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Holy War |
2006-09-29 |
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If you pay attention to the news you probably noticed the recent uproar by many Moslems over remarks by the Pope regarding faith and reason, in which he quoted a medieval Byzantine emperor who was less than complementary about Islam. There were riots in many Moslem countries, including the destruction of some Christian churches and the murder of a nun. The fact that Moslems attack Christians because the leader of many of the world's Christians offended their religious sensibilities is no surprise in a post-9/11 world. This country just observed the fifth anniversary of the attack by Islamic terrorists against America, which they regard as the great Satan. Most people recognize what many in government and the media will not admit. This is a religious war. Not all Moslems hate Christians and want to destroy them. But many fanatical Moslems do. All non-Moslems are regarded as Infidels, and if they do not convert to Islam they are regarded as second class citizens, and even worthy of death.
I just watched a powerful movie about 9/11 called "United 93" which tells the story of the hijacked plane which did not reach its destination, but crashed into a field in Pennsylvania when the passengers attacked their hijackers and tried to take the plane back. The movie begins with the hijackers praying to Allah before they leave for the airport. During the hijacking they praise Allah as they kill the pilots, a passenger, and one of the stewardesses, and as they fly toward their target in Washington DC. When the passengers finally figure out that they are part of a suicide mission, some of them pray the Lord's Prayer before they begin their counter-attack. During the final assault on the cockpit, the hijackers are constantly calling on Allah to help them. Have you noticed that this entire episode is wrapped in prayer? Have you noticed that our enemies are always calling on their god to help them wipe us out? Many in our secular culture are unwilling or afraid to recognize the obvious. Our enemies (and there are many besides radical Moslem terrorists) , whether you believe they are good Moslems or bad Moslems, are fighting us in the name of their god, and believe that they are blessed when they kill and destroy in his name. The president of Iran believes the end of the world is rapidly approaching, and that the way to hasten the coming of the Mahdi (the Moslem Messiah) is to launch a global jihad (holy war) to annihilate Israel and the US.
During the time of Martin Luther the Moslems were also fighting against the West. The Moslem Turkish Ottoman Empire conquered parts of eastern Europe, and advanced as far as Vienna. This conflict lasted until almost 150 years after Luther's death, when the Turks were finally defeated outside Vienna in 1683. In Luther's lifetime, his response to this threat was that Christians should repent and trust that God would not abandon them. Meanwhile everyone should offer resistance according to the their calling, putting their confidence in God's goodness and not in their own worthiness. This is good advice for us today in this present war. We will not prevail, or even survive, without faith as we fight this evil perversion of religion and all the other weapons of Satan. Jesus promises us, "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age." Our mission is to be witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world and was raised from the dead in victory over death. We fight against forces of terror and death. What was true in 1539 when Martin Luther faced the evils of the world (and he did not even consider the threat from Islam to be the worst of them) is just as true today as we fight our own holy wars. We need to remember that "God's Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes who fear it; For God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child, or spouse, Though life be wrenched away, They cannot win the day. The Kingdom's ours forever!" |
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Summer: starting Memorial Day Weekend
9:00 am Worship Service KMSD Broadcast
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Milbank SD 57252
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