Are Christians Colorless?
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
There are two ways to take this question: 2. Are Christians people who don't see themselves as having color, or see others as having color? Are they people who believe the words of the song, "red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight"?
Do you think this is true? Are Christians truly exempt from discrimination? On the anniversary of Martin Luther King's birthday, it's appropriate that we consider our own response to discrimination. In December 1955, at the age of twenty-six, on hearing that Rosa Parks, had been arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white, he leapt into the fray, armed by the memory of the Martin Luther who wrote these words which must have been familiar to Martin Luther King: "Would it not be against Nature if, a fire being declared, each citizen were to remain still and let the fire wreak its havoc, solely because he is not Mayor of the city?" He was to be spared no form of attack. But nothing was able to break his resolve to build a new America, the land of the famous "dream" which he described on August 28. 1963. Martin Luther King's words on that day will remain forever etched in the memory of people in all corners of the world. This in part is what he said: "I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal." "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of true brotherhood. "I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. "I have a dream today. "I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today." (And then Martin Luther King, Jr. ended his speech by quoting from the prophet Isaiah:) "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." (Isaiah 40:4,5) When we talk about discrimination, we want to notice that the idea of discrimination is in the Bible. For example, on the night of the "Exodus" it was promised, "But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal. Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel." Exodus 11:7 So even the Lord Himself was discriminatory between those who were Israelites and those who were Egyptians. The first-born sons of the Egyptians died, those of the Israelites lived. One can't help thinking that it's like the judgment when the Lord will discriminate between the sheep and the goats. But He also expects that we will participate in a form of discrimination. In Leviticus 10:9-11 the Lord spoke to Aaron the High Priest, "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses." Much later in Israel's history, the Lord spoke through Ezekiel, "The priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. (Ezekiel 22:26) "`But the priests, who are Levites and descendants of Zadok and who faithfully carried out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me. They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. (Ezekiel 44:15,23) So in the Old Testament, it was the responsibility of the priest to train the people concerning what was clean and unclean, what was acceptable to God and what was not. But now, in the New Testament era, we are a kingdom of priests. Because the Holy Spirit has been given to all who will believe and receive, we all have within us the God given ability to distinguish, to discriminate between good and evil. Please understand that the Holy Spirit hasn't been given merely so that we might have an ecstatic religious experience. To daily seek to be filled with the Spirit means, in part, that we exercise this ability to know what is right and what is wrong, and thus be kept from the evil that is all around us in the world. Remember the prayer of Jesus to keep us from the evil? The answer is the Holy Spirit! Back to our subject, discrimination, on the other hand, the Gospel dispels differences. Those who truly embrace the teaching of Christ and the Apostles cannot discriminate. One vivid example is the lesson Peter learned when he was called to preach to the household of Cornelius, a non-Jew, Italian, "God-fearer". Later, when he relates this story in the Jerusalem Council, he says, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7-9) And of course Paul makes this a cornerstone of his teaching to the churches of his day: Romans 10:12,13 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Galatians 3:26-28 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Let me give you a modern version of the break down of discrimination, a very vivid picture of the white store owner named Larry who led a black man to the Lord. The African American was on his way to jail, but wanted to be baptized before reporting there on Monday morning. We filled the pool special for the Sunday Night service, he was the only one to be baptized. After giving his confession of faith, I put him into the water, and brought him up. In that church there was no back exit from the baptistery, so this black man dressed in dripping jeans and tea shirt grabbed his towel and started walking down the center aisle, heading for the rest room to change clothing. Larry, this 45 year old store owner, properly dressed in a three piece suit, suddenly stepped out from the pew where he had been sitting and in the middle of the aisle threw his arms around the black man who had just been baptized. Not only did he ignore the color of the man's skin, he also ignored the fact that now the front of his suit would be soaking wet! This is the best picture of non-discrimination I have ever seen. What is discrimination? Simply put, it is that moment when we think less of a person due to some external measurement or comparison. Paul speaks to this when He says, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." (Romans 12:3) In II Corinthians 10:12 Paul writes, "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." Looking down on others because they appear to be different, dress differently, speak with an accent, wear weird hair shapes or colors, are diseased in some noticeable way, have what we think is a deformity or handicap - this is all the same thing, discrimination. Furthermore, when we say or do anything which will cause another person to feel unwelcome in the family of God, this too is discrimination, perhaps the worst kind because it could have the effect of keeping a person distanced from God. Perhaps you've heard about the dejected - looking man who sat on the steps of the church. It was about 11:15 a.m. when the Lord came by and sat next to the man and asked him what was the matter. "They won't accept me in their church, the man said. Jesus replied, "Now don't let that worry you one bit. I've been trying a long time but haven't been able to get into that church either." We have a church building that is so called, "barrier free". When we make provision for the handicapped, we're saying to them, "We're not going to discriminate against you, you are welcome here." Sorry to say that I once served a church which when a phone call came to the church from a person with a noticeable Spanish accent, the caller was referred to another church because, the church staff member said, "You wouldn't really be collectionable worshipping with us." The Christian college I attended was nearly 100% white - later I learned why. When a prospective student who was learned to be black inquired about admission, they were politely told they would probably be more collectionable going to the Zion Bible Institute where there were more people of their kind. But this doesn't only have to do with color or the "physically challenged." What about people suffering with AIDS? The wife of a church leader in this very town told a person with AIDS that they were not welcome in their church because of fear that their children might become infected. Or more simply, people who come from poorer families, or who may be more prone to have head lice, or who don't have the same training for proper behavior in the formal church service? Are they welcome here, or do we discriminate against them by our uncaring attitudes? Conclusion:
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." The setting - the anointing of David, Jesse's 8th and youngest son to be prepared to replace Saul as King of Israel What are the implications? I. There is a difference between God's perceptions and ours. We are conditioned by externals, He is not. Which do you think is the more reliable? II. When it comes to doing the Lord's business, the heart matters. What was He looking for? B. What qualities of the heart?
2. alertness (protective)
3. tenderness (when lamb is hurt)
4. able to discipline (carrying the lamb with the broken leg)
5. nourishing/healing
6. cooperative (sharing withother shepherds)
III. The well being of the heart becomes our most important responsibility. 2. adequate exercise - walking
B. But what about our soul's heart?
2. how is it being exercised?
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