My phone blew up when Charlie Kirk got shot. So did social media. I’m not sure I said a word publicly at the time. I pondered. I thought. I texted with friends, who love me well enough to endure me, correct me, listen to me, and more.

I said a little bit at Bible study that night and was grateful we had a young Christian man in his 20s with us. He was among the target demographic most influenced by Kirk. His assassination may be hitting them the hardest.

The next day, I wrote my sermon notes. A phrase in the text caught me and led me to write more, partly about Kirk and the various issues that this situation raises. I’ve learned that Thursday’s sermon notes (which are complete but not final) may hit the cutting room floor on Saturday night in my study or on Sunday morning on the fly in the pulpit. Maybe this all gets said again on Sunday; maybe time or perceived lack of topical connection will cause me to cut it. But a few hours after I penned it, I think it’s worth sharing.

The eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:2) – “It’s appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

A Christian man died this week. The Governor of Utah called the death of Charlie Kirk a political assassination. I think it’s important to realize that this news may hit those under the age of 30 even harder, given his age and the age of those he influenced most.

Reactions have varied widely. I hope the following reactions or statements of mine are appropriate:

There will be a judgment. If your faith is in Christ, not yourself or anything else, then you need not fear that judgment.

God will judge those who never repent of sins such as violence and disobeying your parents and a whole host of others.

God has appointed civil governments in our present age, and they do not bear the sword in vain, and they reflect something of God’s eternal justice in the here and now.

We should hate what God hates. We should hate violence.

We should be angry about some things. God affirms righteous anger in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry and do not sin.”

God also cautions us in Ephesians 4 to not let the sun go down on our anger. That’s because righteous anger can easily turn unrighteous, in the hands of those who still battle indwelling sin. (James 1:20 says, “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”)

If our anger persists, we would do well to call upon the Judge of all the earth to do right, to right every wrong. My goal in saying this is to affirm some righteous anger without feeding that anger and to ultimately redirect that anger.

I pray that we might trust the God who says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” that we might have a firm resolve to do what’s right, to speak the truth in love, and to take up our cross, expecting persecution and expecting God to provide as He leads us in paths of righteousness.

Postscript: More could be said; more will be said. I hope what I’ve said so far is accurate and helpful, and I may (or may not) say more later

Pastor Matt 09-11-25