The assasination of Charlie Kirk, the great Christian and nationalist, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, really has shaken my world.

I am so sad.

So very sad.

Sunday’s sermon on September 14, 2025 was appropriately entitled “Resistance in Light of Resurrection,” due to the observance of today’s present resistance in our culture to the message of Christ.

We have to remember that believers in Jesus Christ are exiles in the world. We are living in the kingdom of God while dwelling in the world’s kingdom.

So how can I remain faithful in the face of resistance and suffering?

Through the power of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus.

It is tempting, when met by opposition, to blend into the culture or to withdraw from society. We can relax or retreat. But scripture gives us hope and confidence to keep engaging the Gospel with the lost.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, Paul encourages his readers that there is hope in the face of suffering for the Gospel.

Viewing our suffering through the lens of the resurrection reminds us that:

The power of the resurrection sustains us in our suffering.
The power of the resurrection repurposes our suffering.
The power of the resurrection secures our eternity without suffering.

When we realize that the power of the resurrection sustains us in our suffering, we can remember to yield to Jesus in His resurrected power.

This action involves looking to Jesus for solace instead of trying to look within for peace.

Verses 8-10 addresses believers, telling us, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”

And when we realize that the power of the resurrection repurposes our suffering, we can believe that our suffering displays Christ in our lives and shows his power to a broken world.

Our suffering shows how Jesus resurrects us and helps us overcome tribulation by His blood and by the word of our testimony.

Finally, when we realize the power of the resurrection secures our eternity without suffering, we have hope in the afterlife.

As believers, Jesus will raise us up–we can count on it.

Our victory of eternal life is secure because of the resurrection. When we believe in the resurrected Christ, we have the hope of salvation.

In 2 Corinthians 4:17, the text states, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”

We can hold onto hope because Jesus holds the victory, and we can move forward with hope and confidence in the resurrected Christ–even when martyrs like Charlie Kirk leave this world and leave our hearts broken.

We can all be assured that Charlie Kirk, who was bold in his faith, is with Christ.

And we can be assured that we as believers will one day be with the Lord as well.

So we press on–boldly.

—Ann Elizabeth Yeager