The following is an excerpt from Dean Wertz’s journal the day after the execution of 9 and wounding of 9 at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College.
Good morning Father. It is Friday October 2, 2015. I am so sad for the families of those who have been killed and for those who are fighting for their lives after yesterday’s massacre on the campus of Oregon’s Umpqua Community College.
This morning CNN reported that Anastasia Boylan, an injured survivor, relayed through her father that the gunman ordered the students to stand up and asked if they were Christians. She said, “… they would stand up and he said, ‘Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second.’ And then he shot and killed them.’”
Learning this has stilled me. Everything is paused. It’s all quiet.
How have I been so casual toward this part of your training? In your Sermon on the Mount you said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:10-12, ESV) About 3 years later, on the evening of your own execution, you reminded your followers, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. … Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” (John 15:18-19, 16:1-4)
And your first disciples experienced exactly what you foretold. As you have recently shown us in Acts, Stephen was murdered with rocks (Acts 7), James was executed with Herod’s sword (Acts 12) and all but John, who died in prison for Christ on the island of Patmos, loyally followed you to death.
Yet, before they were killed, they trained your next generation of disciples with all that you had commanded them including your word about opposition. So, when Paul and Barnabas “…had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra (as Dan recently taught us, this was the city where Paul had just been stoned and thought to be dead) and to Iconium and to Antioch (the cities which the people who fired the rocks at Paul had come from), strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22) And Peter trained your disciples in this way, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” (1 Peter 4:12–16)
Sadly, some people who identify as Christians are harsh jerks so they irritate and stir up hatred by claiming your name while living mean, judgmental and hateful lives. These are Christians in name only. True disciples of Jesus live according to your commands to “love the Lord your God … and … love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39) “to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15), to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:44, 45), to “Honor Christ as the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (I Peter 3:15-17)
So Father, be gracious to all who are mourning this tragedy. Bless, comfort, shepherd, love and provide all that they need.
And train me to become a disciple who loves you with all that is within me (more than my life itself) and to love my neighbors (no matter how different they are or how unkind they may be to me and those I love), to rejoice with those who rejoice and to deeply mourn with those who mourn, to love those who act like enemies and pray for those who persecute your people that I may follow your example crucified, resurrected and exalted Lord Jesus. That I may follow your first followers and a host of others who have run their race in Jerusalem, Rome, Syria, South Caroline and Oregon with endurance “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
And as I unite with you, Rebecca and the rest of your disciples around here to train Maggie, James, these other precious children, our neighbors, friends and family to surrender everything to you King Jesus, let me never forget that this includes raising children and inviting friends to become transformed people. Knowing that even if we do this as purely as Jesus did, the day may come when one or more of us will be asked at gunpoint to “stand up,” as our brothers and sisters faithfully did yesterday.