A Prayer for Our Nation

Sep 11

The following prayer service took place at Shepherd of the Pines on September 11, one day after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. In addition to the below text of Pastor Zill’s sermon you can also access the following:

Download the Invitation | Service Texts and Homily | Listen to the Audio

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We have witnessed a lot of death lately. There are certainly wars and rumors of war around the globe.

The two attempts on President Trump's life.
Of course, just in the past weeks, we have witnessed the shooVng up of catholic school children in Minneapolis while they were worshiping in their church.
Iryna Sarutaska, the young Ukrainian refugee was slaughtered on a train in Charlode and all she did was sit at the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Keonna Honanie, the Young Valley woman who was killed in a vehicle while driving through our town over Labor Day weekend.
And of course, today we commemorate the 24th anniversary of the most vicious terrorist attack ever on US soil on 9/11.

It's hard to believe that it's been 24 years. Like most of you I still remember precisely where I was when I first heard the news of that first plane slamming the first tower in New York City.

And my gut tells me that the assassination and murder of Charlie Kirk yesterday will remain forever etched in my memory with sadness and sobriety. As a campus pastor for some 30 years, I have spent many a Vme on college campuses both engaging in free speech, and encouraging it from those I disagree with. I have given both bold witnesses to the Gospel in the academic square, and also stood up for the rights of pagan religions to speak to what I believe is heresy.

Yesterday, was an attack at the core of our culture and humanity not because Charlie Kirk is dead, but because of why he was killed, where it happened and why. It too for that reason was a terrorist attack.

This generation of young people has been especially starved of the opportunity to speak openly and freely nearly everywhere, and they are hungry for truth and authenticity and yesterday Satan did more than destroy one man and harm his family, he put even more fear in their hearts in order to silence not only public discourse in general, but specifically the Gospel.

Yes, there is much suﬀering today, but we are reminded today by our Lord that present suﬀering gives way to future joy. Darkness gives way to light. Present suﬀering yields to future glory. Yes, weeping may remain for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

In our extended reading from John, it is at the Last Supper. Jesus' death is imminent, and He is teaching His disciples one last Vme before He is crucified. As the text begins, Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit, and He says, “I s9ll have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” You see, they’re already anxious and sorrowful. Jesus has already told them that He’s going away — alarming enough—and (worse stll!) that one of them is going to betray Him. He’s told them that they will face persecution, too. Things are about to change. The disciples are on edge.

And again I don't have time here today to preach on this enVre text but Jesus does not leave you in your despair, He sends you the Holy Spirit, who he calls The Comforter. The Holy Spirit is coming, says Jesus, and He repeats why this is necessary: “A little while,” He says, “and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” The disciples are still confused and troubled.

But Jesus is talking about the cross. In a little while, He is going to go away: He’ll be seized at Gethsemane, rushed through several diﬀerent sham trials and crucified the following day. He’s going to be wrenched away, suddenly and violently. He’ll be transported to the grave. He’ll descend into hell. Meanwhile, while the world jumps for joy, the disciples will think all is lost. They’ll weep and lament at both His death and their sin and weakness. They’ll be sorrowful, and feel all alone but in a little while—the third day, He’s going to rise again from the dead. He’s going to appear to them as they hide fearfully in a locked room. He’s going to show them His hands and His side, and He’s going to speak peace to them...and they will be overjoyed when they see the Lord.

So Jesus compares those next three days to a mother in labor. The nine months are over, but the baby isn’t born. It’s the time of delivery, with the contrations and the labor pains. The word for “anguish” here is the same word for “tribulation” in the book of Revelation. The mother is anguished and anxious as she endures the labor pains—and as that continues, she may wonder if the tribulation will ever end. But when all goes the way it should, and she’s holding the infant in her arms, the joy replaces the sorrow. Anguish over.

That’s how it is for the disciples too when Jesus is betrayed: all anguish, no joy. Three days later, when they see the risen Christ: all joy, no anguish.

This will repeat again. Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus will go away again: He’ll ascend into heaven, no longer visible to the disciples. Ten days aqer that, the Holy Spirit will come—just as Jesus promises. After that, the apostles will go forth to make disciples of all nations—and all but John will die a martyr’s death for speaking the Gospel that you get to still proclaim freely here in Arizona. So yes, they would have a lot of sorrow and anguish again: the rest of the New Testament is full of troubles and worries for the disciples, and the rest of our lives maybe full of it too. However, their joy does not cease, and neither will ours!

They are not overcome by anguish: even when suﬀering, because they know that Christ is risen. He is their joy. And no one will take away their joy away from them.

Jesus promises the same to you, my friends. Yes we have sorrow now, but you do not walk alone. And you will see Jesus in glory and your heart will rejoice, and no one can take your joy from you. You’re like the mother in labor, wondering if the tribulation is ever going to end. Well. Jesus. Says. Yes! And what follows is joyful beyond your imagination. He died on the cross and risen again to make it so.

Look, our present suﬀerings are real, and the pain may get worse, and probably will. We all know that. But it, whatever it is. will only last a “little while.” And it will not compare with the glory that will be revealed to us, nor does it compare to the immeasurable gift that you receive here.

Remember these words from Charlie Kirk that he posted on social media just four days before he was killed, "Jesus died to deliver you from death."

Yes, “You will have sorrow now,” Jesus says, “but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one - NO ONE -will take your joy from you.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.