“If Jesus had a gun he would still be alive today.” Have you seen that bumper sticker? I don’t use the term blasphemous lightly. Whatever our view of gun rights, this is very poor theology.
In the crucial moment of his life and ministry on earth, Jesus chose to battle on his knees. In fact, he invited his disciples to join him in prayer, but they fell asleep. What did Jesus pray? Three times he asked if there were another way besides crucifixion, and concluded each time, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Hebrews 5:7 tells us Jesus prayed with loud cries and tears, which makes me wonder how the disciples slept through it. When Judas and Jesus’ captors arrived, his disciples had a sword available to fight. Someone lost an ear before Jesus told them to put the sword away. Jesus did not need a sword or a gun. He could have called twelve legions of angels, but the scriptures had to be fulfilled. God’s will was done on the cross through Jesus’ suffering.
What is the hope for Christianity? Does the church need military assistance to accomplish the Great Commission? Is the future of the church dependent on the government’s protection? No. Nor has it ever been. With gratitude for our freedoms, we observe, the church is growing most dynamically in places where it is suppressed.
What then is the secret? Our work remains deeply dependent on prayer. Christians fight our battles not with the world’s weapons of warfare, but on our knees. When is the best time to pray? Now. This is the time to pray. We urge you to join us in praying every day for the church and our work in this difficult time. Join us in person or on-line for our weekly prayer meeting. For the record, just to clear the air, Jesus is alive today. I talked to him this morning. Have you? Now is a good time.
