I'll paraphrase a straight-forward message from the sermon I heard in church last Sunday:
Remember when the group came to arrest Jesus in the garden armed with clubs and swords? And how one of Jesus group (John's gospel says it was Simon Peter) drew his sword and cut off the ear of a man (John identifies as Malchus) in the arresting group - asking Jesus if it was time to meet force with force, weapon with weapon?
Jesus immediately put a stop to any more violence - telling Peter to put away his weapon and even healed the wounded man.Jesus's opposition to violence and His abhorrence to the use of weapons was clear. Therefore, it is impossible to square our use of weapons today, with Jesus's command to put them away. Rather we should ask Jesus for His divine healing.
Jesus was continuing God's original design for creation. A design where everything was "good!" Non-violence was not a new concept that arrived with Jesus. Listen to the words of Isaiah again:
4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Doesn't it make you wonder where the idea of using force, how ever it is done, originated?
In Isaiah's day I don't think the gun had been invented. They used knives, swords, spear and maybe even arrows. Tools that were originally meant for hunting for food to survive. Something meant for good! Had, though history, turn to tools of human anger and rage. Used now for evil!
A way to what?
Gain power?
Show strength ?
Have it your way?
What?
Killing for food became killing for What?
It is a senseless form of non-love! So against all that God designed life to be.
How in the world did something created so very good. Become what we have today? Not just the gun issue, but the political arena as well. In my silly imagination, it all truly began on the school ground centuries ago, when someone didn't get their way! Right?
The use of force is ingrained into the very cerebral fabric of human nature! People actually think it is smart and realistic to arm themselves with something that will harm anyone who disagrees with them.
Think about what you see in Russia and korea. Their strength is displayed on world news, showing their major strength; by marching their human forces. guns rested on their shoulders, in front of the world. See, we can fight! We Can Win! We are tougher than you are!
One has to ask -- at least this one -- where did that mentality come from? And Why?
I just remembered something that Pete Pero said in class one morning. Pete was the Black History Professor at Seminary. We were talking about the race riots in the sixties. Pete said something like, "When we finally decided that we were not afraid to die, we became brave. They couldn't hurt us with their guns and cross burnings anymore." Then they were able to live with a certain freedom. Standing in the face of the bullies unafraid!
Tools of destruction create fear! That is why it seems to work for the human mind!
Any other brave person having a thought to share?
A way to what?
Gain power?
Show strength ?
Have it your way?
What?
Killing for food became killing for What?
It is a senseless form of non-love! So against all that God designed life to be.
How in the world did something created so very good. Become what we have today? Not just the gun issue, but the political arena as well. In my silly imagination, it all truly began on the school ground centuries ago, when someone didn't get their way! Right?
The use of force is ingrained into the very cerebral fabric of human nature! People actually think it is smart and realistic to arm themselves with something that will harm anyone who disagrees with them.
Think about what you see in Russia and korea. Their strength is displayed on world news, showing their major strength; by marching their human forces. guns rested on their shoulders, in front of the world. See, we can fight! We Can Win! We are tougher than you are!
One has to ask -- at least this one -- where did that mentality come from? And Why?
I just remembered something that Pete Pero said in class one morning. Pete was the Black History Professor at Seminary. We were talking about the race riots in the sixties. Pete said something like, "When we finally decided that we were not afraid to die, we became brave. They couldn't hurt us with their guns and cross burnings anymore." Then they were able to live with a certain freedom. Standing in the face of the bullies unafraid!
Tools of destruction create fear! That is why it seems to work for the human mind!
Any other brave person having a thought to share?
2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
3 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (Isaiah 2)
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