Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
This week we heard of the death of Charlie Kirk, a Christian family man who dedicated his life to civil discourse. His murder comes against the backdrop of rising violence against believers and a sustained barrage of mockery and contempt from many with a public voice.
Whether one agreed with him or not (or perhaps had the kind of nuanced reservations he was seeking to tease out through debate), a primary theme in his work was often the hope of Jesus Christ.
I’m reminded of something we have just learned through our series on the Sermon on the Mount: that if we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus, then we’ll be treated like Jesus, yet even then, how we might be blessed.
Jesus said:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt. 5:10-12)
I understand if these acts of violence cause you to be afraid of practicing your faith (that’s the idea). So I want you to know that our vestry takes security here very seriously indeed. And if this makes you afraid for the survival of wider church, as we pray for Charlie’s wife and little children, bear in mind that killing someone for their beliefs never works; in our next series from 1st Thessalonians we’ll be exploring how a persecuted church often thrives because our hope is not of this world.
Yours in Christ,
Rev’d Alex
