“Hijacked” by Rodney Tilley

A few years ago it seemed that “hijacking” was a popular or trendy thing to do. Terrorists would hijack a plane or passenger ship and threaten to blow it up unless certain demands were met. They would hijack the passengers and the captain and instead of the cruise ending on the sands of a Caribbean isle you would find yourself taking a one day tour of the desert sands of Libya.

They used hijacking as a tool to maximize their message of hate and anger, and as the definition of hijacking explains, “they took over something and used it for a different purpose.”

But this last weekend, Valentine’s Day was hijacked, as the movie industry took a day of love and chocolates and long stemmed roses, and made it into a mockery of sin and degradation with the movie, “50 Shades of Grey.”

Highlighting all things wrong with relationships, they degraded women; they praised sin, and made lust look like love.

But the thing that really made me angry was that the main character was named, Christian, as if to make a mockery of all things holy. The church and Christianity had been hijacked once again. 

It reminded me of an incident a few years back when I visited Christ’s Church, the church of George Washington in Philadelphia, and saw a poster on the church bulletin board where they announced that this Sunday they would have, “live nude dancing.”

I protested to the church only to be told that they were dancing as a sign of artistic expression to God and that I needed to understand that art is seen through the eyes of the beholder. I knew for certain that the only eyes being beholden that day would be through some dirty old men whose only artistic expression would be a lustful eye and a sweaty palm. The church had been hijacked again.

We have been hijacked by social issues, political dogma, the cult of personalities, and all things blasé and cheap. But there were some this past Valentine weekend, 21 of them to be exact, who refused to be hijacked by cheap cinematic trivia and artistic expression. 21 Coptic Christians who gave their lives, their very heads, because they refused to be hijacked by a world filled with hate and anger.

For their families and loved ones, Valentine’s Day will not be remembered as a day of long stemmed roses, but as a day of flowery wreaths lain in memory of martyrs’ deaths. They would not be hijacked by trite little sermons and catchy tunes sung for an easy hour of service. They understood that a life of commitment would be necessary if they were to “take up the cross and follow Me. (Mark 10:21).

So my plea for you today is this: refuse to be hijacked by cultural changes, political ideology, social issues, and changing norms. Believe, Stand, and Be Holy. Be holy to our God and pray for our brothers and sisters who are refusing to be hijacked by a world of hate and debauchery, and come join the ranks of all who call themselves Christian. Overcome evil with good, good that lasts for all eternity.
     
For more information on the realities of Christ, call 432-207-0015, and speak with Pastor Tilley.

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