Among the most common worries I hear about from our congregation is how bad things have been getting in the world—how crazy out of control things are.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is nearing the five-year mark. There’s constant war in the Middle East. We are, of course, involved in military conflict with Iran. A lot of people fear an Islamic takeover of the United States. Some debate how likely it is or isn’t. There’s continual tension with Russia and China. Every so often comments of World War III have popped up. The people of Africa experience a lot of bloodshed for various reasons—corruption, tribal differences, and many Christians are martyred simply because they cling in hope to Jesus. Brothers and sisters in Christ, that’s just the wars and rumors of wars.

We could talk about natural disasters for days. Flash floods, mudslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes. Did you know there has been a volcano in a state of constant eruption in the Philippines since January 6th? In fact, a camera that shows a live feed of it captured a meteor strike behind the volcano last May. The volcano has been spewing lava and deadly gases for 284 days and has not stopped.

Diseases, illnesses, health ailments (whatever anyone wants to call them, I’m including anything that goes wrong in the body) these all cause concern. The news-cycle likes to drum up fear of a new diseases or pandemic risk every few months. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease all remain major concerns among our population.

Then there’s a general worry people have about the level of evil we see and hear in the news every day. Deviancy that is more and more considered acceptable increases at an alarming rate. I have heard many people say they really don’t care about anyone else but themselves. If somebody else needs help, they don’t care. If somebody else suffers, they don’t care. If somebody else dies, they don’t care. The political divide in our nation hasn’t improved, and it’s not because of any particular politician. In reality, when one person believes something in the core of his or her being and another person believes something different in the core of his or her being, a divide is inevitable. By the way, if you didn’t realize it that last sentence was politically divisive.

Violence seems to keep expanding. Yet, another recent school shooting. Various cities routinely experience high levels of deadly violence. A number of people publicly voice their approval of assassination and (to say it in the most generous way possible) their complacency with murdering children. I would call these things alarming, but I just can’t call it that in a nation where murdering the unborn and the aged has become acceptable and in some circles celebrated. Likewise, I don’t think it can be denied that there is a terrifying level of anger and hostility between citizens (even between Christians). The slightest little thing can trigger offense to somebody. For whatever reason lately, almost everybody (and I do mean almost everybody) takes almost every little thing so personally.

The state of the world is bad and seems to be getting worse and out of control. Here’s the truth. The world is bad. It always has been. It always will be. In the days of Noah, the Lord declared, “The intention of the heart of man is evil from his youth.” In the days of the Israelite judges, it was said, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Through the prophet, the Lord says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.” And the apostle Paul writes, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The world is bad. The world is evil. War and rumor of war is not new. Natural disaster is not new. Disease, illness, and ailment are not new. Deviancy, political divisiveness, violence, and hostility are not new. They may change forms and such, but it’s never new. Scripture says, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” The modern equivalent: “History repeats itself.”

The devil, the world, and our sinful natures want to lead us to a false belief that the Lord isn’t in control of all things. And yet, through His prophet Isaiah, the Lord comforts you His people with His position of authority. Repeatedly in the Old Testament Reading, the Lord reminds His people of His identity. “I am the Lord, and there is no other.”

In the reading from Isaiah, the Lord prophesies concerning a future king. The Lord says of this particular king, “I will go before you… I call you by name… I equip you.” The Lord has appointed this particular king to act on His behalf. The picture language of this is incredible: “whose right hand I have grasped.” The “right hand” is symbolic of power and authority. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. King David comforted himself by saying, “Because the Lord is at my right hand I shall not be shaken.” So, for the Lord to grasp this particular king’s right hand, means that it is the Lord who has control.

The interesting part in all this… two times the Lord says of this particular king “though you do not know me.” Through His prophet Isaiah, the Lord speaks of a pagan king. The Lord prophesies of a distantly future, pagan king. When Isaiah was prophet, the nation of Israel had already been divided for many years. During his lifetime, the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern part of Israel and threatened Judah (the southern kingdom). Roughly 100 years after Isaiah’s death, the southern kingdom (Judah) was conquered and taken into exile by the Babylonian Empire. That empire was conquered by the Persian Empire. Around 150 years after Isaiah’s death, a Persian king, known as Cyrus the Great, issued an edict allowing the Israelites to return home to Jerusalem, effectively ending the exile. In today’s reading, which was recorded more than 150 years before the event, the Lord declares that even though Cyrus has no idea who He is, the Lord will use Cyrus to bless His people. The Lord is in ultimate control. Take that to heart, brothers and sisters in Christ.

When the apostle Paul says, “The Lord works all things for the good of those who love Him,” he means it. From our perspective, things often look totally out of control. It can seem as though the Lord has no grasp of anything. Atheists even use suffering as a taunt to claim God doesn’t exist.

However, the Lord tells us, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” That message appears throughout the Bible. In the Garden of Eden, everything fell apart. The sin of Adam is the reason everything has gone haywire. It’s why there’s sin, disaster, and disease. Scripture says that creation “groans” waiting for the coming day of the Lord. And yet, the Lord promised that the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent.

Abraham and Sarah were promised a son in their old age. For twenty-five long years they experienced moments of doubt and faith. All along God said, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” She eventually gave birth to Isaac. Abraham was later willing to sacrifice Isaac—God stopped him—but Abraham was willing to do it, because he realized, “God’s got this.”

When Moses went before Pharoah and said, “God says, ‘Let my people go.’” Pharoah made the Israelite’s work more difficult during slavery, such that they grumbled against Moses. But Moses encouraged the people, saying, “Don’t worry, God’s got this.” After ten plagues, Pharoah finally released the Israelites from their slavery. And then, when Pharoah changed his mind and chased after the people, pinning them between the Red Sea and his army, the Israelites panicked and grumbled against Moses again. Moses said, “Don’t worry, God’s got this.” And the Red Sea was divided so that the people of Israel walked through on dry land. They were saved when the divided waters came together again, drowning Pharoah’s army. When you think about it, a lot of Israelite history is the people panicking and grumbling, and the Lord saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

On the night of the Lord’s betrayal, things looked to be at their worst. Jesus (the world’s Savior) was arrested, severely beaten, and sentenced to death. All the disciples ran away from Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Peter later denied knowing Him. Everything seemed totally out of control.

But when we really examine things, Jesus was in control the whole time. He was in control when Judas betrayed Him, saying, “Let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” He was in control when the Sanhedrin demanded Him to answer whether or not He is the Christ, and He answered, “I am.” Jesus was in control when He refused to let Herod’s mockery get under His skin. The Lord was in control when He told Pilate, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” Jesus was under control when He declared, “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.” The Lord Jesus Christ was certainly under full control when He declared, “It is finished.”

During the 24-hour time period when it seems that the Lord was in the least control, He showed by word and action that He was the one in control of the situation. The Sanhedrin was in a blind rage. Pilate was in a panic. But Jesus remained calm throughout the process, because He was enacting our Triune God’s plan of salvation. You worry about your sin, but the Lord says, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this. I forgive you all your sins, for I shed my blood to redeem you. Go in peace and sin no more.” He proved that He is in control by rising again on the third day.

Do you think that the Lord who was in control throughout all those things has suddenly lost control now? Of course not! The Lord is directing everything to its final fulfilment. Nothing happens without the Lord allowing it for His purposes. We often don’t understand those purposes, but because Jesus laid down His life for us and rose again to save us, we can trust Him. He says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He exercises that authority so that we may make disciples through water and the Word.

You can take comfort in the reality that everything you see around you—wars, natural disaster, disease, etc.—has been foretold in Scripture (even by our Lord Jesus). There is nothing happening that the Lord hasn’t already said would happen.

JESUS TELLS YOU, “DON’T WORRY, I’VE GOT THIS!”

So, you know what else will happen? The Lord says, “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” The Church replies, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”