A Note to My Church and My Community on the Unlawful, Unconscionable, and Unacceptable Murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, and How We Should Respond as Followers of Jesus Christ

Introduction

There have been many times in my life when I have looked at the world that I live in and have gotten dizzy. Situations where so many serious issues come to bear, and so many lives are impacted.

Current events surrounding the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd have put me back on the floor. Almost immediately after I became aware of the Arbery video I made a public statement on social media; however, the Floyd video has caused me to pause, pray, and look for the right words to say.

The truth is, I’m tempted to just say nothing…to remain silent. But I just cannot be silent. In putting my thoughts in writing I most certainly threaten to disappoint one crowd and disenfranchise another, but in spite of this I feel the need to write. As a pastor, it falls to me to help equip the church to deal with this issue biblically. As a follower of Jesus that lives in Crittenden County I want fellow citizens to know that the church doesn’t tuck-tail and run when it comes to the hard issues, neither does it take-the-bait, but that it handles it graciously with the Gospel.

My Working Thoughts on the Current Issues

After watching these videos of the actual events, listened to countless other opinions, and prayed I would like to share my thoughts concerning these two specific instances. I owe it to you to be transparent yet forthright.

1. I cannot conceive of any situation preceding the events of each video that would justify the definitive and deadly events recorded in the video.
2. I can reasonably assume that color of Arbery and Floyd’s skin played some role; however great or small, in the unequal and unjust responses.
3. My heart hurts over sin and its devastating grasp over this world.
4. My heart aches over the outcome of sin in this fallen world: death and separation from God.
5. I ache over death, in this case I believe to be unjust; however, my heart hurts over death whether just or unjust.
6. I grieve in my heart with fellow Americans who feel the weight of injustice, inequity, and who feel a profound distrust in a system that may be perceived at times to have unfair balances.
7. I desire to know and and empathize better with my fellow believers who have a different tone of skin than I do, so that I can learn to bear their burdens better.
8. Most importantly, I feel a stronger urge to make the gospel of Jesus Christ my main focus.
9. Our ONLY answer, our ONLY recourse, our ONLY hope is Jesus. Only His work on the Cross, His resurrection, and His life can remedy the problems we face as a society.

Only Jesus

While these current events will no doubt spark outrage, and justifiably so, they will also change the focus of many believers. Many hearts will seek for our nation to find more practical ways to ensure justice without deference to the color of our skin, that is good. We should love justice and equity and promote it from our churches to the nations. (Micah 6:8)

Our fallen nature prevents fully righteous judgment. (Romans 3) In the church, even privately, the battle against the flesh rages on. As the Holy Spirit continues to convict us and sanctify us, we await the return of our King to remove this sin nature. If this is the case with believers, how much for those who have not been awakened and brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:13)

Ultimately, man will disappoint, our systems will fail, yet I’m reminded of King David’s words in his pursuit of victory in battle:

“Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!”

Psalm 60:11 (ESV)

The fact is, as much as we should pursue justice around us, and as much as we should champion the cause of those who are unable to fend for themselves, the salvation of man is vain. Man’s salvation is partial…if even that, it is temporary and unreliable. Which begs the question…who wants to be drowning at sea and only partially saved? What does that look like? A lifesaver without a rope.

Let’s suppose that we were able to cure any and every prejudice and inequity that exists throughout our justice system. That any and every government official had such accountability that it made it effectively impossible to do the things that we have seen recently. That would be wonderful. I long to see that day; however THE problem would still exist. We can only provide temporary pain relief to the cancer of sin that plagues our society. We must rely on Jesus. He must be our focus. He must be the focus and hope of every black, white, brown, or otherwise pigmented believer.

Only Jesus is the answer to my sin.

Only Jesus, as God can ascribe worth, which He does to all people.

Only Jesus, is the answer to the church. That we should gaze more intently upon Him.

Only Jesus is the answer to injustice and racism around the world.

Only Jesus is the answer for the world.

So How do We Respond?

How do we respond to these current events?

1. Stay Focused on Jesus (Heb 12:1-2)
   • Leverage every event for the Gospel. ( I know…I’m still learning myself)
   • Don’t leverage every event for political purposes.
   • Remember where your hope comes from. Jesus is our Living Hope. (1 Peter 1:3)
2. Be Compassionate with Others
   • Don’t be a social media warrior.
   • Don’t retweet or share unhelpful/conspiracy theory posts. (1 Timothy 4:7)
   • Weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)
   • Stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
3. Abhor Evil (Romans 12:9)
   • We are to abhor injustice wherever it is found.
   • Don’t be afraid to call racism or abuse of power sin.

There is so much more to say…I just wanted to begin to let you in on what was going on in my heart.

I await with all of God’s people. People of every tribe and tongue and nation for His return! For the Return of the King who will make all things right. With the King who will remove all sin and will reign forever. And Us with Him!

Pilate’s Plight

When I read of the events that led up to Jesus’ death on the cross I am overcome with emotion.  In great detail the writers of each Gospel paint a master portrait that leaves its spectators in utter dismay and awe.

In the book of Luke, as these events unfolded before Pilate he found himself overcome, and in an act of desperation the following event took place:

“When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood.  See to it yourselves!’  All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”  Then he released Barabbas to them.  But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.”

Matthew 27:24-26

Overcome with a wide spectrum of emotions Pilate attempted to leave his position of authority, if only for a moment.  By washing his hands, he made a statement that he hoped would release him of the guilt that was quickly pursuing him.  “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” Pilate quivering lip spoke “See to it yourselves.”  After finding no fault in Jesus, being warned by his wife, and offering the release of a barbaric criminal in Jesus’ place, Pilate was at the end of his rope.  Pilate had exhausted plans A-Z, and wished to removed as far from the situation as possible.  He washed his hands.

Here’s the problem.

Innocence is never provided by self-proclamation.  Pilate couldn’t reconcile the death of Jesus by washing his hands in water.  Its strange how we use the same strategy as Pilate.

Instead of making difficult righteous decisions we make the easy decisions and try to pass the guilt to someone else.

The following statement by the blood-thirsty spectators rung true for Pilate, for themselves, and even to us:  “His blood be on us and on our children!”

The punishment of the execution of Jesus does not lie merely on the people that were present for the occasion.  It’s guilt doesn’t only haunt Pilate, but it convicts all of humanity for breaking God’s laws.  John 3:19 states “This, then, is the judgement:  the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”

None of us can be clear from this guilt unless we accept the Holy Sacrifice.  Unless we repent of our sins  and have faith(Acts 20:20-21), believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-13).  Our sins can be forgiven through this perfect sacrifice.

Washing ourselves with water and excuses doesn’t work, but the blood of Jesus Christ washes all sins away!

Jesus Knocked them Off of their Feet

In reading through the Harmony of the Gospels I have arrived at Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, and came across an astounding event that I have never recognized before.

In Johns account of the betrayal in the garden, He mentions an event that has never caught my eye until now.  In John 18:6 it stands out so tall that I must have been blind to not have seen it until now.

“When He (Jesus) told them, “I am He,” they (the mob) stepped back and fell to the ground.”

It’s one thing to say to your friends that you could call down angels to defend you, and another entirely to speak a mere three words that are filled with such power that it literally knocks your adversaries to the ground.

Its easy to see in this event how easily Jesus could have detoured the cross.  If three words knock your foes to the ground, then why worry about the fight.  Six words could paralyze them, and twelve words would leave them gasping for breath.

But these words were filled with such power, “I am He.”  Literally meaning “I am.”  The same Name that God utters to Moses from the burning bush, the same Nam that He spoke to Isaiah.  Jesus is “I AM.”  Not “I was,” “I am currently,” nor “I will be,” but I AM!  From the beginning of the world He was set to be the Holy sacrifice for our sin, from the beginning of time the Cross was set before Him, and from the foundation of the world His resurrection was imminent.

It’s amazing to know that moments before the cross His words knocked people off of their feet, yet He still went to the cross in obedience.  He went for you and I.

His words still knock people off of their feet today!  And I serve Him, won’t you?

Just Because You’re not Paranoid, It Doesn’t Mean They’re not Watching You!

You are always being watched.
Especially as a Christian people are always watching you, whether you want them to or not.
They are observing how you react to certain situations, your language, your body language….everything.
It’s important to always guard your steps.
When I was younger, in the youth department of FBC Beebe I met a wonderful mentor named Brian Murphy.
He taught me how to play the guitar, and though he was not aware of it, he taught me how to be transparent.

One Sunday afternoon during our Discipleship Training hour, Brian made a comment (not directly to me, but I heard it) about something that had happened to him that afternoon.
I’m still not sure of the details to this day, but I’ll never forget what he said “This afternoon, I was given a test, and a I failed it miserably.”
I had never heard another believer say this before!
Brian was commenting on something that had happened between church services in which God had given him a test/opportunity to serve Him, and Brian felt as if he had failed.
This came as a shock to me, but it also came as a relief.
This statement perplexed, and freed me at the same time.

As I studied it further in the Bible I found that we are called to be Holy, but that we are still human and that there is nothing that we can do that can inherit, achieve, or maintain our salvation!
I learned to be transparent in that moment.
To live openly.
To confess when I had (have, or will) do wrong, and to keep running the race.

Brian never knew that he left that legacy to me, but it has kept me out of a lot of trouble.

Martin Luther, father of the protestant reformation, felt the same freedom as he read over Ephesians 2:8-10.
8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation—created (A) in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time (B) so that we should walk in them.

This is the encouragement for believers today.
Live for Jesus, and when you mess up, don’t act like you are Him and hide your fault, reveal it…confess it, and find freedom!
(1 John 1:9)

Leo Fields

When someone close to us dies, we find ourselves wishing that we could have spent more time with them.  We reason that if we could have just spent that extra hour with them we would have been satisfied.  If we could have just said “I love you,” one more time.  If we could have hugged them and told them how much of a difference they made in our lives one more time, we would feel better.

But it doesn’t work like that.

If we were to resign all of our responsibilities today to spend the rest of our lives hugging the ones we love, telling them we love them, and how much they mean to us…it still wouldn’t be enough.

There’s just not enough hours in our day, not enough days in our year…it would still just be insufficient.

Proverbs 17:17 (HCSB) says this about a friend

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.”

Leo resembled this verse.  It was almost as if he inserted himself into the verse.  If you were sad, he would make you laugh.  If you were mad, he would calm you down.

If you were being taken advantage of, Leo would stand up for you.

Leo loved and served without discrimination.

I know that you are finally in a place that’s big enough for you!

See you soon man, you were always last, so I know you’re first now.

The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (Pr 17:17). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.