This is written to the body of believers – the bride of Christ – the church. It is not written to those bodies that are sworn to protect our country such as the defense department, homeland security, police, or politicians that make decisions based upon other criteria. It is an appeal for the church to look at the Syrian refugee crisis in the same manner that Jesus Christ would look at it.
Although I do not dare to assume to know the mind of Christ I have studied His word and His life for some 45 years now, and feel I have a clear understanding of how He might view the situation at hand.
Jesus sees eleven out of twenty-two million Syrians without homes because of the war being waged on them by Bashar Assad, Al Qaeda, ISIS, Iran, Russia, France, the U.S., and others. He would know that over 250,000 have already been killed and of course that Christians have been especially hard hit and persecuted as have other religious minorities. He would also see the suffering of the Muslims whom He loves every bit as much as the others.
Christ would see millions of people without homes, food, clothing, blankets, and other basic necessities; He would see frightened children without as much as a single toy. He also would see fighting age men systematically being rounded up, tortured, and slaughtered, their possessions stolen, their wives forced into slavery and their 8-14 year old kids given to radical Islamist fighters as sex slaves and then after they have ravaged them, sold on the sex slave market for $40. He would see His church remaining silent as the carnage unfolds.
Jesus would love these people and help them and since His church is “one” with Him, He would want us to do the work. That is the role of the church in this modern day episode of genocide. There are those who are understandably afraid of terrorists and the threat to our homeland and there is zero sympathy because terrorists might have infiltrated the refugee flight, but we should not be cowards. These desperate people need help and the church should be helping them.
We should speak out against genocide as Christ would speak out.
Imagine being in Germany and watching the madman Adolf Hitler rounding up innocent people, stealing their possessions, taking them into slavery, starving them to death, and slaughtering them. The church stood silent as entire families were hauled off to be exterminated and while the carnage took place. Cowards!
Today is no different. It is happening again and yet with few exceptions the pastors of the churches in America remain silent. Cowards! In fact many in the church are up in arms like the rest of the country against Syrian refugees, lumping them all in the same basket. I know this stance isn’t popular, but most of what Jesus taught was (and is) not popular either. I say let the politicians and forces we use to defend ourselves do their job and let the church do its job.
Desperate people are starving and freezing to death. Women and children are being raped and forced into slavery. Innocent men are being shot and beheaded. The church needs to help them.
Jesus loves those people to include Muslims, atheists, et al. Just imagine what would happen if the church would take a mighty stand and help these people. Why not only would it alieve suffering, there would be a revival of historic proportions as people around the world saw what the church is really about. Isn’t that what the bride of Christ should be doing?
Psalm 82:4
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
November 24, 2015 – Click here to listen