WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.280 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:11.599 We exist to awaken this generation to new life in Christ. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.039 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.399 To find out more, go to awakeningchurch.com. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:25.199 Well, this morning we're kicking off a brand new series called Social Restoration. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:27.199 Uh, I don't know about you. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:29.199 Actually, I do know about you. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.640 Uh, I'm ready to be with people. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:35.759 And we all are ready for that moment. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.320 We need to be together. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:54.479 And as we begin to emerge from our shelter in place reality, as we're phasing back into whatever this new normal is, I thought just to begin this conversation, maybe we could start with um taking a second and talking about this. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.359 Like, this thing is crazy. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:05.599 Not that it's a cowboy's face mask, don't judge me, um, but that it is a this has become like our new normal. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:14.799 Like, who knew that at the beginning of 2020, the the most sought-after fashion accessory would be the face mask? 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:16.000 Like, is that insane? 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:19.599 Like, this is like I need a designer face mask. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:35.920 Uh, and like, I don't know about you either, but I still find it so incredibly weird when I go to the grocery store and everybody's wearing these masks, and I'm like, oh my goodness, it's like something apocalyptic is going on, and it's very strange to me. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:40.640 And can we talk just for a second about the people? 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:45.120 I don't mean to step on any toes, but well, here I go. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:51.840 Uh, the people who wear the face mask in their car by themselves, I don't I don't understand it. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:59.599 Maybe there's I'm sure there's a reason, but uh I I kind of want to yell, and this wouldn't be appropriate, so I don't like you're doing it wrong. 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:00.719 Like you're by yourself. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:03.599 You can't get corona by I, anyways. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:13.199 But then I find that I'm doing it wrong all the time because I wear this and all of a sudden I am uh become an incredibly loud talker. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:14.319 Do you find that as well? 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:18.879 Like I'm wearing this, and as as if it blocks so much sound, I have to yell at you. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:26.639 I'm already a loud talker, so it's terrible then when I'm wearing this thing, and you're like, just I bring it, bring it down a bit. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:34.719 And who knew that this one little thing would be so divisive in our world today, too? 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:44.800 Whether you wear it or don't, when you wear it, and the amount of judgment and criticism and things that we bring to the table. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:54.400 So the question is how do we transition from social isolation, social distancing, to social restoration? 00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:04.319 You see, we don't want to just re-engage as a community, as you know, and bring back all our old habits and how we did life together. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:16.000 In fact, we want to take this opportunity to press the reset button and go, okay, this is what it looks like to be a Christ-centered gospel community. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:25.919 And so, how do we experience social restoration as we begin to engage back in social activity? 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:41.840 And as you already recognize, that question has so much more weight today than we I think we even knew when we first outlined this series months and months and months ago. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:49.439 As this week, our nation has been rocked by a horrific murder of Mr. 00:03:49.520 --> 00:04:05.439 George Floyd, and then we have the outcry and the social unrest of not just protests but then rioters that are impacting and taking over the national narrative. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:11.120 In fact, uh this week we saw it take place in the Bay Area in San Jose. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:21.439 And the question is how do we have experienced social restoration in a country that's experiencing social unrest? 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:31.920 Well, James, the brother of Jesus, he was pastoring a community that was undergoing their own COVID reality. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:36.720 Uh, in fact, an incredibly unjust death had happened to the church. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:43.920 It was the stoning of Stephen, uh, where he was stoned to death and a persecution broke out uh on the church. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:05:07.279 And so this church in Jerusalem, these people were scattered from their homes, and then they're trying to figure out how to do life, how how to engage back in uh to like what does it look like to be a follower of Jesus when your world's turned upside down and you're dispersed and displaced from your norms and your society and your relationships and your family. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:20.480 And and so he begins in chapter two talking about this social restoration, and we're actually gonna look at four phases because our government's talking about reinstating social, you know, society in phases. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:22.560 I figured let's talk about in phases as well. 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.600 Four phases for social restoration, social distinction. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:26.879 That's what we're talking about today. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:29.040 Next week, social action. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:34.399 The following week is gonna be our social language, so important, and then finally, social wisdom. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:46.879 I hope you join us for all of these as we learn how to be a community that brings social restoration, that brings the gospel to much needed communities and people. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:50.800 And so this morning, let's talk about social distinction. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:59.839 See, James is gonna say if you want to experience social restoration, there needs to be a social distinction that marks the community of Jesus. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:07.519 There needs to be a clear distinction that set aside, uh set apart the community and the followers of Jesus. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:16.800 And so we're gonna pick up uh what James says in his letter, James, it's by titled by his name, uh, chapter two, verse one. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.279 If you got your Bibles, would you open up to them? 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:31.279 He begins this way: My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:51.279 My brothers and sisters, believers, followers of Jesus, people who have committed their life to Jesus, who say, Your way, Jesus, not my way, your calling to lay down your life, take up your cross, and follow him. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:53.439 Believers. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:58.160 You must not show favoritism. 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:05.199 First things James is going to tell us is there is a social distinction for followers of Jesus. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:10.319 Like the social distinction of Christian is there is to be no social distinction. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.600 Now, I love how James opens this up. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.879 He says it this way brothers and sisters. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:22.079 And if you're reading the book of James, you'll note that he uses that uh many times. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.120 In fact, 14 times. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:24.720 It's like, brothers and sisters. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:34.240 And in this context, I just can see James like trying to remind his people that you're brothers, your sisters, your family, you love each other. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:52.240 It reminds me of when um my boys especially are in the backyard, and most of the time it's great, but every once in a while, you know, they're wrestling and something happens and all of a sudden it gets really, really heated, or you know, I have to go back there every once in a while and just go, hey guys, yeah, cool it. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.399 You're brothers, you love each other. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:08:00.560 Come on, we're family, and family sticks together, and family takes care of one another. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:02.000 This is what James is saying. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:09.759 He says, believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, like that's what's most important about us, distinguishing us. 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:15.279 And then he says this must not show favoritism. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:23.680 In fact, the construction in the Greek there is it's assume that this is already happening, that this is going on right now. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:28.399 In fact, it's a command that's saying, stop what you're doing. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:32.559 There's an activity going on and you need to halt it right now. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:37.440 And so the command is simply this: stop playing favorites. 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:57.200 The church in Jerusalem that spread out, all of a sudden, they're beginning to show favoritism or partiality or preference to certain people, which means you're not showing favor, not showing partiality, not showing kindness to other types of people. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:04.960 The social distinction of a Christ-centered community is that there is to be no social distinction. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:07.039 I'm not gonna play favors for you. 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:11.200 I'm not gonna make you higher than anyone else. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.360 In fact, it's interesting. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:23.279 Uh William Barclay, um uh theologian, writes this the church was the only place in the ancient world where social distinction did not exist. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:31.120 It was a society built on classes, a society built on your social dignity and distinction. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:42.879 And you gotta imagine how how incredibly weird this must have been as a new community formed, and you would have a master and a slave sitting next to each other as equals. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:50.240 Or better yet, what often happened because early Christianity was a religion of the poor, not of the elite. 00:09:50.799 --> 00:10:01.120 It was a religion that spread among those who didn't have much and who were mistreated and who were outfits, um, misfits, rather. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:20.480 And and you would have a slave leading the church gathering, and you have a master sitting under his leadership, and you had this incredible uh new reality of how we are to relate to one another. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:25.519 And he says, Stop playing favorites. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:27.679 Well, what is favoritism? 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:33.360 Uh the um Greek and English lexicon of the New Testament. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:50.480 So if you wanted to go look this up, you could define favoritism this way to make unjust distinctions between people by treating one person better than another, to make an unjust distinction between people by treating one person better than the other. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:54.000 And the underbelly of favoritism is prejudice. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:57.840 I make a prejudgment about who you are. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.759 At favoritism, I'm gonna play favorites because you're wealthy. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.600 I'm gonna, you know, because I can get something from you. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:07.919 I'm gonna play favoritism because you're influential. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.960 Maybe you're an influencer on Instagram or something like that. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.000 And you're like, man, I want to rub up and get next to those type of people. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:34.159 I'm gonna play favoritism because you have some sort of power or influence, or maybe you have a position that you hold, which then means that those who don't hold that or who become in any way less than that, we treat less than. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.240 And he says, stop playing favorites. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:43.039 We do this in the church spiritually, we play favorites with who's our favorite pastor. 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:48.000 Stop playing favorites with what's our favorite, you know, church denomination. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.080 Stop playing favorites. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:58.960 We we do this socially, whether it's rich, poor, black, white, whatever it is, stop playing favorites. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:00.639 We do this politically. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.679 Oh, it's an election year. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:07.759 Stop playing favorites. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:14.720 And we're gonna talk about this in a minute, but you can disagree with someone and still honor and love them. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:27.519 And politically, what we do is we take our partisan side and anchor that and play favorites and push down and malign those who are on the opposite side. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.799 He says, stop playing favorites. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:34.559 Well, what does favoritism or partiality look like? 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:40.240 James is then gonna go and share an illustration and it's out uh of their own context. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:41.200 He's just ripping it out. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:47.440 He says, suppose you know a rich person shows up to your gathering, and I want you to kind of put it in our context. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:53.759 Uh suppose, like um someone pulls up to awaken, and remember when we met at Delmard? 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:54.960 Yeah, I remember those too. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:55.840 Those were awesome days. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:57.759 I can't wait for us to gather again. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:58.879 But remember that? 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:10.159 And and he says, suppose someone pulled up in a Ferrari, and they're like, you know, pull up, they step out, and you know, obviously this red Ferrari, because that's the kind of Ferrari you have to get if you're gonna get a Ferrari. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:18.320 And he pulls up and he eye-catching, everyone's like, Whoa, look at this guy, steps out, he's got designer jeans, the coolest, you know, shirt. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:22.480 He's wearing the gold rim glasses, perfect hair, perfect smile. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.440 And you're just like, wow, look at him. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:28.799 And uh, and everybody's kind of looking at like, oh, I want to get around him. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:30.000 I mean, he's got money, he's got it. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.159 Maybe he's an important person. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:38.240 And then he says, Suppose a poor person comes in. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.759 In our context, maybe it's a homeless person. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:52.320 And he says, if you take that wealthy person and you put them in a seat of honor, and then you say to the poor person, you know what, you can stand in the back. 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:55.200 That homeless guy, you know what, you can sit over here. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:56.559 We don't really have a seat over here. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.639 How about how about you stand outside? 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.559 You're kind of smelly. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:03.600 He makes this interesting comment. 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:07.120 Notice what James says about when we do that. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:13.679 He says, Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges? 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:20.960 Remember that pre-judging prejudice become judges with evil thoughts. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:33.679 See, favoritism is so prevalent in our culture, and we all are guilty of it that we've become blind to it. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:37.759 It happens in the church, is what James is saying. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.080 And he says it should not happen. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:51.200 The distinctive mark of a follower of Jesus, of the church and the bride of Christ, is that there is to be no social distinction. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.799 So let's unpack this. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.639 What does you know favoritism and partiality really look like? 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:03.519 First, it looks like uh exactly what James is saying, treating certain people as more valuable than other people. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:12.480 It looks like treating someone else that they're more valuable, more worth your time, worth your energy, worth your thoughts than other people. 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:14.879 And the inverse then is true as well. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:22.159 That if you treat other people as more valuable, then you're gonna treat certain people as less valuable than you. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:23.519 It's interesting. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:24.240 I love this quote. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:35.279 Rabbi uh Jonathan Sachs says this the supreme religious challenge is to see God's image in one who is not made, who is not in our image. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:36.159 Let me say that again. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:37.440 I stumbled, I want you to get it. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:44.559 The supreme religious challenge is to see God's image in one who is not in our image. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:53.600 See how I treat you is a reflection of me and how valuable I believe you to be. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.799 And God's going like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:13.519 Every single person on the planet, rich or poor, black or white, Republican or Democrat, is an image bearer of the God most high and valuable. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:35.679 See, favoritism plays out when I treat certain people as more valuable than other people, when I treat wealthy people as more valuable, when I treat uh uh beautiful people, when I treat influencers, when I treat those in important positions as more valuable than other people. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:41.519 It looks like when I look down on those with whom I disagree. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:49.279 When I'm looking down, and what happens when we look down, we also often put down people. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:53.120 When we look down on people, we often lash out at them. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:56.960 See, I I think it's interesting. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:07.680 Oh, here it is, that there are so many opinions and so much angst over this little piece of cloth. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:13.519 And a lot of people, whether you wear it or don't wear it, are looking down on one another. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:23.920 In fact, there's this interesting post uh in the Washington Post or article in the Washington Post called Um Play Outside or something like that, but watch out for pandemic Peggy. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:38.880 And it just was talking about the whole idea of there's certain people that that want to lash out, that that live in their crystal cathedrals, and then they want to put down all these people, you know, maybe these kids that are playing on playgrounds. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.079 You're like, how could you? 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:45.359 And there he talks about one example of someone calling the authorities of these kids playing on playgrounds. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:49.200 Well, you know, my home is I'm so grateful. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.480 We have a backyard. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:56.160 So being in pandemic is uh has been a thing where our kids have been able to play in the backyard. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:07.599 His point was it this has hurt those who don't have a backyard, where the park is the only place where they're able to go and to be able to get outside. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:14.559 And when you're living in a 400 or 300 square foot apartment and there's a bunch of you packed in, you just need to get out. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:21.359 Would we all be so careful about making a prejudgment about why others are doing that? 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.200 You know, you're wondering like, why is somebody wearing a mask? 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:28.000 Or why, better yet, aren't they? 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:31.039 Well, you don't know if they have asthma or not. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.160 You don't know if something's going on with them. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:42.160 See, prejudice or favoritism or partiality, it's treating people as more valuable than others. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:46.960 It's also looking down on those with whom you disagree. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:51.440 And finally, it's overlooking those who make you feel uncomfortable. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:59.440 It's when we overlook the people around us that make us feel uncomfortable. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:06.799 Uh the people that come to my mind is the homeless population. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:08.319 Frankly. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:18.000 I remember my um it was a few weeks ago my kids and I were picking up uh Chipotle to go. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:28.240 And it's like, oh, my son had these gift cards and uh he was all excited to use them for his birthday, and then pandemic happened, and we weren't able to use them, and I'm like, fine, let's go, let's go get some Chipotle. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:36.000 And so we get Chipotle, and as we're pulling out and pulling onto the road, there's a homeless, a young homeless man. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:39.119 And I gotta be honest, let me just tell you my heart. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:43.680 I looked at him and I was like, pretty, I'm pretty sure he's a meth addict. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:47.039 I I don't agree with why he's there. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.839 What did I do? 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:49.200 Prejudged him. 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:57.759 And my my son says, Dad, can we give him some of our food? 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.599 And um, I I gotta be honest, uh, I'm a little bit germophobic. 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:08.880 And it's like, well, we have tacos, and you can't really give tacos one taco, and then we'd have to touch him. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:09.920 And I didn't explain all this. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:11.440 This is what I'm thinking. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.720 And I'm like, no, I don't think so. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:18.240 And he's like, Dad, can I just give him one of my tacos? 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:28.240 Well, you see, tacos don't transport well, and this is not how it goes, and then the light turns green, and he's still asking, Dad, why can't we give him? 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:32.240 And I'm and I realized my son gets it and I don't. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:42.079 And I said, son, let's turn around and let's go buy him a big old burrito and let's drop it off. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:44.160 He's like, Thanks, Dad. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:46.079 I'm like, no, thank you. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:48.240 Because you led the way, not me. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:56.400 See, favoritism or partiality is overlooking those who make you feel uncomfortable. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:08.799 And it's such that I find in my heart that it's not just an act, but how do I make this a habit of loving those that make me feel uncomfortable? 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:10.240 And you can't do everything for everyone. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:16.480 We talked about that a few weeks ago, but we can do something for someone and where we engage in that. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:24.720 I think in the church world, and as we're looking, hopefully in the next few weeks or months, we'll be able to gather maybe in smaller groups and homes. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:32.319 It's like the person that comes over that is a little awkward, maybe, or that you go, they're an EGR. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:38.480 That's extra grace required person, where you're like, Oh my gosh. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:40.160 And you go, No, no. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:42.319 How can I love them? 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:46.240 How can I engage and not just go, it would be easier? 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.519 You're right, it would be easier. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:49.599 And are there times where you just hang with your friends? 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:50.079 Absolutely. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:59.759 I'm not saying that you don't do that, but but where we wouldn't be a click oriented, only hang with those who are comfortable church, but we would lean to the fringes and we say, no, no. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.519 Every single person's valuable, and we're not gonna look down upon those we disagree. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:17.680 We're gonna learn how to lovingly disagree and treat one another with honor and respect, and we're gonna engage in those uncomfortable places to love those that Jesus loves. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:25.119 And so James then shifts the conversation from talking about well, what is favoritism? 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.319 What does it look like? 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.160 And he wants us to get this. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:32.000 Why he starts with like this this is a big deal. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.720 And he says, Well, why is this such a big deal? 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.079 He's going to give us three reasons. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:40.640 Reason number one, first, it is an affront to the very heart of God. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:42.880 It's an affront to the character of God. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:48.559 He he begins it this way: he says, listen, pay attention, don't miss this. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.680 And again, my dear brothers, we're family. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.359 We're the family of God. 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:57.920 So especially in the family of God, this shouldn't be happening. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:08.640 And sisters, 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. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:15.680 You're going to notice in these three reasons, he's just simply unpacking the Sermon on the Mount and what Jesus had taught. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:17.519 That's Matthew chapter 5, verse 3. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.279 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:22.799 Blessed are those who recognize they're spiritually bankrupt. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:36.319 Blessed are those who recognize that whether I'm physically or spiritually bankrupt, I actually know that I need God, and so therefore my faith is only can be found in God, not in what I have. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:42.640 He says, man, Jesus came and hung out with all the wrong type of people. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:52.400 Jesus loved and served and welcomed many, uh the marginalized, the mistreated, the disadvantaged, the exploited. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:58.960 And he goes, he goes on to say, but you have dishonored the poor, those who Jesus honored. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:03.440 It's a violation and an affront to the heart of God. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:08.160 Every person made in the Imago Day. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:16.079 See, when I treat a poor person or any person poorly, it's exactly opposite of how God would treat them. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:17.359 Let me say that again. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:26.799 When I treat a poor person or any person poorly, it's exactly opposite of how God treats them. 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.640 Brothers and sisters. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:39.119 You know, as we look at the tragic and hateful events that the murder of Mr. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:48.079 George Floyd, we have to be a people who courageously confront the evil of racism. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:56.640 And we and at the same time, we have to not perpetuate the same evil in return. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:04.319 That's why I was so grateful for Tony Dungey's response to this. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:19.119 He's a football coach or was a championship football coach, amazing Christian man, um, African American who writes in response, he said, what happened to George Floyd was inexcusable and it should never happen. 00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:28.079 Justice needs to be served, but in seeking justice, we can't fall into the step of prejudging every police officer we see. 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:37.759 What started out as peaceful protests has have devolved into action and loot, arson and looting, and should never have happened either. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:44.160 Yes, there should be protests, but we do not have license to perform criminal acts because we're angry. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:46.720 Today, we are a divided country. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:51.039 We're divided racially, politically, and social, socioeconomically. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:55.200 And Satan is laughing at us because that is exactly what he wants. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:26:01.119 Dysfunction, mistrust, and hatred helps his kingdom flourish. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:02.799 Well, what is the answer then? 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:03.599 He asked. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:07.599 I believe it is to start with those of us who claim to be Christians. 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:14.319 We have to come to the forefront and demonstrate the qualities of the one we claim to follow, Jesus Christ. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.680 We can't be silent. 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:16.240 As Dr. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:21.440 King said so many years ago, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:24.640 But we can't go forward with judgmental, bitter spirits. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:29.440 We need to be proactive, but do it in a spirit of trying to help make things better. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:32.720 And it can't be just the African American churches. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:35.039 So listen up, church. 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:45.200 It has to be all churches taking a stand and saying we are going to be on the forefront of meaningful dialogue and meaningful change. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:51.519 We have to be willing to speak the truth in love, but we have to recognize that we are not fighting against other people. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:55.680 We're fighting against Satan and his kingdom of spiritual darkness. 00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:03.920 In the words of the Apostle Paul, do not overcome, uh, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:06.000 This is so well said. 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:12.079 I I hope that we as a church take that to heart. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:16.160 The first reason this is a big deal, it's an affront to the heart of God. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:20.799 The second reason is the law of love demands consistency. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:29.119 He he goes on to talk about the royal law of God that found in the scriptures, love your neighbor as yourself. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:32.960 And if we do that, then you're you're you're doing well. 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:36.400 But then he's then he says, but if you show favoritism, you sin. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:41.680 It harms and breaks the royal law of loving your neighbor as yourself. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:44.240 He says, and you're convicted by the law. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:47.279 See, the the royal law, it's royal for a couple reasons. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:28:01.119 Royal because um it's the law of God, it's the law of the kingdom of heaven, and it's the law upon which all other laws fall under, like do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not lie. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:03.440 It's all based on love. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:09.599 It's just like loving you means I'm not gonna do these things, loving my neighbor. 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:20.000 And what we do is we pick and choose which kind of love we want to do and say, Well, I do this love, and I don't do this, and I feel good, and as long as I I'm not doing this, then it's okay. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:23.039 And and James is saying, no, you you can't pick and choose. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:25.279 Love must be consistent across the board. 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:27.200 You can't pick and choose your neighbor. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:29.279 Love must be consistent. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:33.440 You can't pick and choose what what of these things to obey. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:36.720 By the way, this is a command. 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.559 You must not show favoritism. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:39.920 We must not show favoritism. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:42.559 Follower of Jesus, it's not optional. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.759 It's not optional. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:46.160 It's not like, well, I don't like that one. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:47.119 I don't care. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.880 Are you a follower of Jesus? 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:50.640 This is what we're called to do. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:53.680 The law of love demands consistency. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:58.240 And reason number three, you are not the judge and jury God is. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:06.960 He goes on to say, speak and act as those who will be judged. 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.000 We don't talk about this probably near enough. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:16.079 But even followers of Jesus will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account for all we've done. 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:23.839 It has nothing to do with whether you're saved or not, but it has everything to do with how we actually experience eternity. 00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:29.039 And the apostle Paul would say, and some will escape through the fire just barely. 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:38.240 And what's of gold and precious metals will remain, and what's unmade of wood, hay, and straw will be burned up. 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.759 What's worthless. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:51.359 And see, when we speak and act, we we talk as if we're the judge, not as if we one day will be judged by what we say and what we do and how we live. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:53.599 God is the judge. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:30:01.440 May I not judge other people's motives, may I not speak angrily or somehow assume that I know best. 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:04.079 I don't know that person's world. 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:06.240 I don't know that person's reason. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:10.079 Or we'd say, no, no, no. 00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.839 I'm not the judge. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:13.279 I'm not the jury. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.960 God is. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:19.920 And so, how do we experience social restoration? 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:27.680 Social restoration begins when followers of Jesus embrace there are no social distinctions. 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:30.079 Well, what do I do with this? 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:32.559 How do we move forward? 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:38.960 I think the first step is in embracing and owning that we all play favoritism. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:41.599 Remember, James said stop playing favorites. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:42.799 It's already happening. 00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:44.960 And we just gotta say, like, raise both hands. 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:46.319 We're the human people. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:48.400 Uh I know we're all human people. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:49.200 There you go. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:56.880 Uh but we're we're all in this, every single one of us, and own our own side of this. 00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:58.880 And then we have to ask this question. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:04.799 Before you speak, before you act, before I speak, before I act, we have to ask this question. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:09.119 What does love require of me? 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:12.079 See, love requires a lot of things of me. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:16.079 It requires me to speak up for those who don't have a voice. 00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:21.839 It requires me to stoop down and tenderly care for those that are hurting. 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:28.960 It requires of me to assume the most generous explanation for someone's behavior. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:34.400 What does love require of me before I ever speak and act? 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:39.359 In doing so, you'll keep the royal law of God. 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:41.279 Jesus. 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:50.160 And in John chapter 4, we get this picture. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:56.480 It's the woman caught, uh, not the woman, it's the woman in uh at the well, the Samaritan woman. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:07.119 And if you understand the context, there were so many things in that moment that created division, judgmentalism, and a divide. 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:16.960 And and there in that moment, the woman was a Samaritan, which, if you understand that, there was a racial and religious divide, animosity between Jews and Samaritans. 00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:18.480 I don't have time to get into that. 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.839 She was a woman. 00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:25.440 There was a divide between men and women, and value system between men and women. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:29.839 And in fact, a rabbi would never speak in public to a woman he didn't know like that. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:30.880 Ever. 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:34.720 And then there was the moral divide. 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:40.960 This woman was an immoral woman, had five husbands, and she was living with a man that wasn't her husband. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:44.559 And Jesus at the well asked the question. 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:46.319 I love his beginning. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.480 He wasn't like, hey, I have something for you. 00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:49.839 He asked something of her. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:51.119 Would you give me a drink? 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:58.799 I see so much value will I in you, not only will I speak to you, I'll invite you to give me something I need. 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:08.559 And they begin this wonderful dialogue in which Jesus then explains and she experiences the healing grace of God. 00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:29.759 I like how Henry Nowen had said it as he commented on this and his experience of working uh with people in the 90s who went were suffering from the AIDS uh pandemic at that time. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:55.680 And as a priest and had all these different thoughts about and judgments about where they were coming from, he he said this in the prayer God, help me to see others not as my enemies or as ungodly, but rather as thirsty people, and give me the courage and compassion to offer your living water, which alone quenches the deepest thirst. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:34:01.519 God help me to see others not as my enemies or ungodly, as thirsty people. 00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:06.480 They just need Jesus, they need Jesus, we need Jesus. 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:22.960 Philippiancy in his book Vanishing Grace said this our confused society badly needs a community of contrast, a countercultural of ordinary pilgrims who insist on living a different way. 00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:32.960 Social restoration begins when followers of Jesus embrace there is no social distinction. 00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:41.519 May you ask, may I ask, may we be a people to ask this week and lean in what does love require of me? 00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:57.280 Heavenly Father, we come to you and our hearts are heavy as our nation is just torn into and broken over the evil and injustice. 00:34:57.360 --> 00:35:22.239 And so, God, we pray for justice, we pray for righteousness, we pray for protection that you would shine a light on all those who are doing evil and doing harm, and you would bring about repentance and that you would heal our land in Jesus' name. 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:23.440 Amen.