Today we were reminded once again of the reality of evil in our world. In Manchester, England, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, a man drove a car into worshippers outside a synagogue and then attacked with a knife. Two people lost their lives. Others were injured. Families were left broken.

This wasn’t just a violent crime; it was a calculated act of terror, a strike against the Jewish people because they are Jews.

The question for us today is not only, “How could this happen?” but also, “What is our response as followers of Christ?”

Evil Is Real, and It’s Personal

The Bible doesn’t shy away from the reality of evil. Jesus Himself warned in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

That’s exactly what terrorism is. It’s Satan’s fingerprints in the headlines: hatred, violence, destruction. Evil isn’t abstract. It’s personal. The devil delights in stirring up ideologies that bring death and fear.

But don’t miss this: Jesus didn’t stop at warning us. He finished that verse by saying, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Satan brings death. Christ brings life. And no matter how loud the devil roars, he’s already defeated.

God’s Chosen People and Our Christian Duty

Genesis 12:3 gives a promise that echoes through history: “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.”

This is God’s word to Abraham and his descendants, the Jewish people. From Pharaoh’s Egypt to Hitler’s Germany, history has shown that nations rise or fall depending on how they treat the Jews.

We, as Christians, are not called to replace Israel but to be grafted in by grace (Romans 11:17-18). That means we owe a debt of gratitude. The Jewish people gave us the Scriptures. They gave us the prophets. And, most importantly, they gave us our Savior: Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

So, when antisemitism rises — whether in the form of swastikas on college campuses, hateful rants online, or terror attacks on synagogue steps — the church cannot remain silent. To bless Israel is to align with God’s heart. To ignore Jewish suffering is to close our ears to God’s command.

The Age of Cowardice vs. the Call to Courage

We live in a time where leaders tremble at speaking truth. After the Manchester attack, politicians offered “thoughts and prayers,” but many refused to name the ideology behind it.

The attacker was radicalized. He was influenced by Islamist extremism, and yet many leaders danced around those words, more afraid of offending radicals than defending their citizens.

But the Word of God tells us plainly: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Christians are not called to cowardice. We are called to courage. Courage doesn’t mean hating people, but it does mean naming evil for what it is. It means calling sin “sin,” even if it’s unpopular.

The Church’s True Weapons

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:4: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”

Yes, governments should act. Yes, security must be enforced. But the church has a different arsenal:

• Prayer. Intercession is stronger than any bulletproof vest.
• The Word. Scripture cuts through lies and exposes the truth.
• The Gospel. No ideology is too dark for the light of Christ to penetrate.

Our mission is not simply to condemn evil, but to transform hearts through Christ. That’s the only lasting answer to terrorism. Laws may restrain violence, but only Jesus can remove hatred from a man’s soul.

Overcoming Evil With Good

Romans 12:21 commands us: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

What does that look like in 2025?

• It means writing letters of support to Jewish neighbors and synagogues.
• It means showing kindness in practical ways when others are struck by hate.
• It means boldly proclaiming that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is still on His throne, and that no act of terror can silence His promises.

We must remember that darkness does not drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hatred. Only love — God’s love — can do that.

Where Do We Stand?

So church, where do we stand today?
Do we hide behind silence, letting fear dictate our response?
Or do we stand boldly with God’s people, proclaiming truth in a world of lies?

We cannot change what happened in Manchester. But we can decide how we live here and now:

• With courage instead of fear.
• With prayer instead of despair.
• With love instead of hatred.

And let us hold fast to the promise of Romans 8:31: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Evil may strike outside a synagogue. Hatred may roar on our streets. But the Lion of Judah reigns forevermore.

Amen.