Heard On Sunday - Forging of a Covenant

In a week marked by tragedy and heartbreak, we find ourselves grappling with the harsh realities of a fallen world. School shootings, the assassination of a beloved Christian apologist, and the anniversary of 9/11 have left many of us reeling, angry, and questioning how to respond as followers of Christ.

It's tempting to call these events "senseless," but the truth is far more sobering. These are not random acts, but intentional manifestations of evil in a world corrupted by sin. As difficult as it is to face, we must recognize that there are only two kingdoms: the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. There is no middle ground.

In times like these, it's natural to feel anger. The Apostle Paul himself acknowledges this, saying, "In your anger do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26). This implies that anger can be an appropriate response for Christians, but we must be careful in how we channel it.

So how do we, as believers, handle our anger without sinning? How do we respond to the darkness around us while still being a light to the world?

The answer lies in understanding the nature of God's relationship with His people and His church. Unlike the contractual agreements that dominate our everyday lives, God's covenant with us is not based on a quid pro quo exchange. It's a relationship of unconditional love and commitment, mirrored in the covenant of marriage.

Consider the wedding vows: "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health." These are not conditional statements, but promises of unwavering devotion regardless of circumstances. This is how God loves us, and how we are called to love one another.

Romans 8:30-39 beautifully illustrates the unshakeable nature of God's love for us:

"And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ... For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This passage reminds us that no matter what trials or tribulations we face, nothing can separate us from God's love. We are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

But this covenant relationship isn't just between us and God – it extends to how we treat one another as members of the body of Christ. The New Testament is filled with "one another" commands, calling us to love, serve, accept, strengthen, help, encourage, care for, forgive, submit to, and commit to one another, among many others.

These commands aren't given as contractual obligations, where we only fulfill them if others do the same for us. Instead, they're a call to embody the selfless love of Christ, even when it's not reciprocated. This is how we stand out in a world quick to retaliate, quick to push away, quick to give up when things get tough.

In a culture where people are so easily divided and quick to harm those they disagree with, we are called to a different path. We are to be a community that sticks together, works through difficulties, and loves unconditionally – just as Christ loves us.

This doesn't mean it's easy. Every church, every community of believers will disappoint us at some point because we are all imperfect, fallen human beings. But the beauty of covenant relationship is that we commit to working through those disappointments together, growing in Christ-likeness as we practice forgiveness, patience, and love.

When we interact with one another in this way, even in our imperfections, we display the manifest glory of God to the world around us. It's compelling and transformative. It's God's means of changing a wicked culture.

Consider the contrast: While some respond to injustice by setting police cars on fire, we respond by coming together in prayer. While the world is quick to say "I'm not happy, I'm out of here," we commit to working through our differences. While some choose to express their pain through violence, we choose to give out Bibles and spread the message of hope in Christ.

This attitude of Christians, when lived out authentically, has the power to change culture. It transforms the world because we're behaving in a way that's radically different from the norm. We're bringing an attitude of "What can I give?" rather than "What can I get?"

Every day, especially in weeks like this one, we must recommit to being all in – all in with God, all in with His church, all in with living out His commands. It's through the difficulties that we learn to flourish under God's good rule and experience the fullness of life that comes from practicing the "one anothers" with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This community, bound by covenant love, is something we simply can't find anywhere else. It's the forge that allows us to grow through the toughest weeks and be the light on the hill for a culture in desperate need.

As we navigate these dark times, let's remember that our hope is not in this world, but in Christ. Let's commit to being the kind of community that stands firm in the face of evil, that loves unconditionally, that works through difficulties rather than running from them. Let's be the kind of people who, even in our anger and grief, choose to respond with the transformative love of Christ.

For in doing so, we not only find healing for ourselves, but we become agents of God's healing in a broken world. We become living testimonies to the power of covenant love – a love that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.