“Father Abraham had many sons. Many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you. So, let’s just praise the Lord. Right arm…” 

I’m not sure about you, but how I am a son of Abraham is such an elusive concept for me. Comprehending it is difficult enough, let alone praising God for it. In an attempt to make sense of it, we look at the story of Abraham (Genesis 12-21) and the teaching of Paul (Galatians 3-4).

Two Bloodlines

Abraham did indeed have many descendants. We know all about Isaac and Jacob and Jacob’s sons (12 tribes of Israel). The Old Testament gives account of these people and their history. We see God’s patience and his faithfulness to sustain Israel — even through some bleak circumstances. We know of Moses, the exodus and the law. We know about the judges, kings and prophets. We read about the exile, temple and Jerusalem. What is often overlooked, however, is Abraham’s first line of descendants. Father Abraham’s firstborn son, Ishmael preceded Isaac by 13 years! Reading Genesis, it is evident that Abraham loved and cared deeply for Ishmael. So did God! He graciously provided for Hagar and Ishmael when they were put out and He even made a promise for this slave woman’s son to one day be a great nation, just like Isaac.

Covenant Promise

What makes the line of Sarah and Isaac uniquely special is God’s covenant promise with Abraham — that through this second line of descendants, “all nations will be blessed.” Its fulfillment begins with the fabulous birth of Isaac, grows into a nomadic people delivered from slavery, then eventually into a nation possessing the promised land of Canaan. The Jewish people are very special and unique indeed. There is no other nation like Israel. (Including America btw!) Yet, if we center God’s promise to Abraham around his sons acquiring land… we are left with an incomplete fulfillment of the covenant promise. Surely God promises and faithfully provides blessing to this line of descendants. However, we must not forget that God’s promise culminates with blessing all nations through them. If we only go so far as to see God’s blessing his chosen people Israel, we are left with this logical conclusion: Since God’s covenant is with Isaac’s line of descendants, to be an heir and claim Abraham’s inheritance, one must be (or become) Hebrew.

This incomplete understanding of God’s promise is what Paul addresses in his New Testament letter to the Galatians. Some people apparently started teaching and convincing the young Christians of Galatia, (all Christians were young at this point in time), of their need to become Jews. Namely, they needed to obey the law of Moses and practice circumcision which was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham. Paul, confronts this misnomer head on by pointing directly to the covenant promise.

Promise Fulfillment

Paul shows how scripture foreshadows the gospel when God tells Abraham, “ALLnations will be blessed through you.” (This is spoken three times to Abraham! Gen.12:3; 18:18 and 22:18). The question is, how are all nations blessed? (Not even Ishmael can get in on the inheritance)!Do all non-jews (Gentiles) need to become Hebrew? Paul says, “of course not!” So what needs to happen? The answer is not what you need to do, but your faith in what has been done already. Paul explains God’s promise to Abraham is not fulfilled in the “many” sons of Isaac, but in one particular son, Jesus. (Paul cites Genesis 21:12 to make his case.)  Through the one son’s death on the cross, a way is made for all people of all nations! Paul validates the earthy perspective that you are Abraham’s son or daughter by blood. He just explains that it is by the very real, and Jewish blood of Jesus! His blood makes a way for all who have faith. (Faith is the defining characteristic between Abraham and his Children!) This is why Jesus told his disciples there is a “new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20) The covenant with Abraham and then later Moses and David, is old. Old, not because it was bad or unimportant, but because it is done…complete…fulfilled in Jesus. This “new covenant” brings freedom from the old and Paul wants the Galatians to understand their freedom in Christ.

Two Mothers

To make his point, Paul uses allegory about Sarah (the free woman and mother of Isaac), and Hagar (the slave woman and mother of Ishmael). (Galatians 4:21-31). The compelling part of this figurative language is that Paul does not differentiate the two women by bloodline, but rather by birth story. Hagar’s son was born according to the flesh. Sarah’s son was the result of God’s promise. Regardless of ancestry, those wanting to live by the old covenant are actually “slaves” to law and religion and therefore children of Hagar — the mother of slaves! The law was given on Mt. Sinai but that is the mountain of Hagar! Paul even says that Hagar is the mother of present Jerusalem, (the holy city of the Jewish people was under Roman rule at this time). This would be quite offensive to any Hebrew person, and Paul would certainly know this! His point is stark! Sarah is the mother of the free. Hagar is mother to the slave. He’s telling his hearers that those spreading this false gospel of needing to become Hebrew, are slaves to the old covenant and law. Their slavery shows they are actually descendants of Hagar. Conversely, those who are supernaturally born of faith according to the promise are Sarah’s children. The true children of Sarah are the ones who are free in Jesus — the ultimate fulfillment of that promise! The freedom found in Christ is rooted in our heavenly adoption, not our ancestral tree.

Adoption

All of this is how Paul can write, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”(Galatians 3:26-29) The promise to Abraham found its fulfillment in Jesus. If you are in Christ its fulfillment extends to you and me — the blessed ones. The adopted ones.

It is a lot to process. It is a lot to preach. It is a lot to read and write and listen to, but it is a remarkable thing to meditate on… Father Abraham had many sons. Many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you. So, let’s just praise the Lord…”

One More Thing

(As a final remark, In my sermon I made a comment that even Hagar and Ishmael could share in the promise of Abraham. I obviously (and thankfully) am not the one to make that call. In Genesis 21:10 Sarah says, “that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” I take this as Sarah speaking for herself, not for the Lord. I also assume that she was speaking with an earthly perspective — thinking about land, lineage and wealth. If we understand that Abraham’s faith and our faith is what makes us God’s children, can it not also be true of Hagar? Genesis 16:11-15; 21:19).

Thanks for reading… hopefully this brings more answers than questions!

The mad king saw David as a threat to the king’s kingdom. Saul did not understand, it seems, that God should be left to decide what kingdoms survive which threats. Not knowing this, Saul did what all mad kings do. He threw spears at David. He could. He was king. Kings can do things like that. They almost always do. Kings claim the right to throw spears. Everyone knows that kings have that right. Everyone knows very, very well. How do they know? Because the king has told them so—many, many times. If your king is truly the Lord’s anointed, and if he also throws spears, then there are some things you can know, and know for sure: Your king is quite mad. And he is a king after the order of King Saul.

David had a question: What do you do when someone throws a spear at you? Does it seem odd to you that David did not know the answer to this question? After all, everyone else in the world knows what to do when a spear is thrown at you. Why, you pick up the spear and throw it right back! “When someone throws a spear at you, David, just wrench it out of the wall and throw it back. Everyone else does, you can be sure.” And in performing this small feat of returning thrown spears, you will prove many things: You are courageous. You stand for the right. You boldly stand against the wrong. You are tough and can’t be pushed around. You will not stand for injustice or unfair treatment. You are the defender of the faith, keeper of the flame, detector of all heresy. You will not be wronged. All of these attributes then combine to prove that you are also a candidate for kingship. Yes, perhaps you are the Lord’s anointed. After the order of King Saul. There is also a possibility that some twenty years after your coronation, you will be the most incredibly skilled spear thrower in all the realm. And also by then . . . Quite mad.

What can a man, especially a young man, do when the king decides to use him for target practice? What if the young man decides not to return the compliment? First of all, he must pretend he cannot see spears. Even when they are coming straight at him. Second, he must learn to duck very quickly. Last, he must pretend nothing happened. You can easily tell when someone has been hit by a spear. He turns a deep shade of bitter. David never got hit. Gradually, he learned a very well-kept secret. He discovered three things that prevented him from ever being hit. One, never learn anything about the fashionable, easily mastered art of spear throwing. Two, stay out of the company of all spear throwers. And three, keep your mouth tightly closed. In this way, spears will never touch you, even when they pierce your heart.

There you have it.  Spears come in all shapes and sizes and from every direction and they always leave behind that “deep shade of bitter.”  They come from those in authority of us as was David’s dilemma.  From those we are in authority over (you will hear about that more this Sunday).  And as we are all well aware spear throwing among peers can become a contagious destructive hobby (both in the live and virtual worlds).  But the spears I want to have us keep in mind the most this week are the ones we sadly become quite skilled at delivering and receiving around family tables of celebration – for we often save the most accurate and painful sort of spear throwing for those we love the most.  So when Uncle Stu slings a spear across the table on Thursday, berating you for your taste in politics, parenting style, or faith in Christ … just remember to duck and think twice about before you launch it back at him.

I would also like to make known that I am unschooled in 90’s & 00’s pop/r&b and totally joked about a song that Mary J. Blige in fact does not sing… apologies to Blu Cantrell. Now that I got those two disclaimers out of the way… onward.

Kings throughout history are notorious for the power they wield. It’s not that every monarch has been awful, but there is a stigma that you never want to cross one, as Sir Thomas More would attest. When we think about God as king, and even declare Him King of kings, it is only natural to want to tip toe around Him. I better be nice, or else. I better obey, or else. I better live in fear of God’s judgement and wrath, or else I just might be on the wrong end of it. However, part of understanding that God is King of kings goes beyond the reality that He is eternally omnipotent and sovereign. He is also unique to all others.

What we see in 1 Samuel 8-10 is not this eternal King ready to relinquish his throne, but rather a gracious and humble King willing to serve. Even though Israel asks for a king and gets one, it is important to understand that it is God who provides. Saul is not the product of happenstance and Israel’s vanity. He is the product of God’s providential hand orchestrating events behind the scenes for his ultimate purposes. Israel rejected God as her king but let’s not get it twisted! God didn’t just succumb to the people and lay down his power at their request. He gave them what they wished for — a man to lead HIS people.

When Israel made a selfish choice, God made a humble one. How often does he do that for us? Thank you, Jesus!

If you’re like me, “enemy” seems like a pretty harsh word for just about anyone in my life. Would I call someone with a differing opinion an enemy? Of course not. Would I call someone who has a difficult personality an enemy? Don’t think so. Would I call a New England Patriots fan an enemy? Now we’re getting somewhere…

In all seriousness though, there is probably some relativity to the term. Yet, the frivolousness of people or institution that I personally might consider my opposition is no excuse to disregard this high calling that Jesus gives in Matthew 5. In fact , if I were to compile a short list of my enemies and compare it to that of Dr. Martin Luther King (or many like him), what excuse am I left with? This causes me to look first at Christ, and then deep within and ask the Spirit, who do I fail to love? Who do I lack compassion for? From whom do I withhold mercy, patience, kindness or even encouragement? It takes but a minute to notice that this list much lengthier than my other one. 

Love my enemies? Let me first start with my family.

This verse in Matthew blends both “treasure” and “discipleship” in a fascinating way. Part of it’s allure is the element which causes us to wonder — “What in the world is Jesus talking about?” There are, in fact,  many parables littered throughout the Gospels that have this same effect. It begs the question, why does Jesus use such confusing rhetoric? The answer may lie in the parables themselves. One of the simple observations in many of them, is that the kingdom of heaven is small, like a seed. If given ample opportunity, that seed will grow.

I wonder if Jesus wants us to… wonder. What if our confusion is supposed to pique our curiosity? What if a small taste of the kingdom was a catalyst to us wanting to feast? What if, instead of us being spoon fed and pampered, Jesus expects us to struggle and to seek the kingdom — like the merchant searching for fine jewels? This is where discipleship (following and becoming more like Jesus) comes into play. We as individuals and communities need to grow. We need to learn. We need to seek. We need to mature in our faith and be TRAINED in the kingdom of heaven. (The twelve disciples exemplify this). When our pursuit is realized, we will find treasure — treasure in the kingdom, but also in the journey itself.

So, to use my son’s favorite phrase… Let’s do this! You and I have much treasure to receive and much to give.

For your viewing pleasure: Raise the Banner

In my haste to speak about the importance of diversity in the church and racial reconciliation, I may have failed to assure you of my love. I love my family. I love my friends. I am incredibly grateful for my education and for the opportunities given by a number churches in which I have ministered and been ministered to. I especially love LifeChurch. LC is my home. LC is my family. And I am proud. Not everyone has my story. Not everyone is as blind to the struggles of minorities in America. And not every minority has the exact same struggles. I believe that my responsibility, though — as a Christian — is to make “their” struggles, “my” struggles. The moment I differentiate “them” and “me” is the moment I need to repent. Politics aside, if I ignore the pain and suffering and anger of my brothers and sisters of a different race, how can I call them family? How can I say I love people if I have made my mind up about them before ever meeting them, walking in their shoes, or listening to their voices? How can I claim to love God and be a disciple of Jesus without showing compassion, and without humbly learning from those who are not like me?

Prophetic Voices

My wife has had the most prevalent voice in my life in the areas of race and diversity. But too often her words have fallen on deaf ears, and a hard heart. Still, she has persisted to speak —and even more graciously pray, and wait for me to catch up. In many ways she still waits. I am thankful for her.

l wish I could share what I have heard, learned, struggled through, felt and been convicted of over the years. Yet, my novice voice can only speak of the shallow waters in which I have tread. If face to face, personal interaction is your style, Rachel and I would love to share a meal with anyone who longs to continue the discussion. (Seriously, just let us know)! In the meantime I offer some other voices who have impacted me (most recently) during my journey to a fuller understanding of the gospel and God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. (There is an exorbitant number of links in hopes to make these voices as accessible to you as possible).

Books

Reconciliation Blues – Edward Gilbreath

The Next Evangelicalism – Soong-Chan Rah

Disunity in Christ – Christena Cleveland (Recommended to me by Liz Klassen… Also, read this blog post 7 Stages of White Identity)

The Black Presence in the Bible – Walter Arthur McCray

Tears We Cannot Stop – Michael Eric Dyson

Media

Race and the Church – Catalyst Atlanta 2016 — A Panel discussion about race.

Verge Network — A YouTube channel worth subscribing to.

Humble Beast — A YouTube channel (and organization) giving artists opportunity to spread the gospel in our modern world and to our culture.

The One and Only Jesus – Propaganda — Spoken word about who Jesus is.

Tell Me the Good News – Jackie Hill Perry — Spoken word about her experience with the gospel.

Facts – Lecrae — Song about being black in the white evangelical church.

Come and Get Me – Lecrae — Song about how people question (with unsubstantiated reasoning) the sincerity of his faith.

About the Artists

Above, I included a spoken word from both Jason Petty (Propaganda) and Jackie Hill Perry that are not specifically about race. These two artists (along with Lecrae) have impacted me greatly in the area of diversity but also my faith in general. They are brilliant and talented, and the range of their voices extend from middle aged white guys like me and Currey to young pregnant girls contemplating abortion to inner city street folk looking for a fix. (JHP is especially influential speaking on sexuality in the LGBTQ conversation). I cannot promise that you will like their style, but I believe they are modern day prophets reaching the masses. I encourage you to check out their music and look them up on youtube. (Here are a couple of my favorite songs from them: Propaganda – Gentrify, Andrew Mandela. JHP – I Just Wanna Get There, The Solution.)

Rocking the Boat

Below are a couple spoken words more sharply focused on race and America. I challenge you to listen. You may disagree with them. You may even be offended by them. But before you write them off, understand that this is a brother and a sister in Christ and their voice matters just as much as yours.

20 Years – Propaganda

7 Things I want to Say to America – Jackie Hill Perry

Metaphorically speaking, we spend so much of our lives raking leaves on a windy day (or shoveling during a blizzard if you prefer), and we don’t even realize it. We have far less control over our lives than we care to admit, but it seems when the winds are against us we just rake faster and waste more time and energy doing so, instead of finding rest in the provision of our Father. We get so preoccupied building our lives, tending to obligations, and pursuing our elusive dreams. When reality hits we find ourselves older, hopefully wiser, and almost always worse for wear.

When our limited dominion causes fear and frustration, Psalm 127 brings us solace. “Unless the Lord builds the house”… “Unless the Lord watches over the city”… “He gives to his beloved sleep”… and while we rest in his sovereignty and providence, the Lord gives to us, even while we sleep.

May the Lord build the house. May He watch over the city. May He grant us Sleep.

In an effort to know him more, Rachel and I are submitting his DNA sample to ancestry.com. Being adopted, we do not know his ancestral background, but we want to know. We want to know because we love him. We want to know because we want to celebrate him. We want to know so that one day, he can know. We want to know because, knowing someone and being known by someone is an incredibly beautiful and powerful thing.

In John 10, Jesus illustrates his relationship to his followers as a shepherd to his sheep. Verse 14 says that He knows his sheep. And his knowledge is not limited to behaviors, abilities and ancestors. He knows fully and completely. Him knowing Henry is infinitely more important and beneficial than us knowing Henry. He knows and will know Henry’s flaws and fears. He knows his joys and aspirations. He knows his pain and shame. He knows his thoughts and he knows the depths of his heart. Our prayer is that Henry will hear the good shepherd’s voice and follow Jesus – the giver of abundant life.