Twenty-five years ago, on a Tuesday morning, my brother first shared the awful news. My seminary classmates and I were on a short coffee break. My brother had just arrived on campus, and he came into the breakroom with a sense of urgency. “Had we heard the news?” he asked. None of us knew what he meant. “What news?” a professor asked.
In words I will never forget, Noah said, “Two air liners have flown into the World Trade Center. Our country is under attack. It's an act of war. Turn on the tv.” Before I, or another student could react, a professor replied. “How is that even possible? It must be an accident.” Someone immediately turned on a television, and the whole seminary went silent.
For the rest of the day, we stayed glued to televisions and other sources of news. We felt the shock and horror of the terrorist attacks as they unfolded. We saw fear on the reporters’ faces and panic in the streets. We watched President Bush’s reaction and waited for his official response. We called our family and friends. We worried what might happen next.
The tragedy of September 11, 2001 was hard to fathom. Countless families felt the sudden shock of death. Parents lost children. Children lost parents. Husbands lost wives. Wives lost husbands. Co-workers lost friends. Friends lost friends. And first responders made the ultimate sacrifice. That day 2,977 souls suddenly passed from life-to-death into eternity.
But as awful as death is, and it stings every time it comes, God has conquered death through Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:55-56). Death does not win. It has been defeated. But the victory over death only comes through belief in Jesus Christ. “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life” suffers a second death even worse than the first (Rev 20:15).
After that horrible, tragic day, one of my seminary professors challenged us. “Gentlemen, we are in a spiritual war for the souls of men and women.” He wasn’t merely teaching a Bible class. He was preparing us for combat in a world hostile to the gospel. From that point on, seminary classes took on a new sense of urgency and clarity about our mission to declare the gospel.
Brothers and sisters, our church is a gospel outpost behind enemy lines. When we gather for worship, meet in groups, participate in evangelism, and engage in missions, we are fighting in a spiritual war for souls. The evil one is a terrorist. He hates King Jesus and opposes our church. But we must continue declaring the glories of Christ to a lost and dying world.
In Christ,
Pastor Nathan