“ON STAR” GUIDANCE SYSTEM– Part Two
Immigration: The Real Issue of Boundaries and Borders
Deuteronomy 10:16-22 - ©Dr. Larry L. Thompson
INTRODUCTION
60 years ago, after the PT 109 boat was destroyed and the 11 survivors swam to a nearby island, a young JFK walked back out into shark infested waters with a battery-powered strobe to try to signal for help and to rescue a fellow soldier.
As we lift the strobe light of God’s Word today, this sermon ventures out into some shark infested waters; today we will continue our “ON STAR” series by addressing an issue that seems to make national news on a daily occurrence. Today we seek biblical direction on the issue of Immigration. Open your Bibles to our key text today: Deut. 10:16-22 – We will read this text shortly:
1. CLARIFYING IMMIGRATION (Deut. 10:16-19)
We understand immigration is one of the most difficult issues in our nation today; however, we must first establish the premise and remind ourselves that America is an Immigrant Nation! We are a nation of immigrants just as God reminded Israel that too were immigrants in Egypt.
“Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.” Deut. 10:16-19
The arguments regarding immigration today seem to obscure rather than clarify the issue of this very difficult question. For instance; it is important to clarify the definition of terms that I will use in this morning’s ON-STAR message.
Immigration: An individual who enters and settles in a country or region to which they are not native. The United States admits between 700,000 and 900,000 legal immigrants each year.
Illegal Immigration: An individual moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently without the government’s authority or without legal documents permitting the individual to settle in that country. There are 12 million illegal immigrants in America today and that number is growing by 500,000 annually.
The real issue that is confronting our President and our Congress is the issue of illegal immigration and the potential impact this has on our nation. The National Research Council has estimated that the net fiscal cost of immigration in the United States ranges from $11 billion to $22 billion per year.
In less than 50 years, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that immigration will cause the population of the United States to increase from its present 288 million to more than 400 million. Immigration accounts for virtually all of the national increase in public school enrollment over the last two decades. In 2005, there were 10.3 million school age children from immigrant families in the United States.
The issue of illegal immigration really begin to be a major political issue following the 9/11 terrorist attack on America. Suddenly, immigration that was once considered almost an “open border policy,” was now given immediate attention by our government. All of the 9/11 highjackers were considered illegal and according to our immigration laws would have been denied visas.
Center for Immigration Studies Director of Research, Dr. Steven Camarota explains that: “Because every part of our immigration system has been exploited by terrorists, we cannot reform just one area, but must address the problems that exist throughout. The solution is not to single out Middle Easterners for exclusion or selective enforcement. Instead we need to more carefully check the backgrounds of all visa applicants, better police the borders, strictly enforce the law within the country, and, most importantly, reduce the level of immigration to give government agencies the breathing space necessary to implement fundamental reforms.”
For the first time in our nation’s history, politicians and leaders throughout America and coming to grips with a basic question: “How do we continue to be a land that opens our arms to those who are looking for freedom and opportunity and yet at the same time be protective to those whose only goal is to disrupt and destroy the America that was birthed by our founding fathers?”
Allow me to show you why this issue is so very difficult and why there no consensus regarding immigration in spite of continued political dialogue through the year. We have always prided ourselves on the slogan found on the Statue of Liberty welcoming immigrants from all over the world: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Here’s the problem: What if those taking advantage of our open doors and open arms are not coming to find freedom but to destroy the freedom we enjoy?
While I am obviously not stating that the majority of Muslims in America are radicals or terrorists, nor do they have a design on destroying our nation, I am also extremely concerned that whenever there is an Islamic Fascist Terrorist attack in the world I do not hear the Imams, the religious leaders of the Moslem community in America immediately condemning the attacks; instead most of their rhetoric seems to attempt to justify attacks of terror.
One reason that immigration is such a serious question in our nation is because of the stated agenda of Islamic extremists. The largest concentration of the fundamental Muslims in America have settled in Michigan where three of that state’s congressional representatives have very large Muslim constituents. It was these same three representatives that refused to stand with Israel in the resent terrorist’s attacks and kidnapping from the Hezbollah organization.
Dr. Mark Krikorian wrote: “Muslim Invasion? What increased Muslim immigration could do to America and what it will mean for U.S. Israeli policy.” Dr. Krikorian points out that radical Muslims do not believe in a secular democracy but instead are committed to always establishing an Islamic government under the leadership of Holy men and whose only law is the Quran. The author points out that without some direction given to our immigration laws that we could be two generations from what he calls the death of the American dream as provided by our founding fathers.
You can see that the issue we are seeking guidance on today is difficult to say the least and extremely complex. Immigration is an essential part of who we are as a nation and yet we must exercise our WELCOME with WISDOM!
For example: God commanded Israel to love, care for an welcome the stranger among them BUT that did not stop Israel from guarding her gates and it did not negate the fact that God said we are not to adapt the patterns of those foreigners who do not worship the true and living God.
Israel did not abandon the rule of law to accommodate the immigrant.
While we must consider how to maintain our spiritual heritage and the basic principles of freedom that we have enjoyed for over 200 years we must also continue to be a nation that provides hope for those who are hopeless. HOW DO WE FIND THE BALANCE? A wise policy on immigration will balance COMPASSION for individuals and separated families with national SECURITY and ECONOMIC ramifications. We must begin with the premise that, as Christians, respect for the law is not negotiable.
2. COMPASSION FOR THE IMMIGRANT (Deut. 10:16-22)
“Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in His name. 21 He is your praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.” Deut. 10:16-22
One of the first biblical truths that is revealed is the understanding that we are called to have concern for the immigrant who lives among us. We are to be reminded that we were also once immigrants; if not nationally, certainly spiritually. One of the best ways that we can demonstrate Christlike compassion for the immigrant who lives among us is to avoid stereotyping. We simply can not paint immigrants with one broad stroke of a brush. Most everything I read today seems to lump all immigrants into ONE BODY.
David Brooks of The New York Times wrote: “Social conservatives should support illegal immigrants because “Immigrants work hard; they build community groups; they have traditional ideas about family structure and they work heroically to make their dreams a reality.” On the other hand an editorial from the same paper made this statement: “Immigrants often complain and are lazy. Men desert their families and come to this country to take advantage of our social welfare program.”
As Christians, we may not reach a consensus on the specifics of immigration policy but we must have solidarity when we come to the place of understanding that Christian hospitality doesn’t require that we advocate “OPEN BORDERS” but it does require that Jesus has called us to be salt and light in this issue regarding the immigrants among us. In the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37, Jesus reminded us that the definition of our neighbor is the person who is in need.
We must realize that the immigrant is a person, like you and me, they have been given life by our Creator and they are a soul that Jesus Christ died for so they could receive eternal life.
The Bible is full of stories about immigrants and our responsibility to share compassion to the stranger among us.
• The Bible begins with the migration of God’s Spirit and ends with John, an immigrant on the Island of Patmos. Between these two events the Bible is full of uprooted people who seek safety, sanctuary and refuge and we have repeated direction from God to “welcome the stranger.”
• The Bible is a book written by immigrants and for immigrants!
o Abraham leaving Ur
o The Jewish people leaving Egypt
o Jesus fleeing to Egypt with Mary and Joseph as a hunted immigrant whom Herod desired to kill. What kindness do you think that Jesus and His family needed when their arrived in a strange nation?
Many of you are citizens of the USA but I want to remind you that were also an immigrant! Turn to Hebrews 11:13:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” Heb. 11:13
How should we show compassion to the immigrant among us? In Gen. 18:1-8 the Lord appears to Abraham as an immigrant. Abraham graciously approaches the “stranger” and honors him and provides for his needs. WHY DO YOU THINK GOD INTERJECTED HIMSELF IN THIS STORY? HOW WOULD ABRAHAM HAVE FELT IF HE IGNORED AND REJECTED THE STRANGER AND LATER FOUND IT TO BE THE LORD?
Let’s make this even more personal…Matt. 25:35-41:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, ’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 "The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matt. 25:35-41
Illustration of the Caribbean man getting out of Prison and stopping at KFC several years ago: “The Lord told me to tell you that He is well pleased.”
Another scripture regarding compassion for the immigrant: Lev. 19:33-34:
“When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Lev. 19:33-34
While the Bible does not tell us ultimately what to do with the issue of illegal immigration there is no mistake about our responsibility to share compassion for the immigrant regardless of their status. Please allow me to share with you some biblical and practical action steps that I want to see us establish at First Baptist Church. If any church should take the lead in sharing compassion with the immigrant it should be our church that prides itself on the fact that we are a fellowship of immigrants made up of members from more than 70 nations.
• We have some of the finest men and women of God who are lawyers in our fellowship. I am not advocating that these members of our church in the legal profession immediately begin to help us assist those who are trying to legally migrate to America. What I am asking is for our men and women who are legal professionals to pray about your involvement in this issue. We need for the Lord to call one of you out to help our Community Hope Center set up some direction and assistance that we can give to godly men and women who really desire to be in America and to serve the Lord with their gifts and talents. We have had to send so many of our own people to Miami because we have not yet established this ministry within these walls. I also am calling on some of you who may not be lawyers but you would be willing to act as a legal aid to our lawyers to help them in any way they see fit when being an advocate for our immigrants. Perhaps some of you who have recently gone through the process of immigration can help us tell others what to expect and eliminate some of the fear.
• Our Community Hope Center continues to expand our tutoring and educational resources. One day soon I pray we will offer adult literacy classes for those who want to speak and read English as a second language. In order to accomplish this vision we MUST have volunteers who will join us in helping share the compassion of Christ with “the stranger among us.”
• We MUST NEVER lose sight of the vision that God has given us to be a multi-cultural, multi-racial fellowship and we must be aggressive in welcoming EVERYONE God sends our way; regardless of where they have come from or what they have done. Remember: “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Lev. 19:34
3. CAUTION TO THE IMMIGRANTS (Rom. 13:1-5)
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.” Rom. 13:1-5
• OBEY THE LAWS OF THE NATION
The scripture is clear that we are to follow the laws that man has given to us and to obey the laws of the government. Some people say, “The laws aren’t fair and just laws so the scripture does not apply.” Please remember who was writing this passage under the leadership of the Holy Spirit…it was Paul and he was writing this to Christians who were enduring a hostile Roman rule of government. They had absolutely no mechanism like the democracy we have to influence the government.
Some have said, “I can live in civil-disobedience to the government if I am living in obedience to Christ.” This is not true and creates nothing but a rationalization for rebellion. As best I can read the scripture civil disobedience is only allowed when the government requires us to do that which is contrary to biblical instruction. Daniel participated in civil-disobedience when the government told him not to worship the Lord. Jesus ignored the laws of the religious governance when they placed their law above His love and compassion for those who are hurting. Paul and Peter continued to preach the Gospel even though the government officials instructed them to stop.
One of the problems we are facing in America regarding immigration is the truth that laws that are impossible to enforce do as much damage to respect for the law as does blatant disobedience. That is why our politicians who are charged with crafting this immigration legislation desperately need our prayers for God’s wisdom. Again I will restate that I believe that a wise policy on immigration is one that balances compassion for individuals and separated families with the need to provide national security and be aware of economic ramifications.
• INTEGRATE INTO THE AMERICAN CULTURE.
Our nation is not called a “melting pot” for no reason. We are encouraged to blend our international identities into one. Let me remind you there is a difference between “STEW & SOUP.” IN stew you have all the individual elements that remain the same but in soup they have been blended into one flavorful presentation.
• SHARE YOUR VALUES.
So many of you have come to America and have a tremendous story of spiritual strength and we need to hear your story. Some of you suffered religious persecution; economic depravity; war in your country of origin or oppressive leadership within your government. We want to hear how God helped you through those difficult days and has given you a heart of praise.
• USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, TALENTS AND PASSION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
Do you speak another language? We need your help in our translation ministry. You may not be able to translate every week but you can be a volunteer and step in when one of our regular translators needs to be gone. Take a mission trip with us to another country and help translate and serve as we minister the Gospel of Christ to the “uttermost part of the world.” Have you been through a difficult immigration process? How much comfort would it be for you to contact the Community Hope Center and tell them you will be available to pray with any of our members who are walking through the process of immigration?
Conclusion:
Immigration is a very difficult issue; much more difficult today than in the early days of our nation. With the introduction of terrorism our nation has lost the opportunity for innocence. We must be diligent. Reality says to me that immigration is not an issue that’s going to go away anytime soon. No matter how it’s handled in the political arena we will not escape the controversy and consequences of the decision. I don’t have all the answers but I know the ONE WHO DOES. Continue to ask yourself the question: What Would Jesus Say to Me about Immigration?
• He would tell me to control what I can control and show compassion to the stranger among us.
• He would remind me that while it is important to protect our borders it is even more important to guard to borders of my heart and to avoid an attitude that would not honor Him.
• He would encourage me to not put so much emphasis on economic situations when I should be protecting the riches that have been entrusted to me through His Son Jesus Christ.
• He would challenge me to worry more about my tongue and what comes out of my mouth than the question of “What will be the official language of America.”
• Finally, He would confront me with the reality that if I don’t guard my own heart that I face the danger of become an “alien” in His presence; illegally trespassing against the character of God and ignoring His law for my life will find me separated and in a “far country.”
Finally, never forget that each of us, as Christians, were once a “stranger” spiritually. We needed the compassion of Christ; we needed His help to be welcomed into His family. Also, never forget that we are still “strangers” in this land. Don’t allow this world to ruin your Christlike character. Be conformed to Him, not this world. We are spiritual immigrants in this world and as a spiritual pilgrim I must realize this world and its customs and culture are not my own!
Like the young Lt. John F. Kennedy and the men of the PT boat 109 I’m feeling a bit shipwrecked when it comes to this issue of immigration. Like Lt. John F. Kennedy I must hold up the strobe light of God’s word, not as one who is perfect, but one in need of finding guidance, direction and rescue on this issue.
As a footnote regarding the story of JFK and the PT109, their help came from an unexpected source. The rescue was not from a US warship passing through the sea but instead by way of two “strangers.” Foreign scouts from the Solomon Islands. Aaron and Biuku Gaza stopped to help. Had these men not stopped to help the strangers stranded in the sea the history of America would not be the same today.
Note: This sermon is complied from many different sources as well as great messages from other pastors on Sermon Central that sincerely helped in the structure of this sermon. I thank God for the ministry of Sermon Central.
