Hot Topics // Racism

Acts, chapter 10, this morning and we are wrapping up a series entitled Hot Topics and this series has been hot.

Acts 10 · chapter mention

In fact, I had somebody last week.

They came to me after the service and they were kind of walking up to me slowly, but I can tell they wanted to talk to me and they were looking this way and looking that way.

Why is this person out to say it?

They didn't want anyone else to see it.

You got close to me.

They kind of leaned forward.

I was like bro, I'm not gonna kiss you man.

And he goes.

That wasn't it.

I said I know, be thankful you weren't preaching and he went on to say that he's thankful to be a part of our church community where we teach the truth, but in a graceful and compassionate way.

And I just want to affirm all you guys and our church family over these last few weeks we've talked about some things that aren't the most popular.

We've talked about some unpopular things, but you've had to heart to receive this because it's scripture and as your pastor I really have this really strong conviction is that if the church won't disciple people, then the world will.

Now the word disciple means shape and form and as a church of a Christ center church.

If we're not teaching the truth of scripture, then the world is gonna teach something out there that's not gonna lead people in the right direction.

You know what I'm saying.

Would you say amen?

So there we wrap up.

I want to talk about racism.

Now, in case you didn't notice, guys, I'm light.

I'm light.

I got a lot of laughs.

I appreciate it.

The pasty skin, in case you didn't give it away.

So I don't speak from a place of experience, like I've experienced racial discrimination or anything like that, but I do come from a place of.

What does the scripture say about this, which is most important?

Spoiler alert it's a sin.

And also we come from a place, as we look at scripture, about how the gospel unites people in a world that divides people.

How the gospel, the death, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that message, unites people in a world that divides people.

And that's what we're gonna see from Acts, chapter 10, this morning.

Acts 10 · chapter mention

If you're ready for the word, would you say amen, valkyrie, there's a quote for you guys up there.

If you already say amen, amen, okay, it's good, we're gonna hear it from you guys by this message, right?

Yeah, no, not at all.

So I know some of you guys are kind of newer to church.

You guys are like man, sometimes Nate.

When I hear you saying something, I'm wondering if it's okay if I say amen, like if I get excited about it.

Can I just say it's really okay to say amen?

So at the 9 am service sometimes we have some flapping, sometimes we have people getting a little excited.

I just want to say it's okay if you guys want to as well, just kind of putting that out there.

Okay, but Acts, chapter 10, verse number 17, is what the scripture says.

Acts 10 · chapter mention

It says well, peter was deeply perplexed.

Okay, this Peter here is the apostle Peter.

He's one of the original disciples of Jesus.

It says well, peter was deeply perplexed.

Have you ever?

In other words, there weren't any people that were clean and unclean.

Now for Bible students out here, okay, questions for you Peter, was Peter a Jew or was Peter a Gentile?

Peter was a Now Jews.

The Jews thought they're a big deal Gentiles.

Gentiles are second class.

In fact, jews considered Gentiles like dogs.

Now I gotta say in our culture I want to be treated like some of your dogs, some of you guys.

You know you treat your dogs really, really good In this society.

It went like that Jews thought Gentiles were less than dogs and it didn't matter.

Here, roman, greek, y'all are all second class.

Now Peter has this vision that says and I like that that God and God's world, there's not this race of people better than this race of people.

And Peter's perplexed by this, because Peter's entire experience and Peter's entire upbringing, peter's entire worldview, had thought we are the superior people better than anybody.

God's not to challenge them.

He's going to challenge it by guiding Cornelius.

He's having this vision.

He's perplexed about this Right away.

There's men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon's house, stood at the gate.

So Cornelius was a Roman military leader, cornelius was.

He was a is a centurion, a centurion century.

That's how many?

100, in charge of 100 men.

He had sent some men to go to Simon Peter's house Verse 18,.

They called out asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there.

So they get to the house, they're like, hey, is Peter there.

Now what do you guys do when, when people, when people come to your house unexpected, you're like, uh, let's be really quiet so they don't think we're home.

You're like should I look out the blinds?

If I look out the blinds and they might see that I'm home, right, and somebody in the balcony knows who I'm talking about.

So these guys, they go to the house where Peter's staying at.

They say is Peter there?

Verse 18, peter was speaking about the vision.

Y'all remember the word.

He was perplexed.

He's thinking about this vision they just have from God.

Three guys are here.

The spirit tells them three men are here looking for you, huh, looking for me.

Now, if I'm Peter, I'm like I don't want to talk to anybody.

I ain't got time for this.

I'm trying to figure out what this vision was that I just had.

This is what the spirit said Get up and go downstairs to go with them, with no doubt at all, because I've sent them.

This Holy Spirit had sent these men, gentile, gentile men, to interact with Jewish people.

Verse 21,.

Then Peter went down to the men and said here I am, but when you're looking for, what's the reason you're here?

That's a pretty fair question.

When people come to my door, I'm like what do you want?

What's the reason you're here?

Verse 22,.

This is what they said Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation.

Interesting Cornelius.

Cornelius, roman military leader.

Romans had occupied that area.

The Jews did not like that.

They were occupying their area.

He's out of here, roman, tell me.

But it says here he has a reputation with the whole Jewish nation.

You want to show us about this.

This could do like you want.

This got to be your neighbor, your coworker, your boss.

It's good.

It says he was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you.

Now it says the word.

You guys see the phrase that he's God.

So this is what we would think, naturally, that because he's God's God, he must be a Jesus.

Follow on us via Christian.

No doubt this guy has a reputation.

It says this he's got miles.

But it's interesting that this guy's actually not a Jesus follower, he's not a true Christian.

What Later on the passage?

Later on in the passage yeah, thank you, thank you, thank you, and they try to shut me up.

I can't do it.

See, you have, you have this guy.

I do think these Jesus follow.

The later on the chapter, what happened is Peter actually gives him the gospel.

The death of Irlea resurrects Jesus.

Peter tells Cornelius this is the way of salvation, by believing in this truth, by putting your faith in Christ.

It's just Cornelius, believe me.

So, up to this point, even though Cornelius was a religious person, even though he had a good reputation, even though he was an upstanding person, he was not a Christian, he was not a Jesus follower.

This is what this shows us that just because you're a religious God Does not mean that you're a church, that you're a true Jesus follower.

It is possible to be religious but not be a.

It's possible to have a respect of God.

I mean, we have some sense of respect for God.

It's possible to have a respect for God and not be a Jesus follower.

It is possible to believe in God and I hear that around like it's like some badge of honor Believe in God.

It's possible to believe in God and not be a follower of Jesus.

We're gonna see in a minute that Cornelius was a praying person.

Cornelius was a good person.

Then the follower of Jesus went into a Christian.

There's a guy reminds me of a guy named John Wesley.

He's a guy named John Wesley.

John Wesley, do you guys John Wesley?

He, uh, he grew up in 1800s.

He grew up in church, baptized as a young age.

Baptized as a young age he did all this Sunday school stuff.

He uh, he uh part of all these different groups, church groups, with church all time.

When he went to college he was Oxford University there was a Religious club there and joined the religious club.

I mean, john Wesley was a big young man.

He went off he actually went off to serve and do some missions work.

And though he went on and served and did some missions work, he did all this and he wasn't actually a true Christian.

He wasn't actually true Jesus follower.

Well, I'm gonna explain this.

He went to Bible study right after this late 20s and they were studying the book of Romans, going, going right through Rome.

In Rome, he realized that he had never realized his life is that he was actually a sinner, like he had broken God's law, and though he had done all these religious things he tried to measure up to get God's favor, in the eyes of God is completely bankrupt because he had never Truly put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

And John Wesley actually writes about that night and how that night changes life.

This is what he says.

He says, wow, this is the Bible study leader.

Well, he was describing the change which God looks in the heart through faith in Christ.

I felt my heart Strangely.

I Felt myself Christ alone for my salvation, and the insurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and save me from the law of sin and death.

It was that moment when John left me.

Put it in Christ.

You know it's possible, as you could be here, you'd be religious, you could maybe been here for years but not be a true Christian, just like John Wesley, just like Cornelius.

But salvation is available to all and anybody that will come and believe on his name.

And Salvation was available to Cornelius and what God was going to do.

God was intersecting the path of Cornelius with the path of Peter, because Cornelius needed to be saved in Jesus, to be a savior, and Peter needed to repent and turn away from his racism.

And Watch out, it's beautiful, verse 23.

Peter invited them in and gave them logic.

This is remember the three guys that came.

Hey, peter, what are you doing?

The next day he got up and sent out with them and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.

The following day he entered Caesarea.

Now, cornelius, he was expecting that and I called together his relatives and close friends.

So Cornelius isn't, isn't just gonna meet Peter here.

Cornelius called all of his people.

Cornelius called his family.

Cornelius called his boys.

Cornelius called him, said hey, I got all these people, guys, you're gonna want to, you want to hear this?

Peter's gonna come.

I know God wants him to come.

Peter's gonna share something with us.

Verse 25 Peter entered.

Cornelius, met him Right there at the front, just like you mean somebody, if somebody came to your, your place.

Cornelius fell his feet and worshiped him.

Peter lifted him up and said Stand up, I myself, I'm also a man.

While talking with him, he went in.

Peter went in and found a large gathering of people.

Sees, all these people here.

Peter says you know it's forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God's shown me that I must not call any person impure, unclean, who.

That's why I came without any objection when I was sent for.

So may I ask why are you sent for me?

That's a pretty good question, peter.

Peter felt the spirit Leading him to go to Cornelius's house, leading him with these people.

He goes into the house with all the, all these different people that are Gentiles.

He's like the spirits telling me to do this, but can I ask, why do you guys want me here?

This is what Cornelius says in verse 30.

Four days ago it's four days ago at this hour Three in the afternoon I was praying in my house.

Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me and said Cornelius, your prayers been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered in God's sights.

Cornelius was seeking after God.

Cornelius was seeking after God and this is what God promises if you will seek after him, god will be found.

Cornelius is seeking after God and God is going to make himself found through Peter, verse 32.

Therefore, someone said to Joppa then.

Then, for there.

Therefore, it sent someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who's also named Peter.

He's lodging in Simon, the Tanner's house by the sea.

So I immediately sent for you and it was good of you to come.

So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.

Now we don't have time running going up the entire rest of the chapter, but Peter's about to go and explain the gospel to him and what's happened is Peter's path has been intersected with Cornelius's path because of this is what God is doing, and in verse 34,.

Peter has a breakthrough moment.

Peter has this like aha, where it's almost like the lights turn on.

Look at what Peter says in verse 34.

Peter began to speak to Cornelius the people.

Now I truly understand that God doesn't show favoritism.

You had a aha moment in your life.

You had a moment where you're like, wow, I get it.

Wow, my mom and dad actually knew what they were talking about.

I got a moment I understand God into favoritism and, just like this world in the first century, our world today divides, categorizes and labels people.

It says in verse 28,.

You know it's forbidden for a Jewish man to associate or visit a foreigner.

Dividing, categorizing, label it.

It happens in our world today.

Last year I went to South Carolina and I was visiting the East Coast.

In fact, I'm curious how many of you guys have ever been to the South before?

South Carolina, georgia.

A lot of you guys have been there before.

How many of you guys that have been to the South?

How many of you guys like the Southern food?

Yes, okay, southern food amazing.

Something else I love about the South I love the Southern gas prices.

I was in Texas for a couple of days this week.

I don't know, does Texas count as the South?

No, okay, it's not Okay.

I'm going to tell you it apparently doesn't.

I was in Texas and we went to the gas station.

I was like 289.

So I did what we do in 2023.

Took out my phone and I took a picture of it.

I should have put it up on the screen, but I did 289.

I was in South Carolina last year.

I'm a kind of person.

If I go to a place where I don't really know a whole lot of people, a different place, I just like to talk to people.

I don't know if you guys are like me.

Just start conversations with people.

Any of you guys like me start conversations with people.

The introverts in here, they hate people like us.

When they're hanging with us, they just please leave me alone.

So I was in South Carolina.

I talked to people, and something that was different for me is I would talk to somebody.

I talked to a white person and they would always identify somebody by their race.

So they would say, oh, I was talking to this black guy or Hispanic guy or Asian or whatever, but if he was talking to just a white person, they would just say I was talking to a guy and, like this happened like a few times and I'm like what's going on?

I couldn't take it anymore.

I said to one guy dude, can you help me with something, man, how come every time you guys identify somebody that's not white, you have to describe them by their race, like why aren't they just a person?

Why isn't it just Jim or whoever, this guy or whatever?

Why is it like?

Why People are people.

And even today we live in a world that divides, categorizes and labels people.

Even today, what the gospel does, number two is the gospel unites with the world divides.

The gospel unites with the world divides.

You guys remember that aha moment Peter had?

Oh, now I understand.

There's not this favoritism of God.

In fact, god only created one race.

It's the human race.

In Acts 1726 there's a trans it's translated me pastures that God's created, that we're all one blood.

In other words, we are the same.

Now, in our society, when we use the word race, this is what we mean.

Okay, we mean physical qualities, skin color, facial features.

You won't find that idea in scripture.

As far as the idea of race, the way we define them today, does scripture say people are from a different country?

Yes, does scripture say people are from a different background, yes, but doesn't describe people by their skin color, facial features, physical qualities Over and over again in scripture.

What it points back to is our one common ancestor, that we have Adam, adam.

We're an Adam.

Now, even science shows this.

Okay, you guys know.

I like to read out a little bit.

So this is what science said, a quote from a really smart biologist in Germany.

That's what he says.

He says, with the study of complete genomes or DNA from different parts of the world has shown, is that even between Africa and Europe, for example, there's not a single absolute genetic difference, meaning no single variant, where all Africans have one variant and all Europeans have another one.

Another doctor, dr Freeman, ceo of the North General Hospital in New York, says this If you ask what percentage of your genes is reflected in your external appearance the basis by which we talk about race the answer seems to be in the range of point zero, one percent.

In other words, genetically we are ninety nine point nine percent the same.

And in a world where there's racial division, it's nothing more than something that divides, dehumanizes and marginalizes people.

Scripturally, there are two types of people those who follow Jesus and those who don't follow Jesus, those who are in Christ and those who are not in Christ.

In fact, in Ephesians, chapter number two, it says this At that time you were without Christ.

Okay, these are these Gentile people.

He's right into Gentile people.

You're without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But now, but now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for he, jesus, he's our peace, who made both groups one, both groups Jew Gentile one, and tore down the dividing wall of hostility, these societal lines that were hard, that were very clear, that were these people, and that people Jesus said nope, we're one, we are one.

This is one of the reasons why, here at FCC, we make a really big deal about unity because we are better than me, because it doesn't matter what your background is, what you look like, where you're from, that does not matter.

What matters is that Jesus is our Lord and we follow Jesus and he brings us together, and this is why we want to be a group of people that are unified, that are together.

And the best way to reflect the kingdom of God and reflect the gospel is by having a unified, diverse church.

It is when you read Acts 10.

It's really interesting, though, is before Acts 10 you don't really see Peter verbally or doing outward things that we would identify as racist.

I don't see it.

But in Acts 10 Peter says oh, now I see that there's no favoritism with God.

Oh, now I see that you guys aren't unclean and we're clean.

Oh, now I get that you're not second-class citizens.

But we never saw Peter doing outwardly racist things before.

And this is what this shows us that racial prejudice is not just what you do, it's how you think.

That racial prejudice is not just what you do, it's how you think.

Some of us think I would never use these racial terms or I would never do this racial thing.

I wouldn't do that.

But our actions alone are not the measuring stick.

Proverbs 23 says this as we think in our heart, so are we.

Racism is not just what we do, but it's how we think.

It's how we see people, and it's possible that the world that we live in we've been influenced in a certain way and because of the influences that we've had, maybe some racial prejudice.

It's possible that we've been influenced in ways we don't realize, and there may be a small pocket of racism in us and we don't even realize it.

It's possible.

What is it?

It's sent.

What do we do If we have maybe a little bit of that in us?

What do we do if we start labeling, identifying people, and we say those types of people and that people over there, what do we do?

We don't want this.

Well, peter took two action steps that produced a breakthrough in his life.

The first action step that Peter took is something he actually had a wrestle with.

Is Peter lined up with what God said about it?

Peter aligned his life with what God said about it, but you remember, at first he was perplexed.

Okay, peter saying okay.

So, god, you're telling me there's no clean and unclean.

I don't understand this.

This one against Peter's preconceived notions, this one against Peter's upbringing, this one against Peter's experiences, this one against Peter's social media algorithms that he saw.

This one against the news station that Peter watched.

You're telling me, you're telling me, god, that this is what you say, but this is what I think and Peter has to wrestle with this.

Can I say it's a very healthy thing sometimes for us to wrestle with scripture.

It's a very healthy thing for us to say.

This is what God says, but this is what my experiences say, this is what the promises of God say, but this is what the world I live in says.

And there can be this gap where there's this like wrestling match that we have and can I say it's okay to do that, it's okay to wrestle, it's okay to doubt, it's okay to say I'm just unsure of, maybe, who Jesus is.

This is what the scripture says, but this is my life.

I just I don't really know.

This is what Peter is doing.

Peter is wrestling with this.

And if you're at a place in your life where you're wrestling and you have doubts about things, can I just say FCC, this church community, is a safe place for that to happen.

You guys remember in the New Testament, thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus.

You guys remember him, thomas.

Thomas spent three and a half years with Jesus, doing all.

Seeing Jesus do all these miracles, seeing Jesus heal people, blind people.

They're blind.

Jesus turned the lights on.

Jesus had a few fishes and he fed the thousands.

Thomas saw all that.

Thomas was with them and then Jesus died and Thomas heard that Jesus resurrected.

Thomas goes nah, it didn't happen.

No way.

There's no way Jesus could resurrect.

I mean, he died.

So the cross and what Jesus didn't do, this is really powerful.

Thomas doubted him, even though Thomas spent three and a half years with him, what Jesus didn't do, jesus didn't say.

Thomas, you doubted you're out.

Deuces, the other disciples, the 10 that are left.

I'll hang out with them, but you doubted me.

Never doubt me.

I spent three and a half years with you.

I ministered with you.

I did all these healings just so you could believe that I was who I said I was.

And now I've done it.

And now you doubt, just never did that.

You know what Jesus did.

He met Thomas in his doubts and if you're in this room right now, maybe you have some doubts, maybe you're unsure.

Can I say Jesus meets you right there in your doubts, without confusing you too much?

Can I say this as well when you have doubts, doubt your doubts.

Why do I even have these doubts?

And Peter wrestled with these things and Peter came to a place where Peter aligned himself with what God said.

The lights went on, the all home moment.

Now I see, god, I am aligning myself with you, but Peter also did something that was that I think was equally important Is Peter spent time with Cornelius.

Peter went to the house of Cornelius Peter didn't distance himself from Cornelius.

People didn't assume, make assumptions about Cornelius.

Peter listened to him and I think a powerful thing that we can do to experience racial healing in a divided world is to sit at a table with somebody that's different than us, just listen to them and hear their story.

This is really powerful.

I want to give you an example of why this is powerful.

If I were to ask you what word is on here?

What word is on here?

It is the word red.

How many of you would say the word red is on here?

Some of you are thrown off because it's got black ink, but it says red.

That's what you say.

It says.

You say it says red.

In fact, I just asked and you raised your hand.

I don't see that it says red.

This is what I see.

I see a piece of paper right here.

I don't see red.

I know all of you said that Balcony.

Does it say red up?

Does it say red?

Balcony said that.

I mean there's balcony people, though you know I don't see that.

You're the only way that I'm going to be able to see this word red and see what you see is if I sit.

Where you sit Is if I go from my side.

That's all I see If I go from here to here and I see what you see.

You know when people are on the floor.

You know when the best things that we can do to love people is sit where they sit and listen to them and just be with them.

Because you remember the story.

I'm wrapped this up with this story in three statements.

Because you remember Lazarus, john 11.

You guys remember the story.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Y'all remember Lazarus.

He died.

He died he's a different word, but he, I mean he's been dead for a while, four days.

Jesus shows up to the scene.

Everybody's crying, everybody's weeping.

You're sad, jesus.

He knew what he was going to do.

Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead.

It's pretty awesome.

So Jesus comes in to the scene.

He sees the dead.

He sees the dead and Jesus doesn't say get over it.

Y'all making way too big a deal about this.

Guys, guys, can you just just chill out.

I'm here, I'm going to do something cool.

Just wait and see.

You can do that.

You guys remember what Jesus did in John, chapter 11?

John 11 · chapter mention

He was a great man.

He didn't do that.

He didn't do that.

You guys, remember what Jesus did in John, chapter 11?

John 11 · chapter mention

He wept, he sat with them in their grief.

He didn't try to explain away all these things, he just said listen, listen, I'm here.

I'm here, mary, martha, what heart is saying to your experience in your life?

This is what you're experiencing.

I'm here with you.

An empathy, seeing, seeing, seeing, seeing things from their perspective, challenges our self-righteousness and our pride and the racism that may be lurking in our heart.

Three statements of application and we're done.

Statement number one is this Evaluate your heart to see if there's any racism.

Remember, it's not just what we do, it's how we think.

Would you evaluate your heart and more than that, would you ask the Holy Spirit to evaluate your heart?

It says it there.

We live in a society right now where we cannot admit this, that there's any of this in our hearts.

We can't.

But between you and God you can.

Number two look to show empathy towards people who have different experiences than you.

People have different experiences.

Let's just listen to them when they at.

This is what Peter did.

He went, he heard Cornelius's story.

Number three if you have not done this already.

Make the decision to become a true Jesus follower.

Maybe maybe you, like Cornelius, you're religious, maybe you know some things about the Bible, but you're not a true Christian.

Today can be the day where you put your trust and faith in Jesus and follow him, and today can be the day of your salvation.