Eclipse of Kingdoms (Part 2) From D-Day to VE-Day

Last week I shared the idea of that Jesus' life and ministry introduced a radical shift in the cosmology of the universe.  When Jesus said that "the Kingdom of God is at hand," He was introducing a new power that is slowly eclipsing life as we know it.

“...He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” - Hebrews 9:12

”For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority....having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” - Colossians 2:9-10, 12

”Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” - John 12:31”

Theologians talk about the tension between the "Already" and "Not Yet."  Already means that we are "already" saved, adopted, born again, loved, and accepted.  However, we are "not yet" free from sin, disease, or suffering.  We are "not yet" free to love the way we want.  Satan has "already" been decisively defeated, but we are "not yet" finished with the conflict.

Oscar Cullman used the analogy of D-Day and VE-Day.  When the Allies successfully stormed the Normandy coast on D-Day, it was a sure thing that Germany would fall. It was a decisive victory.  With the military build-up that followed, along with relentless bombings of German factories and infrastructure, most objective observers knew that it was just a matter of time until Hitler fell.

D-Day happened on June 6, 1944.  Germany didn't surrender until May 8, 1945.  That left 336 brutal days filled with blood, frustration and the loss of life. The entire book (or TV series) "Band of Brothers" occurred.  In one of his last offensives on the western front, Hitler sent approx. 250,000  troops across Luxembourg to push back the Allied forces. These German troops advanced 50 miles into the Allied lines, creating a deadly "bulge" into Allied defenses.  Outnumbered and nearly surrounded, a small group of Airborne infantry men held their ground and refused to surrender.

My own grandfather served in Patton's Third Army during that time.  Even though the Airborne claim that they didn't need help, my grandpa rushed to bring reinforcements to the Battle of the Bulge, strengthening the Allied lines.

During the counteroffensive, it probably didn't feel like victory was assured.  There was fear, exhaustion, and loss of life.  

Months later, my grandpa and his group marched into the Ohrdruf concentration camp.  This forced labor camp, part of the Buchenwald concentration camp network, was filled with living skeletons who barely held onto life.  As the guards surrendered and the prisoners received much needed help, ideas of victory and celebration seemed very far away.  This was a dark victory, forcing young GIs to come face to face with the worst of human depravity.

Our lives can be like that.  Next week, I'll explain this more, but for now, remember that we are still at war.  While our hope is secure, we still face fear and frustration.  We are safe in the Hands of Jesus ... but we still deal with the daily hazards of life under the sun.  

Hold on to the victory that Jesus has accomplished ... and keep fighting!

“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” — Ephesians 3:16–20

With You;
Pastor Tim