MESSAGE: Racism and the Kingdom of God
Matthew 22:37-39
MESSAGE PREVIEW:
The events of the past week have once again brought the topic of race and racism to the forefront of our culture. What is the church of Jesus Christ to be and to do when it comes to racism? We are going to look at the following truths this weekend…
- Biblical Truth Framing Our Worldview and Actions
- All people are created by the same Father in His image. (Gen. 1:27)
- All people are equally loved by God. (John 3:16)
- All people are equally invited to salvation through Christ. (Rom. 1:16)
- All people are equally celebrated in Heaven. (Rev. 7:9-10)
- Disciples of Jesus are called to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matt. 22:37-39)
- Disciples of Jesus Reflect the Kingdom on Earth
- Ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19)
- Ambassadors of the King and His Kingdom (2 Cor. 5:20)
- Actions speak louder than words (Matt. 5:14-16)
- Where Do We Go Wrong in Regard to Racism?
- When we are racist ourselves.
- When we don’t acknowledge the experience or circumstances of others – either by explaining it away, sticking our head in the sand and not listening, or shaking our heads and saying nothing.
- When we embrace political party or cave to political pressure instead of walking as agents of the Kingdom.
- What Should We Do?
- Repent
- Lament
- Listen
- Take relationship initiative
- Lean into the tension in love
ICEBREAKER QUESTIONS
Begin your session with prayer and use the following questions/discussion to get the conversation started…
Leader’s Note: This week’s topic is a difficult one and could feel overwhelming to a leader and group. As we talk about a topic such as racism, it’s important to set the right tone in the group meeting. As a leader, consider acknowledging that this is a difficult topic, embracing the tension and heightened emotion that can come from it, and then set the expectation for how we are going to have the discussion. LifeGroups are a place of openness, honesty, love, and grace. They are a safe space. It’s actually a good thing for group members to come to terms with acknowledging their discomfort with the topic and fear of saying the wrong thing. The discussion will only move forward if people are willing to move past their discomfort and fear and engage.
Start by reflecting on your experiences and sharing your story. Then ask others to share around these questions as well.
Q: What were the conversations around race and ethnicity like in your family growing up?
Q: When were you first made aware of your racial and ethnic identity?
Q: When were you first made aware of the problem of racism?
Q: How have the events of the past two weeks re-engaged your heart and mind in the conversation of race and how, as a Christian, we should respond?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Re-read Matthew 22:37-39. Ask and discuss the following questions
Q: Why is having a Biblical worldview so important when it comes to topics like racism? What is the danger to viewing this topic from a non-biblical or worldly perspective?
Q: Have the majority of comments you’ve heard from others, posts you’ve read on social media, or conversations you’ve been a part of over the past week reflected more of a biblical or non-biblical worldview when it comes to race? Explain your answer.
Q: Which of the five important biblical truths Pastor Brian shared this week stood out to you the most? Why is this so important for us to remember? How does this help think rightly about race?
Q: How does learning to “love your neighbor as yourself” fight against racism and prejudice in a person’s life?
Q: Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. What does it mean to be a minster of reconciliation? How do we practically do this in our daily lives? How does this apply to the topic of racism?
Q: What is a practical example of how our actions can speak louder than words when it comes to our response to racism and injustice?
Q: In your experience, where do you feel most people are tempted to go wrong in regards to racism? Being racist themselves? Not acknowledging the experience or circumstances of others? Or embracing political party or caving to political pressure? Explain.
Q: What was your main take-away from this Sunday’s message? How did God speak to you?
Q: What are you going to do in response to this Sunday’s message? How can you apply these truths to your life over the next seven days?
CONLUSION:
Pastor Brian ended the message this week with the question: What should we do? He suggested the following things:
- Repent
- Lament
- Listen
- Take Relationship Initiative
- Lean into the Tension.
As you think about how God is speaking to your heart, which of these five do you feel most convicted about? Which do you need to take a next step with this week?
Encourage the group to honestly share their response. The truth is that we all could take a step in one of these ways. As they share, encourage them to think through what that looks like practically.
End your time together by praying for your group. Pray that God would restore them in their area of confession. Ask God to empower them to take the next step in responding as He is leading. Pray for our church, our country, and those who are hurting during this time. Pray that we would be people who view and respond to racism in the right way…that we would reflect the love and message of Jesus in all we say and do.
Announcements:
We are worshipping in person and on line! If group members are ready to worship in person, they can go to www.bayarea.church/regather to register for next week’s service. Note: everyone must register every week. If they would rather continue worshipping at home, they can go to www.bayarea.church/live for the live link and on line resources.
Encourage your group to participate in the Psalms Bible reading plan that is posted at www.bayarea.church/live as well.
SCRIPTURES FROM THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE:
- Listen in the message preview above.
NEXT WEEK’S MESSAGE: What am I Doing with My Life? – Part 2