Russell,
Very interesting supplement to the sermon! Drives some of your thoughts even deeper, and reinforces what we heard.
I thought your description of our relationship with fellow Christians and how that differs from our relationship from other people on earth was very helpful. Another expression of our relationship to other Christians is the Kingdom, which is present on earth (in an incomplete way) in Christ’s true believers, the church.
I am amazed that anyone thought that the condemnation of racism might get you into hot water. I didn’t hear anyone expressing these concerns. The Biblical focus of our church should make conscious racism hard to maintain. Am I misinterpreting your comment?
I am not surprised that someone might object to a group having a special relationship. Equality has increasingly been exalted in this country at the expense of liberty (economic and religious) and excellence (“everybody should be able to go to college”, elimination of performance based classes by grade level, “dumbing down” worship service content, etc). A special relationship by definition means favoring one over the other. Sometimes special relationships are appropriate and necessary.
The denial of this reality makes some people in our society feel good. But this is not the way God works (e.g. His chosen people) and not the way the world works (e.g. the failed model of socialism).
The comment is even harder to accept when we consider the very high standard Christians are held to regarding non-Christians. Beyond mission, we are commanded to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Going back to the Old Testament, there is no differentiation between Jews and non Jews in the commandments regarding people (#5 – 10). It goes all the way back to creation and man as a bearer of the image of God, which would apply to all people.
Another excellent sermon!
Russell,
Very interesting supplement to the sermon! Drives some of your thoughts even deeper, and reinforces what we heard.
I thought your description of our relationship with fellow Christians and how that differs from our relationship from other people on earth was very helpful. Another expression of our relationship to other Christians is the Kingdom, which is present on earth (in an incomplete way) in Christ’s true believers, the church.
I am amazed that anyone thought that the condemnation of racism might get you into hot water. I didn’t hear anyone expressing these concerns. The Biblical focus of our church should make conscious racism hard to maintain. Am I misinterpreting your comment?
I am not surprised that someone might object to a group having a special relationship. Equality has increasingly been exalted in this country at the expense of liberty (economic and religious) and excellence (“everybody should be able to go to college”, elimination of performance based classes by grade level, “dumbing down” worship service content, etc). A special relationship by definition means favoring one over the other. Sometimes special relationships are appropriate and necessary.
The denial of this reality makes some people in our society feel good. But this is not the way God works (e.g. His chosen people) and not the way the world works (e.g. the failed model of socialism).
The comment is even harder to accept when we consider the very high standard Christians are held to regarding non-Christians. Beyond mission, we are commanded to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Going back to the Old Testament, there is no differentiation between Jews and non Jews in the commandments regarding people (#5 – 10). It goes all the way back to creation and man as a bearer of the image of God, which would apply to all people.
Another excellent sermon.
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