Preaching During A National Tragedy

In the last post we considered what to say during a time of personal and/or church tragedy. In this post we will reflect on preaching during a national tragedy to your people.

What Is A National Tragedy?

I think of two situations in the recent past here in the United States: the attack on the twin towers in New York; and the disruption of all our lives during the Covid pandemic. Both of these events create a challenge. How do you present God’s truth when questions crowd our minds and hearts. Here are some of them:

Does God know what’s going to happen?
If so, why doesn’t he stop it? If God is truly all powerful and all knowing, why doesn’t he stop evil?
Does God really understand our situation? Does he understand the pain we experience as a nation and as individuals in it?

Preaching during a national tragedy means that we have to address these kinds of questions. Let me suggest that the story in John 11 can be a good source for answering these questions. Yes, I know, we looked at this in the last post in order to present how God faced the tragedy of Lazarus’ death. But let’s look more closely at the story with a national tragedy in mind. Tim Keller, pastor in New York at the time, preached a sermon based on John 11. You can access that sermon here.

Does Jesus Know What’s Going to Happen?

The answer of scripture is very clear. Yes, Jesus knows, in many cases what is going to happen. In the story of John 11 Jesus gets the message that the one he loves, Lazarus is ill. Rather than run to heal his friend, he delays for two more days. Yet, he knew what was going to happen. He says to his disciples: “This sickness will not end in death. Not, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it (John 11:4). When the disciples express concern, he says to his disciples: “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him.” (11:23). When the disciples think about physical sleep, Jesus says, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him (vss. 14-15).

The implications of this story are powerful. Jesus knew what was going to happen. God knows what is going to happen. Did he know that the terrorists were going to fly their planes into the twin towers? Yes! He knew.

If God Knew, Why Didn’t He Stop It?

God could have had the planes crash, couldn’t he? Certainly, he could have. But he didn’t. Why not? When preaching during a national tragedy this is a question in the hearts of your listeners. This is a frustration that faith sometimes has to deal with.

Notice the challenge again that the two sisters express to Jesus. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (11:22). Both sisters say the same thing. Why didn’t you show up, Jesus? Why didn’t you prevent this?

The answers to that question are never totally clear this side of heaven. So, when you are preaching during a national tragedy, focus instead on the fact that Jesus understands the pain we feel.

God Understands

As I noted in the last post, the tears of Jesus express both Jesus identification with our pain, but also express an anger that things are not as they should be. Jesus understands and feels the pain.

For a time in my ministry I got involved in a process known as “healing of the memories”. The theory of this process is that Jesus is not limited by time, so why couldn’t he heal the pain of the past.

I remember one woman with whom we prayed. She had been sexually abused by her father during her childhood. So, we went back into her memory, reliving one time when she heard the approach of her father. The opening of the door and the approach of her father. Through tears she shard what her father did to her that night. At one point, I asked her a question I asked each time I went through this process with someone. “Where’s Jesus?” The woman looked confused for a moment, but then she said, ‘There he is! He’s over by the dresser.”

I asked further, “What is he doing?” She started weeping, and through her tears she said, “He’s crying.”

Knowing that God understands and cares was helpful to her. That may be helpful to our hearers when we preach during a national tragedy.

Conclusion

Help your people see this reality when national tragedy. In the next post we’ll see more of God’s perspective on national and personal tragedy.

March 27, 2025/by Bruce Ballast