Sunday, June 14, 2020
Ephesians 2:14 TLB
“For Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us.”
George Floyd
His murder inflamed the already present wound of racism in America.
Racism is the belief that one is superior to another based on skin color, and racism reaches way back to Bible days.
In Jesus’ day the racism was between Jews (anyone born in one of the 12 tribes of Israel) and everybody else … the “everybody else” were called Gentiles.
Matthew Henry states, “There was great hatred between the Samaritans (Gentiles) and the Jews.”
In Jesus’ day it had reached the place where Jews stuck pretty much to the northwestern region of the Sea of Galilee, because the “other side” represented all that was impure, decadent, sinful—meaning the land of the Gentiles.
Notes
Mark 5:20 NKJV
“… he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis (region of 10 cities) all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.”
This is one example of many we see in the Bible that when racial barriers were bridged, great miracles and salvations resulted!
Notes
At another time Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee and had to pass through Samaria—the land of the Gentiles. He sat at a well where a Samaritan woman approached.
John 4:9 NKJV
“… ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”
We note that while Jesus was talking with her, His disciples showed up and were shocked—“Why are you talking with her?” (John 4:27 NKJV)
John 4:41 NKJV
“And many more believed because of His own word.”
Notes
In the book of Acts we see Simon Peter on a rooftop praying. He became very hungry and while the household was preparing a meal, Peter fell into a God-induced trance:
Acts 10:11-15 NIV
“He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
14 ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’”
Acts 10:44-45 NKJV
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision (the Jews) … were astonished … because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”
Notes
And finally, there was Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, which I spoke on last week…
The Spirit of God led Philip to leave a mighty revival in Samaria (which was “the other side” consisting of Gentiles, not Jews) and join himself to a traveling chariot in the desert.
In the chariot was a black man, an Ethiopian eunuch with great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah about Jesus, and wanted Philip to explain to him what he was reading.
Philip shared the gospel, the eunuch received Christ into his heart, and history tells us that this Ethiopian eunuch wound up bringing the gospel to Africa where tradition tells us churches began springing up after his return!
Again, when racial barriers are broken, miracles and salvations happen!
Notes
Today I want us to see that racism is not of God, and when racism is rejected and the racial divide is bridged, the blessings of God are released.
So I want to leave us with some simple, practical steps on how we here at TurningPoint can bring healing to a racially torn nation:
I. Establish in your own heart that you want to be a part of the solution.
Matthew 5:9 KJ21
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
Notes
II. Intentionally build a bridge with someone different from you, someone of a different race.
I have 2 accountability partners who are also dear friends—one is black, the other is brown. They’ve helped me to understand life from their viewpoint, and it’s helped me be a better pastor and man.
So build a relationship with someone different from you!
Notes
III. Recalibrate your families to judge people as Martin Luther said, by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.
Ask God to help you with comments made behind closed doors, attitudes, and actions that might be wrongly interpreted. Remember the little ears that are always listening, the eyes that are always watching, and the little brains that are always filing away what they see and hear.
Notes
IV. Realize that God has called us, the church, to influence the culture.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth … you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV).
Earth and world are cultural, global words. The church is called to beat back evil, to do as Jesus did:
Acts 10:38 NIV
“… how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
The church is to speak, not just the gospel, but the values of the gospel and of the kingdom of God—one of which is unconditional love for all people.
Notes
Amen!
Let’s stand together and pray…