In the last several weeks, amid the fear and uncertainty of Covid-19, social media has been flooded with positivity. Medical personnel, grocery store workers, teachers, and other public servants have been lauded as heroes. We have smiled at parades of teachers, creative homeschooling techniques, a million uses for Zoom, hilarious and ingenious methods of passing the time in quarantine, the return of the family dinner, an uptick in compassion, bravery, and selfless acts of love—even our government, to a large extent, is working together in bi-partisan fashion, doing what needs to be done in order to care for those it was called upon to protect. It’s nice.
However, the stark niceness of the compassion, humor, ingenuity, pluck, and mettle of human beings in the midst of this crisis emphasizes how volatile the social climate was before the pandemic hit. And while I am praying for an end to Covid-19, I don’t want to go back to the way it was.
You may have noticed that whenever officials, celebrities, newscasters, and politicians sign off from their Covid reporting, updating, and pontificating, almost without fail they assure us, “We’ll get through this.” And I wonder, how do they know, and, through this to what, exactly?
Today is Good Friday. I have a great hope, in fact it is a bigger hope than that of the end to this pandemic, that the enormity and unprecedented scope of this crisis, and the fear and uncertainty that accompany it, will cause this Easter week to become more than just a religious celebration. My prayer is that the world will wake to the reality of the existence of God, the seriousness of sin, and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you are reading this, and are frightened and unsure of what will come, I urge you to consider the only assurance that can secure your future. Biblical Christianity is true, every bit of it. I encourage you to read the Bible, allowing it to lead and instruct. Begin with the gospel of John, opening your mind to the possibility that the events you read there really happened and are absolutely true.
In Revelation 5, Jesus Christ is called the “Lion of Judah.” He is the King of kings, who reigns in heaven and on earth. However, Revelation 5 does not offer an Aslan-esque description of the Lion of Judah, but rather describes him as a slain lamb, surrounded by “myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands” of angels exclaiming,
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!
To those of us who have bought into the truth of the gospel, this strange scene is beyond wonderful. You see, those of us who believe this extraordinary, mysterious true story are absolutely certain of our future. Because if we survive this pandemic, we get to live our lives in service to Christ and others, remaining secure in our hope. If we die, we will be in Paradise with him, gazing on his beauty, finally at rest, receiving the answers to all our questions (1 Corinthians 13:12), safe, and free from condemnation and pain.
This Lion of Judah, this Lamb Who was Slain, came to earth to inhabit the frail flesh of one of his creatures. He came to die, for you and for me. He lived the life we were meant to live, in perfect obedience to his Father, and in selfless service and love toward his fellow humans. He came not in judgment, but in grace, to teach the ways of God and to convict the world of sin. He came to rescue his creation from death, because he loved it that much. And, because of the requirement of spilled blood for the atonement of sins (Hebrews 9:22), he submitted to the agony and humiliation of a Roman cross, thus fulfilling the role of the slain lamb, bearing every single iniquity ever committed, past, present, and future. Finally, having declared his work finished, he died, and by the same power that spoke the stars and planets into existence, he rose from the dead, appearing to hundreds of people, and tasking his followers to spread his message throughout the world. He is now enthroned in heaven, working, watching, guiding, intervening, and speaking through the Bible (Hebrews 4:12), reigning until the appointed time of his return—this time not to rescue, but to judge the nations and gather his people (Mark 13).
In Matthew 24:24, Jesus admonished his followers to “stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” If you do not believe the claims of Jesus Christ, I urge you this day to wake to their reality. If you do believe the gospel of Christ, I urge you to do everything you can to stay awake. Devour God’s Word. Love as Christ loved. Serve as he served. And watch and pray (Matthew 26:41).
David Platt, pastor of McLean Bible church in Virginia said, “Covid-19 will not have the last word.” We will get through this. Through to what depends on who you believe (John 3:16).