WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INSURRECTION - Sadell Bradley - 1/13/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD INSURRECTION 1/13/2021 "We're a part of the insurrection, trying to turn Christianity upside down. " - Erwin McManus Many words have been used to describe what occurred at our Nation's Capitol on January 6th. The most frequent are INSURRECTION - a violent uprising against an authority or government; to rise up, and SEDITION - conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state; going apart. Rising up in order to divide. Synonyms for insurrection include revolt, riot, anarchy, coup, and the more familiar term rebellion. REBELLION is an act of violent or open resistance to the authority, control, or convention of an established government or ruler. Since the colonies rebelled against the rule of King George III in the Revolutionary War, the US has been involved in uprisings, both internal and external. Whether world wars, or battles over whether or not America's creeds were benefiting all of its citizens equally; there has been a lot of striving, injury, and death. In suffrage, women were raped, tortured, imprisoned, and killed for the right to vote. The same holds true for African-Americans in the struggle for civil and human rights. What we are seeing now is an implosion that seems eerily similar to the Civil War—where the Country, and sadly, the Church, were split in two over the issues of slavery, race, power, and greed. It's frightful, and the proclamation and observance of the loving commands of the Lord Jesus Christ are ostensibly absent—even from those who claim to follow Christ. We 'Christians' need to repent for how we see because the 'light' that is in us is great darkness right now. (Matt. 6:23) A NAME FOR OURSELVES In Genesis 11, the citizens of the earth unified in their desire to build a great edifice— the Tower of Babel. When they contrived the idea, they were in agreement and all spoke the same language. They said to themselves, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (vs. 7) It was as if their ambitions collided with a prophetic utterance on the consequences of their plotting in a single sentence. Their scheme attracted the attention of the Almighty God who sovereignly disrupted their plans because they were making themselves an idol, decrying His holiness. He will have no competitors. "Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth." (vs. 9) Jesus, our King is not siding with the political right nor left. He is the LORD of creation and will be worshipped by all."I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols." (Isa. 42:8) TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN The Christ-followers in Acts 17 were guilty of a different kind of insurrection. Paul and Silas proclaimed that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Messiah in a Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica. Their presence and proclamation were a threat to leaders who were fearful of losing their position to this new King. The rulers exclaimed, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." (vs.6) The declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a counter-cultural type of sedition. It usurps carnal conventions. Instead of spewing hate-speech and promoting violence—we use LOVE speech and kind actions. Instead of vying for power and greed—we choose humility, servanthood, and generosity. Where many try to preserve their status and reputation, we deny ourselves and lay down our lives for Christ's sake. It is my prayer that more and more true Christ-followers will put on the armor of God and use the spiritual forces of peace, goodness, compassion, unity, and love. Take up the spiritual weapons of prayer, faith, truth, and the Word of God and engage in a seditious insurrection against the powers of darkness and this world.