COVID Christianity

I want to tell you the story that inspired this message:

Jason Whitlock afraid to give his friend a ride home from the hospital.

No doubt, we live in a precarious time in world history.

We are in the midst of a pandemic due to a virus that may not have arisen from nature, and at the same time we are trying to fight this virus with medicines that did not arise from nature, and we have no idea what the short term results or long term implications and effects will be.

To say that there is much unknown about this time in history is an understatement.

At the same time, this may be the first time that there has been such a pervasive and impactful global fear resulting from the virus and the way it affects some people and not others.

We also live in a time where it would seem that many people in the world are looking for ways to justify their own partiality and preference for certain types of people and worldviews, so that they can discriminate against them and get away with it.

And the confluence of these things has brought about the following symptoms in our society today:

Wearing a mask is seen as a sign of personal virtue, responsibility, and worth on one hand, and a sign of weakness and fear on the other

Taking a vaccine is seen as an almost literal salvation, and a requirement to participate in society on one hand, or an acquiescence to state and federal power at the expense of personal liberties and freedoms.

The public square of social media is no longer an open forum for ideas, social connection, and/or debate. Instead, it has become an increasingly single-minded funnel for certain preferred ideas, and the censoring and banning of all else

Our American society is more divided than ever, and instead of trying to figure out how to bridge the divide, we are reverting back to political, social, and even medical segregation and discrimination.

And on top of all of that, we are seeing matters of faith being tied to the societal conditions I just spoke about.

Accusations of insincere faith are hurled from all sides and all points of view because one side isn’t responding to the current cultural climate in a preferred way.

I want to be clear here, in that as I bring this message, I am not advocating one form of action or another when it comes to the treatment and/or prevention of COVID-19.

I truly believe that your course of action in that regard is one that needs to be bathed in prayer and wise counsel from your health care provider.

I am not a doctor nor an immunologist.

But I am a student of theology and history.

And what I see standing before our culture right now is an iceberg of trouble.

And church, we have a role to play.

The bottom line as it pertains to our current context is that we entered into a pandemic a relatively equal society, but we are coming out a two-tiered or otherwise multi tiered society, of the privileged and enlightened, and everyone else.

And instead of working toward a more perfect union as a nation, we are engaged in a war of cultural, political, educational, and medical sovereignty.

Our country now openly discriminates against people who they deem to be a “threat” to the social order.

But this is nothing new is it?

That’s a sad reality when you think about it.

We just came through the Civil Rights Era and defeated the legalizing of discriminatory policies and regulations, only to usher in a whole new batch of them.

It seems like there are only two groups of people in America anymore:

The vaccinated and the un-vaccinated.

And we as a church are being pressured from all sides to take a political side in this.

And those churches that do so, end up treating people like the world treats people, not like Jesus treats people.

And that’s the core of this message today.

Are will ready and willing to treat others the way Jesus commands us to?

What if they’re a Democrat?

A Republican?

Vaccinated?

Unvaccinated?

What if they’re not wearing a mask?

What if my helping them puts me at risk?

Well, we’re going to see exactly what Jesus has to say about that, particularly when Christians are facing pressure from the world to do something different.

Here are the two main points I want you to take away today:

Remember who you are serving

Remember whom you serve

Pray

So back in Jesus’ day, He was asked a question that took Him TWO chapters of Scripture to answer.

The answer stands as the longest answer contained in the Bible that Jesus gave to any question He was asked.

Jesus was asked:

“What are the signs of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answers this question in Matthew 24 and 25. So we are going to look at portions of Jesus’ words in these sections today as they are readily applicable to our time now.

Matthew 24:4-14

Matthew 24:4–14 ESV

4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Right away, it’s important to know that this section of Scripture emphasizes that the end is NEAR, not that the end is NEXT.

And isn’t it amazing how every generation can describe their cultural context and situation the same way that Jesus does in these verses?

Examples

We are not in a culture war, we never were.

We are in an idol war, and we always have been.

It was just seemingly more subtle back then than it is right now.

I’ve taken much of the time to set up the scene, but it’s important because we need to understand the days in which we are living.

I think too many Christians are trying to stay in the good graces of the world instead of the grace of our God.

We’re trying so hard not offend anyone, not to be cancelled, not to be banned on social media, not to lose our tax exempt status, and on and on that maybe we hope that the world is more of our friend than it really is.

Jesus says that the world hates Christians because they hate Christ.

The frightening and sad reality is that we live in a world that does not want us here.

And they are looking for any and every excuse to rid themselves of our presence.

To rid themselves of any thought of Jesus.

And it is with this context in mind that Jesus says these words from Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31–46 ESV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

What’s happening here?

Earlier I talked about how the world is trying to split humanity into two groups, with the current grouping dejour being vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The truth is that there really are only two groups of people:

Those who believe in Jesus, and those who don’t.

That’s it.

Satan and this world try so hard to copy everything that God does.

And of course, not following the Lord only leads to death, but that doesn’t stop them.

So the world separates people in order to justify their own self-interests, and to gain public permission and affirmation in the mistreatment of the non-preferred group.

Context of Scripture section

More than one interpretation as to time and specific events

Only one meaning

Whether entering the Millenial Kingdom or the Eternal Kingdom, Jesus is judging mankind.

Not works based salvation. If it was, the goats would have been more compassionate in an effort to earn salvation.

It’s a belief based salvation.

Do you believe in Jesus or not?

Your belief will translate itself into action.

Notice what Jesus expected people to do in His Name?

Provide food and drink

Welcome the stranger

Provide clothes to the naked

Care for the sick

Care for those in prison

Not only that, but Jesus identifies who these needy people are:

They are Christians who have suffered tremendous persecution.

Here are the two main points I want you to take away today:

Remember who you are serving

Remember whom you serve