Christians have struggled with how they should respond to the recent death of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. Many are relieved that a person who was responsible for so much pain, death, and destruction is no longer able to hurt people. Many also are uncomfortable with celebrating someone’s death, no matter how wicked that person was during his life. How should we love an enemy when that enemy is dangerous and needs to be stopped? Next week we’ll talk through these issues and look at what it means to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors as Jesus commanded. Key Scriptures: Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 18:33–19:4; Ezekiel 33:10-20; Matthew 5:43-48. Lady Gaga’s controversial new song and video “Judas” have put the notorious disciple back into the spotlight. The song’s lyrics are about being in love with “Judas,” whom Gaga says represents bad choices, regrets, and people who have hurt and betrayed us. In that sense, all of us have been “in love with Judas.” Lady Gaga’s solution to being infatuated with things that are bad for us is “honoring your darkness in order to bring yourself into the light.” As Christians, we know that we don’t have the power to bring ourselves into the light, and that we must rely on Christ to rescue us from darkness.
