Today’s scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Jeff Miner):
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how the curse of racism affects us all. What a stark contrast between the tragic news from places like Ferguson, Cleveland, and New York, and the peace we associate with Christmas. I keep asking, “What would Jesus do?”
The Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament portray the coming Messiah as someone zealous for justice. Today’s reading promises that the Messiah “will establish and uphold [the government] with justice” (verse 7). It predicts liberation of the oppressed: “The yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken” (verse 4). “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!” (verse 7).
In Jesus, we see that zeal. He launched his ministry by declaring that he had come “to bring good news to the poor . . . , to proclaim release to the captives . . . , and to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18). Everywhere we look in the Gospels, Jesus stands resolutely for those who lack power in society.
So I ask myself, “How can we be true to Jesus’ passion for justice in our present situation? Specifically, what should we — the congregation of LifeJourney — do?” Here are some of the thoughts which God has laid on my heart.
With Jesus as our model, we must passionately stand together against oppression. I’ve been reading and listening carefully to all the debates. I was stunned to learn that a young black man is 21 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than a young white man. I’ve also been talking to my African-American brothers and sisters, asking, “What’s been your experience with the police and our justice system?” Every single one of them — good, loving, gentle, law-abiding people — have told me terrible stories of unjustified experiences they’ve had with the police and security guards at one time or another. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! That brings tears to my eyes. As a follower of Jesus, I cannot not respond! As a congregation, we must do the same. One of the hallmarks of LifeJourney Church has always been that we stand unequivocally for “justice and equality for all.” It’s in our DNA as a church. With Jesus, we stand against oppression!
Of course there are many good police officers who strive to treat all people equally. We are grateful for them. But the problem is bigger than individual officers. We’re talking about a systemic problem that requires systemic responses. That’s why national police associations have called for reforms.
But change begins with us. We are an incredibly diverse congregation. Most churches are comprised of all one kind of people. We strive to model the opposite. Our congregation is politically, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse. That gives us a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and, in this case especially, to listen and learn from the real-life experiences of our African-American sisters and brothers. Soon we’ll set aside a Sunday to talk about this; then virtually all our Oasis Groups will move through a dynamic five-week conversation on diversity prepared by Board Member Genese Parker and Pastor David. I’m excited to see where this leads us. As Tolstoy once said, “Everyone wants to change the world; nobody wants to change himself.” I want justice to begin with me, in my heart, as Jesus requires, and then express itself in concrete actions for systemic reform.
Thought for the day: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). The best way to celebrate the Advent of our Messiah is to seek to further his transformational work in our world.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.