Racist and Irrelevant?
Irrelevant? • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 views4 out of 5 churches are over 80% mono-racial. Historically, many evangelical churches were on the “wrong” side of the civil rights movement, and many feel that is still Christianity today. Jesus confronted racism in his community and showed how someone who is “other” can be the best neighbor.
Notes
Transcript
Racism and Christianity
Racism and Christianity
We are facing hard questions that captures some of the opinions of people outside these walls. We want to engage them and give a response.
[Picture of C. Hitchens]
[Picture of C. Hitchens]
quote on the slide: The late Christopher Hitchens said this about religion, “[It is] Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children…”
From Ron’s manuscript: “He concludes that the world would be a much better place without religion. It is this view that it is the religion itself and its followers that continue to cause racism to spread and we have come to a point in our sociological evolution when we no longer need the crutch of old fairy tales. Christianity is made irrelevant because of the racism it propagates.”
This is a harsh judgment of religions, including Christianity, and a judgment that an increasing number of people in America would agree with.
I think it’s important to note that this time to preach the Word of God in church is not an opportunity for me to throw around political talking points just as quickly debated on CNN or Fox News.
I want us to wrestle with this question with a humble curiosity and sadness - how could it be?
[slide] Today we will focus on this question: is Christianity racist and irrelevant?
[slide] Today we will focus on this question: is Christianity racist and irrelevant?
The Late Christopher Hitchens, a famous atheist thought leader says this about religion, “[It is] Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children…”
He says this about religion, “[It is] Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children…”
This is a harsh judgment of religions, including Christianity, and a judgment that an increasing number of people in America would agree with.
This is a harsh judgment of religions, including Christianity, and a judgment that an increasing number of people in America would agree with.
And he’s in part right. Christians have historically participated and propagated racist ideologies, most obviously recorded in the last 500 years.
[transition] I have always wondered how Christians justified enslavement of certain people groups.
[transition] I have always wondered how Christians justified enslavement of certain people groups.
The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America
The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America
I want us to wrestle with this question with a humble curiosity and sadness - how could it be?
4 out of 5 churches are over 80% mono-racial. Historically, many evangelical churches were on the “wrong” side of the civil rights movement, and many feel that is still Christianity today. Jesus confronted racism in his community and showed how someone who is “other” can be the best neighbor.
Today, we wrestle with the question - are Christians Racist and Irrelevant to the pains of Racism today in American History?
In some ways - the answer is yes.
The answer, in part, is yes.
The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America
The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America
[picture of the journal]
According to historian Gerald Francis De Jong’s “Church History” he has a journal titled, “The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America”
The Dutch Reformed in America received most of their guidance and governance from the church leaders in the Classis of Amsterdam.
Reverent Capitein would argue “that although masters had to treat their slaves kindly, slavery was not contrary to Christian ethics. Capitein declared that there are no specific injunctions against slavery. Capitein would quote 7
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
There was a spiritual argument made to deem slavery as okay.
There was a spiritual argument made to deem slavery as okay biblically.
[Slide] Capitein would say that it is “spiritual freedom from sin and not bodily freedom from slavery that really mattered.”
In the name of making only the spiritual matter, some Christians did not feel the need to free anyone bodily. A similar line of thinking might be that God doesn’t promise physical bread, but spiritual bread, so we need not feed the hungry.
And to add
The topic of slavery would eventually become hotly debated and politically divisive - so ministers would largely avoid talking about it beyond telling masters to be kind to their slaves.
Furthermore, The Classis in Amsterdam was told by a
The topic of slavery would eventually become hotly debated and politically divisive - so ministers would largely avoid talking about it beyond telling masters to be kind to their slaves.
Over the decades, some Christian people would push back and make arguments that if a black slave became a Christian, it should make them free. Some Ministers and Christians hindered teaching Black slaves Christian doctrine for fear that, i quote, “the parents want nothing else than to deliver their children from bodily slavery, without striving for piety and Christian Virtues” (De Jong 430). Slaves would simply become Christians diengenuously - accepting the faith, not for Christ, but so that they or their children could be free.
[transition] So how would this argument evolve from the 1700s to 1900s?
This is tragic.
THE KKK
THE KKK
Lament
Some would say yes - because Christians have historically defended and supported racist ideologies.
Beginning in the
In 1915, Methodist Preacher William Joseph Simmons and 15 other men climbed Stone mountain in Georgia. They built an altar, under which was a sword, a cross on fire, and a Bible - the men took an oath of allegiance to the “Invisible Empire” and announced the revival of this organization... yes - the Ku Klux Klan.
Methodist Preacher William Joseph Simmons and 15 other men climbed Stone mountain in Georgia. They built an altar, set fire to a cross, took an oath of allegiance to the “Invisible Empire” and announced the revival of the Ku Klux Klan. Beneath the altar was a burning cross, a sword, and a Holy Bible.
Methodist Preacher William Joseph Simmons and 15 other men climbed Stone mountain in Georgia. They built an altar, under which was a sword, a cross on fire, and a Bible - the men took an oath of allegiance to the “Invisible Empire” and announced the revival of this organization... yes - the Ku Klux Klan.
[slide] of picture of WJS
Restricting membership to white Christians, the Klan wore white robes to symbolize “purity,” burned crosses to signify “the Light of Christ” and picked selective scriptures from the Bible to preach white supremacy.
and this scene
[picture of KKK in churches]
Restricting membership to white Christians, the Klan wore white robes to symbolize “purity,” burned crosses to signify “the Light of Christ” and picked selective scriptures from the Bible to preach white supremacy.
Restricting membership to white Christians, the Klan wore white robes to symbolize “purity,” burned crosses to signify “the Light of Christ” and picked selective scriptures from the Bible to preach white supremacy.
And this scene of the KKK processing in and out of churches is far too common in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
I won’t get into how Racism is still at work in various ways today
In Gerald Francis De Jong’s “Church History” he has a journal titled, “The Dutch Reformed Church and Negro Slavery in Colonial America”
a world where Christians and pastors have practiced racist and ethnic supremacy ideologies.
The Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement
In this Journal written in 1971,
This is grievous.
This is tragic.
I lament that so many churches, that may not have welcomed the KKK within their walls, were complicit in their silence and refusal to stand up for people of color during, before and after the Civil Rights Movement. Now I could recount different stories of Christians being racist, but I want to make a simple point - Christians or Church leaders have defended the treatment and dehumanization of certain people from different places on earth.
Now I could go on and on about different stories but I think we get the point - Christians or Church leaders have defended the treatment and dehumanization of certain people from different places on earth.
And so we lament - the 25 million men and women torn away from Africa alone, sold by west african countries for slave labor in america and europe.
Lament
Lament
And so we lament.
I am sad that Christians see a problem in sharing blocks with Arabic people.
And so we lament.
Lament
Lament
Lament is when we choose to grieve and express sorrow for the pains people have caused others. We are lamenting how others have slandered the name of Jesus through racism.
Today, we wrestle with the question - are Christians Racist and Irrelevant to the Race catastrophe in American History?
You may be wondering - why are we lamenting something we personally never did?
2 reasons: First, in a similar way that we grieve the tragedies of the past, be it memorial day or moments of silence on Sept. 11th, we remember and lament these tragedies.
Second, we have biblical reason for us to lament for the sins of other people claiming the name of Christ. Ezra, lamenting the sins of the people who for the sake of beautiful wives bowed down to other gods, though he himself had not bowed to other Gods, responds this way
It’s important to note that the Prophets of the Old Testament - though they themselves did not commit the sins of the people, would confess to God on behalf of the people, using WE language - because they understood that rebellion, sin is a communal movement.
saying:
“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.
O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.
Our iniquities - Ezra confess to God on behalf of the people, using WE language - because he understood that rebellion and sin affect the community. It pains and burdens us all. When grieving the pain, the prophet carries the sin on himself and comes to God pleading for mercy.
Lament is how we release, it’s the catharsis of the communal collective pain.
Lament is how we release, it’s the catharsis of our communal pain.
Matt would you lead us in response.
Matt would you lead us in response.
Please join me in lamenting how Christians have historically and currently contribute
[song] Thank you matt for leading us in that lament.
It’s important to note that the Prophets of the Old Testament - though they themselves did not commit the sins of the people, would confess to God on behalf of the people, using WE language - because they understood that rebellion, sin is a communal movement - something that when one or a group do something in their common name or religion, it grieves and convicts us all.
[song] Thank you matt for leading us in that lament.
[song] Thank you matt for leading us in that lament.
asf
sad
Nations of the Reformation participating
Nations of the Reformation participating
Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, England, France, West Africa - all countries with strong Christian origins, particularly protestant origins in the 1500 and 1600 hundreds - and despite the spread of Protestantism throughout Europe, these countries would be pivotal to ensuring that 10-12 million African slaves would be shipped along the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade
And so we lament
Puritans Prosperity Gospel
Puritans Prosperity Gospel
The Puritans read themselves into the scriptures too closely - they deemed that they were God’s chosen race, and that the africans were God’s chosen servants of their race, and the Indians were in the way of the manifest destiny - the promise of American prosperity. This is the original prosperity gospel.
The Puritans read themselves into the scriptures too closely - they deemed that they were God’s chosen race, and that the africans were God’s chosen servants of their race, and the Indians were in the way of the manifest destiny - the promise of American prosperity.
Thank you matt for leading us in that lament.
I want to make three laments
Christians take the promise of God, bend them on themselves, and in the process, have to give reason why other differfent people are the means by which they get those promises.
The Caste System of America - separate but equal
The Caste System of America - separate but equal
I lament that Christian business owners took advantage of Chinese, and African slaves, and today, are on the backs of migrant underpaid workers.
How Could We?
How Could We?
We discussed one of the theological reasons that people used to justify enslaving other human beings. I want to touch on two deep underlying emotions that I think were at play then.
Some would say that they were people of their times. Slavery, racism, and the pillaging of people was not normal - it was a catastrophe of a market economy that needed laborers and found a way to buy or steal labor for cheap from West African nations.
We discussed the theological reasoning earlier, but how could Christians, ministers, churches, turn a blind eye at best and participate in racism and slavery at worst?
Some of us are wondering - how could Christians, ministers, churches, turn a blind eye at best and participate in racism at worst?
West African tribal leaders would sell fellow country men, even though they must have known that it would not bode well for the long-term prosperity of their land.
I lament in the Civil Rights Movement - Christians were at war with each other, one side seeking to advance the liberty and dignity of Black Americans and the other seeking to prevent it.
Three Notes of Lament:
I lament that Christian Law makers put japanese elderly, women, and children in harsh conditions of internment camps during World War II.
Many of the World’s problems
Let’s first acknowledge and lament the reality of racism.
The first question is something deep within us all.
I lament in the Civil Rights Movement - Christians were at war with each other, one side seeking to advance the liberty and dignity of Black Americans and the other seeking to prevent it.
The first question is something deep within us all.
Greed and Fear.
Is it fair to judge the entirety
The early white settlers Some of what may have been at play in the slave trade is when greed and money and the promise of wealth, which enabled people to oppress one another to get this wealth due to a need for labor. This is not just a Christian problem - this is a human problem. Slavery existed in the very first civilization of Sumer in Mesopotamia in 3500 BC and we have record of slaves in the Hammurabi Codes - one of the earliest written legal codes from 1792 BC.
Secondly, fear. Ministers, families, were complicit or silent due to fear. Fear of rocking the boat, fear of angering powerful people.
One of the tenents of the KKK is being white, being a man, and being a Christian.
While most are not members of the KKK
Greed and fear drive humanity to forget its humanity or exalt one over the other - and those two factors are still within us today which is why Christians can continue to be influenced by racist ideas and biases today.
Greed and fear will be what are played to in every situation where you are being convinced to dehumanize, judge, oppress, ignore, or push out another human being.
Cornel West’s
[transition] So we come to this question:
3 EXAMPLES OF HOW RACISM HAS BEEN AT WORK IN AMERICA AND IN THE WORLD:
we lament towards GOd. Who could or should or has done something. 15 min.
Does Christianity Have a Relevant Response to these sins done in Jesus Name?
Does Christianity Have a Relevant Response to these sins done in Jesus Name?
Underlying emotions that were at play.
And how Jesus never seems to embody that sort of emotional behavior and met people at shared needs.
Furthermore, “until New Netherland fell to the English in 1664, most of the minsters were dependent for their salaries on the West India Company, which drew much of its profit from slavery and the slave trade” (De Jong 426).
FEAR - socially speaking
GREED - money, i can take advantage of someone. It’s the dominance and death of someone’s humanity in the name of acquiring resource.
Cornel West’s
I think it’s important to note that this time to preach the Word of God in church is not an opportunity for me to throw around political talking points just as quickly debated on CNN or Fox News.
I think it’s important to note that this time to preach the Word of God in church is not an opportunity for me to throw around political talking points just as quickly debated on CNN or Fox News.
Cornel West’s
He says this about religion, “[It is] Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children…”
From Ron’s manuscript: “He concludes that the world would be a much better place without religion. It is this view that it is the religion itself and its followers that continue to cause racism to spread and we have come to a point in our sociological evolution when we no longer need the crutch of old fairy tales. Christianity is made irrelevant because of the racism it propagates.”
This is a harsh judgment of religions, including Christianity, and a judgment that an increasing number of people in America would agree with.
I think it’s important to note that this time to preach the Word of God in church is not an opportunity for me to throw around political talking points just as quickly debated on CNN or Fox News.
I have four responses:
I have four responses:
The Sins of Christians Do not Nullify the Purposes of God
The Sins of Christians Do not Nullify God’s Purposes
The Sins of Christians Do not Nullify God’s Purposes
The Liberating Power of Deeper Christianity
The Hope of Repentance
The language and rhetoric of racism and ethnic biases are sin and must be eliminated from the life of the believer
Human Equality and Multi-Ethnic Worship was Jesus’ Idea
The Hope of Repentance
The language and rhetoric of racism and ethnic biases are sin and must be eliminated from the life of the believer
The Sins of Christians Do Not Nullify the Purposes of God
The Sins of Christians Do Not Nullify the Purposes of God
The sins of humanity does not thwart God’s grace
God can and does work in and through people who have grievous and terrible sins.
God can and does work in and through people who have grievous and terrible sins. It doesn’t mean they weren’t believers in Christ - it means that God’s grace and power works through imperfect people.
Martin Luther, the first reformer of the protestant church, had prejudice against Jewish people.
Jonathan Edwards - arguably the greatest american theologian, the man credited with sparking the first great awakening of faith in America - from which the abolitionist movement would come - HE was a slave owner.
Jonathan Edwards - arguably the greatest american theologian, the man credited with the first great awakening of faith in America - from which the abolitionist movement would come, owned a slave.
Saint Augustine, arguably the greatest theologian of Christian faith was a sex addict
Martin Luther King Jr., the champion of the Civil Rights Movement and non-violent protest, was a serial adulterer.
Does this mean that the purposes of Jesus through those people are destroyed because of their lack of integrity? Their sins, though glaring, are not beyond the forgiveness of God. And if that’s true for them it’s really good news for us.
Jesus does not guarantee that his followers will be without sin - he guarantees to bear their sin. And he does so much more, which we will get to later.
A
God’s plans are purposes are not nullified by the sins of people, particularly sins of God’s people. We see that in , Joseph’s brother’s sell him into slavery in Egypt, but God’s not done.
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Now this isn’t to equate that God used or uses racism for God’s good, so as to justify people’s sin - but what this verse does is to help us see that God is more powerfully good than I am powerfully evil x2. All of humanity’s EVIL - is not stronger than an ounce of God’s powerful goodness. And even in our collective greed and fear that has led us to terrible acts of violence, God is still God, and that’s better news for the hurting, enslaved, and oppressed.
15 min.
Second point I want to make about Christianity’s relevance to the :
The Liberating Power of Deeper Christianity
The Liberating Power of Deeper Christianity
William Wilberforce would be the leading abolitionist in the English parliament, advocating for full freedom for African slaves held in England.
He was a force for good in the English government, wrote one primary book. Anyone want to guess what book William Wilberforce wrote?
“A Practical View on Christianity” 1797 - a book on Christian doctrine - not on social change or the ills of slavery - but on the importance of Jesus and how that leads us to care deeply about EVERYTHING. William Wilberforce did not abandon his Christian faith and appeal to philosophy, he dove deeper and deeper into Christian faith.
A book on Christian doctrine - not on social change or the ills of slavery - but on the importance of Jesus. William Wilberforce did not abandon his CHristian faith to refute racism, he went deeper into it.
John Newton, author of the hymn, “Amazing Grace,” who was once a slave trader, became a pastor and started to deeply regret his involvement in slavery and he was resolved to seek its ending. John Newton would eventually pastor the young William Wilberforce, and when Wilberforce was contemplating leaving politics for the ministry, Newton encouraged him to stay in Parliament and "serve God where he was". Wilberforce took his advice, and spent the rest of his life working towards the abolition of slavery. Newton and Wilberforce went deeper into Christianity!
The same is true of Martin Luther King Jr., the Quakers of Philadelphia in 1696, John Wesley of England in 1774, - all of them became major voices in the liberation abolitionist movement, not because they abandoned Christianity and adopted secular ideologies. They went deeper into Christian doctrine and theology.
There is liberating power in Christianity - in fact - if the doctrine of Jesus doesn’t lead to liberating captives, be it of their own sins or the sins of others, then we aren’t truly diving into Jesus!
Here is the doctrine that were and will continue to be the foundation of the Christian Liberation and Abolitionist Movement
Every human is made bearing the image of God - beautifully and wonderfully made, made with a purpose to be in flourishing relationships with creator and creation. The image that we all bear means that every human is full of the dignity, value and worth derived from the God who made us - How does this liberate? BECAUSE HOW YOU TREAT OTHER HUMAN BEINGS IS A REFLECTION OF HOW YOU VIEW GOD’S VERY IMAGE.
The call of Jesus takes us beyond the do unto others as other’s would do unto you. The image of God within every human being roots us in a GOD-CENTERED ETHIC: This is, what you do unto others, you do unto God - the one who made them. If you insult, murder, mock, enslave, buy and sell like animals - you do all these unto the one whose image they bear.
When reading the Old Testament - the story portrays a God favoring one nation over all the others. But this is key - God chose a people for a purpose not a privilege x2
They looked at the foundational verse of how all humans are made in the image of God. God would chose Israel to not enslave the nations, but bless the nations, and be a nation of priests, serving, caring, and pastoring the world.
God doesn’t choose Abraham because he thought he was better than everyone else. God chose Abraham and established the nation of Israel, not so they could enslave other nations, but according to - Abraham and his descendants exist so that- ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED. They were blessed to be a blessing! They were called to be a nation of priests, preaching good news, serving, caring for the world. And it’s when they forgot this calling that EVERYTHING would go wrong over and over and over.
Moving to the New Testament - Jesus and his subsequent followers dedicate much of their writings trying to help Jews unlearn the ethnic supremacy that they developed over time.
Just briefly, we see this in , and 10 which all portray Samaritans, a people despised in the Jewish mindset, portrayed by Jesus in a POSITIVE and redeeming light. Or which shows the that Jews and Non-Jews sharing a common ground - imperfect people who have fallen short and who need God’s salvation, and - which demonstrates how Gentiles, or non-Jews were receiving Jesus Christ fasting than Jews who should have been anticipating the Messiah. Further more, early Christians advocated for the release of their friends from servitude in .
And this liberating tendency would continue beyond the early church. Christians did not invent slavery in the 1600s. Christians fell to the human the forces of evil, greed, and fear and tried on the disgusting clothes of humanity’s fallen history. But early Christians in Philemon verses 15-16 would labor for the release of some of the peers from bondservitude to the place of beloved brother.
It’s this liberating power of Jesus that would continue beyond the early church. Early Christians would work hard to undo social hindrances placed on people by the Romans and by 400s some Christians communities would be known for opposing slavery in various towns that they entered throughout cities surrounding the mediterranean sea. Christians did not invent slavery in the 1600s. Christians fell to the human the forces of evil, greed, and fear and tried on the disgusting clothes of humanity’s fallen history - the oppression of one race over another.
I am multi-ethnic - the product of an italian-swedish man who married a filipino woman - who from both sides of the family were warned not to do it - they found some common ground in their shared faith in Jesus.
I am multi-ethnic - the product of an italian-swedish man who married a filipino woman - who from both sides of the family were warned not to do it - they found some common ground in their shared faith in Jesus.
For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Which brings me to my third point where we slow down in :
Christianity has historically been an abolitionist movement.
Human Equality and Multi-Ethnic Worship was Jesus’ Idea
Human Equality and Multi-Ethnic Worship was Jesus’ Idea
Paul is writing to a group of new Christians in Asia Minor that are likely wrestling with Jews and non-Jews working together.
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
this is it - the mystery of Christ - which has now be revealed in a NEW way through Jesus… drum roll!
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
We read this today and it’s kind of pedestrian - cool - the church is a place for all sorts of people - isn’t that nice?
John Ortberg I think captures this in a way that i found incredibly relevant to the conversation about racism.
John Ortberg says this - In the ancient world, there were nations, guilds, tribal religions, philosophical schools, but the church was none of these.
“In the ancient world, there were nations, guilds, tribal religions, philosophical schools, but the church was none of these.
describes the following reality that I find incredibly relevant to the conversation about racism. In the ancient world, there were nations, guilds, tribal religions, philosophical schools, but the church was none of these.
Where, before the church, was there a movement that ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO INCLUDE EVERY human being, regardless of ethnicity, status, wealth or gender, to be a single transformational community.
Not only had there never been a community like this before, THERE HAD NEVER BEEN THE IDEA of a community like this before.”
And in the church - Paul says this in Col. 3:11
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
John Ortberg, pastor theologian, said that, the IDEA of human equality rooted Here is the point that Jesus is revealing - ALL ETHNIC GROUPS ARE MEMBERS OF THE SAME BODY and FAMILY, and SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE LOVE OF A FAMILY.
so again, we return to
John Ortberg says this - In the ancient world, there were nations, guilds, tribal religions, philosophical schools, but the church was none of these.
Another way to put this is the idea of human equality and desire for humanity to work together - is a given in moral societies… but where did this idea come from.
Ortberg is essentially arguing IDEA of human equality rooted Here is the point that Jesus is revealing - ALL ETHNIC GROUPS ARE MEMBERS OF THE SAME BODY and FAMILY, and SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE LOVE OF A FAMILY.
NO OTHER worldview, philosophy, religion IN HISTORY - had ever taught the equality of all humans and their unity as HEIRS of the promises and love of God.
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
can I share with you just some beautiful verses on this promise of Jesus?
this is it - the mystery of Christ - which has now be revealed in a NEW way through Jesus… drum roll!
:
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
We read this today and it’s kind of pedestrian - cool - the church is a place for all sorts of people - isn’t that nice?
Another way to put this is the idea of human equality and desire for humanity to work together - is a given in moral societies… but where did this idea come from.
THere is no greek or jew, barbian or scythian, slave or free, CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL.
Another way to put this is the idea of human equality and desire for humanity to work together - is a given in moral societies… but where did this idea come from.
NO OTHER worldview, philosophy, religion IN HISTORY - had ever taught the equality of all humans and their unity as HEIRS of the promises and love of God.
Hear me, Multi-ethnic
and what was this promise?
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
Ephesians 2:
Ephesians 2:
what did this one body through the cross look like?
Go with me to
Scripture:
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.
; , revelation 7:9
Samaritans were in the middle.
The Jericho road was used, on the east side, to avoid going through Samaria.
The Jericho road was dangerous,
, revelation 7:9
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
The Priests, the Levites who are supposed to be holy special people.
Then this lowly samaritan - this idea of the “good samaritan is an oxymoron.”
Revelation
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
revelation 7:9
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
Oneness is the longing of our heart.
For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that he gave to me for you? The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. So then I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus is seeking to bring oneness to all through His body.
What we all ultimately want isn’t that certain races would be punished and enslaved - we don’t ultimately want retribution - we want restoration. We want the value dignity and worth of all humanity to be restored.
and some of this restoration, I believe, can be seen in how Christianity is the most diverse religion on the planet, growing fastest in Africa and Asia, in both poor and rich areas, not due to imperialism, but due to Asians sharing the gospel with other Asians in an underground church movement - because this is the mystery of God’s plan - to unite the whole earth - not under a flag or a regime
Jesus is seeking to bring oneness to all.
but to unite the whole earth standing before the thrown worshipping our God who sits on the throne.
That’s why I believe Christianity is growing fastest in Africa and Asia.
Christianity is growing fastest in Africa and Asia.
Invite Robin Philips
Invite Robin Philips
My own multi-cultural story?
I now want to invite Robin Philips to share some of her story. Robin is a friend I met in the Chamber of Commerce and I think her story will hit home for many of us and maybe show us some of the tangible ways forward.
Robin’s story brings me to my fourth point -
Repentance as a Christian Virtue
Repentance as a Christian Virtue
Repentance as a Christian Virtue
Repentance as a Christian Virtue
When we consider Robin’s story - don’t you wish you could have been the family in her community that helped her clean the trash, that invited Robin over for dinner or who confronted that one family who wanted her out?
But most people were silent.
My last point is the power and hope of CHRISTIAN REPENTANCE.
Spirit-born repentance.
We cannot be a community that remains silent.
We must be willing to repent of anything that gets in the way of seeing Revelation 7:9
We must stand against language and rhetoric of racism and ethnic biases are sin and must be eliminated from the life of the believer. We must seek to listen and labor to understand how racism is still at work in our communities today.
At our prayer meeting Steven Buttice said this as we prayed over - he said, that he doesn’t want to have to wait until the end of time to see the nations and peoples and languages worshipping in one place. His prayer is that we’d see it here - and its a prayer that inspired me. Do you long, with me and Steven, that this place would be a small glimpse of ? All sorts of different people, united in worship?
Are we willing to repent and be open to different ways that may open doors to different cultures? Are we willing to go preach the gospel, maybe as over seas missionaries, or at the very least to the nations that are over the next block.
So - are Christians racist and irrelevant?
We have acknowledged that Christians have played a role in racist human history, but we also see that going DEEPER INTO CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE is actually the beginning of the hope of the world, and the hope of the world ends with every tribe nation and tongue JOINED TOGETHER - again, not under a flag - but in worship.
We have acknowledged that Christians have played a role in racist human history, but we also see that going DEEPER INTO CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE is actually the beginning of the hope of the world, and the hope of the world ends with every tribe nation and tongue JOINED TOGETHER - again, not under a flag - but in worship.
Racist - yes - when blinded by greed and fear, all humans, including Christians - have and are racist.
We don’t want to have to wait for the end of the earth to see this accomplished - HOW AMAZING WOULD IT BE FOR THIS CHURCH TO BE AN INCREASING PICTURE OF ALL NATIONS worshipping our good God?
But irrelevant? Anything but. Because it was Jesus’ idea to end it - THROUGH WORSHIP.
Let’s pray -
Prayers of the people
LOrd I pray for those who have felt the pains of racism and prejudice - that you would comfort them.
Lord I pray for those who were silent in the face of prejudice - that you would bring conviction and repentance.
Lord I pray for those in other nations united in the worship of Jesus but fearful of the government that makes worshipping or converting to Jesus illegal - we pray for boldness and courage to seek love over safety.
Lord I pray for those hurting and sick and hospitalized - that they would experience the healing love of Jesus.
Lord I pray for those struggling to make bills and for those who struggle to find friends.
Lord I pray for those wrestling with mental illness and obsessive thoughts.
Lord we pray for your presence to be even more important than our comforts.
So let’s now gather in worship.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Scripture:
Samaritans were in the middle.
The Jericho road was used, on the east side, to avoid going through Samaria.
The Jericho road was dangerous,
The Priests, the Levites who are supposed to be holy special people.
Then this lowly samaritan - this idea of the “good samaritan is an oxymoron.”
The highest thing someone can say in the room is “smartest”
The person who has facts that seem to turn the conversation on its head.
For example, many would say racism doesn’t exist today. That we’ve resolved it and now everyone should just get along.
Christians intermixed the world’s priorities.
Extra:
Over the decades, some Christian people would push back and make arguments that if a black slave became a Christian, it should make them free. Some Ministers and Christians hindered teaching Black slaves Christian doctrine for fear that, i quote, “the parents want nothing else than to deliver their children from bodily slavery, without striving for piety and Christian Virtues” (De Jong 430). Slaves would simply become Christians diengenuously - accepting the faith, not for Christ, but so that they or their children could be free.
Self-examination
Self-Interrogation
Cornel West
Before you can discuss race, Cornel West says you must first look at what it means to be human.
To be human, he says, is to learn how to die.
While this may be true, it is also learning how to live.
Ethnic supremacy is seen everywhere.
Christian or Islamic nations who forget the humanity of Jewish people.
And when Jewish people move back to Israel and forget the humanity of Palestinians…
Ethnic supremacy is seen everywhere.
Listen to any state of the union - republic or democrat - the United States is a magical place of prosperity and beauty.
The judaic command to spread hesed - lovingingkindess to the vulnerable, you will shed tears.
There has never been a race problem. There have been catastrophes committed against people.
And what we have in poverty today are the repercussions of
Nations of the Reformation participating
Nations of the Reformation participating
Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, England, France, West Africa - all countries with strong Christian origins, particularly protestant origins in the 1500 and 1600 hundreds - and despite the spread of Protestantism throughout Europe, these countries would be pivotal to ensuring that 10-12 million African slaves would be shipped along the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade
And so we lament
Puritans Prosperity Gospel
Puritans Prosperity Gospel
The Puritans read themselves into the scriptures too closely - they deemed that they were God’s chosen race, and that the africans were God’s chosen servants of their race, and the Indians were in the way of the manifest destiny - the promise of American prosperity. This is the original prosperity gospel.
Christians take the promise of God, bend them on themselves, and in the process, have to give reason why other differfent people are the means by which they get those promises.
The Caste System of America - separate but equal
The Caste System of America - separate but equal
I lament in the Civil Rights Movement - Christians were at war with each other, one side seeking to advance the liberty and dignity of Black Americans and the other seeking to prevent it.