What would Jesus think?  Was the world He lived in as crazy as ours?  I’m reading the Gospels this morning, but my mind can’t stop thinking about the bloodshed in Baton Rouge.

Another senseless killing of police officers.  First, five gunned down in Dallas.  Now three in Baton Rouge.  And this right on the heels of the Islamic Jihadist terrorist attack killing 85 on Bastille Day in Nice, France.  Oh, and of course the coup attempt in Turkey where at least 265 were killed.  Over 200 people were killed by an ISIS suicide bomber in Baghdad and another 40 in Balad, Iraq. And then there was the bombing in the Istanbul airport that killed 36 people.  And the gunman in the Orlando nightclub that killed 49 people.  And the terrorist attack in the Brussels airport that killed 32 people.  And the coordinated terror attack throughout Paris that killed 147 people.  And the Jihadist couple in San Bernadino that shot and killed 14 people.  And…

So much violence.  So much death.  All fueled by a boiling cauldron of hatred.  Muslim extremists hate Christianity, the nation of Israel, the West and everyone who sympathizes with us.  Black Lives Matter hates law enforcement.  We’re at war with ISIS.  Where will the Islamic Jihadists strike next?  We’re at war within.  Where will the next ambush take place?

In the midst of all the hatred and violence, it’s easy to throw up our hands and scream, “What’s this world coming to?  This is hopeless!”

What’s this world coming to?  Well, we know what this world is coming to.  We’ve read the end of the story.  It will go from bad to worse.  There will be wars and rumors of wars.  There will be no real peace until the Prince of Peace returns.

Our hope is not in our economic strength.  Our hope is not in our military might.  Our hope is not in our great government.  Does anyone really believe Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can lead us out of this mess?  Our hope is not in the values and ideals of America and its people.

Our hope is in Christ!

Jesus infuses hope into what otherwise seems like a hopeless cause.

Lazarus was dead.  Four days dead.  That’s pretty hopeless.  But what did Jesus tell Martha?

“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Jesus could have healed Lazarus from his sickness.  He could have returned before Lazarus died.  He could have performed a long distance miracle.  He didn’t though.  He delayed His return.  He let Lazarus die.  Why?  Because when the situation is most hopeless, when it’s beyond our control and we’re helpless to change the outcome, that’s when God gets the most glory.

Death was no match for Jesus!  

“Lazarus, come out.”

Death was no match for Jesus!

“He’s not here.  He is risen!”

Hopeless?  Never!  Not with the guy who conquered death.

My faith is in Him.  I’m ready to see the glory of God.

As hopeless as the world around us looks, it feels like we’re primed for a miracle!

 

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