James 2:1-9 TPT
INTRODUCTION
As a younger minister I had an older minister (much older) make a statement to me one day that opened my eyes and made me realize that racism does exist in our world today and that I would have to work to heal it throughout my lifetime. The statement was this:
“Jonathan, the sooner you learn this the better off you will be. God created people differently. Some He created to jump. We find these in our sports institutions. In fact, they have an extra muscle in the calf of their leg that causes them to jump higher than white people. It’s the same muscle that a monkey has. These people were not created to think. White people were created to think. That’s why white people are smarter when it comes to business than any other race. The people that were created to play sports should just play sports and let the white people run the world.”
I WAS ENRAGED! He was serious. He believed this nonsense! I can’t begin to explain to you how angry this made me feel. And then to think… this individual claimed to be a minister of the gospel and wanted to be one of my mentors! Needless to say, we parted ways that day…
• Evil thoughts are sinful and lead us to act in ways that are sinful. Jesus says in Mark 7:21-23 “For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.”
• In light of all that has been going on in our world these last few weeks I have felt led to take on the subjects of Racism & Reconciliation today.
VIDEO ILLUSTRATION by Jackie Hill Perry – writer, speaker, and hip-hop artist – discusses how churches can seek to uproot the sins of racism and insensitivity that can persist in a church: by creating a community that values the image of God in all people.…
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/video/churches-can-address-hidden-feelings-prejudice-racism
I. RACISM
Racism – prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
A. Racism is the judgment of one person that he or she is better than another based on race. What does the Bible say about this?
1. Racism is a sin that has no place in the heart of a believer. As Christians we should work to dispel the hurt and the pain of racism in our society and promote the love of Jesus for all humanity. ALL LIVES MATTER
a. Red and Yellow, Black and White… We’re all precious in His sight… Jesus loves the little children (and the grown-ups) of the world!
B. God created “all men” and “every nation” and He is near to all of them! – Read Acts 17:24-27. There are other passages as well:
1. John 7:24 “Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment."
2. Romans 2:11 “For God does not show favoritism.”
3. Esteeming one race over another was/is not God’s will for humanity. We need to identify this racial injustice and work to get rid of it.
II. RACISM IS HATRED
Racism is rooted in hatred for another person based on race. Let’s see what the Bible says about hatred.
A. Hatred is a worldly activity.
1. John 15:18 - If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
2. Luke 6:22 - Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
B. We are commanded to love one another!
I John 4:20-21
20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1. Hatred is an emotion, an action and a choice. Hatred is Sin! It does not represent anything that is God-like or even God-approved.
I John 2:9-11
9. Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now.
10. Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin.
11. But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
2. It’s a challenge to identify and root out racial tendencies (especially in ourselves). But the sooner we identify these things, and take care of them, the better off God’s Church will be. “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” – I John 1:6.
III. RACISM, RECONCILIATION & HEALING
Reconcile – To renew. A change of heart and mind. Restore to favor.
The Ministry of Reconciliation – Read II Corinthians 5:17-21
A. Lakewood is a multicultural congregation. We have numerous people of different economic backgrounds, education levels, political parties, etc. Therefore – Lakewood Family can help our community heal and embrace one another!
1. Estrangement is part of the curse! On the contrary, WE ARE BLESSED!
2. We should love one another as Christ has loved us.
3. There’s a place for you at Lakewood!
B. Questions we should ask ourselves:
1. What can we do, as believers in Jesus Christ, to help our country that is reeling with injustice?
2. What would Jesus do?
3. Can I hear?
4. Is our mindset and subsequent actions (or inactivity) pleasing to our Heavenly Father?
C. Here are three things that we can do as believers THIS WEEK as we are confronted with the injustices of racism.
1. PRAY – How can prayer work if it’s never practiced?
a. Pray that God cleanses our hearts of racial attitudes, actions and beliefs.
b. Pray that God cleanses our churches of racial attitudes, actions and beliefs.
c. Pray for wisdom, healing & reconciliation.
d. Pray that the Scriptures are rightly divided and correctly interpreted in light of this subject.
2. LOVE – Is an action word!
a. Love your neighbors. Those sitting beside you, living beside you, working beside you, in the street and across the street!
b. Love regardless of race!
c. Love like Jesus and be willing to show it sacrificially.
d. Love without partiality or (dissemination)
3. WALK HONESTLY – Speak the Truth in Love
a. Believe and speak the truth about Racism, Reconciliation & Healing… even when its unpopular or not politically correct!
b. Believe, Speak and Model acceptance! The dissemination of truth has to start somewhere. Why can’t it be God’s Church???
c. Use Social Media to promote Reconciliation! Speak, Post & Write… words that heal. DO SO IN LOVE! In this way you are performing the “Ministry of Reconciliation.”
d. BE BOLD BUT COMPASSIONATE!
e. BE WISE AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING HEART!
f. BE OPEN TO BOTH HEAR AND SPEAK TRUTH FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE!
Romans 13:12-14
12. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Zechariah 8:16-17
16. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
ALTAR CALL
• Salvation
• Corporate prayer for God to heal our land
