That is a line used by a U.S. Congresswoman after the Rodney King trial.
The ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya uses the same line, now.
It is used as a threat to get what you want. If you don’t give us X,Y, or Z then we will riot, destroy property, burn things, and maybe kill or mame a few of you.
But what people often miss is the fact that in this world, there is no perfect justice. A good job of it is done for the most part, but things are run by people and with people come problems. That’s just the way it is. Sometimes when you get particularly corrupt people in places of power, you may have very little justice. And believe it or not, we all play a role in this. We all have things that we will not give up for the sake of the other. We are all pretty much concerned with ourselves first and foremost.
“In this world, there is no rest, no peace, and no victory”. That is just the truth of it.
Does that mean that we don’t do all we can to achieve rest, peace, and victory for ourselves and our neighbors? Of course we do what we can within moral, ethical, and legal bounds to achieve justice. And within the bounds of our own sinfullness.
But things quite often don’t work out the way we want them to. There are many disappointments in life. Some by our doing, and some are foisted upon us by others. That is just the way it is. This is what happens to sinners in a fallen world, inhabited by other sinners. There is no escaping it short of the grave, and then sadly for many there will be no escaping there either.
But that is not the end of the story for people of faith. Those with faith in Christ Jesus are promised rest, they are promised peace, and they are promised victory. He will bring these things to fullfillment for us and for the world on that last Day, or our last day.
In case you haven’t noticed, things are not getting better in the world (aside from the creature comforts that technology offers) but instead things are in a state of decay. This world, like our own lives, is slowly coming to an end.
But in Christ Jesus, all things are made new. He heals the sick and makes the blind see again. He comforts the grieving. He brings rest to the weary. He is perfect peace, perfect rest, and perfect victory. In Him perfect justice shall be evermore. He has promised this to us, and He never goes back on His promises
So, whatever it is that has got you down, whatever injustices or disappointments you may have in life, whatever illness you might have, whatever forces that are there that may drive you to despair once on awhile (or often), know that He has overcome them all. He has come all the way down to us to lead a perfect life and hang on a cross in our place. He has showed us in, Himself, what it means to be truly human in a fallen world. We won’t go that far, but He has…for us and our salvation.
He loves you. He died for you. He forgives you all your sin.
In Him you have rest, peace and victory…no matter what the world, yourself, or the devil may throw at you.
Remember that He has baptized you. Remember that He comes to you in His preached Word, and when a friend speaks of Him. Remember that He comes to you in the bread and the wine.
In a little while our suffering will be over and we will live with Him forever and it will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine!
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I could have used the ‘have you ever told a lie’ …what does that make you, question. Or the’ have you ever taken a paperclip from work’…what does that make you, question. That proves it, you’re an awful sinner, but Jesus forgives sinners and if you place your trust in Him, He will forgive you, too.
I could have said that (a bit differently maybe)…but I wanted to expose us to the Law in another way. In a way that really hits home for many. A way that we can all relate to.
Both methods of conveying God’s law and gospel are true. But I think one method might be a more effective way to speak to those we want Jesus to grab a hold of. Especially in this day and age where Christianity is made a mockery of.
What do you think?
Filed under: Law and Gospel | 8 Comments »
The Old Adam Lives! 