Let me invite you to take your copy of God's Word, which I hope you have with you today, and turn to Paul's letter to the church at Colossae.
! It's the book of Colossians, chapter 3.
I remind you as we begin that this is God's Word to us, that it was written for His glory and for our good, and that we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
As a way of introduction, just to be sure that everybody's on the same page together this morning, I'm going to remind you, this is a letter written by Paul.
It's one of his prison epistles. He was likely imprisoned in Rome. We don't know this for sure, but this is probably where he was at.
And he's writing to a church that he did not found. We believe that Epaphras founded it.
Again, we don't know this as fact, but it's largely accepted this is the case.
It's in that Epaphras became a believer, became a disciple of Christ upon visiting Paul in Ephesus.
He traveled back to his hometown of Colossae, and the church there was begun.
Colossae was a rather insignificant town.
That's of great encouragement to me that one of Paul's most beautifully theological books was written to a town that was fairly obscure.
Rome had recently moved the highway around Colossae and through Laodicea, and it was kind of falling into unimportance in the time.
And the encouragement to me in that is that there is no unimportant church.
The city itself may have been unimportant, but what was happening in this church mattered.
It grieved Paul as Epaphras has traveled to him and reported to him that there are some heresies encircling and within the church.
And Paul is then compelled to write this letter to them.
We don't know the exact nature of the heresies.
We can pick up on some clues in it as Paul teaches as he addresses unspecifically some of those heresies.
But as we've seen so far in the first two chapters, Paul is establishing, in large part, the major effort of the first two chapters,
is to develop a very clear Christology in the minds of the Colossian believers.
To be sure that they understand that Jesus is himself, the Son of God.
He is deity, and that his sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for their salvation.
That they are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
There's no longer any need for a piling up of work to earn salvation.
But as he always does, as he turns from the doctrinal to the more practical, he gives application in his letters.
He says, now because of these great truths, because of what God has done on your behalf,
because of who you are in Christ, your life should begin to look this way.
And that's where we find ourselves in chapter 3.
He's beginning to unfold this for us.
Beginning of chapter 3, we're exhorted to, if we've been raised with Christ,
if we are in fact Christians, that we are to seek the things that are above.
That we're to set our minds on those things that are above, and not on the things that are on earth.
We've died to those things, and now we're meant to live to Christ.
And this text that we're kind of narrowing in on in these couple of weeks,
as Daniel came and read to us 5-17,
he begins to tell us some things that we're to put off,
our old self things, and things that we're to put on.
Things that we ought to be doing now as Christians.
Last week I showed you that the primary exhortation of 5-17 is found in the last part of verse 9,
and the first part of verse 10.
Seeing that, you have put off the old self with its practices,
and have put on the new self.
And we took as two points, we only developed point one last week,
what that is to put off the old self.
Stated in the negative, do not do these things any longer.
And then secondly, to put on the new self.
There, stated in the positive.
Instead of those things, rather, you should live in this way.
And to remind you of last week, to lead us up to our text today,
we're to put off the old self.
He says it again in verse 5 and in verse 8,
put to death therefore what is earthly in you.
He doesn't mean so literally, but figuratively.
Put to death those things.
Mortify your flesh.
In verse 8, but now you must put them all away.
And he gives us two lists.
These aren't exhaustive lists of all sin,
but they're very aimed lists.
They're very particular lists.
And those were sins of unrighteous love,
or misplaced or perverted love.
We saw those as sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness.
And then secondly, sins of unrighteous hate or wicked hate.
There are things in this world to hate rightly, properly, righteously,
but this is unrighteous hate he's talking about.
And we saw those to be anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and deceit or lying.
And he gives us in that text two reasons that we should put sin to death.
Firstly, that sin brings God's judgment.
This is the thing that we invite upon ourselves when we sin.
Verse 6, on account of these, the wrath of God is coming.
Now, those who are found in Christ, have put on Christ,
are raised with Christ, using this language that he's used so far,
those sins have been bore in Christ's body.
That wrath of God for us has been poured out on him.
So that's not what Paul's saying.
He's saying if we're in Christ,
we ought not participate in these sins
because this is the reason that the world is being judged.
These sins are the reason that God's wrath is coming.
And those who are friends of God, children of God,
part of his kingdom, should have nothing to do.
With these things.
We should want nothing to do with it whatsoever.
No part in it at all.
And secondly, we should put sin to death
because sin is part of a believer's past.
Verse 7, Paul wrote,
In these you too once walked when you were living in them.
In the last part of verse 9,
seeing that you have put off the old self.
That's who you once were.
Your identity has changed completely now.
You're no longer children of wrath.
You're children of God.
And therefore should look different from the world.
And this morning, we're going to begin to look at the second exhortation of 5-17.
We're going to begin to look at it
because we're only going to look at verses 10 and 11.
And next week, I hope to tackle the rest through 17.
We'll see.
But that is, put on the new self.
Verse 10, I'll read to you again.
And have put on the new self,
which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
And I want you to notice a few things about this.
Let me see how many things.
Three things I want you to notice about verse 10.
Notice firstly that our sanctification is progressive.
Our sanctification is progressive.
It's beginning phrase in verse 10,
have put on the new self.
The have put on is a single Greek verb.
It's in the aorist tense,
which denotes a snapshot,
a picture of a completed event.
The English translation does a great job here
putting it in the past tense.
You have put on the new self.
Those of us who are found in Christ have been changed.
We have been set apart.
This is accomplished work.
It's already completed.
But note then the rest of the verse,
which is being renewed.
Here, this which is being renewed,
believe it or not,
it's all one verb in the Greek,
and it's in the present tense,
which portrays an event that is currently happening
with no respect to its completion whatsoever.
It's in process,
and it's going to continue to be processed.
So we've been set apart,
and we're continually being set apart.
As Christians, we have been redeemed.
We have been made new,
but yet we still have our flesh,
and we struggle with it,
but we're being made new and perfect
each and every day,
moving towards the high goal
of glorification in Christ.
That day when we shed our earthly bodies,
when we're set free from sin entirely,
and we're found perfect in Him forever.
It is as if to say,
you have put on the new self,
so put on the new self.
You've put it on,
so keep it on.
It's essentially what Paul is communicating
here in verse 10.
And we have a sure promise of help in this.
Philippians 1.6, Paul writes,
and I am sure of this,
that He who began a good work in you
will bring it to completion
at the day of Jesus Christ.
He began the work,
and He will complete the work.
And he writes this later in 2 Corinthians 4.16,
So we do not lose heart,
though our outer self is wasting away.
Our inner self is being renewed day by day.
As I get a bit older,
and for those of you who are guests,
I'm 35,
and I know that that's not old
in many people's perspective,
but I'm beginning to feel age
as the years come on.
And it's encouraging to me to know
that I'm being perfected in the spiritual sense
as I'm becoming less perfect
in the physical sense.
I mentioned the wedding earlier,
and yesterday I was changing a light bulb.
This one.
Nope, that one.
And all of the sound equipment
was hidden in the back corner.
It was all stuffed around.
I couldn't move anything.
So I decided to climb up on top of the bass amp
to change the light bulb,
and I fell off of it.
And took a huge chunk of skin out of my shin
on a music stand.
And I asked Wes if he was coming up later,
can you help me change the rest of the light bulbs later?
Because I just took a big fall.
And he said, are you okay?
And I said, yeah,
I just wish I wouldn't hurt myself
doing stupid things.
And I used to do cool things and get hurt,
and now it's just stupid things.
So praise God that I'm being renewed in spirit
day by day.
I'm being perfected,
and I'm working toward that
even as my body is wasting away.
The late William Hendrickson,
a 20th century New Testament scholar,
said this of this text today,
when a man is led through the waters of salvation,
they are ankle deep at first,
but as he progresses,
they become knee deep,
and they reach through the loins
and are finally impassable
except by swimming.
And he means that as a positive thing,
a good thing that we must swim in God's grace
in our understanding of the gospel.
2 Corinthians 3,
18,
another expression of this truth,
Paul says,
and we all with unveiled face,
beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image
from one degree of glory to another,
for this comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.
So there's a progressive sanctification
for those of us who are found in Christ.
Set apart for a special purpose,
the glory of God,
and being made perfect in our lives.
Secondly,
notice the means of our renewal.
Notice the means of our renewal.
Just read to you in 2 Corinthians 3,
verse 18,
for this comes,
sanctification,
this process of being changed
from one image of glory to another,
this comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.
And we must ask the question,
how does the Spirit of God,
who exists within those
who have placed faith in Christ,
accomplish this?
What does He do?
And we talked about this at length last week,
but I want you to see it again
here in verse 10,
in knowledge.
This phrase,
in knowledge.
I gave you a slew of texts last week.
I would encourage you to go look it up
if you care to see this in greater depth.
But Romans 12, 2,
the first part of that says,
do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed,
changed from degree of glory
to degree of glory
by the renewal of your mind.
Think differently.
You are a child of God.
Understand that truth.
You don't have to be intelligent
to be a Christian.
You don't have to be high-minded
to be a Christian.
But when you become a Christian,
it necessitates upon you
that you think.
And that you think about God.
You become a theologian
when you become a Christian.
You must know the truth.
We've been given God's revelation.
He came down to become an author.
He wrote us a book.
And beloved, we should know it.
This is the way that the Spirit changes us.
There's further case for this.
Colossians 3.16a.
Later on in our text,
let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.
And then Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3.16-17.
I hope you're familiar with this verse.
All Scripture is breathed out by God
and it's profitable.
What is it used for?
It's profitable for teaching,
for reproof,
for correction,
and for training in righteousness.
And what's the result of that?
That the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.
Our progressive sanctification
is carried about by the Spirit
in knowledge.
He uses the Word of God
to shape us.
And if you're not finding,
if you're in Christ
and you're not finding
that you're progressing in sanctification,
more than likely,
the diagnosis for you
is read your Scripture.
Know your Bible.
Invite God to work it in your life
by the power of the Spirit
that you may be changed
from one degree to the next.
Thirdly,
notice the end
or the goal
of our renewal.
This last little phrase,
is after the image
of its Creator.
Now,
its is referring back
to the new self.
The Creator of that
being Christ.
We are being made
to look more like Christ
or
we are not His.
We are being made
to look more like Christ
or
we are not His.
If you have put off
the old self
and put on the new self,
then there will be progress
for you
in godliness.
This is the great work
of God on our behalf.
Changing our hearts.
Regenerating us.
Taking the old dead us
and putting in us
a heart that beats
for Him.
You will progress
in godliness
if you are found
in Christ.
Now,
in verse 11,
Paul does,
upon first reading,
a very curious thing.
It doesn't follow
in my logic
and the way I think
that this is where
he would go next.
difficult a bit to go.
Verse 11
almost seems like
it stands alone.
Like it's like
Paul suddenly had
this random aside
and he thought
he would just
throw it in
for the fun.
Verse 11 reads,
Here,
there is not
Greek and Jew,
circumcised
and uncircumcised,
barbarian,
Scythian,
slave,
free,
but Christ is all
and in all.
Let me show you
the way in which
that doesn't
stand apart,
that it is in fact
logical and flows
in what he's
trying to say.
He has been talking
about these sins,
these particular sins,
these sins of
unrighteous love
or these sins of
unrighteous hate.
He's been talking
about these things
and all of these sins
are relational sins.
They have to do
with the way in which
we interact
with one another.
I believe he's
particularly talking
to the church.
The way in which
you interact with
each other
as Christian people.
Certainly we can
take the implications
out beyond
the borders
of our body,
but specifically
this is what
he's referring to.
And so he's
turning now
and saying
here is the
proper way
in which
you should live.
And he starts
with these
borders,
these barriers
that have been
put up
by people
of the day.
The way in which
they were so
obstinate toward
one another
around these
particular things.
So he begins
by breaking
those things
down.
And in the next
week we'll see
the way in which
they're meant
to love each other.
In spite of
your differences,
in spite of
your barriers,
you should live
this way
together.
This is a great
exhortation
for the church
today.
Ephesians 2
13-16
says this,
but now
in Christ
Jesus,
you who
once were
far off
have been
brought near
by the blood
of Christ.
For he himself
is our peace
who has made
us both one
and has broken
down in his
flesh the
dividing wall
of hostility,
the barriers
of hostility
between us
by abolishing
the law of
commandments
expressed in
ordinances
that he might
create in
himself one
new man
in place of
the two,
so making
peace.
It might
reconcile us
or bring us
back into
right relation
both to
God in
one body
through the
cross,
thereby killing
the hostility.
So the gospel
cuts the head
off the snake
of hostility.
It does away
with these
barriers that
are created
by men.
And they exist.
They're real.
They function
in our world.
We're going to
look at this
list of them
here and these
were barriers
to be sure.
Paul mentions
the dividing
wall.
These were
lines that
were not
crossed in
this day.
The closest
thing that I
can think of
in our
modern day
world is
India's
caste system.
And actually
as I began
to do some
research on
the caste
system,
it seems
much looser
than these
barriers were
in this day.
These were
strict things
that everyone
obeyed.
And he is
saying that
the gospel
destroys those
walls.
It changes
us in a
very peculiar
and wonderfully
God-glorifying
way in
this world.
So he
tells us
about some
varying
barriers.
Firstly,
the ethnic
barriers.
Greeks
and Jews.
These were
people groups.
Real people
groups that
really exist.
Bloodlines
that exist.
Greek and
Jew.
He talks
about religious
barriers.
Those who
were circumcised
and those
who were
uncircumcised.
You know
much of your
Bible or
history,
you know
that Jews
were commanded
to be
circumcised
and those
outside the
faith were
uncircumcised.
We would
typically refer
to these
people as
Gentiles.
I think
all of us,
unless somebody
who hears of
Jewish descent
ethnically,
are probably
counted in that
number.
The uncircumcised
that the gospel
advanced to.
We were able
to receive the
good news of
Jesus Christ.
What a blessed
thing that is.
These things,
these barriers
have been broken
down.
There's a very
serious level
of animosity
in this day
between Jews
and Greeks.
Gentiles is a
broader category.
They had
nothing to do
with one another.
Jewish people
refused to
enter into a
Gentile house.
Refused to
go into a
Gentile house.
You know why?
Because they
believed that
all Gentiles
aborted their
children and
put them down
the drains in
their homes.
And therefore
they couldn't
go in or
else they
would be
defiled.
Very severe
judgment cast.
Now some of
this maybe
happened,
but all of
them was the
Jewish
understanding.
They would
not eat a
meal or
purchase meat
that was
butchered by
a Gentile.
When they
returned to
Jerusalem,
it was the
practice.
Not occasionally,
but everyone
that was Jewish
when they
returned to
Jerusalem would
show their
disdain for
the Gentiles
by shaking the
dust off their
clothes and
sandals.
To shortly
be dirty back
up as they
continued in
Jerusalem.
It was a way
of saying we're
not even going
to carry
Gentile dust
into our
city.
They hated
them and the
Gentiles the
same.
They returned
the disdain
for one
another.
Do you
recall the
reluctance of
the apostles
to accept
Gentile believers?
It was a
difficult thing
for them to
get past,
understand the
gospel of
grace.
I would
encourage you to
read Acts 10
and 11.
You can read
about Peter's
vision, the
way that God
had to come
and give him
this vision and
then Peter goes
and sees
conversions and
spirit filling
of Gentiles and
then commends to
the rest of the
apostles that this
is right and
proper and a
work of God.
A great deal of
animosity between
one another.
And Paul is
saying that the
gospel destroys
that division.
The old man
held to these
things, the new
man thinks
nothing of
them any
longer.
He points out
cultural barriers.
He talks about
the barbarians
and the
Scythians.
The barbarian
was a broad
term for those
people, particularly
the Greeks and
the Jews who
tended to be a
very educated
people, to
speak of those
people who
were uneducated.
They were
inarticulate in
their speech.
In fact, the
term barbarian
comes from what
they jested that
they sounded
like, that they
just talked like
this, bar,
bar, bar, bar, bar.
They said nothing
intelligible at
all.
That's where this
phrase barbarian
comes from.
The most feared
of the barbarians
were the
Scythians.
This was actually
a people group.
The Jewish
historian Josephus
in Against
Apion wrote,
the Scythians
delight in
murdering people
and are little
better than
wild beasts.
Right?
Hated.
The way they
were as an
aggressive people
was hated by
the Jews and
the Greeks.
Paul speaks of
social barriers.
Slave and
free.
Slaves in this
day had
extremely low
social standing.
Less than
people.
Does that sound
familiar at all?
Aristotle records
that they were
considered living
tools to be
used and then
discarded.
And the gospel
here again
breaks this
down.
Paul writes
in Galatians
3.28,
there is neither
Jew nor
Greek.
There is neither
slave nor
free.
There is no
male and
female.
He adds yet
another social
barrier that's
been abolished
by the gospel.
For you are
all one in
Christ Jesus.
He says it
again in 1
Corinthians 12.13,
for in one
spirit we were
all baptized
into one body,
Jews or
Greeks,
slaves or
free,
and all
were made
to drink
of one
spirit.
All of these
differences that
we have are
no longer of
any importance
whatsoever because
now we have
Christ.
The gospel of
Jesus destroys
them, breaks
them down,
ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
and social,
abolishes them
altogether because
it's phrased at
the end of verse
11, Christ is
all and in
all.
Christ is
all and
he is in
all.
And I believe
what Paul is
trying to say
is that Christ
is everything.
He is the
great equalizer.
If we have
Christ then we
have the
greatest thing
in common
that we could
possibly have
in common.
All of a sudden
all of the
differences between
us become
entirely
insignificant
because we
have
Christ.
We are so
apt as
people to
be a number
of things,
to define
ourselves in
a number
of ways,
to add up
a list of
things and
somewhere in
that list of
things that I
am I place
Christian.
Oh, oh and
I'm a disciple
of Christ.
If you are in
Christ you are a
Christian first.
Great difference
between people in
this world are
those who are
enemies of God
and those who
are friends of
God, those who
are outside of
Christ and those
who are in
Christ.
This should be
the first thing
that we list,
the first way
that we think
about ourselves.
I am Nathan
and I am a
Christian and
I do this or
I do that.
I am married,
I have children,
etc.
I am a
Christian first.
It should
invade all
of who I
am.
We are so
apt to
segment
ourselves off
as Christian
people.
Beloved,
this should
not be so
with us.
We're drawn
together by
affinities and
I think the
great issue
there is
because we
don't talk
about Jesus
Christ as
much as we
should.
We don't
talk about
the thing
we have
in common
and share
in that
enough,
but we
want to
talk about
whatever
sports we're
into,
our favorite
team,
our gardens,
what we're
doing on
our house,
our children.
We should
be talking
about Christ
more than
those things.
We could
talk about
those things,
but more
than those
things,
and we
should see
what we
share in
common.
We should
so love
Jesus that
we want to
see the way
in which he's
working in
other people's
lives.
We should
hunger for
that,
to say to
other people,
how is the
Lord working
and changing
you?
I need to
see a fresh
picture of
grace today.
Sometimes I
fail to
believe the
gospel in
my activity,
in my day.
I fail to
remember that
it has power
to change me
because I
stop looking
at the way
in which it's
working in
other people's
lives.
We divide
ourselves up
by the
stupidest of
things.
This is why
I am against
affinity-based
churches.
They infuriate
me that we
target a
particular hobby
in order to
build a
church around
a hobby.
It makes
no sense to
me whatsoever.
I'm okay with
hanging out with
people that like
to do stuff I
like in order to
share the gospel
with them,
but to do
everything you
do in order to
attract a
particular little
segment of
society,
I think,
it's my
opinion,
is sin.
people.
Our evangelism,
the way in
which we go
out into the
world should
be entirely
indiscriminate.
Entirely.
Because we
see people.
The great
thing that we
have in
common apart
from Christ
is our
sin.
People need
salvation.
Everyone is
headed without
Jesus to
eternal
destruction.
There's the
affinity.
What do
they need?
The gospel.
This is how
we should
build our
churches.
Now it
happens that
we gather
around
affinity.
There are
a lot of
college students
in our
congregation,
are there
not?
But that's
based on
relationship,
based on
people you
know,
and who
you invite,
and who
you're sharing
your faith
with.
That is
good,
and fine,
and acceptable,
but when we
narrow our
reach,
I think it's
sin.
Christ is
all,
and he's
in all,
the great
equalizer,
the great
thing that
we have
in common.
Back in
the beginning
of verse 11,
Paul says,
here there
is not.
And this
here refers
back to
verse 10,
to the new
self.
This new
self that's
being renewed
in the image
of its
creator.
The NASB
version,
I think,
renders this
well to
help us
understand,
says,
a renewal
in which
there is
no distinction
between
these varying
barriers.
A renewal
in which
there is
no distinction
between.
It does
not
belong
amidst
the people
of God.
So this
is what he
says should
not cause
conflict.
There should
not be
barriers
between
these
things,
these
ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
social barriers.
These are
realities,
real things,
real barriers
that should be
abolished by
the gospel.
But I want
you to also
see this
morning what
he doesn't
say,
what he
doesn't talk
about.
Sometimes the
silence of the
scripture screams
something to
us.
And in this
case, I think
we need to
see that he
does not
talk about
race.
He does
not mention
race.
Not because
race is not
abolished by
Christ,
not because
it didn't
have the
power to
do so,
but because
race does
not exist.
race is
not a
real
thing.
Before your
head explodes,
racism
certainly
exists.
Racism is
a thing
that's been
created.
It exists,
but race
does not.
And I'll
tell you,
as I go
on to prove
this to
you,
that reality
makes racism
extremely
ridiculous.
It's
childish.
It's
stupid.
And we
have men
in some
of the
highest
offices in
our country
that act
as if
everything
hangs and
depends on
this reality
of race
and it
doesn't
exist.
I'd encourage
you to stop
listening to
such men.
Ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
social barriers
have a
basis in
reality.
Race is
based on
features.
characters.
It's
based on
appearances
most
prominently
on skin
color.
Now,
I'm not
going to
deal for
a long
time with
this because
we just
don't have
time.
I owe
you guys
a shorter
sermon.
I'm aware
of that.
There's
more to
be said
about this,
but I
hope this
will start
a conversation
concerning it.
Anthropologists
have agreed
for centuries,
centuries,
that race
is socially
constructed,
and that is
to say that
we invented
it,
that we
made it
up to
serve our
ends.
Listen to
this.
This is an
article written
by the
American
Anthropological
Association,
and this
is their
statement on,
and I love
that they
do this,
quote-unquote
race.
Every time
they say
it in
this article,
it's race.
Here we
go.
Historical
research has
shown that
the idea
of race
has always
carried more
meanings than
mere physical
differences.
Indeed,
physical
variations in
the human
species have
no meaning
except the
social ones
that humans
put on
them.
Today,
scholars in
many fields
argue that
race,
as it is
understood in
the United
States of
America,
was a
social
mechanism
invented
during the
18th century
to refer
to those
populations
brought
together
in
colonial
America.
The
English
and other
European
settlers,
the
conquered
Indian
peoples,
and those
peoples of
Africa
brought in
to provide
slave labor,
created race
in order to
perpetuate
the things
they were
trying to
accomplish.
Further in
the article,
race thus
evolved as
a worldview,
a body of
prejudgments
that distorts
our ideas
about human
differences and
group behavior.
Racial beliefs
constitute myths
about the
diversity in
the human
species and
about the
abilities and
behavior of
people homogenized
into racial
categories.
The myths
fused behavior
and physical
features together
in the public
mind,
impeding our
comprehension
of both
biological
variations and
cultural behavior,
implying that
both are
genetically
determined.
Racial myths
bear no
relationship to
the reality of
human capabilities
or behavior.
Scientists
today find
that reliance
on such
folk beliefs
about human
differences in
research has
led to
countless
errors.
I'm going to
sum that up for
you in my
terminology in
case you lost
me in that
language.
What they're
saying is that
race has been
socially constructed
in order to
perpetuate ideas
about people who
look different
and that the
appearance of
people has
nothing to do
with their
ability as
people.
But we have
tied the two
together and
invented this
thing which I
am calling
racism.
We categorize
people in
this way.
A very
severe example
of this
working out
in our
world with
a tragic
outcome is
the 1994
Rwandan
genocide.
I hope you're
familiar with
this.
I hope you
are paying
attention to
the news and
seeing these
types of
events.
In 1994
in an
approximately
100-day
period from
April 7th to
mid-July,
an estimated
500,000 to
a million
Rwandans
were killed.
It is tragic
to me that
we have to
estimate it,
that we don't
even know
the real
number of
people that
were slaughtered
in this
genocide.
The mass
slaughter of
Tutsi were
genocide by
the Hutu in
Rwanda.
Now to give
you just a
little background
history,
the Hutu were
the people that
were indigenous
to the land
of Rwanda.
The Tutsi
migrated from
Ethiopia in
the 14th
century.
Interestingly,
the Tutsi
were originally
called the
Kushites.
Anybody
remember in
the scripture
someone who
married a
Kushite?
Moses.
Moses were
married to
a black
woman,
quote unquote
black woman.
But the
Tutsi migrated
from Ethiopia
in the 14th
century.
So 500
years have
passed.
Rwanda is
a nation
state.
It was
taken over
by Germany
after World
War I was
given to
Belgium.
This is
kind of the
background.
This has
become a
people,
the Rwandan
people.
This has
happened.
But in
order to
segregate
them,
many of
the Tutsis
had risen
up.
They were
in a lot
of the
ruling
places.
But in
order to
continue to
perpetuate
that,
to keep
that going,
Belgium
brought coffee
production.
They needed
a large
class of
workers.
They
divided
them.
You know
how they
divided
them?
They set
a standard
for what
qualified you
as a
Tutsi and
what qualified
you as
a Hutu.
They took
measurements.
they required
people to
be cataloged.
They took
measurements of
their head
size and
their nose
size and
their height.
The Tutsis
were believed,
it was
postulated,
that because
they were
from Ethiopia
that they
were more
European and
therefore were
more excellent
than the
Hutu.
These people
had lived
together for
500 years.
It had no
real basis of
ethnicity any
longer.
They were
Rwandans and
yet they were
divided along
these lines of
measurements.
So socially
constructed,
you see what
I'm saying?
They created
two races based
on appearance,
two races,
and the end
result of that
was a great
hatred for
one another
that ended
in this
mass,
mass genocide.
Severe
example for
sure.
But do you
not see the
way those
same types
of things
are at
work in
our nation?
So what
does the
Bible have
to say about
race?
Number one,
the Bible
correlates
Adam as
the head of
the physical
humanity and
Jesus Christ
as the head
of the spiritual
humanity.
We have one
descendant in
Adam.
We are the
human race.
We all have
the same
great,
great grandfather.
Noah,
if you prefer.
And Jesus
Christ is the
head of the
spiritual
humanity.
Read Romans
5,
1 Corinthians
15,
20-22
says,
But in
fact,
Christ has
been
raided from
the dead,
the first
fruits of
those who
have fallen
asleep.
For as by
a man came
death,
by a man
came also
the resurrection
of the dead.
For as in
Adam all
die,
so also in
Christ shall
all be
made alive.
You're seeing
the connectivity
there.
The scriptures
support the
idea that we
have a
single source
for who we
are as
people.
Secondly,
the Bible
makes the
common origin
of humanity
God.
It goes a
bit higher
and above
that.
Acts 17,
24-26,
this is
Paul preaching.
He says,
the God
who made
the world
and everything
in it,
being Lord
of heaven
and earth,
does not
live in
temples made
by man,
nor is he
served by
human hands
as though he
needed anything,
since he
himself gives
to all
mankind life
and breath
and everything.
And he
made from
one man
every nation
of mankind
to live on
all the face
of the earth,
having determined
a lot of
periods and
the boundaries
of their
dwelling place.
So Paul
then draws
the proper
distinction
between
nation,
ethnicity,
but he
draws us
all up
to God.
We have
a single
origin
of our
humanity.
God
through
Adam
and now
our
spiritual
reality
in
Christ.
The Bible
speaks
clearly
that this
race
does
not
exist.
And in
light of
this,
genetic
differences
in our
appearance
is
absolutely
trivial.
It has
no meaning
whatsoever
unless
we give
it
meaning.
So what's
the application
of this?
Firstly,
do not be
made to
feel guilty
for the
color of
your skin
or for
your ethnicity.
Do not
find yourself
lumped in a
group in
that way.
Refuse to
be put in
a group.
Introduce
yourself to
somebody by
your first
name.
Hi,
I'm Nathan.
I'm a
Christian.
know me
for
me.
When we
get little
survey forms
on everything,
everything you
go fill out
wants to
know what
race you
are.
If you
don't have
to check
something,
do nothing.
It's a
stupid question.
If you
have to,
do other.
And if you
have to fill
something into
the line,
put in a,
which stands
for not
applicable.
This is a
stupid question.
It doesn't
exist.
We should
not be
dealing with
it.
Don't feel
guilty for
the color of
your skin
or your
ethnicity.
God made
us all
beautiful.
What a
wonderful
expression of
God's
creativity
that we
have
different
tones
of skin,
different
hair.
How wonderful
that is.
It should
be grasped
and appreciated
and enjoyed.
Ignore those,
as I said
before,
who constantly
talk about
race.
You can
rattle some
people off
in your
head.
I'll do it
for you
later.
if you
would like.
Ignore
them.
Ignore
them.
Secondly,
do not
ignore that
racism
exists.
It does.
It's at work
in our
world that
ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
and social
issues do
exist.
Don't
dismiss.
Don't
act like
live in
la-la land,
like none
of these
things are
realities in
the world.
If we're
to love
people well,
we cannot
ignore their
experiences.
We have
to recognize
that there's
a truth
to their
experience.
We must
recognize the
challenges they
face and
the hurts
that they
experience.
Don't
dismiss
racism,
just dismiss
race.
Thirdly,
talk about
those ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
and social
issues.
Talk about
them.
As the
church,
we should
be engaging
them.
As those
who have
had these
barriers
torn down
for us,
we should
be the
most
enlightened
people.
We should
be the
most
understanding
of how
the common
struggle of
man in
sin and
the common
grace we
have in
Christ.
We should
be the
most
clear-headed.
We should
be talking
about these
things and
engaging
these issues.
But just
stop talking
about race.
Just stop
doing it
all together.
I would
strongly
encourage you
to do so.
To quit
categorizing
people so
readily in
that way.
Join with
Paul as he
says in
2 Corinthians
5.16
From now
on,
therefore,
we regard
no one
according
to the
flesh.
What does
he mean?
We look at
people's
spirits.
We see
people as
eternal
beings and
we treat
them as
such.
To give
you an
example of
this,
I think
some of
you in
our church
know who
William
Hollis is.
I stole
this off
the fridge
this morning.
It's
okay.
I don't
know,
you probably
can't see
this.
It's
oversight on
my part.
Probably the
fact that you
can't see
William tells
you a few
things about
William in
this picture.
It's a dark
picture.
This is my
friend William
Hollis.
Many of you
know him in
the room.
And if I
were to
describe William
Hollis,
if I were to
tell you about
my friend
William Hollis,
what our
culture is
going to tend
to do is
say,
I've got a
friend named
Will.
He's black.
And I have
just put Will
in a category.
I have placed
him off for
whatever the
preconceived notions
may be for the
person I'm
telling them
about.
I have
categorized him
in a way that
is entirely
unfair to
him.
I have
supported this
idea of
race because
I've connected
the way he
looks to a
bunch of
behavior and
preconceived
notions that
people,
good or
bad,
that they
may have.
Rather than
saying,
this is my
friend William
Hollis,
let me tell
you a bit
about who
he is.
He's a
disciple of
Jesus Christ.
He loves
the Lord.
I am so
incredibly
encouraged by
William.
He's the
husband of
Beverly.
He loves
Beverly.
He's the
father of
Jaden,
the one that
we have
this announcement
for.
He's a
former member
of our
fellowship.
He used
to go to
North Georgia
and he was
a member
of our
church here.
He serves
our country
in the
U.S.
Army.
Then you
may ask,
what does
William look
like?
It's a
fair question,
right?
Oh,
it sounds
familiar to
me.
What does
he look
like?
I would
say to
you,
not that
he's
black,
he has a
dark
complexion,
black hair
and brown
eyes.
This is
the way we
should be
talking about
one another.
We have to
be very
careful with
our language
and our
word because
they carry
with them
weight and
we are
unknowingly
perpetuating
in so many
ways unhealthy
behavior in
our church.
Talk about
ethnic,
religious,
cultural,
social issues,
but stop
talking about
race.
There's a
reality to
culture.
There's a
reality to
ethnicities,
not race.
fourthly and
lastly,
love people
with the
gospel of
Jesus Christ
indiscriminately.
Indiscriminately.
Beloved, we
should long for
a church that
is diverse.
It should be
something that's
close to our
hearts that we
want to see
happen.
Not so that we
can go around
telling people that
we have people of
different race in
our church.
This is not the
goal of this
longing, but
that we can
see the way
that God
works in
varying situations.
That we can
see those
barriers, those
walls torn
down.
Now, we live
in a place,
the county that
we're located
in, if you
want to throw
Hall County
into the mix
of that,
that is like
92%.
I'm going to
quote my
finger,
Caucasian.
It's not even
language I like
to use,
right?
Of European
descent.
Stupid.
So, are we
all going to
tend to be
fair-skinned?
Probably.
Probably, because
of where we
live.
But it's
something we
should long
to be
different.
We should
want to
have diversity
in our
church.
And I don't
think that we
need to go
seeking it
out.
I don't
think we
need to
target people
that look
different than
us.
But as we
see the
opportunity,
we should
love people
with the
gospel
indiscriminately.
We should
just extend
it to
everybody
because we're
all human
and we all
have sin
and we all
have destruction
that's due
it.
And we
all need
Christ.
John 3.16
says this,
For God so
loved the
world that
he gave his
only Son,
that whoever
believes in
him should
not perish
but have
eternal life.
For Christ
is all
and he's in
all.
Let's pray
together.