Jesus told the disciples to tell John the Baptist who was in prison, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matthew 11:6).
John the Baptist had stood for truth. He stood against Herod who had taken his brother, Philip’s wife, as his wife. Mark 6:18 records it, “For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’”
John the Baptist stood against the political leadership of the day, and it cost him his freedom and eventually his life, as well. Herod arrested him and placed him in jail for opposing him and his immoral marriage. Yet, Herod did not want to put John the Baptist to death because he perceived him to be a holy man. However, Herodias, his wife by an immoral marriage, had a grudge against John the Baptist and looked for every opportunity she could find to have John the Baptist killed. She eventually succeeded with having him beheaded.
Twenty-four years ago, the greatest terrorist plot was unleashed on our nation’s history. The terrorists planned to crash two planes into the World Trade Center, one plane into the Pentagon, and one into the House of Congress. Flight 93 was planned for the House of Congress, but, in midair, the passengers figured out what was happening. A group of passengers led by Todd Beamer began to plan in the back of the plane to take down the plane at the expense of their own lives. They chose to stand against the political tyranny of the day at the expense of their lives.
In 2017, our family of seven were traveling across the United States for a “big trip” as our kids liked to call it. We were coming from Virginia to Cleveland, Ohio to speak at a campground on the base of Lake Erie called “Beulah Beach”. Along the way, we passed the sacred field where Flight 93 crashed, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The site feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. As we drove on the grounds, we felt the hallowed ground this place had become. My wife Tosha and I immediately felt the weight of grief and glory. Walking this sacred site was truly life changing, and we relived the final tragic moments of these American heroes who sacrificed their life to stand against the political tyranny of our day.
We will never forget the recorded calls made by passengers leaving messages on their answering machines to their loved ones telling them, “I love you!” During all this fear, pain, and sorrow, Todd Beamer, who had studied at Wheaton College and was a follower of Jesus Christ, made the clarion call to the other passengers after they had solidified their plan. His words still echo today: “Let’s Roll!”
With that shout, like a William Wallace shout on the battlefield, the passengers charged the cockpit and wrestled the control of the plane away from the terrorists. They crashed the plane into the field near Shanksville and their courageous plan ended the political tyranny and the terror plan of the final plane of that dreadful day on 9/11 in 2001.
Fast forward to now and we have just marked the twenty-fourth anniversary of 9/11. Tragically this anniversary has coincided with yet more senseless violence with the fatal shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk.
Just hours before his death, Charlie’s wife Erika posted to social media the words of Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Yes, He is. It seems as if the Lord was preparing Erika for what would soon lie ahead. The brutality of the death of her husband will remain a mental image of destruction beyond words, I am sure, for her and her loved ones.
Just days before his death, Charlie had posted a social media post that declared, “Jesus defeated death so you could live.” Charlie was known for his robust faith in Jesus and his willingness to stand for the Truth of God’s Word. Yet again, another hero who lost his life at the hands of the political tyranny of their day.
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).
John the Baptist lost his life because of the truth of God’s Word and his willingness to stand against the political injustice and tyranny of his day in the first century. Todd Beamer and all the other passengers on Flight 93 stood against the political tyranny of their day in 2001 and it cost them their lives. And now, here we are again today, 2025, as Charlie Kirk stood against the political tyranny of our day.
Even though we don’t yet know the gunman’s motive, we do know what Charlie stood for and now we know where he stands, in the presence of Jesus Christ, who Charlie gave his life to and for up to his final moment.
Acts 6 records the story of Stephen being stoned by Saul, the man who would eventually become probably the greatest missionary to ever live. In this text, we see that Jesus was standing at the right hand of the Father welcoming Stephen home. I can’t help but believe the same was true for Charlie.
As Jim Elliott said, “A man is no fool to give what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”
John the Baptist, Todd Beamer, and now Charlie Kirk’s journeys are now complete. But ours is not. At least, not yet! We still have a job to do for Jesus.
We still have a calling and purpose for being here that will be rewarded one day in eternity.
The people of Jesus’ own town were offended by him and thus he was unable to do many miracles for and among them. It is my prayer that each of these three men mentioned in this article along with Stephen will inspire each of us to say to Jesus like Jesus said at the hour of his great sacrifice, “Father, not my will but yours be done.”
As God spoke to Erika Kirk, “God is our fortress in times of troubles.”
Yes, He is!
