John 18:33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (NRSV)
What is the truth of God? This morning there is a news report of a politician in Ohio, David Johnson, Chairman of the Columbiana County GOP, to be precise, who declared that the wildfires in California were “God’s Punishment to Liberal California.” He is speaking for God. As a politician. It is not his purview. We are supposed to have a separation of church and state in this country. But worse than that, he is totally misrepresenting God. There are a number of Biblical texts that address AND DENY that God sends punishment onto people in this life by the things that happen here.
John 9:1-3 exposes an assumption that bad things happen to people that deserve them. It states “As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned;” (NRSV) It isn’t about that. It is the way the world is. We are fragile beings and things happen. There are problems and pain. And none of us are going to get out of this life alive. We’ll all die. But that is the natural order of things.
And that brings us to the next point… we’ll all die, but not all of us will get to die of natural causes at a ripe old age. Some will die at the hands of violence caused by hate, jealousy or other negative energies. Jesus deals with this as well. In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus is told of some Galileans were making their sacrificial offerings and for whatever reason, Pilate had them put to death and their blood was added to that of the sacrifice, desecrating the offering. It was a particularly vicious thing to do. The people wanted to know how to make sense of this. Were they being punished for some sin they had committed? “No.” Jesus said. They were no better or no worse than anyone else. And the same with the people who were killed when a building collapsed on them. They were no better and no worse than anyone else. We all need to repent, because we are all sinners and none of us know when our lives will be taken from us.
And that brings us to the NEXT point… just because we’ll all die, it doesn’t mean anyone has the right to kill. Murder is against God’s will. Period. The murder Pilate committed (or had committed on his behalf) was wrong. That’s also why suicide is wrong. They are both tragedies because someone is killed, dead before their time. Neither murder nor suicide are consistent with God’s highest and best will for God’s people. For anyone. God’s truth is that all are beloved children of God. All deserve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Let me say it again: Neither murder nor suicide are consistent with God’s highest and best will for God’s people. For anyone. But especially not for people who are already marginalized. Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to mourn those who have been victims of violence and even murdered for their gender expression and those of non-binary expression who have died by suicide. Transgender women of color are especially vulnerable to dying at the hand of another. Youth who are struggling with their gender identity are at tremendous risk of self-harm. This year alone at least 350 people have been murdered specifically because they were transgendered. It is likely more, of course, because we don’t always know what prompts a killer. This is not God’s will. These people are precious children of God. We are to be kind to them as we are to be kind to all.
People who think they are on God’s side as they identify God’s judgment or think they are ‘helping God execute judgment’ against another are way out of line. Neither bear any bit of God’s truth.
1 John 4:6-8 says it best: “From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (NRSV) It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Is it a loving thing to do or say? It is from God. Is it other than loving? It is not from God.
God’s truth is love. God’s power is love. God is love. Things that happen in this life are NOT judgment from God.
May you bear God’s truth today.
Blessings to you,
Pastor Karla
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Words To Live By 