The world is all the powers of opposition against God and Christ. The kingdom of Satan is in the world. The world is man fallen in sin and lying under the curse. The world is the false church that rejects the truth and ascribes more power and authority to her decrees than to the word of God. In the world the dear church of God shall have tribulation.

No wonder. The wicked are like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. No peace, says my God, to the wicked. In the world and outside of Christ is only darkness, enmity against God, and hatred of Christ and the truth. Seeing the eternal power and Godhead manifested unto them in all creation, the world insanely holds the truth under in unrighteousness. So the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against that ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Such also is God’s purpose: to leave all men without excuse.

That all men might be shut up to the revelation of the glory of God in Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. So the gospel comes as light to poor, ignorant, damnworthy sinners. But the darkness comprehends it not.

So the gospel came to the Jews. The gospel came in the flesh, even Jesus Christ, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and in whom all of God’s promises are yes and amen. Nothing so stirred up and unified the world like the presence of Christ. Can you imagine more unlikely allies in wickedness than Pilate, Herod, and the Sanhedrin? Jews and Gentiles came together to revile and crucify the Lord of glory, to break God’s yoke from them, and to cast his bands asunder.

Folly! If they had known God’s wisdom, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. In passing sentence for his crucifixion, they condemned themselves. The bruising of Christ’s heel crushed Satan’s head and his seed. The stone the builders refused became the head stone of the corner! King of kings, lord of lords, head of his church. God put all things under his feet.

Crucified and risen, he poured out his Spirit on his church. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the Lord. Christ in his people and they in him. In him, made one body and one plant with him, they have peace: peace of conscience; peace with God; unspeakable peace that passes understanding; assurance of their salvation, of God’s love, of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice to cover all their sins; and the hope of eternal life. They live and cannot die!

By his word that he speaks to them. The gospel is not to them a mere word, but in power, the means by which Christ speaks peace to their hearts. In him peace!

In the world tribulation.

Bitter, heart-wrenching, relentless tribulation for any who bear his name and speak his truth. A great fight of afflictions will come to them. They will be made a gazingstock by reproaches and afflictions. They will be abused with the most shameful epithets. Their motives will be maligned; their message shouted down; their names run through the mud by the most venomous speech; Satan will raise against them threats, violence, and persecution. The master of lies will devise against God’s word wicked counsels and cunning traps.

But be of good cheer. God has overcome the world! Hallelujah! O death, where is thy sting; O grave, where is thy victory? He has been your plagues, O Satan, O sin, O death and terrible grave! The world has been judged. Satan has been cast out and his head crushed. The victory has been won. The gates of hell cannot prevail against God’s church. The outcome of this contest is not in doubt. God will destroy all the works of the devil. Christ’s kingdom advances straight on until the day he will appear and make all things new.