WEBVTT 00:00:01.383 --> 00:00:04.488 Thanks, Jasmine, that was powerful, and thanks Andy for your prayer. 00:00:04.488 --> 00:00:20.621 So Jasmine said some of what I was going to talk about this morning, which is us needing to be able to have difficult conversations and still love one another and maintain the unity of the body. 00:00:20.621 --> 00:00:29.809 Ephesians 4, 25-32 says, among other things speak the truth, each one to his neighbour, because we are members of one another. 00:00:29.809 --> 00:00:35.820 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as God also forgave you in Christ. 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:41.091 Walk in love as Christ also loved us. 00:00:44.042 --> 00:01:09.007 Well, of course, this referendum is very significant because if it's successful and honestly it's not looking like it will be at this stage, but if it was successful, it would change the constitution and the relationship of the First Nations people in Australia to our government structures, because at the moment, aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' peoples aren't recognised at all in the constitution. 00:01:09.007 --> 00:01:10.152 They're not mentioned. 00:01:10.152 --> 00:01:27.337 The most oblique mention they have is through the race powers section of the constitution, which is a bit anachronistic nowadays, although the voice would not grant any real power. 00:01:27.337 --> 00:01:32.766 They don't have power to make legislation, to set up bodies, to do a whole lot. 00:01:32.766 --> 00:01:49.000 Actually, it would give formal recognition and a permanent voice to them in the political process and there's been nearly a dozen different Aboriginal Peake bodies set up in the last 50 years, which is astounding. 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.230 So these things keep getting set up and torn down by governments and reconfigured. 00:01:53.230 --> 00:02:10.543 Now I want to say up front I doubt there is a person in this room today I certainly hope there's not who doesn't want to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders recognised in the constitution in some way and for their lives to be made better and prospering as part of our society. 00:02:10.543 --> 00:02:12.909 I think we all agree with that. 00:02:12.909 --> 00:02:17.102 I think most Australians would want to see that. 00:02:18.204 --> 00:02:22.412 The disagreement is whether the voice is a good way to achieve this. 00:02:22.412 --> 00:02:35.623 Now, for most First Nations people and a significant number of their supporters, the answer is yes and this is what First Nations people have asked for. 00:02:35.623 --> 00:02:48.774 Don't forget, when British settlement occurred in Australia, their land, their culture and sometimes their lives were taken away. 00:02:48.774 --> 00:02:55.939 And what we see in that video do you might think, well, how is this going to help with that situation in the video? 00:02:55.939 --> 00:03:05.449 We've got to remember, in the background of all of this, that this disadvantage that they experience, that they face, goes back to those roots. 00:03:05.449 --> 00:03:10.073 We might look and say, well, people, just they need to get up. 00:03:10.073 --> 00:03:11.114 They need to get over it. 00:03:11.114 --> 00:03:14.337 They need to get the help they need, they need to move on. 00:03:14.337 --> 00:03:15.778 They need to just not commit crime. 00:03:15.778 --> 00:03:16.879 They need to, they need to, they need to. 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:31.009 The reality is that this pain and this experience of our First Nations people goes back to their experience of white settlement in Australia. 00:03:33.070 --> 00:03:35.072 And is the voice going to fix all that? 00:03:35.072 --> 00:03:40.376 Well, no, and that was actually one of the big reasons I was inclined to vote no. 00:03:40.376 --> 00:03:46.665 Not that I didn't want to see Aboriginal people being empowered in quite the opposite but I thought how is this going to achieve anything? 00:03:46.665 --> 00:03:50.092 And actually, for many people, this is why they're voting no. 00:03:50.092 --> 00:03:51.174 It's not going to achieve anything. 00:03:51.174 --> 00:03:54.960 Some Aboriginal people are saying, well, it's not going to achieve anything. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:04.169 One of the things that convinced me was at the meeting that was held here a couple of weeks back was they said look, we're actually looking at generational change. 00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:06.913 This is going to contribute to generational change. 00:04:06.913 --> 00:04:08.253 It's not going to fix everything. 00:04:08.253 --> 00:04:18.682 The voice is, frankly, not going to have that much power, but looking into the long term and that sort of answered that question I had about it. 00:04:18.682 --> 00:04:29.471 So, of course, for many Aboriginal people who are voting no, they're voting no to the voice because it's not enough. 00:04:29.471 --> 00:04:32.552 They want a voice but they want more. 00:04:33.487 --> 00:04:39.490 I think there's a fear that well, if we say yes to this and this is all we're going to get, and this isn't enough. 00:04:39.490 --> 00:04:46.218 Of course there are some who thought we want the status quo and so on. 00:04:46.218 --> 00:04:47.951 They're happy with the way things are. 00:04:47.951 --> 00:04:52.454 But for many it's not. 00:04:52.454 --> 00:05:02.334 They see the voice in a step in the process of recognition, reconciliation and healing the divisions of our nation. 00:05:02.334 --> 00:05:10.875 For many of us as Christians, we see it as a small act of repentance and restorative justice for our nation. 00:05:10.875 --> 00:05:15.670 Of course others, black and white, think it's not a good solution. 00:05:15.670 --> 00:05:20.831 So, as I've mentioned, some indigenous people are happy with the status quo or they don't think it goes far enough. 00:05:20.831 --> 00:05:26.196 Some people think it will cause more division than it heals. 00:05:26.196 --> 00:05:29.490 I think Jasmine put it very well when she said we're already divided. 00:05:29.490 --> 00:05:41.533 We may not all see it, we may not live with it in our faces, but for the people who experience that, they're experiencing socioeconomic division and more. 00:05:41.533 --> 00:05:55.956 Some say our current systematically gives indigenous people a voice and the voice to parliament would be unfair to the majority population. 00:05:56.165 --> 00:05:57.370 I'm not going to comment anymore on that. 00:05:57.370 --> 00:05:58.107 I just want to put out. 00:05:58.107 --> 00:06:10.654 People have reasons and they're not all bad reasons, and you probably resonate with one side than the other All of us will, I think, and you may think the other side is just plain wrong. 00:06:10.654 --> 00:06:15.036 But in our disagreements, please remember two things. 00:06:15.036 --> 00:06:26.192 If you're a no voter, planning or voting no, just remember that yes does not make someone a left wing intersectional astute and voting no does not make. 00:06:26.192 --> 00:06:29.451 For those of you who are voting yes, voting no does not make someone a racist. 00:06:29.451 --> 00:06:38.853 People have reasons and you may not think they're good reasons, but they're not necessarily morally bad reasons. 00:06:38.853 --> 00:06:51.271 So I want to say that, because we need to hold together bigger than this and I know that we will as a nation, whatever your neighbor's opinion, you can still love them. 00:06:53.745 --> 00:07:02.437 So whatever happens on Saturday, the reality is political solutions can only go so far in bringing healing and reconciliation. 00:07:02.437 --> 00:07:04.831 Politics does have a part to play. 00:07:04.831 --> 00:07:10.836 We can't avoid politics and we shouldn't avoid politics in trying to get things done. 00:07:10.836 --> 00:07:12.651 That's how things are done at the national level. 00:07:12.651 --> 00:07:29.456 But whether you're first nations, whether you're first fleet or first generation migrant Australians, when the salve of the gospel is applied to the human heart, there's real power for deep healing, peace and reconciliation. 00:07:30.824 --> 00:07:40.295 Ephesians, chapter two, verse 14, says Jesus is our peace, who has made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. 00:07:40.295 --> 00:08:00.177 Now, paul, there is talking between Jew and Gentile in that context, but the point I want to make is the gospel brings reconciliation, not just between people and God, but between people and people, beginning with Jew and Gentile and then extending to the rest of us. 00:08:00.177 --> 00:08:15.913 And in the remaining time I want to talk about how we can be part of that process of reconciliation, whether that's reconciling divisions in society or in your relationships with friends and family. 00:08:15.913 --> 00:08:17.463 So Matthew 5.9,. 00:08:17.463 --> 00:08:19.588 Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers. 00:08:19.588 --> 00:08:32.446 And in Romans 12.18, paul said if possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone, which of course implies it's not always going to be possible. 00:08:32.446 --> 00:08:34.865 But don't be the reason it's not. 00:08:34.865 --> 00:08:38.288 So how can we be peacemakers in our family and communities? 00:08:38.288 --> 00:08:41.068 Look, this is going to be fairly rapid fire. 00:08:41.068 --> 00:08:45.364 Have I got control of that, or could you pull up my slide? 00:08:45.364 --> 00:08:52.341 Great, there we go, okay. 00:08:52.448 --> 00:09:07.746 So first of all, philippians 4.6 says don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and repetition, repeat your petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and I hope this is obvious. 00:09:07.746 --> 00:09:23.208 But the first step in seeking reconciliation and peace is to seek God in prayer when we're stressed or anxious or upset I don't know about you, I hate conflict, I'm really allergic to it, and it sets off a whole bunch of hormones and you stop thinking clearly. 00:09:23.208 --> 00:09:31.506 So prayer gives us someone we can pour out our heart to If we're hurt, if we're frustrated, if we're confused. 00:09:31.506 --> 00:09:34.432 Just talking to God can help bring clarity. 00:09:34.432 --> 00:09:41.273 It can help calm us down and, at the very least, enter into a discussion in a better frame of mind. 00:09:41.273 --> 00:09:50.971 Now, if you're in a conflict situation, it's not actually always a good place to start by praying with someone at the start of that, just because it can be. 00:09:50.971 --> 00:09:56.471 I'm speaking from experience, but certainly us be prayerful as we enter in. 00:09:56.471 --> 00:09:59.687 So prayer I just because we sometimes forget. 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:01.666 And the next one is humility. 00:10:01.666 --> 00:10:06.230 Come in humility and in good faith into the thing. 00:10:06.230 --> 00:10:15.869 So Philippians 2, 3 to 4, do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, consider others as more important than yourselves. 00:10:15.869 --> 00:10:18.462 And there are opinions too. 00:10:18.462 --> 00:10:25.562 Maybe, at least when we're in this stage of a thing, everyone should look not only to their own interests but rather to the interests of others. 00:10:25.562 --> 00:10:33.423 When we're coming to try and bridge the gap in a relationship, we need to come in humility and in good faith. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:54.299 And in public debate we often see whether it's this issue or other issues we often see one or both sides actually assuming the worst in the other rather than engaging in genuine dialogue and their only interest is in winning and they'll set up what we call a straw man. 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:55.605 So you know what a straw man is. 00:10:55.605 --> 00:11:00.725 Argument is when you take all the worst arguments that someone has or reasons for believing. 00:11:00.725 --> 00:11:01.948 You ignore all the good ones. 00:11:01.948 --> 00:11:13.158 You take the worst ones and maybe you construct a few others that sort of come from that and make it look really bad and then you attack that rather than attacking or engaging with. 00:11:13.158 --> 00:11:20.933 There's a better way of putting it if we're actually trying to bring reconciliation rather than engaging with the argument. 00:11:20.933 --> 00:11:34.566 The opposite of straw manning is called steel manning and if you want to know you're good and you've got a good case, you take all their best arguments and then you engage with those and if you can take that on, you're on to something. 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:47.399 And so often when we're coming in, if we don't come with humility and good faith, we come assuming that the other side has no legitimate claim, no legitimate argument. 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:51.149 They're just being unreasonable and we're here to just steamroll over them. 00:11:51.149 --> 00:12:03.711 Now you may feel justified in your position and you may even win the argument, but you haven't brought peace, you haven't brought reconciliation, and that's what we're trying to do. 00:12:03.711 --> 00:12:18.852 So look, this doesn't mean you have to agree, it doesn't mean you have to move over to their side, but it means you come humbly and in good faith, with the best of intentions, and that means coming to listen. 00:12:18.852 --> 00:12:29.110 James 1 19-20 says everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. 00:12:29.110 --> 00:12:33.467 And Proverbs 18-13 says the one who gives an answer before he listens. 00:12:33.467 --> 00:12:39.206 This is strong words, this is foolishness and a disgrace for him. 00:12:39.206 --> 00:12:42.283 That's been me at times. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:54.808 So coming in good faith and humility means listening with empathy, putting yourself into their shoes, asking questions to try and dig to understand. 00:12:54.808 --> 00:12:56.793 What do you mean by that? 00:12:56.793 --> 00:13:03.807 Or get into beyond the surface so that you can understand that point of view. 00:13:03.807 --> 00:13:05.769 Thank you for listening. 00:13:05.769 --> 00:13:12.073 Not just find an opening to attack or reinforce your assumptions when you're feeling defensive. 00:13:12.073 --> 00:13:18.780 I've been in this place, man, when you get defensive and you don't want to do that because that then just puts you in a vulnerable place. 00:13:18.780 --> 00:13:34.592 So you've got to leave your guard up and it's like Now again I want to emphasize just because someone has feelings because this is a little bitthe culture sort of says, if someone has feelings in their opinion, you've got to listen to it. 00:13:34.592 --> 00:13:35.635 It's almost like you've got to agree. 00:13:35.635 --> 00:13:41.542 No, just because someone has feelings or an opinion doesn't mean you have to agree with them. 00:13:41.542 --> 00:13:43.897 It doesn't mean you have to act on that. 00:13:43.897 --> 00:14:00.678 They're just feelings and an opinion and that's okay and they're allowed to have them and you're allowed to have yours and you're allowed to come out of that conversation saying you know, I'm not convinced, I'm sorry, but I still love you. 00:14:00.678 --> 00:14:15.462 But what understanding their feelings will do is will help you navigate the relationship with love and, if possible, gentleness, and so in that way, hopefully, we can achieve God's righteousness. 00:14:18.918 --> 00:14:27.563 Hebrews 12.15 says make sure that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. 00:14:27.563 --> 00:14:31.769 Don't make sure that a root of bitterness springs up in you. 00:14:31.769 --> 00:14:35.078 Make sure it doesn't spring up among us. 00:14:35.078 --> 00:14:37.750 Matthew 5, this is Jesus. 00:14:37.750 --> 00:14:43.750 If you're offering your gift on the altar and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you. 00:14:43.750 --> 00:14:46.636 Not that you have something against them. 00:14:46.636 --> 00:14:48.522 They have something against you. 00:14:48.522 --> 00:14:50.769 They were being really petty, I didn't do anything. 00:14:50.769 --> 00:14:53.750 They have something against you. 00:14:53.750 --> 00:14:56.297 The relationship is broken. 00:14:56.297 --> 00:15:00.818 Leave your gift there in front of the altar. 00:15:00.818 --> 00:15:03.976 First, go and be reconciled with your brother or sister. 00:15:03.976 --> 00:15:10.538 Be what, reconciled with your brother or sister and then come and offer your gift. 00:15:10.538 --> 00:15:14.177 So here's the point I want to make with this. 00:15:15.990 --> 00:15:17.697 This isn't about who's at fault in this. 00:15:17.697 --> 00:15:20.017 This is about sometimes being a peacemaker. 00:15:20.017 --> 00:15:27.958 If our goal is peace and restoration and reconciliation, sometimes we have to take ownership of a problem. 00:15:27.958 --> 00:15:32.958 We have to take ownership of a problem that's not ours or that's not our fault. 00:15:32.958 --> 00:15:45.482 I don't mean we take someone else's guilt or blame, but we take ownership of trying to move forward and bring healing and restoration and resolution. 00:15:45.482 --> 00:15:46.653 Why do we do that? 00:15:46.653 --> 00:15:49.576 Isn't this exactly what God did? 00:15:49.576 --> 00:15:52.336 Isn't this what Jesus did on the cross? 00:15:52.336 --> 00:15:59.701 This fault was it that we're in the mess of sin and death and alienation from God? 00:15:59.701 --> 00:16:00.984 It's ours. 00:16:00.984 --> 00:16:04.597 Who took responsibility for fixing that God? 00:16:04.597 --> 00:16:12.879 Jesus did, because that's what love does, and he paid a heavy price to do that. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:16.716 Now listen, as a white person. 00:16:16.875 --> 00:16:28.653 Often us non-indigenous people might be being wrongly accused for the injustices of previous generations, and perhaps some people do accuse us for that, but we're like. 00:16:28.653 --> 00:16:30.177 Well, we didn't cause it. 00:16:30.177 --> 00:16:33.979 My ancestors weren't even here when I wasn't on the first fleet. 00:16:33.979 --> 00:16:38.700 My ancestors didn't come until the end of the 19th century. 00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:41.336 Why am I getting blamed for this? 00:16:41.336 --> 00:16:43.192 Why do I have to pick up the pieces? 00:16:43.192 --> 00:16:55.779 And whoever is or isn't, or was or wasn't to blame, it doesn't change the fact that harm was done and you know what? 00:16:55.779 --> 00:17:03.774 You and I are living in this society where it was done and people live with that harm and society is fractured because of it. 00:17:03.774 --> 00:17:12.240 Indigenous people have lost community and culture and they still live with that hurt. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.833 Not my fault, I didn't do it, my ancestors didn't do it. 00:17:15.833 --> 00:17:25.474 But am I going to ignore the problem or am I going to take responsibility and say you know what? 00:17:25.474 --> 00:17:26.878 I feel something for that. 00:17:26.878 --> 00:17:32.125 I don't feel blame, I don't feel guilt, but I feel compassion. 00:17:32.125 --> 00:17:35.496 I'm human. 00:17:38.750 --> 00:17:41.256 It was actually as a younger man, me putting my. 00:17:41.256 --> 00:17:43.540 I thought what would I be as a young man? 00:17:43.540 --> 00:17:47.559 What would I feel like if I was a young indigenous man in this country? 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:52.402 I thought I'd just feel right. 00:17:52.402 --> 00:18:09.539 That completely shifted my perspective and I was thinking that, as a Christian, so our generation has a chance to fix or help fix. 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:15.239 Well, I don't think we're going to fix things in a generation, and so, rather than getting defensive, for instance this is where I want to end. 00:18:15.239 --> 00:18:28.106 Look, I am applying this to reconciliation between black and white, but take it wherever you are facing conflict or seeing conflict and you have a chance. 00:18:28.228 --> 00:18:35.215 Rather than getting defensive because you're being falsely or you feel like you're being falsely blamed and maybe you are being falsely blamed. 00:18:35.215 --> 00:18:41.140 Rather than being defensive, can we take a more redemptive view of what's going on? 00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:53.980 Can we maybe take up our cross across of suffering and of shame and sometimes of death, take ownership to help bring peace and healing and justice? 00:18:53.980 --> 00:19:02.045 Now, again, we don't have to buy into the narrative of guilt and shame, accusation and defensive. 00:19:02.045 --> 00:19:04.679 And there is a narrative of guilt and shame out there. 00:19:04.679 --> 00:19:06.134 I'm not denying that. 00:19:06.134 --> 00:19:09.577 I'm just saying that for us as Christians, we don't have to buy into that. 00:19:09.577 --> 00:19:13.298 We can create a different narrative. 00:19:13.298 --> 00:19:14.970 We can come in the opposite spirit. 00:19:14.970 --> 00:19:30.695 This is what we're good at as Christians when there is hatred, we bring love, and so we can come in that spirit of love and hope and restoration and healing, and see the gospel, the power of the gospel, at work and lives and culture. 00:19:30.695 --> 00:19:40.161 So, whether you feel like it's your fault or your problem or not, let's take ownership. 00:19:40.161 --> 00:19:41.613 And what can we do? 00:19:41.613 --> 00:19:49.942 Okay, here's where it can get hard, luke 19. 00:19:50.549 --> 00:19:54.239 Zaccheus stood there and said so you know the story of Zaccheus. 00:19:54.239 --> 00:19:56.011 A tax collector gets saved. 00:19:56.011 --> 00:20:02.701 Life's turned around, boom like this If I have extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much. 00:20:02.701 --> 00:20:07.720 I'm like he must have had some pretty good investments to be able to. 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:12.396 I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have known, but you know that was his heart. 00:20:12.396 --> 00:20:14.046 I have wronged people. 00:20:14.046 --> 00:20:14.769 I've got to fix this. 00:20:14.769 --> 00:20:16.015 I've got to really fix it. 00:20:16.015 --> 00:20:18.217 Numbers 5, verses 6 to 7,. 00:20:18.257 --> 00:20:28.583 When a man or woman commits any sin against another, that person acts unfaithfully, not towards the person they wronged but towards the Lord, and is guilty. 00:20:28.583 --> 00:20:31.558 The person is to confess the sin he has committed. 00:20:31.558 --> 00:20:37.391 He is to pay full compensation and a fifth of its value and give to the individual he has wronged. 00:20:37.391 --> 00:20:46.404 In compensating the individual wronged, god is also compensated. 00:20:46.404 --> 00:20:57.835 Look, sometimes we may and now I've not all the time but we may be in a situation when we're not just having a disagreement with some of it. 00:20:57.835 --> 00:21:00.352 Actually, we have wronged someone. 00:21:00.352 --> 00:21:05.638 We may need to find a way to make restitution for that wrong. 00:21:07.190 --> 00:21:08.714 Sorry doesn't always cut it. 00:21:08.714 --> 00:21:11.733 Yeah, sorry isn't justice. 00:21:11.733 --> 00:21:14.314 Sorry doesn't undo what was done. 00:21:14.314 --> 00:21:28.304 Sorry doesn't fix the problem, the socioeconomic, cultural problems Aboriginal people are facing. 00:21:28.304 --> 00:21:34.761 And look, it becomes really tricky with something historic like land rights, doesn't it? 00:21:34.761 --> 00:21:37.476 Now governments are trying to muddle through this. 00:21:37.476 --> 00:21:38.618 How do we fix that? 00:21:38.618 --> 00:21:42.343 We've got now 200 years of a different system. 00:21:42.343 --> 00:21:44.932 We've got millions of people living in this country. 00:21:44.932 --> 00:21:47.436 We can't just give it back, even if we wanted to. 00:21:47.436 --> 00:21:56.730 But whether it's land rights or mending a relationship, making peace is going to cost something. 00:21:56.730 --> 00:21:58.655 There has to be something practical in it. 00:21:58.655 --> 00:22:08.292 Talk is cheap, but bringing justice and repairing wrongs cost something, cost the Son of God, his life. 00:22:08.292 --> 00:22:18.324 So what are we willing to pay to bring healing, to bring justice, peace and reconciliation? 00:22:22.624 --> 00:22:27.615 Finally, the big one Mark 11, 25,. 00:22:27.615 --> 00:22:37.519 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive Him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your wrongdoing. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:46.522 At some point we've just got to let it go and give it to God and let the other person off the hook. 00:22:46.522 --> 00:22:51.578 Now, if you're the victim in a situation where you have been wrong. 00:22:51.578 --> 00:22:53.803 The fact is, this world is imperfect. 00:22:53.803 --> 00:22:58.798 There is no guarantee that you're going to find justice in this life. 00:22:58.798 --> 00:23:22.719 There's no guarantee you're going to be heard by the other party, there's no guarantee that you will be compensated, there's no guarantee you're going to receive an apology, and even if the other party does engage in good faith and wants all of that, it may just not be possible because someone died. 00:23:22.719 --> 00:23:25.496 Justice can't be done on a dead person. 00:23:25.496 --> 00:23:28.478 The money they owe you is gone. 00:23:28.478 --> 00:23:29.855 It's just not there. 00:23:29.855 --> 00:23:33.278 The situation has changed, as we have in Australia. 00:23:33.490 --> 00:23:34.133 So what do we do? 00:23:34.133 --> 00:23:43.338 And if we're not able to forgive, we wrap ourselves up in chains and it feels righteous, but it kills us. 00:23:43.338 --> 00:23:51.570 It kills us, and so this is where we have to run to the gospel On the cross. 00:23:51.570 --> 00:24:00.919 Jesus took our sin, and here's the thing he took the sin of the person who sinned against you. 00:24:00.919 --> 00:24:15.434 Now, whether they step into that forgiveness is another matter, but Jesus has dealt with it, and that means you can have it dealt with in Jesus. 00:24:15.434 --> 00:24:32.398 And here's the thing If there is no justice in this life, we have the promise of justice in the next, and look that justice may be reconciliation, that may be getting the, whatever the apology. 00:24:32.398 --> 00:24:39.441 I don't everything's going to be different, or it may not, but there will be justice. 00:24:39.441 --> 00:24:44.438 Now it's hard, but you can forgive. 00:24:44.438 --> 00:24:49.561 Look, the other thing is, forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean there's no pain left. 00:24:49.970 --> 00:24:56.779 I've been thinking a little bit as we've been talking about this, and perhaps as white people, we get tired of oh sorry, every year it comes up again. 00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:58.476 Do we have to go through this again? 00:24:58.476 --> 00:25:00.836 But you know what I realized the Bible does? 00:25:00.836 --> 00:25:02.876 It goes through it again and again and again. 00:25:02.876 --> 00:25:06.157 What do Jews do every year at Passover? 00:25:06.157 --> 00:25:17.980 They talk about the slavery that they experienced as a people and the redemption that God brought, because you can't have the story of redemption if you don't have the story of slavery in there. 00:25:17.980 --> 00:25:19.855 You have to tell the bad bits. 00:25:19.855 --> 00:25:25.315 You have to remember the bad bits so you can remember the really good bits and remember why they're so good. 00:25:25.315 --> 00:25:27.836 Why do we tell the story of the cross every year? 00:25:27.836 --> 00:25:31.056 Because the good bits are all the better. 00:25:31.056 --> 00:25:36.402 Why do we talk about our sin, even though some of you, like me, have been Christians for decades? 00:25:36.402 --> 00:25:43.515 Because Jesus saved us and it's a wonderful story and we can't tell that story if we don't tell the bad bits. 00:25:44.170 --> 00:25:53.484 And so we need to let people lament and tell this, and particularly if we haven't got the healing yet. 00:25:53.484 --> 00:26:06.174 And it's not that they're rubbing their faces into it or complaining, it's that it's part of the story and it will remain part of the story, and pray to God that it becomes part of the story of redemption. 00:26:06.174 --> 00:26:11.854 But listen, forgive. 00:26:11.854 --> 00:26:17.761 It's hard, but you can forgive by the power of the Spirit. 00:26:17.761 --> 00:26:24.563 You must forgive if the cycle of trauma is to be broken and we're to be agents of peace and healing. 00:26:24.563 --> 00:26:27.195 There can be no healing without forgiveness. 00:26:30.432 --> 00:26:42.337 Okay, so whether you are standing in line at a polling booth next week or standing in for someone who has a grievance, I'm not telling you how to vote this morning. 00:26:42.450 --> 00:26:46.238 You know how I think you should, but you need to make that decision before God. 00:26:46.238 --> 00:27:04.721 But let love be your guide, let the gospel be our template and let's make it our goal, as far as it's up to us, to find a path to healing and reconciliation and peace in our relationships and in our nation. 00:27:04.721 --> 00:27:22.199 Let's pray, father, we thank you for the gospel the gospel of reconciliation between us and you that you paid the price to make happen and the reconciliation we have with one another. 00:27:22.199 --> 00:27:30.624 And Father, I want to just thank you for all the divisions that are in our society between black and white. 00:27:30.624 --> 00:27:51.936 I thank you for the brotherhood and sisterhood, the family that is in our church and in your church, that you have brought us one and you have reconciled us and are reconciling us, and our hearts bleed and weep with those who weep, so their pain becomes our pain because we are family. 00:27:51.936 --> 00:27:56.978 But we thank you that together we have a better hope in Jesus. 00:27:56.978 --> 00:27:59.952 In Jesus' name, amen.