The massacre in Sri Lanka doesn´t mean that God is more angry with the Sri Lankans than with Denmark.  Or with America for that matter.  The  bloodshed in that beautiful country over the years, including the brutal killing of the thousands of the Tamils (1983-2009) was not God´s punishment on a people more sinful than any other people.
 
That´s what Lord taught us in Luke 13 when He referred to the sufferings of the Galileans and the eighteen killed on whom the tower in Siloam fell.  It just happened.   Indeed, as accidents not punishments.

But what we should learn, and what should be preached from the pulpits and from faithful gospel witnesses is the message of repentance to a carefree, affluent welfare people of ours, offering some crocodile tears maybe, but who need to hear the solemn word of Jesus, "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish!"  (Luke 13:3, 5).

Wasn´t that what the disciples was commissioned subsequent to the great Easter joy of His resurrection which has recently been celebrated ?

   
He didn´t give them a piece of great Easter drama or poetry to be theatrically performed, seasoned with a lot of ornamental and religious stuffing and music, but they were entrusted with a very, very simple gospel of great glory to be brought home to sinners without God´s glory.  The shortest sermon Jesus ever preached was not about "deep" thoughts of philosophy, but a simple pinpointed message of repentance:  "The time if fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel!"  (Mk. 1:15).

I challenged a minister in fine, soft vestments in this town about the urgency of preaching repentance to the church goers.  His dismissive answer was, "I´m not here to judge." He didn´t get my point and was not, sad to say, within my reach.

A gospel witness doesn´t have to have big diplomas.  What is needed is only burning hearts kindled by the Holy Spirit.  This piece of advice impressed me from my early youth, "Say it simple, say it often, and let it burn!"

Spurgeon has said, "A minister without a burning zeal is an unbeliever!"

April 24, 2019 - jn