A Reflection on the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
(Rev 1.17-18).
“Where were you when the world stopped turnin’ that September day?” I would bet that Alan Jackson’s question is on the mind of every age appropriate American today. On that September day I was in Mr. Shepherd’s second hour 8thgrade science class when the world stopped turnin’. I remember Principal Kelly announcing over the PA that the school was on lockdown. I remember hearing the name Osama Bin Laden for the first time. I remember one of the teachers leaving school early because she couldn’t get ahold of her brother, who was on a flight to NY that morning (she would never hear from him again). I remember coming home to my mom watching Fox News, which from that day foreword was the default channel on our TV.
A quarter of a century later, I’m still impressed by the unity of thought and affection shared by Americans in the days following the deadliest attack on American soil in history. Americans don’t agree on much, but in the wake of 9/11, everyone agreed that evil is real. Moral relativism was out of fashion, at least for a season. We stared clear, personal, moral evil in the face and no one was confused about what we were looking at.
The feelings of grief and anger we felt 25 years ago are real because sacred Scripture reveals that evil is real and evil is personal. Evil first invaded God’s world in Genesis 3 when he slithered into the garden to tempt the woman. She failed and sinned and her husband Adam was there, and he sinned too and Adam’s sin plunged the entire cosmos into the darkness of sin and death. The sin of our father Adam is then imputed to us, and we’re born children of the evil one – the one who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning. Adam’s fall in Genesis 3 explains the problem of evil and suffering in the world. Romans 8 tells us that the entire creation groans because of our fall from grace.
We can analyze and discuss the political or psychological reasons why the terrorist attacks on September 11thhappened, or why flashfloods kill thousands in Nepal, or why children are trafficked to be enslaved or molested, or why an entire generation of babies have been “legally” murdered in the womb, or any and every other natural or moral evil in the history of the world, but the theological reason, the real reason is sin. The serpent tempted Adam to cosmic rebellion and Adam failed. And the creation fell. Evil is real.
As Christians we have a sound rational basis for what we were all feeling that September day. The naturalist, the materialist has no such basis. If there is no God, then there ultimately can be no true evil. If there is no ultimate moral standard, then there is no intrinsic standard of morality.
But Scripture reveals that there is a standard – the one true and living God; the God who created all things; who created humanity in His image; who wrote His Law on our consciences and revealed His Law in the 10 Commandments. And the gospel message tells us that God is not merely a God of Law, but He is also a God of gospel; a God of grace. On that day Adam fell in the garden God preached the gospel to our father Adam. Genesis 3.15 is the protoevangelium – the first gospel.
That promise of old was fulfilled in the incarnation of the Son of God. The Lord Jesus lived the only actual moral life in human history – He never broke God’s Law in though, word, or deed; He always did what was right and never left anything undone. He loved God with His whole heart, and He loved His neighbor as Himself. Jesus never sinned.
Then the one who knew no sin became sin for us on the cross. Jesus Christ endured hell on our behalf. The wrath of God against the sins of His people was exhausted on the Lord Jesus on the cross. And Jesus submitted to Adam’s curse – the curse of death. Christ laid down His life for His church.
But Jesus was not guilty so death could not hold Him. Jesus took the keys of death and Hades and on the third day he rose again from the dead. And Jesus ascended to the right hand of God the Father almighty where He reigns over His church and the world. Death is defeated and Jesus reigns!
The bully has been backed down to the back of the bus. By virtue of His resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ has removed the sting of death. Evil is real but evil has been defeated by Christ. The gates of hell will not prevail over the Kingdom of Christ.
But then why is there still evil in the world? In the mystery of God’s providence evil has already been defeated, but not yet. Like the Nazi’s after D-Day, evil still battles on, but evil has lost control of the territory and evil’s days are numbered. On the last day King Jesus will return to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new. On that day sin and death will be destroyed.
On this day – the 25th anniversary of the deadliest attack on American soil in history – let us boldly and humbling affirm that evil is real. It exists in the world, and it exists in our hearts. But let us also, by faith, remember and proclaim that evil has been defeated and that evil has an expiration date. And as we gather on Sunday, we will continue to rage against evil, our weapons: the Word and the sacraments. Let us remember and let us proclaim: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!