28th of August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC
and delivered what is regarded as one of the top five speeches of the 20th century and certainly
for the English speaking world. He said, I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
live out the true meaning of its creed that we hold these truths to be self-evident that all
men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former
slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of
brotherhood. I have a dream that one day, even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the
heat of injustice and sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of
freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children one day live in a nation that
will not judge them by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream
today. He articulated and symbolized a great dream, a vision of racial harmony and social justice and
peace and unity, a vision that he himself unfortunately did not see to materialize.
It is, however, a dream that I would suggest aligns with God's purposes for his world and for all people.
I believe it's a dream that must start with Christians embracing the Lord Jesus. It must start with the
local church and it must start here at St. Paul's Chatswood. Our vision, as I launched last week,
we're in a vision series and launched last week a new vision for us and our vision is to be united
in our desperation for the world around us to encounter Jesus and in our desire to represent
the diversity of Chatswood. I talked a lot last week about unity. This week, I want to focus on
the idea of diversity for us as a church. Our vision is to be united in our desire to represent
the diversity of Chatswood. God's vision, as we just heard from God's word, is a vision for all
people. The vision that we're looking, working our way through in the course of these four weeks of
vision series is far greater than Martin Luther King's vision of a racial harmony of the United
States or even beyond the United States. Our vision is intimately connected to God's vision
of all things. The biblical vision, let me say what I intend on doing in this next little while
is to preach the Bible to you. So we're going to begin Genesis chapter one and see God's vision
unfold really, really quickly. The biblical vision starts beginning of the Bible in Genesis one,
where God creates all things. He creates all people, two of them at this point, in his image.
In his image. And every person who's ever walked the face of the earth from that moment
carries the image of God. There is solidarity for all people. We all are created equal.
It's not just a constitutional thing for the United States. All people are created equal. But as
we have solidarity in image, so we also have solidarity in our sin. In Genesis chapter three,
Adam and Eve reject God's rule over their life. And every human being who's walked the face of the
earth since that has followed in their footsteps. And we, from the point of conception, are flawed.
Our image of God is marred by sin. We have all sinned and we fall short of God's purposes for our lives.
Romans chapter three. And one of the big consequences of that is God's judgment upon all people. And you see it
played out in terms of the nations in Genesis chapter 11, where he scatters people. He confuses their
language so that they would not work together in order to dethrone him as the Lord of all.
And yet God doesn't just act in judgment. He doesn't leave us in that place because
he sets about a plan to reverse it all in Genesis chapter 12, the beginning there, verses one to
three. But Genesis 12 is the hinge point of the Bible. It's the turning point of scripture. It's the
beginning of God's plan of redemption that began with a promise to a bloke named Abram, that all peoples
of the earth will be blessed through him. And God's call of Abraham here is a direct response
to the disastrous human situation of Genesis 3 to 11. God's focus is on Abraham and it's not
an exclusive focus, but to use this individual, an unimpressive individual, and his descendants to
bless and deliver the entire human race. And that means that God's solution to our sin
reaches its final goal when it includes all peoples, all nations of the earth.
The purpose of God choosing Israel was to witness to the universal power and love and magnificence
of God for all people. God's plan for all the nations is amazing in its scope and its vision.
And that's what you see right through the rest of the Bible, including the Old Testament, which
appears to be so centered on the people of Israel. Psalm 67, the nations will benefit from the Abrahamic
blessing of Israel. The nations will come to worship the living God in Psalm 22, 86, 102, 138, 145, Isaiah 2, 12, 42, 45.
The nations will be included within Israel as the standard people of God, as God's purposes are worked out,
as such a way that they'll be registered in God's holy city in Psalm 87.
They'll be blessed with God's salvation in Isaiah 19. They'll be accepted into God's house in Isaiah 56.
They'll be called by God's name in Amos 9. They'll be joined with God's people in Zechariah 2.
Just to name a few. It is absolutely essential for us to see that God is not a racist in any way whatsoever.
He doesn't have favorites. The choosing of Israel was not for ethnocentric purposes. It was for universal redemption.
But Israel failed consistently in living out that purpose. They consistently displayed sinful prejudice,
apathy, racial pride. They consistently forgot the reason God chose them.
And God's plan of redemption, which started with the promise to Abraham,
was not thwarted in any way, but it continued on and finds its fulfillment in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
You see, with the arrival of the Lord Jesus, you see this very early on in the Gospels,
was a radically new way of defining what it meant to be part of the people of God,
start to be expressed with clarity from the person of Jesus.
And it wasn't ethnically defined.
It was defined by faith in the Lord Jesus.
You see, with Abraham, God set in motion a plan of redemption that overtones every curse
for everyone who receives the blessing of Abraham.
And that blessing is the forgiveness of sins, acceptance by God,
that comes through Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abraham.
Galatians 3, 13 and 14 says it,
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
For it is written,
Cursed is anyone who is hung on a tree.
That is, what it's saying there is that Jesus redeemed all people by his death on the cross.
He redeemed us in order that the blessing that was given to Abraham
might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus.
It's for all people.
God's redemptive plan has always been to save and to bless peoples from all peoples of the earth
and to unite them together with him as his people through the Lord Jesus.
It is the center of the Christian message.
We refer to it as the Gospel, the good news about Jesus.
It's redemption with our Creator God,
being redeemed, united with him,
and united with all people.
Galatians 2 refers to the Gospel as justification by faith.
Justification is what a judge does in a courtroom.
It's the declaration that a defendant is innocent because they are in fact innocent.
They are truly innocent.
How does God declare rebellious humans to no longer be rebellious?
When they've been rebellious?
Not by just going,
Oh, let's just love everyone and forget about it.
No, by judging it.
By dealing with it.
By giving it the right condemnation.
Someone has to jump in to be the substitute.
Someone has to take the place of the guilty,
to suffer the just punishment for the guilty.
And as we saw last week, that was Jesus.
Jesus Christ lived and died to bear our punishment
and provide for us a right standing before God.
Justification by faith puts all people on a level playing ground.
That's what justification by faith does.
It's a level playing ground for all people.
We are all utterly dependent upon God's grace to us in the Lord Jesus.
No one is different.
And justification smashes pride.
It's why we have a core value written on the wall just out there called humble authenticity.
The Gospel smashes pride.
Justification by faith is at the center of the Christian faith
and many new and sweet and tender and deep and strong
and beautiful and noble and humble and kind
and wise and patient and caring
and serving attitudes and behaviors that flow directly from that.
And one of which is the breaking down of the hostile barriers
and suspicion that gets built up between people
who are different than us.
It breaks the barriers
builds us together as one new humanity
and that's how Galatians 3 puts it
you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus
for all of you
who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ
there is neither Jew nor Greek
slave nor free
male nor female
if you belong to Christ
then you are Abraham's seed
and heirs according to the promise of Abraham
back in Genesis 12.
When Paul states here that there's neither Jew nor Greek
slave nor free
male nor free
male
what he does here is he
he strikes at the heart
of three of the major barrier forming divisions
in human society
and certainly was the case in the first century
ethnicity
economic status
and sexuality
there was a Jewish prayer
that was prayed
in the first century
that went like this
and it's a prayer of thanksgiving
blessed be he
that he did not make me a Gentile
blessed be he
that he did not make me a slave
or an ignorant peasant
blessed be he
that did not make me a woman
now I'm assuming
that that was only ever prayed
in the
men's breakfast
at the temple
the bacon free men's breakfast
just egg rolls
that's all it is
just egg rolls
and what the Christian gospel does
is it smashes those barriers
and forms a radical new society
the old divisions are abolished
the new community is formed
and you see just after Jesus' resurrection
in Acts chapter 2
on the day of Pentecost
the Holy Spirit comes
the church is formed
and people of different races
and generations
and languages are there
and the coming of the Holy Spirit
is a symbolic reversal
of the judgment of
Genesis 11
with the Tower of Babel
where God scatters
and confuses their language
people who were once scattered
and frustrated
are gathered together under Jesus
and even language on that day
is not a barrier
as people hear
hear God's plan of redemption
in the Lord Jesus
in their own tongue
the blood of Jesus unites all people
and what is symbolic
in Acts chapter 2
is a reality of the final picture
of all things
final picture of all things
in history in Revelation
as we just saw in Revelation 5
in verse 9
John tells us
why Jesus is worthy
to open the book
at the end of history
so that things unfold
according to the plan of God
Jesus is worthy
because of how
his death relates
to all races
and tribes of the earth
it says
you are worthy
to take the scroll
to open its seals
because you were slain
and with your body
you purchased men
let me just
purchase people
for God
from every tribe
language
nation and people
and you have made them
to be a kingdom
and priests
to serve our God
and they will reign
on the earth
it was God's design
in the death
and the resurrection
of Jesus
to ransom some
from every kind of race
and language
and people
and kingdoms
and to make them
one kingdom
and as the king
of the kingdom
all people live
with Jesus
as their supreme
treasure and lord
every individual
in this new humanity
as you notice
you have made them
a kingdom of priests
there's not a hierarchy
of order here
they're all priests
they are all
full time
worshippers
of the king
that's what the priest's job was
Jesus died
to ransom subjects
for the king
and worshipers
for the king
from every race
and tribe
and language
the goal
is for all those
scattered from God
will return
to enjoy fellowship
with him
the scattered ones
once separated
from God
and from each other
are now brought together
under the reign of Jesus
and finding God's blessing
his promise of blessing
as God said to Abraham
back in Genesis 12
we see it here
in Revelation 5
fulfilled
you can see it fulfilled
in verses 11
sorry
13 and 14
then I heard
every creature
in heaven
and on earth
and under the earth
and on the sea
and all that is in them
singing to him
who sits on the throne
to the lamb
be praise
and honor
glory
and power
forever and ever
the four living creatures
said amen
and the elders
fell down
and worshipped
the elders fell down
and worshipped
and that is what
all of creation
is designed for
this is what history
is about
this is what
the nation is about
this is what
people is about
this is what
group is about
this is what
diversity is about
this is what
language is about
this is what
St. Paul's
is about
this is what
my life is about
this is what
your life is about
and so it is
inconceivable
that we should believe that the goal of God in history
and the aim of the death of his son
is to gather all people
and for us not to care
about breaking down the barriers now in this city
and this church
between you and other people and me and other people.
The Christian gospel is the power of God
that breaks down the dividing wall of hostility
between Israelis and Palestinians
and Russians and Poles and Nazis and Jews
and white and black and male and female
and old people and young
and whatever other divisions are in there.
When our Redeemer and Great Reconcile and his gospel
are what we hold as first importance
which is what 1 Corinthians 15.3 says it is
we are empowered to listen to those different perspectives and preferences
evaluate fairly to change as we need
and be proactive in reaching across those lines
that have traditionally caused divisions amongst us.
when Jesus is our greatest treasure
we see that our lifelong preferences
our lifelong treasures
all those little idols that I spoke about last week
are ultimately our hope
they're not our hope
they're not our security
they're not our comfort
it means that we will actually become eager
to have them changed
removed
refined
if it means less barriers to others
embracing and treasuring the Lord Jesus with us
you see when the cross is our salvation
and our daily strength
we're eager to crucify our pride
and our love for self
and our type
and our comfort
and our way
we're empowered to take the extra steps
extra steps
to step across those dividing lines
across generations
across cultures
with kindness
with grace
with a listening ear
because my security is not in my preferences
my comfort is not in my preferences
my security
my comfort
my identity
is wrapped up
that I'm a child of a living God
and so as I said last week
there's a certain irony
a terrible irony
in this being
as I launched into this vision last week
that this is my passion
this has been my ministry passion
as a church
for so, so long
and yet
for me to have
an idol
that results in me
working against my passion
I talked about it last week
I encouraged you
in the past week
to go and look at your idols
I've got other
treasures and idols
that get in the way
of me pursuing
God's vision
of all things
I said last week
it was control
and it's not all negative
it's a positive thing
I am the senior minister
of St. Paul's
and so
there is an element
that I ought to have
a certain element of control
but when
that becomes
the most important thing
becomes the ultimate thing
then it becomes
a treasure
it becomes an idol
that displaces Jesus
from being the greatest treasure
of my life
and the interesting thing
about the
idol of control
is that your biggest emotion
will be an emotion
of worry
when your idol
is fed
inflamed
and pumping in your heart
worry
will be the thing
that I'll be
my greatest
troubling emotion
and
what will people
around me feel
when it's really
got my heart
control's got my heart
that's the idol
that's the treasure
that's really got my heart
people around me
will feel condemned
isn't that ironic
when we're trying
to build a community
of unity
a unity
around the Lord Jesus
who says that there is
no condemnation
in him
and so
I've walked away
since July
Steve
you've got to work
on this idol
because it's impacting
St. Paul's
it's impacting
my relationships
it's impacting
us as a
as a church
and the vision
that God has
for us as a church
treasuring Jesus
is the only solution
and here's how
the solution
is for me
for an idol
control
I go to those
Bible passages
they're in front of me
all the time
the Bible passages
we talk about
God's sovereignty
over all things
they are sweetness
to my soul
I've got to
constantly remind
that he is
control of all things
do you know
the other Bible passages
which is so
so important for me
is those Bible passages
we speak about
the grace of the Lord Jesus
there's no condemnation
in him
I've got to keep
both of those things
together
there's no condemnation
in him
the only way
to displace an idol
is to have a bigger one
a greater affection
and to see that
Jesus is the one
who gives you
all that you need
and all that you desire
and so
I believe
it is
more than just
unfortunate
when our worldly
associations
and our identities
are allowed
to determine
the composition
of our churches
I believe it works
against the very nature
of the Christian gospel
and God's purposes
here's a quote
from an American theologian
Michael Horton
he said
not that long ago
evangelical missiologists
were defending
the separation
of races
based on the principle
that people like
to be with people
who are like them
South African theologians
have pointed out
that this principle
in mission work
laid the groundwork
for apartheid
an incredible evil
now that racial segregation
is less explicitly deployed
as a church growth strategy
I think he's being
somewhat sarcastic
at that point
we carve up
Christ's body
into socio-economic
and generational segments
some churches
use demographic marketing
to appeal
to different music styles
with country western
rock and jazz services
it's what has been
referred to
as the
homogenous
unit principle
like
like to be with like
we like to hang out
with people
who are like us
it's a principle
that was propagated
by the church growth movement
in the 1990s
but has been in play
for a long time since then
it goes right back
to the issues of racism
and everything else
it has led to churches
planted
to target specific demographics
specific segregating
segregations of people
segregating corporate worship
into individual preferences
traditional services
family services
youth services
ABC services
and a multitude of other services
such as cowboy services
even in the United States
in Texas
and you must ride a horse
by the way
that's true
it might seem funny
but it's true
I know it's the United States
and anything can happen
especially
you know
in the next couple of days
and let me tell you
the homogenous
unit principle
is standard practice
on the north shore of Sydney
it's standard practice
right throughout
Sydney Diocese
and it was standard practice
here at St. Paul's
until 2011
Martin Luther King
once said
that the most segregated hour
in America
is 11 o'clock
on a Sunday morning
that was over 50 years ago
but I believe
the statement is true
of a lot of churches
in our city
even today
even though we have
an integrated society
our schools are integrated
our places of work
are integrated
our neighbourhoods
are integrated
our social clubs
are integrated
and on Sunday morning
we get in our cars
we drive to our
homogenous churches
to worship our God
who has called us
to be united
in the Lord Jesus
by the power of his spirit
and I am totally convinced
that our homogenous
circles of comfort
are a hindrance
to the gospel
as we fail to display
the beautiful picture
that God has
of all time
in Revelation 5
and 7
and 9
it's so ironic
that Christians
have led some of the charge
in pursuing
racial and social justice
as well as
cross-cultural ministries
across the other side
of the world
and yet it has not
appeared to trickle down
into interpersonal behaviour
on the local church level
it's phenomenal
it's so much easier
to pursue God's purposes
when they don't interfere
with my preferences
when I can just give money
to
seeing the gospel
reach somewhere
at the other side
of the world
changes we have made here
in St. Paul's
in 2011
in our corporate worship
was to move deliberately
away from the
homogenous unit principle
in our corporate worship
in our community groups
and a bunch of other ministries
the ordering principle
of our corporate gatherings
at St. Paul's
is
not
personal preferences
based on
age
stage of life
ethnicity
tradition
music
and the
morning tea
colours of carpet
or anything else
my personal preferences
don't set the agenda
of what we do
when I say
my personal preferences
what I mean is
my personal preferences
even me
as senior minister
of St. Paul's
it's our
purpose
as a church
our vision
our values
they do
God's glory
does
rather than valuing
the comfort
of like
we started valuing
the discomfort
a shared
discomfort
when we gather
together
and that includes
me
let me tell you
I think I've said
this so many times
but
but there's still
an assumption
I've heard from a few
people
that the way we do
church at St. Paul's
right now
is my preference
there is
I
I do not
recall a single
Sunday
where I've not
had discomfort
not a single
Sunday
where I've not
had discomfort
we don't do
church
according to my
preference
we've got a
purpose
we've got a
vision
and that
what drives
us
but what I am
so pleased
about is that
I look around
at our
English
congregations
today
we have
so much
greater
diversity
than we did
five years
ago
in fact
even more
than we did
six months
ago
so much
greater
diversity
did you
know
since we've
been breaking
down the
modulus unit
principle
our
Chinese
congregation
has less
Chinese
members
in it
than the
English
congregations
it's been a
journey towards
greater unity
and diversity
a journey that
we are
continuing
and I
assume that
given that a
whole bunch of
people have
come to St.
Paul since
2011 and we
continue to
grow
you've found
Christ here
you've found
a church
family here
I would
suggest
that this
is at least
one aspect
of St.
Paul's that
we actually
value
so let
me just
take this
vision statement
a little bit
further for us
and point out
some implications
it says that
we're united
in our desire
to represent
the diversity
of Chatswood
now for those
of you who
get the
technicalities
of all this
vision statement
stuff
you would know
that a vision
statement must
be measurable
must be
measurable
you need to
be able to
assess
whether in
fact you're
pursuing your
vision
and that
statement
right there
is the
measurable
bit
in our
vision
statement
every five
years
there's this
thing called
the census
if it doesn't
crash
and there's a
national church
life survey
that gets an
evaluation of who
we are as a
people
and it does
evaluation of who
the community is
as a people
and we get to
compare those
things
and we get to
go
okay
how we're
tracking in
our diversity
we desire to
represent the
diversity of
Chatswood
that is what
we desire is
we desire not
to be a
subculture within
a culture
our goal is to
have that data
so closely
aligned as
possible
it is also a
massive danger
for Christians
Christian churches
to be a
subculture within
a culture in
such a way that
the two don't
relate
it's possibly so
comfortable with
one demographic
group because
of a long
association and
yet have no
interest in another
demographic group
because their ways
are just too
foreign to us
they're too
strange to us
they're even
repulsive to us
as a Christian
subculture
my vision is for
us is to always
be assessing
whether we are
reaching our
community
whether we're
displaying the
diversity of our
community
if we find that
50% of Chatswood
are below the
poverty line
but we don't
have anyone
in this
building
who's below
the poverty
line
I want to
ask why
is it
the middle
class or the
upper middle
class or the
whatever class
level of lower
north shore
that's hindering
the mission
that God's
placed us in
and if that's
the case
we need to
change
I need to
dress differently
or something
if 20% of
Chatswood
we discover
has Icelandic
heritage
but we've
got one
member from
Iceland
in this
church
we need
to buy
some ice
or something
there's my
narrow mindedness
coming to play
at that point
or if
15%
are of
in our
community
are same
sex couples
and we've
got none
here
I want to
ask why
my vision
for us
is that we
are so
love
and treasure
the Lord
Jesus
that we
have hold
him of
such
infinite
value
that it
will be
displayed
as the
Lord
Jesus
said
in our
love
for one
another
love
will be
the
primary
thing
that people
experience
when they
gather
in such
a way
that even
those who
are fundamentally
opposed
to my
theological
convictions
will be
able to
sit in
church
and say
I disagree
with that
guy
I disagree
with
he's
narrow minded
but I want
to be part
of this
community
because I
feel more
loved here
than I do
with the
liberal
church
that agrees
with my
position
that's my
vision
for St.
Paul's
and so I
got to work
on my
treasure
my vision
is that we
will be
welcome
while at
the same
time not
affirming
of all
cultural
distinctives
and this
is an
issue for
the whole
church to
address
if our
current
1115
congregation
is only
Chinese
I want to
know why
they're not
reaching
Syrians
and Japanese
we want
to look
at the
data and
see what
God has
for us
next
what new
barriers
we need
to break
down
what
listening
ear
what
things
we need
to learn
and know
what we
need to
change
what groups
we need
to start
praying for
what things
need to be
resourced
Chatswood
is our
mission field
it's a place
where God
has called
us for
his purpose
to reach
it with
the gospel
in such
a way
that people
from all
nations
gather
around
his throne
and we
get an
expression
of it
in this
place
the vision
of unity
in diversity
is for
every
congregation
it's for
every
small
group
one of
the great
demonstrations
of the
Christian
gospel
is people
coming
together
all people
black
white
rich
poor
male
female
cool
uncool
all coming
together
because the
good news
of the
Lord Jesus
and so my
vision for us
as a church
is to be a
trans-cultural
church
this is
different
than a
multicultural
church
a trans-cultural
church
you see
to me
multicultural
still implies
an element
of
individualism
and it
still implies
that the
thing
that is
distinctive
about me
is my
individual
culture
it says to
me that
our individual
cultural
identifications
should in
fact be the
significant
marker in
how we
view
ourselves
in how we
view each
other in
the way that
we relate to
each other
as a church
it says to
me that our
individual
culture is
one of the
significant
ordering
principles of
our life
together
it means to
have equality
you've got your
culture I've got
my culture and
we need to
equally honor
them
that's what
multicultural
that's how it's
worked out in
Chatswood
it means
including all
aspects of
all cultures
in such a
way that
we don't
critique we
don't seek to
transform any
culture we
just take it
on holus
bolus and
it means that
every culture
has every
right next
thing you
know 365
days a year
we're celebrating
someone's culture
in some particular
kind of way
there's no room
at all for me
to preach or
anything else
in a
multicultural
church there's
always a danger
that we'll be
tussling to
evaluate one
culture over
another in
order that one
cultural group
will have
supremacy over
another and
in that
environment the
majority culture
will set the
tone they will
set the flavor
they will set
the agenda
they will have
the prominence
as they have
at St.
Paul's for
decades it will
always happen
because our
individual culture
whatever it is
is the unifying
principle for us
and what must be
honored and it
must be respected
above all and
what I'm calling
to is something
different a
trans cultural
church is a
community that
reflects it
embraces and
enjoys the
diversity of its
mission context
but by the
power of the
gospel it
transcends
transcends its
cultural context
and it creates
one new
community in
Christ
that's a
trans cultural
church
this vision
this church
is not about
obliterating
cultural diversity
and distinction
you see
you know when
Jesus broke
down the
barriers between
people
he didn't
obliterate the
differences
he didn't say
well you Jews
are now Gentiles
and you Gentiles
are now Jews
or we'll have a
new thing
we'll have a
Jew
the Jews
were still
Jews
the Greeks
were still
Greeks
the slaves
were still
slaves
the free
were still
free
the men
were still
the men
and the women
were still
the women
the Bible
affirms culture
the Bible
affirms cultural
diversity
diversity of culture
is arguably part
of God's nature
in order for all
of humanity
the picture of
the end of time
is people
worshipping
Jesus still
I believe
in Revelation 5
and other bits
of the Revelation
still in their
cultural diversity
I don't think
we're all going to
walk in there
and all going to
look like me
praise God
I don't think
that's what's
going to happen
and I don't think
we're all going to
speak English
I don't think
Jesus is doing
ESL languages
right now
I don't think
that's what's
going to happen
and I'm
absolutely confident
we're all going
to be Anglican
the Bible
also causes
to a cultural
sensitivity
in Romans 14
and 1 Corinthians
10 11
we understand
and we communicate
the good news
of the Jesus
culturally
the word culture
is not mentioned
however in the whole Bible
but the Bible
is deeply concerned
about our human
identity
and interaction
our vision
is to embrace
the diversity
as part of
God's creativity
but transcend
the diversity
and find a common
ground
not in our
cultures
not in our
cultures
but in the Lord
Jesus
crucially
the Bible's
reflection on
human identity
interaction
stands outside
of culture
itself
it says
all of humanity
are fallen
they're all sinful
beings
who have been
made in God's
image
and yet
redeemed
and transformed
by the one
Lord Jesus
Christ
through the
Holy Spirit
into a new
humanity
under the
Lordship of
Jesus
that is
this is
and I believe
will be
true for everyone
irrespective of
your culture
and so what the
Bible does
is actually
marginalizes
culture
particularity
there is very
little interest
in cultural
practices
in the Bible
they are
either ignored
or they are
pushed to the
edges
in the New
Testament
our identity
in Jesus
supersedes
all other
cultural
identifications
and this is
the vision
that I have
for us
we don't
try to find
common ground
in our
respective
cultures
we transcend
them in order
to find
Jesus
a number
of years
ago
in the
transition
from me
being a
country lad
to getting
used to the
city
I said yes
to go to
the orchestra
and never
been to one
before
and it was
sold to me
as a concert
and so I
went along to
this thing
with Nat
thinking okay
I better
take something
to read
and I
remember
sitting there
and we
had a good
spot in
terms of
seeing where
it was going
first time
I've ever
been to one
of these
events
and I
remember
sitting there
in advance
when they're
all practicing
and people
are banging
on stuff
and making
a racket
you know
it was
squeezing this
and whack
whack whack
some blokes
over there
and I'm
thinking oh
this is going
to be great
yeah bring
it on
and yet I
remember
sitting there
being mesmerized
as they
they started
to play
the conductor
comes out
and the
conductor
gets them
all to do
their bit
at the right
time
and it
was incredible
the musical
harmony that
I saw with
that orchestra
and what I
thought was
interesting
one guy
stood at the
back
with this
huge
bell
donger
thing
I've got
a seat
this guy
standing there
for what
an hour
or something
I don't know
how long
it went
for
you know
it doesn't
matter
it seemed
longer
he's standing
there
and I'm
I'm watching
him
because I'm
thinking
this is the
most interesting
bit for me
when he
wails on
that thing
that's going
to be great
and he
didn't do
it
until right
at the
end
boom
and I'm
like yes
that's all
he did
that's how
he earned
his money
that guy
that night
he stood
there the
whole night
and yet he
played part
in something
that was
magnificent
he played
part of
something
that was
magnificent
didn't draw
the attention
to himself
at the
end of
the night
at the
end of
the night
none of
the musicians
stood
the conductor
did
the conductor
stood
it all
reflected him
that's the
vision I have
for us
as a church
it's all
about Jesus
he's the
one who
unites us
takes all
of our
distinctions
and differences
and brings
them together
in a beautiful
harmony
that the
United Nations
cannot achieve
Amen