Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 / Apocalypse 21:10-14, 22-23 / John 14:23-29
The presence of evil in this world is an undeniable reality. That evil is manifested in the bad and evil happenings that we see around us.
There are wars and violence where many innocent lives are lost and much blood is shed. And then there are murders and killings, greed and poverty, cheating and stealing, and the list goes on and on.
And if ever the question is asked as to what is the origin of evil in the world, then obviously it all points to the devil, who is the prince and the instigator of evil.
But that does not mean that we are innocent. As much as we see the bad and evil happening around us, we too have to admit that we have collaborated with evil and committed sin.
So, there is evil around us and there is evil within us. When we sin, then evil is manifested in us and we add on to the big, bad and ugly reality of evil.
But not all is so dark and gloomy because goodness is also a reality in the world.
In fact, goodness should be the bigger reality in this world because God created this world and saw it as good and beautiful.
And when God created man in His image, man was the best and most beautiful of God's creation.
So, when we say that we believe in God, we are also saying that we have the ability and the capacity for goodness and to be that expression of God's love and beauty for the world.
In the gospel, Jesus said that anyone who loves Him will keep His word.
So, we the People of God, come to church, we listen to God's Word of love and we unite ourselves with Jesus, the Word of God in Holy Communion.
We may have sinned and given in to temptation, but God's Word lifts us up so that we can love again and be the goodness of God.
God's Word wants to make its home in us and fill our hearts with love so that we can have peace.
Yes, we are troubled and afraid by the bad and evil in this world. But the world is also crying out for peace and love.
And we, the People of God, who have heard the Word of God, must rise up in love in the face of the bad and evil.
God's Word teaches us to be humble, and that is how we will be able to stop the pride of the devil.
God's word teaches us not to return evil with evil, but to return evil with good, so that in being the goodness of God in the face of evil, we will bring about God's blessings into a troubled and fearful world.
And God's Word teaches us to offer the sacrifice of love by bearing the faults and failings of others just as Jesus bore the pain of our sins on the Cross.
God's word will always remind us of the power and beauty of love, that will overcome evil.
Yes, God's Word of Love gives us peace because God wants us to be happy.
And we will be happy, not because everything is good, but because we see the good in everything.