Our Strongest Weapon Against Violence
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
Isaiah 60:1-2, 18
One element of the Cross that confronts every reader of the Gospels in the New Testament is the violence that Jesus experienced. On the road to the Cross, He endured beatings and verbal assaults, and while actually on the Cross, He endured spilt blood and a final breath.
In perfect weakness, the God of the Bible was overcome by the violence of man, only to defeat violence itself three days later in the Resurrection. Therefore, when we see Jesus on the Cross, we rightly see an end to violence. The vortex of the Cross has taken away its victory and meaning.
Why does this matter? It matters because victims of violence are always the powerless and the weak. Therefore, to advocate for them is to represent them, not only to man, but also to God.
A call to action for every person who follows Jesus is a call to give the victims of violence a voice in our society and to our God. Regarding God, this is what it is to intercede in prayer.
Prayer is the strongest weapon against violence. We must boldly state, “Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.” When we as Christians pray this, we are standing against every act of violence.
What is it to have the Kingdom of God on earth? It is to see the glory of the Lord shine, especially on victims, for it is a glory that brings peace, meaning, and healing.
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Aaron Bjerke is an Assistant Pastor and Community Group Director at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, and has been involved in the Redeemer community since 2005. Prior to joining staff, Aaron taught seventh grade math in the South Bronx. He received his M.Div from Biblical Theological Seminary.