Message Title: Where Healing Begins
Date: May 23, 2021

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Stories by Paul Richards and Michael Prosper

New Race - "In Christ"

E pluribus unum = out of many, one

John 17: prayer of Jesus for unity

Where Healing Begins:
1. Start with Lament
2. Move to Reconciliation
a. Confession
b. Forgiveness

Ezra 9: A Community out of alignment

Confession is when we agree with God

Confess: to say the same thing

"The gospel gives you psychological freedom to handle the wrong things that you will do. You won't be able to deny, spin, or repress the truth about yourself. These things don't make it impossible to know who you are. Only with the support of hearing Jesus say, 'You are capable of terrible things, but I am absolutely, unconditionally committed to you,' will you be able to be honest with yourself. --Tim Keller

Confession: when we are appalled by both our sin and the sin in our world

Ezra: horrified, shocked, astonished by sin

What do you need to confess this week in order to be aligned with Jesus?
What appalls you?

Confession is being aware that God's grace is greater than our sins

But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Ezra 10:2b

"Confession does for the soul what preparing the land does for the field. Before the farmer sows the seed, he works the acreage, removing the rocks and pulling the stumps. He knows that seed grows better if the land is prepared. Confession is the act of inviting God to walk the acreage of our hearts." --Max Lucado

Confession takes ACTION to forsake our sin

"Rise up; this matter is in your hands...so take courage and do it." Ezra 10:4

Action Item #1
Build cross-ethnic relationships

PCC BENEDICTION
May you jump into the arms of Jesus and may He push out into the world. May you be healed as you participate in the healing of others. Not because you must, but because you may. This is why we were born!

Beyond Sunday
At PCC, we want any person from any racial or ethnic background to feel like they are among family. In order to do so, we must become more aware of God’s heart for racial reconciliation, key historical events, and the harm caused to many. Each week, our “Be The Bridge'' (BTB) series will help us journey toward greater understanding, empathy and, in time, action. This week, we focus on the key element of confession and its role in making us a true bridge builder.

Individual / Group Discussion Questions
1. What new awareness are you coming to regarding the race-related terms used in Chapter 5 of BTB (white supremacy, colorism, brown-paper-bag test, mulatto, zero sum games, etc.)? Are there other race-related terms that you are becoming more aware of? How does this newfound awareness make you feel? Or what questions does it cause to arise?

2. Meditate on 1 John 1:9 & James 5:16. Why is confessing your sins to our all-knowing God just as important to one another? How does this represent the full vertical and horizontal gospel of the cross? How has confessing to God and others benefited you?

3. Reflect on this statement from BTB p.89.
“The sin of racism—as well as my sin of colorism—disrupts God’s order of justice and righteousness. It denies the image of God in our brothers and sisters. And though we must name our individual sin, we must also confess our corporate sin. Just as Ezra and Daniel felt the weight of guilt and shame and confessed it to the Father, seeking his healing, we should too.”

How do you see racism and colorism disrupting God’s order of justice, righteousness, and His image? What do you find challenging about the idea of confessing individual and corporate racial sins of the past and present?

4. Read Ezra 9:1-10:2 out loud. What stands out to you with regards to this moment of corporate confession? If confession isn’t optional in our faith, why has the church found it difficult to confess its racist past in many cases? How could the church lead the culture and set the example in what confession as a step toward reconciliation can look like?

5. Reflect on this statement from BTB p.95.
“In the context of racial reconciliation, confession requires owning our part in racism and racist structures, the ways we’ve benefited from systems of oppression. But it also requires each of us to admit our own private racist or colorist beliefs, beliefs we know aren’t right and that we may not want others to know about. ... It bears repeating: confession isn’t just for those in the majority culture who’ve benefited from or perpetrated discrimination; it’s for people of color too.”

Then ponder these questions to help lead you toward confession:
Corporate:
1. What are the historical racial injustices within the U.S. that anger you?

Personal:
1. Have you ever looked down on others because of their ethnicity, their race?
2. Have you ever thought less of them because of the way they looked? 3/ 3. Have you ever played zero-sum games as it relates to those of other ethnicities, believing their opportunities came at the cost of yours?
4. Have you ever been afraid of someone just because of the color of his or her skin?

As a group or individually, declare the prayer below:
A Prayer of Confession (BTB p.100 at the end of Chapter 5)God, I have been blind to the plight of my fellow image bearers. I have been deaf to their cries for justice and for mercy. I have been mute when there was no one to speak for them. Lord God, unbind my mouth. Place your healing over my eyes that I might see, and unblock my ears that I might hear. I lay my sins at your feet that you might cleanse me, heal me, and send me to do your holy work of reconciliation with my brothers and sisters.

Resources
1. Get a FREE Be the Bridge book! [Pick up at church or request to be sent to your home]
2. Get in a Be the Bridge Group
3. Be the Bridge - Reading Schedule

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Fiscal year (June 1 - To Date)

Giving Update
Budgeted Giving: $4,072,377
Giving to Date: $3,540,643
Still Need: $ 531,734