Given By Rev. Madison Shockley January 14, 2018 at Pilgrim UCC in Carlsbad CA pilgrimucc.org
Recent events and the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday have inspired today’s sermon. Not only was Martin Luther King Jr. known for his work for civil rights, he was also known for his work for peace. He protested against the Vietnam War and nuclear arms. Recently, the U.S. and North Korea have repeated threatened each other with nuclear destruction. It is not a joke! We need to do our part to bring our nation back to sanity. The people of North Korea are innocent and victims of their own government. The Book of Job describes the suffering of the common people. Unfortunately, it can also describe the people of North Korea. North Korea probably feel like Job, suffering for decades with no sign that God cares. They still continue to have faith though. Can we praise and have faith in God in the midst of suffering? North Koreans should not become victims of the U.S. government too. When our President teases/threatens North Korea, he is threatening to murder millions of Koreans, both North and South, as well as possibly Japanese. It is indeed murder. The poorest are threatened by the most powerful military in the world. If the North Koreans can still have faith in the face of this, can’t we do something too? Yes! We cannot be afraid to stand up to our government. Our government is one by the people, for the people, of the people. We need to act like it! Jesus said” You shall not commit murder.” He went on to say, “if you insult your brother or sister,” you will be punished. We must nip these insults before it is too late and turns these insults into actions. We must stop this murder while it is still just an idea.
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