John 13:34-35 AMP

Focus: Acceptance vs Tolerance

1. Tolerance is transformed into Acceptance

2. Acceptance is transformed into Love

3. Love is transformed into Service

4. Pray for Service

Colossians 3:11 TPT

God’s variety within creation reflects a necessary balance of give and take which contributes to a healthy well lived existence. There is power, strength, ability, skill, knowledge, in your uniqueness, individuality, multi-ness.

3. Humanity is nearing the beginning of the end and America is not exempt. Many of the things that we are witnessing today must happen in preparation for the return of Jesus.

Alexander Fraser Tytler, a Scottish lawyer, writer, and professor at the University of Edinborough wrote:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."

The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.

These nations have progressed through this sequence:

1. Bondage to spiritual freedom.

2. Spiritual freedom to courage.

3. Courage to prosperity

4. Prosperity to abundance

5. Abundance to selfishness

6. Selfishness to complacency

7. Complacency to apathy

8. Apathy to dependance

9. Dependance back to bondage.

The group of people, the culture that must sustain itself is the Christian culture and that’s not limited to any race, nationality, ethnicity of people. There comes a point where you have to err on the side of what’s eternal because this flesh is full of error, misconceptions, bad notions and motives but, good intentions.

People minimize taking a stand for what is TRUTH vs. what seems right but it’s the TRUTH that will stand.

Luke 21:33 NKJV

So, therefore, superior to what you look like, the color of your skin, your political party, your net worth, your educational background, your social/economic status, the backbone of society rests with us, Christians!

What should unite us all regardless of where we find ourselves in society:

1. The intentional pursuit to be like Jesus. Fueled by grace, activated by faith, demonstrated by love!

2. Intentional and individual growth regarding multi-cultural and racial matters is essential for the current day Body of Christ and the physical church.

3. How we treat one another must point to the love of Christ, the bond of faith, and the power of God!

The war on racism, implicit biases, and division within the Body of Christ and throughout will not be wiped out from the top down, it has to happen from the bottom up. Each person must make a decision to be the difference while making the difference.

One representation cannot speak for all but if the under current is Christianity and growth, then you can build something with one, then another, then another, etc. The conversations need to take place where the difference and division intersect. Then, what if this became contagious?!?! Truly…

Understanding will not happen without some level of empathy. We all must acknowledge our biases and ignorance and embrace learning and diversity under the umbrella of God’s enduring love.

Who was Jesus on the earth?

1. Born in Bethlehem, raised a Nazarene, noted to be from Galilee, and proclaimed Jerusalem as God’s chosen city - not loyal to His set.

2. A Temple nerd at 12 - socially awkward

3. Too young to walk in his calling at 29 - ageism

4. Youngest among proven Rabbi - over qualified but underage.

5. Outcast because of His superior faith - peculiar and strange

6. Rejected because of His boldness - demonstrative

7. Feared yet sought after because of His power - surrounded by haters and groupies.

8. Hunted because of his real & potential influence - a menace to society

9. All at the same time being admired and reverenced by a different group of people - worshipped

10. Ridiculed for hobnobbing with the socially elite though immoral - hypocrite

11. Well dressed - professionally mis-representing

12. Referred to as being dark skinned and hair of wool. Which according to archeologist, He was a Palestinian Jew… just different!

1. PRAY

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

2. PROBE YOUR OWN HEART

3. REPENT

4. PRESENCE

Comfort (2 Co. 1:4)

Encourage (Rm. 1:12)

Support (Gal. 6:2)

Build (1 Th. 5:11)

Honor (Rm. 12:10)

Your presence can be powerful.

5. PRACTICE.

Spiritual growth is not automatic.

4. PARTNER WITH GOOD AND OTHERS

5. SHINE (LIGHTS)

“Partnership is the pathway to relationship. Relationship is the pathway to trust. Trust will open the door to the depth of receptivity, vulnerability, understanding, compassion and commitment necessary to begin steps toward lasting change.

If culture is unhealthy, unaware or unwilling to see inequity, it taints the system. In such cases, it often takes crisis (and often tragedy) to bring the attention of all to the need for change. Christians, informed by God’s Word, led by his Spirit and sensitively engaged in their communities, can be a great force in leading to God-honoring systemic change.

Christians should filter the strengths and weaknesses of their communities and culture through the lens of Scripture.

As citizens, we have rights, but as Christians, we have responsibilities to intervene on behalf of others. Our voice and our vote are both stewardships in a democratic society with freedom of speech.”

Scott Ridout, President of Converge