6/14/2020 - Bridge Builders

BridgeBuilders
June 14, 2020

Good morning and welcome to Cross Creek Community Church once again.
We especially welcome our online friends and those who will be replaying our worship service later. We invite you to follow us on Facebook too.

So today is Sunday, June 14, 2020.
We are living in a very stressful time in the history of our country.
If you’ve been feeling stressed the last few days, or weeks, or months, please know that you are not alone. It is a very challenging time.

I want to ask you a “serious” question this morning:
What was your least favorite food as a child? Do you still hate it or do you love it now? I’ll give you an example: liver. And I still hate it. (And have actually never eaten it again since childhood… especially after I went through nursing school and learned what livers do!) Now your turn…
{Allow responses from congregation}

Here’s another one: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
I heard one recently for marriage: “Be nice.” How about you?
{Allow responses from congregation}

Today I want to invite you to become a bridgebuilder. If you think about it, bridge builders are essential workers.

If you’ve ever come up to a creek, or river, or body of water that was too high to walk through, you sure looked around for a bridge to help you cross.

As you’ve driven around, you’ve been glad for bridges that could float you effortlessly over larger bodies of water.

And if you’ve ever driven in Africa, you know that sometimes there is no bridge where you sure wish there would have been. You, especially, have a great appreciation for bridges!

The church is the body of Christ, and the body of Christ needs to be made up of bridge builders!

This past Wednesday, our three different Zoom groups were studying the first book of Timothy in the New Testament, (which was actually a letter Paul wrote to Timothy).
In the third chapter, the qualifications for church elders and leaders is listed.

It was important information for all of us to go over, together, of what is expected of our leaders, and also to give us all guidelines for which to strive as we become closer to, and more like Christ.
One of our participants pointed out one of the application footnotes for one of the verses. It said with these characteristics we can all be bridge builders.

None of us are perfect, and we all have a long way yet to go.
But whether you are a leader or not, if you are a follower of Christ the world needs you to be a bridge builder.

Over 3,000 years ago there was a man named Micah. He was a prophet in the Old Testament who was calling people to return to their roots and live as people of God who worshiped and obeyed Him. God gave him guidelines too.

He summed up what is asked of us, by God, in a classic Bible verse which comes from Micah 6:8. It says, “He has shown you, oh man, (or, people), what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you but to
act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

[Let us pray… Help us to open up to hear You, Lord; Soften our hard hearts;
Loosen our stiff necks…]

As we’ve watched the events of the last few weeks unfold, this verse keeps going through my head.
What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a lot of injustice, a great lack of mercy, and not a whole lot of walking humbly with God or anyone else.

I think we can do much better than this.
In fact, this could become a “transformative moment” in our time. If we let it!

The first week after George Floyd was killed by a law enforcement officer’s knee on his neck, for over 8 minutes,which essentially suffocated him, I posted a very thoughtful video by TD Jakes. I shared it from the page of a dear friend who I love in Christ and respect very much.

As I said in my FB postthatbday, regardless of what you think of Bishop Jakes, or where you stand on these issues, you were invited to take the time to watch the 40+ minute video.
This is a man who is the same age as my husband and I and has been in ministry for decades and has seen a few things. There was much wisdom in what he had to say, along with a very empowered prayer at the end.

One of the things he said that I especially liked was, “the people you think are so right just may not be as right as you think; and the people you think are so wrong just may not be a wrong as you think.”

I’ve also always had a special place in my heart for TDJakes because his voice was part of God’s call on my life to become a pastor.

{Story of calling and the timing w/nursing dept., them NOT lining me up first time in years… Rachel and I watching TD while waiting to go pick up son/brother from band camp…}
I’ve always loved the black or African American community and used to call myself a “black woman in a white woman’s body.” (My twin sister Rev Dr Joyce Nki from Kenya can attest to that…but that’s another story.)

Over the years, however, I began to see how offensive it was for me to say that.
I have not idea what it is like to be a black person in America. And I sure don’t know what it’s like to be a black man in America. If you are watching this and you are not either, I invite you to consider this for a moment.

I was at a pastors workshop one time where there was a very elegant, intelligent compelling speaker who was a black pastor and consultant. He shared with us how he had to talk to his teenage son, who was going to get his learner’s permit soon, about preparing to be pulled over, and come out of it alive. What to do. What not to do.

Now, before I go any further, let me emphasize that this is not in any way, shape or form, any kind of message disrespecting law enforcement. It’s the complete opposite.
This is a message saying black lives matter, blue lives matter, and all lives matter.

That’s the point. Our God is the God of LIFE. Jesus overcame death when He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God, and is actually praying for us! All life is precious to Him and needs to be to us, too.

Yes! Romans 8:34 says “Christ Jesus who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

We’ve got Him on our side, so let me tell you today, that yes, this is indeed a very stressful time, but Jesus Christ is praying for us!

“Nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37)
And through Christ, we can be “overcomers!”
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We can overcome prejudice! On all sides!
We can overcome fear! And anxiety! And stress!

We can build bridges and bring peace and what satan has meant for evil God can make for good! (Genesis 45…)

I had coffee with someone this past week who is of a younger generation and she said, “the bubble over our country has burst.”

Yes. I agree. The bubble has burst and this is a good and healthy thing. Yes it’s hard. Yes its stressful. Yes there’s people on both sides of it all who are not handling it well or doing the right things. But it’s long past time for the bubble of racial prejudice in this country to burst! And people of God, Christians, for Heaven’s sake, need to be leading the way in bringing in the Kingdom of God.

And by the way, older people, please don’t say the problem is with the young people. The problem may just be with us. And also people of older generations have been blaming people of younger generations for the world’s problems for centuries.

Let’s put a stop to that now, too, once and for all. I LOVE that our church is very intergenerational. We have all ages. From babies to 90 yr olds. And life is meant to be shared that way. All generations. Living and learning from one another. Yes younger people need to learn from older. But older also need to learn from younger.

Don’t forget the Kingdom of God is made up of all the faces of the world! Old and young.
“Red and yellow, black and white. We are ALL precious in His sight.”

I don’t know what it’s like to experience prejudice as a black or brown or Asian or Hispanic person. But I do know what it’s like to experience prejudice as a woman pastor in the south!

Now, again, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not putting down the South. I love the South. And I’m part of a mixed marriage - my husband is from New York and I’m from West Virginia. So, believe me, we both are very familiar with the pros and cons of both areas.

But as a woman pastor I know that feeling of being looked down upon, not good enough, not belonging here, etc., that black people in America have been made to feel for hundreds of years. Actually since they were brought over as enslaved people from elsewhere.

My husband and I were facetiming my dear mother-in-law in NY, recently. She’s an exceptional woman who has been self-isolating since March! Alone! And with such grace! And learning and using Zoom. Etc. And at 90 years old!

We were discussing the current situation and how we’ve not really ever been able to know what it’s like to live as a black American. And she said her bishop said white privilege versus life as a minority in our country is like “traveling through life with an EZ Pass.” It’s true. It’s past time to share the Pass.

Even if you’re white and you’ve struggled and you do struggle, and I’m not saying you don’t have problems and challenges too. We all do. What I am saying is that there are doors open to you that are not open to others. And it’s time we all do something about it. Especially if we say we belong to God and are followers of Christ.

There is simply no room for any prejudice or hate or bitterness or resentment or unforgiveness or fear of other people we don’t know in our hearts if we are in Christ.

A few weeks back I quoted the verse from Galatians 3:28 which says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

A wise Dove leader also had that quote in a blog he wrote recently. But he ended it with… “IF you’re in Christ.” People who are not living for God don’t have the same covenant relationship that we do. We are His children and we need to imitate our Daddy.

And that’s the point. We who are in Christ must be leading the way to overcome racial prejudice and help make this country a better, more equitable, place! Perhaps for the first time in over 400 years everything that’s happening now can actually move the tide forward to help us all look at each other with a little more mercy and humility!

Psalm 133:1 says
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

Living in unity doesn’t mean we’ll agree on everything.
But we can agree to “love God and love one another.”
(The first and second greatest commandments according to Jesus.) Matthew 22:37-39.
Especially as God’s people.

We’ve been through a lot. Before the pandemic started there were increasingly common mass shootings. Then the pandemic. Economic instability. How many people unemployed?! Let’s help with that too… handing out food when able… checking on our neighbors to see how they’re doing… Help people have things to do.

And then George Floyd’s death, and others before him, and it’s like the pressure cooker lid blew off the country! Two months of quarantining and the injustice of his death just pushed the country past boiling point.

But, again, I want to encourage you that this is not bad. In fact, this can be very good.
No. We don’t want looting. Or violence. Or rioting. And yes, we need law enforcement.
And as TD Jakes said in his video, there are so many good people who put their lives on the line every day for all of us to protect us. One, or more, bad cop(s) doesn’t mean they’re all that way. They’re not! And we are grateful for them and need to keep them in prayer and reach out to them right now too with all the additional stress they’re going through in an already stressful job. But there needs to be some changes.

And the people of God need to be the people of God.

And while I’m at it let me ask you to please be especially tender and gentle and patient with the elderly people in your life. This has been hardest on them than perhaps anyone. They are struggling with isolation and seclusion and fear. They’ve lived through great depressions and drought and other disease epidemics and world wars and are tough and wise but they’ve never seen their country like it is right now. Reach out to them. Smile at them (behind your mask) at the super market. Hold their doors. Move out of the way to let them pass. Give them a call. Send them a card. Let them know they matter. All lives matter.

Same with anyone who looks different from you in skin color!
{BJ’s store conversation…}
And same with Asians too! There’s been prejudice towards our asian neighbors because of the covid-19 virus coming from China. Please go out of your way to be kind and friendly and thoughtful to them too. It’s been a difficult time for so many.

Hebrews 13:1-3 says, “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”

We must love. We must be hospitable. We must quit looking only after our own interests and care about others. And notice that last verse. For those who are mistreated, we must respond to them with love and empathy and attempt some understanding as if it were us.

Right now we are hearing a LOT of voices! Everyone has to shout over the next one to make their opinions known! Wouldn’t it be nice, instead, if someone was to say, “What do you think?” Instead of bulldozing us over with what they believe?!

Wouldn’t it be nice if WE said, “What do you think?” Instead of having to tell them what we think?

During this dark time, let’s do what Paul suggested to Christians struggling through persecution and murders and great stress. He told them to “Shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:15)

Let’s overcome the darkness. The confusion. The fear. The anxiety.
Shut out all the other voices. (Turn off the TV, Facebook, Etc.) Tune in to the One True Voice - the voice of God. Read His Word. Listen to music worshipping Him. Love Him.
Love others.
And be a Bridge Builder.

Now. Here are some practical applications for you to try:

1)Do some honest, prayerful, self-examination. Carve out a quiet time and space where it’s just you and God, and ask His Holy Spirit to bring to mind any prejudice you may have. You probably already know what that might be. Or maybe not? He’ll show you. And unlike how hard we can be on ourselves and others, He usually does His convicting in a gentle way. Be honest. With yourself and with Him. Where have you been hurt by others who don’t look like you? Who have you hurt?

2) This is extremely important: Confess it to Him. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for healing.
He will do it. You will be set free and also empowered.

3) Here’s the hardest part. Make a new friend. Pray for God to bring in or raise up
someone who doesn’t look like you to begin to have a friendship or relationship with.

You can do this. We can do this. After all, God’s already told us what to do:
Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with our God.

After all, “Jesus Loves the Little Children. All the Children of the World…”

[Transition to Mike S praying…]