Expect It!
Dan Kunz
For many years it seems the opening ceremonies of the Olympics have been an opportunity to not only shine a bright light on the host country, but, it seems, also to try to “out do” the previous Olympic ceremonies. Bigger, brighter, more extravagant, and more technological seems to be the order of the day. Now, we can add more offensive or more “daring” to the mix. The depiction of Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper”, using drag queens and other offensive images, certainly checks that box. You did it! Of course, the people responsible did apologize. They didn’t, however, apologize for concocting something offensive. They were sorry if you were offended. That’s not the same thing. Over 2.4 billion people in today’s world are Christian. I guess it’s “their bad”, if they were offended!
God’s Word has a lot to say about our treatment by the rest of the world. Jesus himself explained in John 15:20 Remember what I told you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. He continued two verses later, in John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. The Apostle Paul reminds us, Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. To be sure, whatever a man sows, he will also reap. As Christians, for sure we should be offended, but we should also mourn for those who mock God. They will be sorry they were ever born.
Please take some time to read Luke 21:12-19. In those verses Jesus reminds us that such persecution will give us an opportunity to testify of him. Where other religions would become violent if mocked as Christians were in the opening ceremonies, we don’t react with such violence. We react with pity and with truth. We understand the consequences of such vitriol toward Jesus Christ. We know “the mills of the Lord’s justice grind slow, but very fine.” We also remember Jesus’ own words from the cross – “Father forgive them”. Remember that Stephen, as he was being stoned to death, cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” If we respond with the truth of God’s Word and his ultimate plan for salvation, maybe, just maybe, someone opposed to Christianity or, at best, neutral, will learn from our reaction to persecution of this type. Even some people who aren’t Christian reacted to the mockery at the Olympics by saying, “That’s just not right.” Some folks who normally don’t like what Christians have to say, scolded the French contingency for their shameful caricature of one of the most significant events in Jesus’ life.
As the earth groans under the burden of mounting sin, expect more hatred and derision. Expect more mockery and blasphemy. Expect to be, not only misunderstood, but also ridiculed for what you believe and know to be true. As one of my dear friends once said, “The snake is out of the Garden!” Jesus told the disciples (and us) in Luke 21 to be prepared for such treatment. He also told them, despite their earthly trials at the hands of evil people, they would win life. Stand firm! Justice will be served.