Appearances

Watch on Facebook here.

         First, I want to say 'thank you' for the response to my message last week about 'disagreements' and 'division'. Not a single person punched me in the nose on the way out. That was nice...

This morning, I want to continue in that vein somewhat in looking at other sources of division that may exist. It's no secret that our nation is certainly divided by social concerns and politics and strong opinions. And with the 24 hour news cycle and social media - we've become increasingly aware of these divisions. And because heated disagreements and arguments sadly gather more attention than positive news - we'll continue to hear about divisions wherever they occur.

And I'm not suggesting that these divisions aren't real - but many times, focusing on the division as the main spotlight tends to 'add fuel to a fire' that isn't needed. So as we look at these things through a Biblical lens - I hope to do so in a positive and encouraging manner. It's not just our country that's divided - even in among our Churches there is a lot of dissention and anger surrounding these divisions.

I wanted to start us out by looking at a brief video... "Brother"

https://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/51008/brother

I want to first look at a major contributor to many of these divisions...

I. Prejudice

Any prejudice - any prejudgment, or assumptions are based on a variety of things - whether it be a person's skin color, their perceived income level, their political affiliation or gender. And I think we've become highly aware of these things. But instead of focusing on our differences with the end goal of unity - these things are many times used as weapons to divide us even further.

God created us differently. And it's not overly helpful to pretend those differences don't exist. It's not a statement of value - but we are all very different. And dealing with those differences has been a struggle with mankind almost since the beginning. I think when we talk about prejudice, the issue that most frequently comes to mind is...

A. Racism

There are different forms of 'prejudgments' - but that's an issue that has once again come to the forefront. But it's not anything new to humanity. Back in the New Testament account when Jesus approached a woman at a well, we see this, in John 4:9 (NIV)...

The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jewish people and Samaritans - two separate people groups - judged each other very harshly based on outside factors - nationality - not on the content of their character. And there are all sorts of accounts of judgment, prejudice and hatred based on outward differences recorded in the Bible.

And this is no surprise to those of you who have lived awhile - but some Church leaders and different denominations have actually used the Bible to justify racism. Preachers and Bible scholars have applied passages 'out of context' from scripture to rationalize their own personal prejudice. They've looked at passages through the lens of their own bias and then interpreted it to justify their beliefs.

Based on the whole of scripture - not taking one vague passage out of context - you cannot justify prejudice or hatred for anyone based on the color of their skin. That passage, 'For Jews do not associate with Samaritans'... When you read the whole passage, it's clear that Jesus defied the cultural views of racism with the woman at the well. Biblically speaking - we're taught that we are all one race - we are all brothers and sisters.

The Apostle Paul, when speaking to a non-Jewish crowd in Athens - a group of various nationalities - he taught them this about God...

Acts 17:26 (NIV)

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

Any argument justifying the prejudice of racism on the basis of scripture demonstrates a lack of proper Bible interpretation. Anyone who would justify any prejudice based on the teachings of scripture is wrong. But there are still modern theories that seek to divide us based on skin color, or as 'oppressor and oppressed'.

We know that racism exists - but believers in Jesus know a better way. And our love for one another has to shout more loudly than those in the world who seek to divide. But I also want us to think about another form of prejudice that has the potential to divide...

B. Classism

'Classism' is - 'a belief that a person's social or economic status in society determines their value; it's a prejudice or discrimination based on class.' And many people who would loudly decry 'racism' may not think of 'classism' as a similar prejudice. But it's certainly one more thing that can divide us. We see this in James 2:1-5 (NIV)...

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. (2) Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. (3) If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," (4) have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

(5) Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

James says we shouldn't treat people differently based on how much money they make. Fortunately, I've seen people here be very gracious with people regardless of their income. But I've also seen Churches where the family with the most money 'runs the show', and that's not right. I've even had a friend, who's a minister, who was told by a 'family with money' what he could and couldn't preach. Needless to say, he chose to find a new Church home.

From my perspective, in our society, sometimes people with money are given special treatment - and that's wrong. But in reaction to that prejudice, I've also seen the pendulum swing too far the other way. It's easy to call out 'special treatment' for the 'well off' - that's obviously wrong. But I think it's harder to see the other attitude in ourselves - the prejudice against anyone with money. Because of 'envy' and perhaps dissatisfaction with our own financial situation - people can tend to see 'the rich' as an easy target. And that prejudice causes division, too.

And again, there's nothing new under the sun. Back in the Old Testament, that prejudice needed to be addressed.

Exodus 23:2-3 (NIV)

Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, (3) and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

The first warning was not to show favoritism to a rich man - this one warns against showing favoritism to a poor man.

You can imagine the situation back then - a poor man and a rich man going to court. Regardless of the facts, they might want to help out the 'poor guy' at the expense of the 'rich guy' - and that feeling isn't necessarily bad; it's somewhat compassionate. But let's say that the facts determine that the 'rich guy' really wasn't all that at fault. Maybe people still thought, "Oh, c'mon! He can afford it! Soak the rich guy! He has it coming!"

And we still see that attitude prevalent today. People file lawsuits against big corporations not always based on the facts of the injury, but on the fact that a business may have 'deep pockets'. And maybe we wouldn't do that - but what's our attitude towards the rich? Are people's ideas of tax policy based on fairness or based on 'soaking the rich'? And I don't want to introduce politics to divide us more - but does our attitude always come from a sense of justice or more from envy of what another person has? That's the situation of which the writings of Exodus warned.

The saying, "Two wrongs don't make a right" isn't found in scripture, but the idea is still true. And if we're not careful to examine ourselves for any sort of 'prejudgment' we might have - our attitudes might not be purely selfless.

Prejudice, racism, classism - all of those things start in a person's heart. And if you don't change a person's heart first - you won't effectively change culture or society. The Bible does not encourage prejudice of any kind - but we do have to acknowledge a reality which reflects that we may have more work to do...

II. Segregation in our Churches

I've heard it pointed out that perhaps the most segregated day of the week is Sunday morning. We find more integration of people of all races, ethnicities and financial backgrounds in sports arenas than we do in most Churches. And we all have reasons - Black churches, White Churches, Hispanics Churches, rich Churches, poor Churches - we all have our reasons...

'They worship differently.' 'Their culture is different.' 'Their style of preaching is different.' 'People are attracted to a preacher of the same ethnicity or race as themselves.' 'People of similar socioeconomic status tend to have more in common with one another.'

And while that all may be true to an extent - aren't we all brothers and sisters in Christ? Don't we all follow Jesus? Yes, it would be ignorant to say that we don't have any differences - but are those differences more important than what we have in common? For all believers in Jesus, there is undeniably...

A. A call to unity

Even within the last hundred or so years some denominational preachers actually taught that there were two separate heavens - one for black people and one for white people. Anyone who believes that is in for a big surprise when they get to Heaven! And if you believe that there will be 'rich sections' and 'poor sections' in Heaven, high class neighborhoods and low rent districts - you don't understand the Gospel.

John shared this about his glimpse into Heaven in Revelation 7:9-10 (NIV)...

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (10) And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.

The Bible doesn't teach diversity simply for diversity's sake, as a value or an end goal. Heaven is a place of great diversity because of Jesus' call to all men, all women, regardless of race or nationality or social status. Heaven reflects the unity that our Churches are intended to have.

And I don't want this to be seen as a judgment or condemnation of our Church or any Church - but I certainly think it needs to be a matter of prayer. I can't imagine it was Jesus' design for the Church to be racially and financially segregated here on earth but only united in Heaven. And while we, personally, can't completely change society or culture - we certainly can change our own attitudes. I believe this call to unity is...

B. A personal call

While Churches may have their reasons why they are so segregated - let's not settle for that as an excuse for any attitudes we might need to change.

I remember when there were many riots and protests in the streets over racial issues and inequality. And while we had people in the news media assigning blame, and people all over social media angrily condemning each other for this or that opinion - we were out living our lives and they didn't always reflect those divisions.

For instance - on one occasion during all of the division, I was leaving a restaurant and a young black woman was approaching. I stopped and held the door open for her and she very graciously responded, "Thank you very much, sir." Now - according to some, that sort of interaction shouldn't have been able to take place. She was a young black woman and I'm a middle aged white guy. Maybe she hadn't seen the news...? Maybe she didn't know that we weren't supposed to get along?

And I'm guessing that many of you have had many similar interactions with people who are different than you - and somehow you manage to get along. Even if the world seems to be focusing on our many differences - we can personally show respect. We are called, without excuse, to personally love our neighbor. And that might be relatively easy if everyone around us looks like us, talks like us, thinks like us. But that's not the calling Jesus gave us. Many of us are like the man in Luke 10:29 (NIV)...

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

To which Jesus responded with the story of the 'Good Samaritan' -where a man went completely out of his way to show genuine love and compassion for another man of another race and status. It was a story that greatly enlarged the concept of neighbor so that no one had any excuse about their own prejudice or indifference. We are called to reach out in love to others who are different than us.

Prejudice won't end because of any law passed by government. Prejudice won't end because of any symbolic gesture. Prejudice will only start to fade when Christians go out of their way to reach out in genuine love to others who are different from them. It will only end when Christians stand up and love like Jesus loves.

So What?

God created all men, all women, equal in His sight. God does not care about skin color or economic status.

1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Only God knows what is in a person's heart. So carefully examine your thoughts and attitudes - but also, be gracious with others and don't assume you know exactly what is in their hearts. Prejudice of any kind has no place in God's Kingdom.

Imagine - what might our Churches look like if we started to see the world through the lens of 'us' rather than 'us and them'? Imagine how the perception of the Gospel message might change if the world saw genuine unity in the Church? Imagine how things might look if we in the Church, including our preachers, let go of our preconceived ideas and humbly, intentionally reached out to all of our brothers and sisters?

Please, do your part, this week, to humbly and genuinely show the love of Jesus to someone who is different than you. And pray that God will use you to bring unity to His Church!