This past weekend, commemorated the nineteenth year anniversary of the horrific assault on our country by terrorists (September 11, 2001). Nearly 3000 of our citizens died during this assault. Many of you who were alive at that time could recite where you were and what you were doing on that horrific day; I know that I can – for I was getting ready to go to work while watching the morning news cast when everything started to unfold. In my own reflections of September 11, 2001, I was reminded of the two planes that hit the World Trade Center towers, the plane that hit the Pentagon, and the plane that didn’t reach its destination of the White House, but crashed in Pennsylvania due to the heroics of the passengers – as well as all of the first responders who ran to the respective scenes. I was keenly reminded of all those folk who perished on that fatal day – and I wonder how many of them personally knew Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before they perished. So I continue to ask myself a very sobering question, “What have I learned – and what have I truly remembered?”
Quickly following September 11, 2001, I observed many people flocking to churches and synagogues trying to find answers, to renew their faith in God, to find hope and peace and to be relieved of their fears. (I was asked to join other pastors on a local radio station to discuss the events, and to answer questions from the callers struggling to “make sense of things”.) Many prayers were offered up for those who lost loved ones, and many turned to lend a helping hand to perfect strangers. No one was immune to the tragedy. There also seemed to be a renewed resolve to preach the Gospel message of Jesus Christ – for the clarity of the preciousness of the breath of life was seen in the light of our human frailty. But where are we today? While it is true that many did return to serving God, it is very apparent that many more soon forgot and have once again forsaken God. I must ask, “What should we as a church have learned – and what should we have remembered?” We should have learned that life is short and precious, and we do not know when it will end. We should have learned that we must be committed to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all we meet. We should have learned that there are people who have never repented of their sins and who have never placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ – the only begotten Son of God – the Savior of the world. Let us once again be reminded of the Gospel message.
Romans 1:16,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
John 3:16,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 5:24,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
The words of Isaiah 6:8b should forever be impressed upon our hearts of the need to go,
“Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
Our prayer life – praying for the lost, our family, our church, and our nation should have become more fervent since September 11, 2001. Our daily walk with the Lord should have become sweeter – because our praise unto our Lord God has greatly increased day by day. For, if it hasn’t, did we truly learn anything and have we truly remembered? Maybe you are reading this and you have realized that you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God’s Word teaches us that He loved you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay your sin debt. He offers you the gift of salvation – but you must receive it through repentance and faith.
Romans 6:23 states,
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Acts 20:21 states,
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 10:13 states,
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Will you trust in Jesus Christ today and receive God’s gift of eternal salvation? Then you will truly have something to remember.
