What's going on?

I was driving south on 395 around noon last Friday when a string of brake lights signaled traffic had stopped. Ahead, a truck dangled on the median cable divide, perpendicular to the highway. In the middle of the northbound lane, a man eluded apprehension by a sheriff’s deputy and had to be wrestled to the ground.

The next morning, we all read of a murder at the Lake’s Hard Rock Café, with our county deputies once again risking their lives to apprehend two armed suspects.

Earlier last week, an armed robbery was reported at Home Depot.

What’s going on?

We are so grateful for our sheriff’s deputies, who risk their own lives to protect ours daily. Thankfully, none of them were hurt in these incidents, but that doesn’t minimize the danger they faced.

We’re not accustomed to violent incidents like these in our valley. It’s easy, in response, to seek someone to blame. “It must be people from a certain location, people from a particular ethnic or economic background, who are causing these problems.”

But the deeper issue was already here— and in any other location we might reside.

The problem that often disturbs our peace arises not from outside us, but from within. While violent crime may not be a daily fact of our lives, behaviors like anger, deceit, and general selfishness certainly are.

Jesus Christ once identified the real source of these disturbing issues: “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” (Matthew 15:19 NLT).

This universal problem is identified as sin, a falling short of God’s perfect standard for our lives. Our sin may not be as outrageous as the criminal acts we’ve witnessed recently, but it’s just as real.

Sin separates people from each other, and us from our Creator. Even worse, there’s nothing we can do to eradicate its presence, nor its toxic effects.

Thankfully, God has dealt with this universal problem for us! The apostle Paul pinpoints how this good news is proclaimed through three historical events: “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, died as the perfect Substitute for our sins— mine and yours. He was buried: His death was verified by the Roman government, the most powerful authority of the time. And Jesus rose from the dead, just as the Old Testament said He would, to show that our sin debt was paid in full.

Forgiveness and a brand-new life become ours when we believe in Jesus and follow Him.

Next week, local churches will be remembering Jesus’ death and celebrating His resurrection in a variety of ways. Check out the evidence for these historical events, consider joining one of these remembrances… and reflect on the impact this good news can have on your life

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Don Baumann is a member of the Carson Valley Ministers’ Association.