Many of us have seen the horrific videos of George Floyd and Ahmaud Aubrey who were tragically mistreated because of the color of their skin and eventually killed. This brings up the question:
What does the Bible say about Racism? How Should the Church Respond?
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: ‘A Man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Luke 10:25-35
The
of Jesus’s parable was of the race the Jews despised.
The Good Samaritan parable is less about the person who was injured and more about the person who was willing to help!
The Lawyer was looking for
Prejudice means to pre-judge, usually according to external factors.
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
We are all
at the foot of the cross!
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. Acts 10:9-16
The Church should be a picture of heaven.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Revelation 7:9
The parable does not just speak about identity, but about
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Luke 10:33
Compassion leads to
!
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When Christians feel compassion for the suffering and marginalized but do nothing, they are acting more like the Levite and the Priest.
Three way to be Christians of Action
- Challenge our own prejudices!
- Heal open wounds!
- Accept one another with love and compassions
Love always costs you
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
Three Characters!
The priest represents
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Luke 10:31The Levite represents the
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:32The Samaritan represents
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Luke 10:33
Go and Do likewise
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
We are only going to have
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21
Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love… Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding. —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.