Find Comfort in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

October 1, 2025

Leadership Notes

     As news broke after church Sunday of another church shooting in Michigan, I paused to say a of prayer of thanksgiving and appreciation for our security team. Their dedication and devotion to the safety of Covenant Church is a beautiful thing. Then, I said a prayer for the families and victims of Sunday’s attack.

     Make no mistake. We live in a broken and fallen world. Sin infests and infects everything. That’s why bad things happen. That’s why people do bad things. As Psalm 7:14 reminds us:

“Behold, the wicked man conceives evil    

and is pregnant with mischief    

and gives birth to lies.”

     I thought one of the best observations to come out of last Sunday’s horrific events was a response to those who immediately jumped into the Mormons/Christians debate. As someone who likes to think of himself as fairly Biblically theologically grounded-and-sound, what Robert P. George wrote made sense:

“Catholic and Protestant Friends –

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints are

today mourning the death of their beloved leader, President

Nelson. As the same time, they are in shock at the murderous

assault at a church in Michigan. This is no time for theological

disputations! The only thing we should be saying right now is this:

‘We stand in loving solidarity with you, dear brothers and

sisters.’”

     As a Reformed, Evangelical Presbyterian, I couldn’t agree more. And I would add what Samuel Sey said for good measure:

“We should mourn with Mormons and pray that they would be

comforted by the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

That is the only way out of our broken human condition. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the rest of Psalm 7 promises:

“He makes a pit, digging it out,    

and falls into the hole that he has made.

His mischief returns upon his own head,    

and on his own skull his violence descends.

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”

The wicked will be punished, either in this life or in the life to come. That is Biblical truth.

     Here’s a final observation, from John MacArthur:

“All death can do to the believer is deliver him or her to Jesus.”

Amen.

     With Much Love and Affection,

                    Richard