parents, Adam and Eve, to fall into sin (Genesis 3). As a result, we’ve been dealing with tragedy
ever since. Imagine how Adam and Eve
felt as they buried their son, Abel, who was murdered by their son, Cain
(Genesis 4). Because we live in a world
that is fallen in sin, we live in a world filled with people who are fallen in
sin…including you and me.
As
investigators continue to look for the reason why the shooter took the lives of
27 people, we already know the ultimate reason – Satan and sin. But Satan and sin will not have the last
laugh. Jesus put it this way to His
disciples, “I have told you these
things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome
the world” (John 16:33). Notice that
Jesus doesn’t deny the awfulness of trouble in this world. But He offers peace and hope. He offers the wonderful truth that trouble
and tragedy will not win.
That’s
because the next day Jesus suffered the awfulness of tragedy at the hands of
evil men who crucified Him. But He did
not die in vain. His death meant
forgiveness for you and me. Just like we
demand justice when someone commits atrocities, so also God demanded justice
for our sins. Jesus had to die so that
in God’s court room you and I are declared not guilty. Jesus died to make sin’s tragedy die. And three days later when He rose again from
the dead, He lives to make the tragedy of death itself die. Jesus wins.
Hope wins. Life wins.
Actually,
that’s what Christmas is all about. The
reason why we celebrate Christmas isn’t because it’s just a cute story of a
little baby named Jesus who was born and placed in a manger. We celebrate Christmas because that little
baby named Jesus was for centuries prophesied to be the One who would go from
cradle to cross. We celebrate Christmas
because that little baby was born to die that we might live. He was born to give peace, comfort, hope and
healing to people like those of Newtown, CT who are face to face with tragedy.
That’s what
makes our faith in Jesus so important.
He promises that by faith in Him tragedy never wins even though we will
experience it this side of heaven. Those
who believe in Jesus will live even though they die (John 11). Because of
Jesus, tragedy will never win. Life
does.
So as the
people of Newtown, and others who have dealt with tragedies in their life, seek
comfort and peace, let’s pray for them. For
those who believe in Jesus they will see their little children again in the
endless joy of heaven, never again to be separated by tragedy. Let’s pray for those families that they find
comfort and peace in the only One who is the answer to life’s senseless tragedies,
who makes life from death and who promises that one day all the wrong will be
made right.
For those of
you who are parents, you may be wondering how to talk about tragedy
with your children. That’s a good
question. Here is a link to an excellent
resource for this.
-Pastor Chris
Johnson, Outreach and Young Adult Pastor
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