OceanSide church of Christ

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LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Last week we began a 2-part series entitled:  “It’s Time to Talk about Race.”

 

B.      In the first lesson we considered five thoughts that should enable us to see that man puts far too much concern on race.

1.       God created all races.

2.       All races come from the same source:  Adam and Eve.

3.       Racial diversity is good.

4.       There are good and bad in every race.

5.       God does not see race.

 

C.     We will examine three points in this second lesson.

 

I.                    ALL RACES HAVE THE SAME BASIC NEEDS

 

A.     Red men are men.

Black men are men.

White men are men.

Brown men are men.

Albino men are men.

 

B.      All men have the same basic needs:

1.       All need to have food.

2.       All need to be loved.

3.       All need a place to belong.

4.       All need safety and security.

5.       All need a purpose.

6.       All need to have the basic questions of life answered:  Where did I come from?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?

 

C.     This goes back to the fact that we all are created by God.

1.       Malachi 2:10

 

Have we not all one father?  Hath not one God created us?

 

2.       Take our skin from off our body and we are almost all identical. (ex., skeleton)

 

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II.                 THE WRONGS COMMITTED AMONG RACES

 

A.     Race Domination

1.       Warfare often contributes to race domination.  Power is at the heart of this domination.

a.       The conquerer will take the defeated and subjugate them to him.

b.      Ex., the Philistines and Israel (I Sam. 17:9)

 

If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, the shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

 

2.       There is not one race that is superior to any other race. 

a.       When a race begins to think this way, it seems to dominate other races they believe to be inferior.

b.      This was Hitler’s ideology.

1)      His desire was for a Master Race.

2)      He would get rid of the inferior races.

3)      He would develop a Master Race through Nazi eugenics. 

3.       The fear of another race often causes race domination.

a.       Those who are feared are brought under domination.

b.      Those they want to control, they dominate (Ex., Egypt over Israel, Exo. 1:9-10).

 

And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel and more and mightier than we.  Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

 

4.       The domination of another race for financial gain

a.       This was one of the reasons for slavery in the United States of America.

b.      Slavery was cheap, easy, and profitable.  Slaves were disposable.

 

B.      Race Retaliation

1.       Race retaliation involves one race trying to “get back” at another race.

a.       Some refer to it as justice.  Most of the time it really involves revenge.

b.      It often happens decades after the wrong was committed. Therefore, those upon whom retaliation is taken were not involved in the wrong doing.

 

2.       NOTE:  We can never right of the wrongs that have been committed throughout

history.

 

3.       If we are controlled by the teachings of God’s Word, we refuse to ever engage in retaliation against others for wrong-doing (Rom. 12:19-21; see Luke 9:51-56).

 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore it thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:  for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

C.     Racial Discrimination

1.       Definition:  treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit

2.       When we judge someone based solely on their skin color or race, we are missing the most important elements about the individual.

3.       Examples of discrimination:

a.       The disciples saw noisy, troubling children, but Jesus saw innocent hearts that characterized those in the kingdom of God (Matt. 19:13-14).

b.      Most saw the rich casting much into the treasury, but Jesus saw a poor widow who gave more than all that cast into the treasury (Mark 12:41-44).

c.       The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day saw ignorant and unlearned men when looking at Jesus’ disciples, but Jesus saw men of industry, courage, and loyalty (Acts 4:13).

 

D.     Prejudice and Racism

1.       Prejudice: 

a.       The term comes from two terms:  “pre” and “judge.”

1)      Prejudice is when we prejudge a person or a group of people.

2)      Prejudice usually comes from two sources:

a)      We are taught incorrectly about certain races, cultures, etc.

b)      We have had a bad experience with someone from a particular group.

3)      Examples:

a)      White men from the South all love the KKK.

b)      Young black men are thugs.

c)       Car dealers are crooks.

d)     Politicians are liars.

e)      Priests are child molesters.

f)       Millennials are lazy.

g)      Old folks are stuck in the past and have nothing to offer.

b.      Under the OT, judgment was not to be perverted because of prejudice (Deut. 1:16).

 

And I charged your judges at that time, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.  Ye shall not have respect of persons in judgment…

 

c.       Jesus tells us exactly how we are to judge in John 7:24.

 

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

2.       Racism

a.       Definition:

1)      One race is superior to another

2)      The superior race seeks control of another race through aggressive and abusive behavior.

b.      Examples:

1)      “White Supremacy” and “Black Power” are racist slogans.  Why?  They indicate that one group is or should be the authoritative power.

2)      A young black boy walking in a predominately white neighborhood.

a)      Prejudice:  He must be up to some no good.

b)      Racism: 

-          False allegation to the police to get him out of the neighborhood

-          Police intimidate and rough up the young man because he is in a part of town they do not think he should be in.

 

c)       No racism: 

1)      The young man breaks into a garage, steals a bike, is arrested, and charged with theft, and sentenced to 10 days in jail and 50 hours of community service.

2)      NOTE:  If a white young man does the same thing, and is given preferential treatment, then whoever gives him such treatment could be considered a racist.

3)      Question:  It is racist when Ivy League, high-tech, wealthy, metropolitan elites want to rule over the slow-talking, high school educated, middle-class, Bible believing, Southerners and mountain people? 

a)      NOTE:  It is racism, but no one will ever call it that.

b)      NOTE:  This racism involves groups, but has nothing to do with the color of one’s skin.

c.       The term “racism” and the application of the term have been abused. 

1)      Racism has been flipped on its ear.  Individuals shout racism against others in order to make the individual yield so the person who shouts the word can have the dominion.

2)      Racism is the first charge that some will level against others regardless of the true facts of the case.

d.      We will never conquer racism until:

1)      We admit no race is superior to another.

2)      We set aside power for service.

3)      Agape love permeates our society.

4)      We judge men by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

5)      People judge every case by its facts, not by their feelings.

 

III.              ALL RACES NEED TO BE SAVED

 

A.     There is one thing that is not determined by the color of one’s skin or the culture to which a person belongs:  sin!

 

B.      The Bible tells us that all are sinners.

1.       Romans 3:9

 

What then?  Are we better than they?  No, in no wise:  for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.

 

2.       Romans 3:23

 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

 

C.     The death of Jesus is for all (II Cor. 5:15).

The gospel is for all (Mark 16:15).

The church contains all (Eph. 2:13-16).

 

D.     Once men are in Christ, the racial “thing” should completely disappear (Gal. 3:28).

 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     The title of our lesson again is:  “It’s Time to Talk about Race.”

 

B.      There are two dangers:

1.       We talk and just get angrier with one another and divide even more.

2.       We talk and talk and there is no action and no resolve to our divisions.

 

C.     It is time for the church to show the world how different people, races, and nationalities can be united in peace, harmony, and love in the body of Christ.