Jesus, Emanuel AME Church, and the World

When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35-41)

Since God's Kingdom exists on Earth as it does in Heaven our Christian faith must be about real life. This means that we must deal with the storms of this life, and that we must preach and discuss real life in church, not just "pie in the sky by and by." Hate in our country and the whole world leads to killings and discrimination and terrorism. As Christians we are called to partner with God and other people of good will to find ways to counteract these stereotypes of race, religion, and class that plant seeds of hatred in the hearts of our people.

There are many sources: political, media, and unfortunately, religious, that subtly, and not so subtly promote fear of the other and the hate that goes with it. THE CHURCH MUST BE A FORCE TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND DIALOGUE WITH THE OTHER AND WITH EACH OTHER. IF WE ARE SILENT WHILE THE PROMOTERS OF HATE ARE NOT, THEN OUR SIN IS WORSE THAN THEIRS. PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT AS JESUS DID, NOT COUNTING THE COST BUT PROCLAIMING BY WORD AND EXAMPLE THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD IN CHRIST, AS WE RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING.

The redemptive power of public compassion is what caused Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to say, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” King wasn’t alone in this sentiment. Elie Wiesel, the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Public rage must be met head on by public compassion. According to Jesus, reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility. That is another way of saying: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27)

 

As Christians we are called to be compassionate, we are called to speak truth to power, we are called to speak when others are silent, we are called to speak when speaking might make us look bad in our own community. We are called to do what Jesus did, even if it inspires people to do to us what they did to Jesus.

The first step for us is dialogue with one another, to try to understand the sources of fear and hate in our country and the world that would cause a 21 year old white man to believe he had to kill black people; that would cause a young Muslim to hate enough that he believes he needs to kill Christians and other Muslims who disagree with him. We must try to understand the sources of fear and hate that cause us to fear the other, to blame our problems on Muslims, or Jews, or Immigrants, or blacks or the wealthy or the poor, and ignore looking at our own prejudices that may have contributed to the fear and hatred. 

I do not pretend to have all the answers, I do not believe that together we have all the answers,  but I do know two things: that Jesus will be with us during the storms of our lives as he was with the disciples and will take charge and say to the storms and to us, “PEACE BE STILL.”  

I also know that as followers of Jesus we are called to engage in dialogue with one another and the larger community, while praying that the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth. 

Turning to this week’s events in Charleston, what in our society causes a 21 your old white man to believe that he must kill Black People?   

I believe that there are forces in our community: media, politicians, and yes even churches which foster fear and thus hate for their own benefit.  I believe that this hate infects us all.  As Christians I believe it is important for us to watch our own sources of news and information, and listen to our own favorite politicians with the same critical eye and ear with which we watch the sources of information and politicians we do not like.  

As the church we then need to speak up against any and all forces in our society that pit one American against another, one human being against another based on unfounded fear. 

I watched the Bail hearing for Dylann Roof, and saw the sadness, compassion and forgiveness of the friends and family members of those who were killed.  I do not know that I could be as forgiving. 

What can we do here at Christ Church, Albertville to defuse fear, hatred and misunderstanding.  Being blessed to be a diverse congregation made up of white, Hatian, Mexican-American, young, old, wealthy, poor, we can carry on a dialogue, a discussion about our community and our nation: The good things as well as the prejudices that exist.  

We can talk with one another at coffee hour, and over lunch and in Adult Sunday School.  We can listen to the opinions and knowledge of others without having to agree with them and we can share our opinions and our knowledge without the need to be always right.   

We are looking for ways to be Christians, to be God’s people on a journey with Jesus, which at times, as Jesus promised Peter, will take us places we would rather not go. 

(Let Us Pray) (A prayer offered by the Kentucky Council of Churches) 

Holy One, we gather in this space and time to join in prayer for our brothers and sisters of Emanuel AME Church. We are disheartened at the tragedy of lives lost, and one of your faithful communities distressed and wounded. We cry out for comfort and healing for the grieving, and justice and mercy for the perpetrator.

Forgive us for any part that we have in the cruelty and violence of this world. Shake us from our complacency, and set us on the path of righteousness that leads us to the justice and healing places where we need to be present. Help us to be instruments of your compassion and peace. Give us the courage to speak out against violence, hatred, and prejudice.  

By your power, heal all wounds, repair all chasms, bring your kingdom to fruition that all may live in joy, peace, love and respect. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.