What Happens In Vegas…
Again there has been a tragedy for us to deal with. As of today, the shooting in Las Vegas has resulted in 59 dead and 527 wounded. While this is a personal tragedy for many, for most Americans it is not personal in the same way… which is not meant to minimize the horrible nature of the crime.
More often the magnitude of tragedy is not as great numerically or as news worthy, but the pain is much more personal. For instance; I have done more suicide funerals than I’d like to remember, a number of unexpected deaths that could not be explained (19-year-old who died in his sleep), infant deaths at birth, accidents (Youngster who died riding bikes with friends, wrecks), then there is cancer… heart attacks… and other events the reader can supply as cases in point (Terrorist attacks {9/11}, Tsunami, Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, etc).
The goal of this study is suggest a Biblical perspective for Christians. Why? Eventually we will deal with a tragic situation in our lives. It is wise to prepare ourselves theologically for events so that in them we can encourage others… be a positive witness for Christ… and not lose our faith. 1 Pet 3:15…
“In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
Jesus’ Response to Evil and Unexpected Tragedy (Luke 13:1-5)
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The Fragility of Life and God’s Will (James 4:13-16)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
The Providence and Wisdom of God in Tragedy (Isaiah 57:1-2)
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; 2 he enters into peace…
Preparing Theologically to Expect the Unexpected (Selected passages)
Pr 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him…
Ps 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Is 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Is 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Hab 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.
Preparing Yourself and Others to Process Biblically End of Life Events (Selected passages)
Luke 16:22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.