Death of Osama bin Laden
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/binLaden.html
We rejoiced at the news, as did much of the world. Many sang and danced and partied. Patriotism was renewed and partisanship again went by the wayside much like it did on 9/11. If only we would continue longer in our lessons than back then.
But let's be careful. There is a difference between justice and vengeance. I cringed to hear Christian people say, 'rot in hell' and take joy in God's judgment of evil.
Ezekiel 18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Proverbs 24:17-18
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Matthew 5:44-45
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
I take no pleasure of anyone going to hell - but God's justice is satisfied, and it all strikes a chord of reality as we remember Jehovah is the one and only true and living God, and today UBL's knees bow and his tongue confesses Jesus Christ as Lord! It's not the 72 virgins he believed it would be waiting for him, wherever he went.
Do I believe he is in hell? Yes. Why? Because of what he did? No! Because I have no indication that he turned from his sin and trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior. Could he have been saved. Yes!
Some of you cringe at such a consideration. "If anyone deserves hell it's UBL!" I say, if anyone deserves hell it's me. If anyone deserves hell, it's everyone! We all have the same thing in our heart as did UBL. It is sin, in many fruitions, many forms, at many levels. We are often worse in thought than he was in deed, and that's the level Jesus sees us on!
Last week Bill O'Reilly interviewed Franklin Graham about the reality of hell. Bill flaunted his spiritual ignorance, citing that nobody believes the Jews who died in the holocaust are in hell, but rather Hitler is. Right? It makes perfect logical sense to mankind...such a statement. Bill says, they didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah, yet a loving God makes a way for them.
What does the Bible say on this? Jesus is the only way! Bill replies, many have never heard the name of Jesus-of course, God cannot hold such an one accountable! Oh, the ignorance.
I'm a patriotic American. I'm glad UBL is dead. I'm glad justice was done. But I'm saddened that God's justice had to be settled in the death of a lost unbeliever.
And vengeance is God's, not ours. There may be a sense of satisfaction in this, but it didn't bring back dead loved ones. The greatest tragedy of that day was the lost condition of many who perished. If only we would wake up to the level not just of patriotism but spiritual revival and awakening and many be saved.
Instead, the terrorists are now awakened and revived. They feel today like we did 10 years ago, and they have proven to be more dedicated to their beliefs in the long haul!
On Monday and following, many people made their boast on TV or the internet. I liked one in particular above others...just a Bible verse:
Luke 12:2
2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
UBL could run but he couldn't hide...not even behind one of his wives like a coward.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Numbers 32:23
... behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
It behooves us now to find our sins out, that we may repent of them, and forsake them, lest they find us out to our ruin. Remember, 'some men they follow after.'
Isaiah 59:12
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
"Nothing covered."
Proverbs 28:13
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Yes, there is another covering. This same verse which tells us not to cover our sin says someone else can. A covering of our sins by the blood of Jesus. He's got ya covered!
We need to consider ourselves, not others. We need to remember what we are capable of.
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
In this way we 'cover' one another.
ill.--if you know the dirt on someone, you don't dish it just because you know it. Especially if you are a true friend or brother in Christ, you 'cover it', considering yourself. You don't repeat what could ruin them in man's eyes...you thank God for having you covered and you treat them with grace and love.
So, it's a Christian privilege to be a part of a 'cover up.' Not of our own sins...those we are to confess and forsake.
I don't believe a true Believer has any enemies except Satan. He is the real enemy, not the person he uses.
God has given us the ministry of reconciliation which is for ALL men.
2 Cor. 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
What would UBL say today? Jesus is Lord, he would be forced to confess. Perhaps like the rich man in
Luke 16:27-31
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
UBL's brethren need Jesus. They are fast approaching becoming the largest religion in the world, and we see them only as the enemy and rejoice at their deaths. This shouldn't be.
America is asking for it. If we don't respond to the mild wake up calls I'd hate to see what it's gonna take. If the worst happens and we are still here, we may have great opportunities to be soul winners to a newly seeking generation. Let's get our ducks in a row so we are not in survival mode, so when the flood waters rise we aren't drowning, but pulling others to shore!
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/binLaden.html
