Spreading The Good News During The Coronavirus Outbreak

Good News from Coronavirus Outbreak

Hebrews 10 :19-25

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

As the Coronavirus reeks havoc across this world one can’t help but wonder how we might give hope and peace in this time of crises. Those who used to think that the preventative measures such as social distancing, washing one’s hands frequently, avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose, mouth and the outright quarantine of entire cities were measures of the paranoid; as the cases and deaths rise the skeptical have changed their mind … this virus is deadly. Not only does it bring the possibility of death with it but also the likelihood of many people being laid off from work. While fear is the natural response to our dire circumstances surely we who have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) would take this opportunity to let our light shine so that others might feel our God-given peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7)! To be a light and offer this world peace of mind there are three things we must do: 1) draw nearer to God to learn love and peace from the Master, 2) hold onto and share the hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ and 3) look for ways to spur one another onto good deeds!

Draw Nearer to God to Learn Love and Peace from the Master (19-22)

To contain the coronavirus China issued one of the largest quarantine in human history, locking down an estimated 50 million people! Imagine being quarantined since January and not being allowed to even go outside! As much as one loves one’s family would not the isolation reek havoc on one’s mind? Would you not spend at least some of your free time daydreaming about fast food, movies, park walks, vacation trips, snowmobiling or stuffing your face at family or social gatherings? And should you or a loved one get the virus would not thoughts of death ravage your mind? Praise be we as God’s children have the cure for fear and that is faith! This world needs to know that the moment Jesus says “be gone” this virus will cease to exist! So, shouting this Biblical truth from the mountaintop is all it will take to dispel the world’s fear of this virus? For a few yes but for many others unless the messenger has faith that goes beyond the superficial and becomes the kind of faith that living for God permeates their every thought, word and deed; the message as glorious as it is will fail to cut through their fear. If we truly love God and those who are suffering, then we as Christians must take immediate action and ask the Father to help us to become living sacrifices of His word (Romans 12:1-2)!

This brings me to the first of Paul’s exhortations in today’s passage and that is to draw nearer to God. Even though James tells us “to consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (1:2) this kind of peace is not humanly attainable but given to those who are born again and have received every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus their Lord (Ephesians 1:3)! One of the greatest of these blessings is the privilege to boldly come into the presence of our Father to receive mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:14-16). In the Old Testament times only the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement could enter the presence of God inside of the holy of holies. It was through the blood of the Lamb that was slain on the cross that the veil of the temple was torn in two signifying access to the Father is now “wide open” to every member of the community of faith (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12). In the presence of the Father we not only learn about absolute holiness but also, in the depths of His love, mercy and omnipotence (no limits to God’s power), peace that quenches all fear of any virus or tribulation threatening our lives!

Apostle Paul states this “new and living way” that our great priest Christ has opened for us (John 14:6) is one that requires us to boldly approach God with “sincere hearts and full assurance that faith brings” (verse 22). We are not to approach God’s throne cherishing sin in our hearts (Psalms 66:18) or with an attitude of indifference to His righteous commands but with a genuine thirst to be molded and reshaped into His image (Isaiah 64:8) so that we might become the saints that we were created to be (1 Corinthians 1:2)! May our prayers in front of the Father reflect a genuine desire to imitate His Son and to do His will. Like Apostle Paul baptism needs to not only be a symbol of salvation of a regenerate heart but also the death of the old self (Romans 6:1-5) with all its carnality and self-glorification! When this happens prayer ceases to be about what “I” can receive and more about what can “I” do to please Abba, my Father (Romans 8:15)! It is only when the interior life of a person obeys the laws that God has written upon their hearts (Hebrews 10:16) that their light shines so brightly that this skeptical world no longer sees “self” but instead the love of the Father who offers to melt away their fear in His loving arms (Matthew 5:16)!