Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I’d preach a sermon on a virus, but that is exactly what I did on Sunday. Well, maybe not “preached,” but spent time talking and sharing about it. Jesus said that “truth sets us free.”
While we understand that He was speaking of the truth that is resident in Him that sets us free from the hold the enemy and the curse has on our life, truth of any kind really does set us free.
We certainly need to be cautious about the COVID-19 virus, as we are cautious about any contagious disease, especially if we are in a vulnerable group. Being fearful however is not a response that should be found in Christians. If we know the truth of COVID-19, as best we can with ever-changing information, we can take appropriate measures but let the fear fall away.
This is an amazing time of opportunity for the church. We have been seeking the fires of God’s Spirit to sweep our nation and our world with revival. We have been praying for people who have never known Jesus to come to Him. We have been praying for the hurt and wounded by the church to find healing and freedom to return. We have been praying that churches that have been less than Scriptural in their message to find truth in Christ and return as Bible-believing, Bible-preaching churches that abound in grace.
Often when the church is prosperous, she strays from the vital and important. When difficulties arise, or persecutions come, she become united and back on the narrow path. We have heard and “sensed” that a new awakening is coming, that’s it “right around the corner.” Maybe God is using what the enemy means for harm – the FEAR that is sweeping our planet – to bring us one step closer to that last great awakening.
This is opportunity, beloved, to remind people that there is a God, that He has a purpose for their life (and they have a responsibility to Him), that there is freedom in the salvation of Christ Jesus, and that we need not fear. Remember His words: “Come to me, all you who are weary [hopeless] and burdened [fearful], and I will give you rest.” [Matt 11:28 NIV]
