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Almighty and everlasting God, who have promised finally to judge this world in righteousness, we implore You, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, impart the grace and help of Your Holy Spirit to all Christians as we confront the lies, the hatred, and the violence of the wicked. Comfort and care for the family of Charlie Kirk, who openly confessed You before men and was wickedly murdered today for the true things that he spoke. Cast down, by Your almighty power, all the counsels of those who hate Your people and Your Word, and who would destroy them, either by corrupt teaching, or with violent hands. Shield Your children from evil, or, if it better serves the honor of Your name, grant us to face violence and even martyrdom with a firm faith and a bold confession. In the midst of this world’s darkness, enlighten us with the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and comfort us by the victory He has gained for all who remain faithful unto death; who lives and reigns, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Sermon for a Christian Martyr
Revelation 2:12-13
I had prepared a different sermon for this evening, on a different text. A different service, with a different theme. But when I heard the news this afternoon that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated at a speaking event in Utah, I found that I couldn’t ignore it. Maybe it’s because it happened just a few weeks after that senseless shooting of the Christian children in Minnesota. Maybe it’s because that story from North Carolina has been receiving so much attention, the young lady who was murdered in cold blood by a repeat-offender, while the media continues to lay the blame for all this violence at the feet of Christians and conservatives. They called Charlie a hater. They called him a fascist. They called him a racist. They even claim that he incited the very violence that killed him. But the truth is very simple: They lie.
They lie about Charlie Kirk. They lie about pro-lifers. They lie about white people. They lie about those who believe what God says about marriage. They lie about those who just want to see the laws being enforced in their own country. They lie about Christians. They lie about Christ. They lie, because they are of their father, the devil, who was a liar from the beginning and the father of lies. Their lies lead to hate, and hate leads to violence. Today, hate and violence celebrated a victory.
Now, Charlie Kirk was not killed as a Christian minister, or for preaching the Gospel, as the apostles were. He was not a minister. He was not a preacher. He was just an outspoken Christian who based his views of the truth regarding many societal issues on the teachings of the Bible. Yes, he had made a business out of it. It had become his career, to go around speaking, especially at college campuses, inviting young people to think about important issues, life and death issues, and to debate them using facts instead of emotion. He chose a path, as a Christian layman, that had him confronting lies in the world, day in and day out, spreading truth and light in the world, making himself a target for those who embrace the lie, who serve Satan as their master.
In that way, he was imitating the One whom he called Lord. Jesus, the Truth itself and the true Light, came into the world, And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
In the first Lesson I chose for this evening, we hear the Apostle Paul at the end of his road, at the end of his race, being poured out like a drink offering, soon to depart this world, soon to be violently executed by a government that hated God, having been falsely accused and lied about by people who hated God, simply because he preached the truth of the Gospel of Christ: He who believes and is baptized will be saved. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. What does he say in the face of imminent death? I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Paul was ready to go, because the Lord was ready for him to go. The Lord had determined that Paul had reached the end of his earthly race and was ready to give him the crown of righteousness.
And, as Paul says, God will give that crown not only to him, but also to all who have loved His appearing. That included a man named Antipas. We don’t know anything about Antipas, except for what Jesus had John write to the church in Pergamum: I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Was Antipas a Christian minister or a Christian layman? We don’t know. All we know is that the Lord Jesus called him His “faithful martyr, who was killed” among the saints in Pergamum. It doesn’t matter if he was a minister or layman. He was a faithful Christian whose life ended as a witness to the truth of Christ, in whom Antipas believed.
Notice what Jesus said about that place where Antipas was killed: where Satan’s throne is, where Satan dwells. We don’t know who, in particular, was persecuting Christians in that place. But we know that Satan was behind it, that he had a stronghold in that city. The same can be said, must be said, about our city, and about our country, and, truthfully, about the whole world. Satan dwells here. Satan has his throne here. Jesus called him the “prince of this world,” and, if his princedom was somewhat subdued for a time, it has returned in full force.
The darkness is ugly. The darkness is evil. And the darkness is everywhere. I feel it in my bones. I suspect you feel it, too. But there is a light that came into the world 2,000 years ago, a light that pierced the darkness, a light that remains within His Holy Christ Church. It’s the only light left in this world, but it still shines among us, the message of Christ crucified and risen from the dead, the message of Christ victorious over Satan and all the power of hell, the message of Christ returning as the glorious Hero to bring judgment on the earth and salvation for all who love His appearing.
I’m convinced that Charlie Kirk was among those, from everything I heard him confess about His Savior, Jesus Christ. We will rely on his confession of himself as a poor sinner, saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. And so we will give thanks to God for granting him the crown of righteousness at the end of his race.
And, before we close tonight, I want to leave you with these encouragements: Don’t follow the godless Left into hatred. Don’t become your enemy. Instead, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Learn a lesson from Charlie Kirk, who engaged in, or at least did his best to engage in respectful conversation with those who still sat in darkness. Learn to speak boldly and bravely, to speak the truth with love, even if the whole world lies about you and hates you for the things you say, even if some of those servants of Satan target you for death, even if your earthly life has to end in Christian martyrdom, as Charlie’s did. Satan is mighty in this world and terribly successful. But his success is fleeting. His lies are about to be revealed. His kingdom is about to fall, not because justice will be restored on the earth as it now stands, but because the victorious Lord Jesus is about to return in judgment and tell Satan to go to hell, permanently. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. The Lord be with you all. Amen.
