Most people think they’re good people. And many think that they’re doing what they do out of love – and if other people don’t see that, it means that the other people just aren’t as smart or as wise as the decision maker.
And since we’re being loving and kind – at least in the way we think we are – then we’re good to go as far and God and Judgement stands.
Part of that grows out of an idea that whatever we do lovingly will be acceptable to God. But… love, like so much else in our lives, can be distorted. We often rationalize behaviors that harm others in a way that convinces us that we’re blameless. (I speak from my own personal experience here.)
And because nothing seems to happen – we imagine that we were right. I mean, if we were acting in a sinful or selfish way, God wouldn’t have blessed us the way we’ve been blessed right? We have pretty much everything we want or realistically need. It’s probably the other people, who seem unhappy, who aren’t doing so well, that God must be punishing. So, we’re good right?
Or that there is no judgement.
Or that God doesn’t exist after all. (That, to my mind, is the reason that poor answers to the question of why God seems to let the evil prosper matter so much.)
We imagine, wrongly, that God is like us.
We imagine that God’s jealousy and God’s wrath are just like ours. And we are wrong. The Cross is the proof of that. God sending the 72 disciples out to proclaim Shalom, in judgment of the world, is proof of that too.
Look at what God does when the conquering messengers are sent to proclaim God’s Peace to the world. They exact no revenge, they expect and demand no tribute. They accept what they are given. If someone rejects them, they don’t smite them. They move on. (And make it clear, one last time, that there’s still a chance to repent and return to God.)
God turns the work of evil to good and uses the hatred of those who reject the Gospel to save those who do – but not in a simple way. Because that would mean that God acts against God’s own self.
More in the sermon:
You can watch the video the sermon directly by following this link.
