A response to the events of July 13th, 2024
The following message was given by Pastor Caleb E. Campbell on July 14th during morning worship at Desert Springs Bible Church. It is based on a statement originally created by Pastor Ben Marsh. Pastor Caleb edited and adapted it for use at DSBC. You can find a video recording here.
Many of us have been shaken by the recent news of the attempted assassination of the former President and current presidential candidate, Donald Trump, which took place in Pennsylvania on Saturday. This event has undoubtedly stirred up a range of emotions and concerns within our community.
As people who follow the way of Jesus, I invite us to consider how the teaching and example of Jesus might guide us in the days to come.
These times are not unprecedented in American history. Some of us recall the attempt on President Reagan or the death of President Kennedy. Violence has been present throughout much of our country’s history, and the recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump is a stark reminder of this. Recognizing this, we lament the pain, the loss, the death and the destruction that violence brings.
In the first pages of the Bible, we see that as people turn from God towards their own way, they can be tempted to use violence to pursue their own goals. In Genesis 4, we see a man named Cain, who is so gripped with the desire for worldly power that he plots to murder his brother. God warns, “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.“
Like many, Cain gave in to the desire for worldly power and murdered his brother Abel, a cycle that has been repeated throughout human history.
Jesus invites us to practice the values of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. As we follow his path, we are invited to respond to yesterday’s events in the following ways:
1. We are invited to commit ourselves to the way of Peace. The people of God uniquely understand that human kingdoms rise and fall, but the Kingdom of Heaven alone is eternal. Knowing this, we are called to be a unique people of Peace, filled with trust in the Lord’s plans. As Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you; my Peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”
Violent rhetoric is inseparable from violent actions, so let us be a people whose language is seasoned with Peace.
2. We are invited to focus our minds and hearts on the Kingdom of God.
Our citizenship is in heaven, which means our partisan commitments always take a backseat to our identification as followers of Jesus. Jesus had no political party and has no rivals for power in his kingdom!
He alone is seated on the throne. To him alone will we swear allegiance for all eternity, and from him alone will come all blessings.
3. We are invited to recommit ourselves to sharing the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ alone is our Hope in this life and the next. No policy or politician can satisfy eternal or temporal needs. In Christ alone is our Hope and sure salvation. He alone gives us his Holy Spirit by which we live daily.
He is the just Judge, the righteous sacrifice, and the one who holds the universe together by the word of his power.
Jesus’ followers have seen political violence from the first days. They saw kings assassinated, empires rise and fall, and political parties come and go. Still, for 2,000 years, the Church has borne witness to the reality that Jesus is our Savior, our King, and our Hope. May we, as a people, continue to bear witness in the face of political violence, social upheaval, and cultural chaos.
For 2,000 years, the Church has held forth the truth that Jesus is our Savior and Hope.
He alone is our Peace.
As we move forward in the days ahead, may we speak the name of Jesus before the name of anyone else and lift all our cares and concerns to him. 1 Peter 5:7 invites us to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.“
As people of peace, let us be grateful that this assassination attempt was unsuccessful. Regardless of our political commitments, may we reaffirm the core truth that all people are made in the image of God and that He alone has the right to breathe life and to take life.
While this may not be the last time we see acts of political violence in America, we, as Jesus’ followers, can encourage our government, media figures, and community leaders to cease leveraging anxiety and rage for personal gain and instead promote the way of Peace, justice, and truth.
Moreover, may we be a people who resist that same crouching beast that faced Cain and hear the word of the Lord, who said, “If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.“
In Christ, we have conquered sin and death itself. May we live in light of this truth and stand firm in the unshakable Hope of the glorious Majesty of Jesus Christ. May his Peace and justice reign in our hearts, in our community, and in our world.