Racial Harmony

Introduction

A. Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Native American warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, “What are we going to do?” Tonto replied, “What you mean ‘we,’ Whiteman?” Racial division has been around for a long time. We live in a racially divided city. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous “I have a dream” speech said the following: 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. That day hasn’t come yet.

B. Is there a solution to the racial divide? Yes. And that solution is found in Christ. Not in politics; not in good will although both may be helpful but in Christ there is oneness. And it is only in Christ that true unity may exist. Let us sing of this unity which God wants and which is possible through Christ.

One

A. According to Ephesians 2, it is through the death of Christ that Jews and Gentiles were separated. I understand this isn’t racial, but any division is based on a presupposed reason. Paul says in this case, the division was based on an outward symbol of belonging — circumcision. God was the one who brought about this division but not for the reasons often believed. God’s division had nothing to do with superiority but with his divine election. As Moses says in Deuteronomy 7, Israel was the least. God chose Israel because of a promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Circumcision was a sign of the promise not something to boast about. Moses says in Deut. 7:9, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

B. God’s intent was that Israel was to be a demonstration of his love. They were to reveal God’s faithfulness. Instead, over time, Israel regarded God’s election as proof that they were in some way better than others. Israel excluded. So the Gentiles were viewed according to Paul as excluded from citizenship in God’s kingdom. The Gentiles were without hope and without God. At least in the minds of the Jews. The ethnic divide mimics the racial divide of our culture. There are those who believe someone who has a different skin color does not belong. There are those who make distinctions based upon skin color.

C. Verse 13, sets that aside. It is in Christ that the divide is conquered. Through his death, Jesus has made it possible for unity and oneness. Paul says that the dividing wall has been destroyed. And that which comprised the wall has been abolished. What separated Jew and Gentile was the law of Moses. All the laws and regulations which divided have been abolished. Jesus has brought peace. Hostility has been killed. All come to God through the one Spirit.

D. There are those who hear these words and want to immediately point to the past. Jesus destroyed the past. He doesn’t want hostility; nor division. He wants peace. He wants oneness. Human beings can set aside the desires of God and argue about injustices or human beings can join together at the foot of the cross to honor the One who has brought us together. No longer were there Jews and Gentiles; now there was a new kingdom with a new allegiance and with an understanding that our citizenship was no longer on this earth but was now a heavenly one. Together we become a building in which the Holy Spirit dwells.

So what?

A. I doubt that anything I have said to this point would create discussion. I suspect at this point, most if not all can agree that God doesn’t want division and that Jesus is the means by which hostility has been broken down. All who come to him come to dwell in peace for Jesus is the giver of peace. I want the application to come through the ears of a child. As an adult, if you are given to racial division, then there probably isn’t much I could say that would change your mind. But I ask you to consider this question, “what would you like for the children to hear?” If you were raising your children again or if you are raising children or one day will raise children, what do you want them to hear from you? What message do you want to make sure they get from you?

B. First, God loves everyone. In God’s eyes all people are beautiful and in God’s eyes physical differences reveal his creative abilities. There isn’t just blue in this world — there are various shades and hues of blue. God didn’t just create sameness; he allowed us to see his vast ability through difference. Different eye color; hair color; skin color; height; weight — on and on we could go, but all created by God and God loves his creation. There isn’t any part of his creation that God hates. So we must love the differences because they reflect God’s creative abilities.

C. Second, God wants everyone to be a Christian. God loves his creation so much that he wants everyone to follow Jesus. God sent Jesus into this world for the purpose of showing us how much he loves us. Jesus died on a cross so that everyone could see their sin and know that Jesus is the one who can take away sin. God wants everyone to come to Jesus and follow him.

D. Third, God made all people in his image. God is not a physical person but the person of God is found in everyone. Our job is to look for the person of God in everyone rather than looking at how they are different. Every person deserves respect because they are created by God. When people do wrong things, it isn’t what God wants but we still treat people with respect because we want to be treated with respect when we do wrong things. Jesus said treat people the way you want to be treated.

E. What else do you want the children to know? Are these things true? As Christians we want to demonstrate that Jesus brought peace and we want to be peacemakers. May we praise our God for differences which reveal his wisdom and his glory and may we praise our God for oneness found only at the cross of Jesus. Invitation.

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