Ten Years Later - Lingering Questions

September 11, 2011

by John Partridge Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35 Luke 13:3-5

Ten years ago today a terrorist plot culminated in the hijacking of four passenger aircraft that were intended to crash into nationally and culturally significant buildings. Three succeeded and the fourth, because of the heroism of its passengers, crashed into a farmers field in Pennsylvania instead of the United States Capitol Building. On that morning, two Boeing 767 jets travelling 500 miles per hour and carrying an estimated 15,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the World Trade Center buildings. 2,819 people were killed and among them were 343 members of the New York Fire Department and 60 police officers. We believe that the terrorist hated our nation but terrorism does not discriminate. Those killed were not only citizens of the United States but citizens of 115 different nations. Although several hundred bodies were found and tens of thousands of partial remains were recovered, 1,717 families received no remains. 1,609 people lost a partner or spouse, 3,051 children lost a parent and 1,300 children were left orphaned. The destruction had a lasting impact. 98 fire department vehicles were destroyed, 146,000 jobs were lost, the insurance claims spanned the globe and totaled in the tens of billions of dollars. Twenty percent (one in five) of those living within a mile of the World Trade Center now suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome as do more than 422,000 persons across the city of New York. Today we pause to remember those who died but also those who continue to suffer from the events of that day, and the heroes both living and dead, who rushed into those three buildings while most every sensible person was doing their best to get out. Today we also recognize that the events of September 11, 2001 still cause to us struggle with difficult questions about what happened, questions about God and questions about what it means to be followers of Jesus Christ in a world where this kind of thing is not only possible but all too real. First, even as followers of Jesus Christ we wonder why a good God could allow such a thing to happen but we also remember that the world that God created was (past tense) perfect. We also remember that in that perfect world, humanity was given the gift of choice and it was the selfish and sinful choice of human beings to choose evil over good. Scripture tells us that this choice corrupted and perverted Gods creation so that terrible things sometimes happen and God does not always step in to prevent evil people from committing evil. At the same time we are assured that neither the people of the cities of New York and Washington D.C. nor the people who worked in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were being punished for any kind of sin. In Luke 13:4-5, Jesus discussed the collapse of a tower saying,
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Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on themdo you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. The message is that sometimes bad stuff happens but that does not mean that the people who were hurt were guilty of anything. Likewise, the attack on, and the collapse of the World Trade Center does not imply any guilt on the part of the victims but instead is the result of moral free 1

agents, human beings who chose evil instead of good and whose moral compass was so perverted that they were convinced that evil was good and good was evil. So where was God on September 11th? Was he absent? I dont think so. We could tell stories all day, but when we remember the events surrounding this day we must remember the many coincidences that we hear about. From the family who changed their flight at Bostons Logan airport because one woman had a bad feeling about flying in flight 11 because the flight number was too small, to the man who was virtually never late for work but couldnt find his car keys that day, to the story of Lara Clarke who jaywalked in front of Gwyneth Paltrow trying to get to the subway station and, because of their brief dance deciding who would go first (you go first, no you go first), missed her train by moments and therefore was not sitting in her 77th floor office of Two World Trade Center when the first plane struck. Four of her coworkers were killed. Several firefighters lived because they stopped to carry a handicapped woman down the stairs and survived because at the moment that their building collapsed, were standing in a corner of a stairwell on the 22nd floor that formed a protective pocket. Moments earlier or later and they would have died. The time taken to save this woman placed them at just the right place at precisely the right time. Even more amazing is the idea that despite the meticulous planning that was required to organize the attacks on 9-11, the planes managed to strike the towers long before they would be filled with office workers. It is estimated that at the time of the attacks, the population of the World Trade Center buildings was less than half of what it would have been only an hour later. These two buildings would normally have over 50,000 people in them but, although horrific and tragic, it is amazing that given the severity of the attacks and the destruction caused by them, that of these 50,000 office workers only 2,819 (less than six percent) were killed. We must also remember the good that we saw that day. As people fled to safety, differences evaporated. Racial differences meant nothing, Jews and Muslims helped each other, friends chose to remain in the damaged buildings so handicapped coworkers would not be left to die alone, and then our nation, and indeed nations around the world, pulled together as never before or since. For me, I think that there is ample evidence that God was present in the events of 9-11 if we choose to look for him. So as we remember the events of a day that shook the foundations of what we thought was true and forever changed the way that we see the world, how do we make sense of this new world? Where do we find strength and hope and security? Now, more than ever we remember that our security does not depend upon armies and weapons nor does it depend upon stone faced generals or charismatic politicians. Psalm 20:7, reminds us that Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. We were shaken when those towers fell because they were a symbol of commerce and global finance, but historically, towers have been a symbol of strength. Strong towers were a symbol of security and protection but armies could (and did) tear them down. As we read in our responsive reading, we are called to remember that our strength does not come from buildings but from God. (Psalm 61:3) For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Finally, this morning we remember that we are not perfect. When confronted by evil, many of us are tempted by the desire for retribution but in Romans 14:10-12, Paul reminds us that as followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be different. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before Gods judgment seat. 11 It is written: As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.
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So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

We must find it within ourselves to do the impossible. To forgive those who have hurt us and to love those who hate us. In Luke 6:37, Jesus says, 37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Let me repeat that last line For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. We will be forgiven with the same measure that we have used to forgive others. In Matthew 18, Peter wonders how forgiving the followers of Jesus really needed to be and Jesus explains that forgiveness goes far beyond anything that Peter ever expected. The followers of Jesus are called to be exceptional and to do what, to us, seems impossible
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Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?
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Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
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At this the servant fell on his knees before him. Be patient with me, he begged, and I will pay back everything. 27 The servants master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. Pay back what you owe me! he demanded.
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His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 3

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Then the master called the servant in. You wicked servant, he said, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldnt you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart. We have already been forgiven. Christ has forgiven a debt that we could never hope to repay and because of this we are therefore commanded to forgive others even when the rage and anger within us seems to demand retribution and even when the cost to us seems very real and very personal. As we remember the events of September 11, 2001 let us remember the heroes of the day. Let us remember that Gods gift of freedom means that men and women are free to choose evil. Let us remember that even in the midst of evil, God is present. Let us remember that God never stops loving and caring for all of his children. And let us remember that whatever the cost, we must not allow evil to plant seeds of bitterness, resentment or anger within us but instead pray that God would help us to find forgiveness for those who have hurt us and to show love for those who would hate us. As followers of Jesus Christ, forgiveness and love are the things that are supposed to set us apart from our enemies and from those who hate us. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)
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You have been reading a message presented at Barnesville First United Methodist Church on the date noted at the top of the first page. Rev. John Partridge is the pastor of Barnesville First. Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you. Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry or any of our other projects may be sent to Barnesville First UMC at 123 W. Church St., Barnesville, OH 43713. These messages are available to any interested persons regardless of membership. You may subscribe to these messages, in print or electronic formats, by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@barnesvillefirst.com. If you have questions, you can ask them in our discussion forum on Facebook (search for Pastor John Online). These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.