Sticking to the Core Issue
What is the core issue of our day? Is it…
COVID-19?
Critical Race Theory?
Transgenderism and LGBTQ+?
Progressive Christianity?
Woke-ism?
Social Justice?
Afghanistan?
The Great Reset?
Climate Change?
Earthquakes? Hurricanes? Wildfires?
All of the above, and many more, are of great concern to so many in our day. So why am I not addressing any of these issues? I’m not blind to the threats, or the devastation they have already caused.
But the real core issue goes deeper than any of the above. An issue which is the cause of all those other horrendous issues.
Charles Spurgeon lived through the cholera epidemic in London. He was known for preaching practical sermons for everyday life, and always with a passionate call to the Saviour at the end of the sermon. In August 1866, he preached a sermon entitled “The Voice of the Cholera.” Even here, his primary focus was not on the problem, but on God, and what we can learn from the epidemic.
The printed sermon can be found here:
The Voice of the Cholera
Oswald Chambers lived through the Spanish flu pandemic. Yet he didn’t focus on it. His lectures and devotionals emphasized Christ alone, Christ always.
One of my favourite preachers of our day is Alistair Begg, Bible teacher at Truth for Life and long-time pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio . Titles of his most recent messages include:
A Timely Prayer
God’s Faithfulness in Affliction
Characteristics of a Christian
This Dark World’s Light
My Hiding Place
He does mention various issues of our day, but those are not his primary focus. His focus is on God, on our relationship to Him, and how He will use us in any circumstances, no matter who we are or where we live.
All of these men focus on the timeless message that is at the very heart of what we need today, every bit as much as it was needed in Chambers’ and Spurgeon’s days.
The human heart is black with sin. That includes all of us – you, me, everyone – without exception. We NEED salvation, which is found only in Christ Jesus. He is God the Son, Messiah, Saviour. He died to redeem us from the evil one, and adopt us into His family. And as believers, we NEED to cling to Him steadfastly lest we be swept away by the churning storms around us. In Him alone is our strength, our rest, and our answers to our every concern. Go back to the old paths, found in the scriptures – which are sufficient for every problem and every tragedy.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’” – Psalm 91:1-2