Proclaiming Christ

In Luke 13, we see an instance in which a group reported to Jesus an offensive action, and He replied by highlighting the sinfulness of humanity. We can read:
1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Jesus taught about the way to eternal life, through a relationship with Himself.  He promised abundant life, a fruitful life, encouraging His people to abide in Him.  We cannot live in a manner acceptable to God unless we are willing to set aside our own sinful ways and allow Him to change us, to fill us with His power, and to direct us.  He calls us to a walk of obedience, which involves repentance - being truly sorry for our sins and willing to take another direction.  We put off the old and put on the new, as Ephesians 4 illustrates for us.

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A verse in the book of Joel was used recently in calling for a gathering, a "solemn assembly" before the 
Lord. That verse is contained in this passage:
13 Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in sackcloth, You who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering Are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the Lord your God, And cry out to the Lord.

In the next chapter, there is the promise of God's response to the cries of His people:
28 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

A mayor in Ohio has declared that he is submitting to a higher authority and has dedicated his city to Jesus.  That's according to a ChristianHeadlines.com article, which relates that at a recent "solemn assembly" held at a large park in Ashland, Ohio, Mayor Matt Miller stated:

“As I stand before you tonight, in the bright light of his Son, to the extent I am able, I give this City of Ashland to the LORD Jesus Christ. May this be a land where He rules supreme. May this be a land where His love is genuinely felt by believers and non-believers alike,” Miller declared.

He also expressed his thanks to God for a relatively small amount of COVID-19 cases in the city.

Around 25 churches who are part of the Ashland County Ministerial Association sponsored the event. Organizer John Bouquet "told Mayor Miller that he found inspiration for the spiritual gathering when he read the book of Joel in the Old Testament, and the prophet called the southern nation of Judah to 'call a solemn assembly' in repentance before God..." The article references Joel 1:13.

And, the association has another idea for the month of September:

Bouquet also said that the AMCA want to establish a “Prayer Force” in September, where they plan on visiting a church for each day of the week in praying for revival, followed by more churches in the coming weeks.

It is heartening to see public officials go public with their belief in God. Recently, in an interview with CBN News, the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, said, "...what I found in our culture today is people love being offended..."  She added, "And that that is wreaking havoc on our culture and our way of life in people's hearts," and said, "So I am hopeful that, while we are seeing some challenges, while we're seeing things happening in America that break our hearts every day that God will find a way to reveal a healing process that really will bring us together and help us make more progress towards loving each other and seeking after God again than we've seen in decades."  

Noem has become rather well-known for her response to the coronavirus that did not, as the article notes, did not issue a "shelter in place" order or close any businesses. She does believe that the response to the virus has become politicized and has become unfair to people of faith. The governor stated, "...we need to use every tool that we have to make sure that we still have the ability to practice our faith and to gather as we see fit. And we have directly seen in many of these states, where they have allowed other gatherings yet restricted those who want to go to church and worship together."

The Ohio mayor reminds us that we are invited to proclaim Jesus over your life, your family, your home, your church, and your community.  While it certainly involves words, we also recognize that we can take the actions to back that up. When we proclaim the name of Jesus, we establish a standard to which we are called and empowered to live up to.  A key element of that is to have a repentant heart, isolating, confessing, and turning away from those areas in which we are sinning against God.  

The South Dakota's words about God's healing remind us that repentance is a key element of that. People will be gathering for a "solemn assembly" in Washington, DC later this month for "The Return" on the National Mall.  Coinciding with it will be a prayer walk led by Franklin Graham.  Hopefully, staging these events in the nation's capital will remind us that we need to restore collectively our relationship with God.  In a nation that is fractured, we need a release of God's power and a proclamation of His truth.