THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL ALLOWS DIVERSITY

Luke 10:30-37
August 30, 2009

Purpose: To explain how the Gospel allows diversity and recognizes that all Christians are different.

    The good news of the gospel allows diversity.  Diversity includes seeing people as unique individuals, respecting their differences and evaluating deeper traits.  If the gospel can allow such positive outlooks, it’s truly good news.

    But how does it do that?

    Our country has many different nationalities, cultures, races and religions.  Furthermore, there are gender and wealth issues.  No two people see eye to eye on anything.  But despite our differences, we can look beneath the surface and work together.

    An old man from down south said, “For years I’ve watched farmers bringing their cotton to the gin in the fall.  All kinds of folks came: young, old, black, white, protestant and catholic.  Some would come over gravel roads from the east, others would travel over paved roads from the north; some came on superhighways from the west, and still others came on two lane roads from the south.  But, when they got there, the ginner never asked them about their beliefs or background or which road they took to get to the gin.  Rather, he only asked, ‘How good is your cotton?’ ”

    That’s the evaluation Jesus used.  He was interested in attitude, behavior and productivity, not the nationality or religious label.

    Let’s consider Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan:  He said, "A man was going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Some robbers attacked him. They tore off his clothes and beat him. Then they left him lying there, almost dead. It happened that a Jewish priest was going down that road. When the priest saw the man, he walked by on the other side of the road. Next, a Levite came there. He went over and looked at the man. Then he walked by on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan traveling down the road came to where the hurt man was lying. He saw the man and felt very sorry for him. The Samaritan went to him and poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. He put the hurt man on his own donkey and took him to an inn. At the inn, the Samaritan took care of him. The next day, the Samaritan brought out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. The Samaritan said, 'Take care of this man. If you spend more money on him, I will pay it back to you when I come again.' "  Then Jesus said, ‘Which one of these three men do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by the robbers?’” (Luke 10:30-37).
    Now, what happened in this story?

I.  FIRST, JESUS SAW PEOPLE AS INDIVIDUALS.

    He never labeled people by their race, gender, age or religion.  He didn’t lump people into stereotypical groups.  When he praised the Roman Centurion, that didn’t mean every Roman military general was faithful.  When he admired the Syro-Phoenician woman’s response to his inquiry, that didn’t mean every person of that nationality was wise.  When he appreciated the one grateful Samaritan leper who thanked him, that didn’t mean every Samaritan was good hearted and grateful.

    He gave children precedence over priests and scribes.  In one incident, the religious leaders, “heard even the little children in the Temple shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David.’ But they were indignant and asked Jesus, ‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’  ‘Yes,’ Jesus replied.  ‘Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures?  For they say, “You have taught children and infants to give you praise” ’ ” (Matt.  21:15b-16).

    On another occasion, he said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt.  19:14).
    He allowed Mary to discuss theology instead of clean the kitchen.  It’s important to understand that in that day the rabbis didn’t allow women to even read the Scriptures.  One first-century rabbi said, “Rather should the words of the Torah be burned than entrusted to a woman.  Whoever teaches his daughter the Torah is like one who teaches her immorality.”  A woman couldn’t even testify in court.

    Jesus disagreed.  He talked to all kinds of women personally and publicly.  Furthermore, Jesus deliberately rejected the Jewish idea that a woman’s testimony didn’t count.  In fact, on Easter morning Jesus appeared first to a woman!  It was her testimony that revealed the resurrection to men.
    He accepted all kinds of people and knew that they were valuable in his ministry.  He saw individuals, not labels and stereotypes.  Peter learned this important lesson, saying, “I really understand now that to God every person is the same.  God accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right.  It is not important what country a person comes from” (Acts 10:34-35, edb).

    Paul also said, There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians—you are one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
    Jesus knew there were worthwhile men and women in every race and culture and religion.  He saw people as individuals.
    The Gospel allows diversity.II.  NEXT, JESUS RESPECTED DIFFERENCES.

    He elevated the status of women, children and minorities.  He complimented the Centurion and made Samaritans the heroes of his stories.  His disciples ranged from politicians to rebels.  These men were so diverse that we wonder how they ever managed to come together in a common cause.  Peter and John, for example, could not be more different.  Peter was bold and impulsive, while John was quiet, and thoughtful.  Most of the disciples were believers, but Thomas seemed to always play the role of a skeptic.

    The political differences between Matthew and Simon the Canaanite were so potentially explosive, we’re surprised that they weren’t at each other’s throats.  Matthew was a tax collector and a servant of the Roman government, and Simon was a zealot and a rebel,  He would have hated Rome and taxes and those who gathered them.

    One of the great lessons learned from Jesus’ choice of the Twelve is that God loves all of us, without regard to our social, political or economic differences.  We don’t have to be threatened by diversity.  For instance, if a person states his opinion and I disagree, that just means, “He has an opinion and I have an opinion, and the two are not the same opinion.”

    It doesn’t mean one of us is wrong or bad or stupid.  Paul Dunbar, a brilliant black poet of the last century put it simply:

    Folks ain’t got no right to censure
        Other folks about their habits;
    The God who gave squirrels bushy tails,
        Made bobtails for the rabbits.
        —Adapted by Maralene Wesner

    Yes, we’re all different.  Paul said, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do” (Rom. 12:4).

    He also said, “Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all.  There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving.  There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us” (I Cor. 12:4-6)

    The Gospel respects our differences.

III.  FINALLY, JESUS EVALUATED DEEPER TRAITS.

    He looked at the “fruit.”  He assessed people by their character and productivity, not by their ideology or doctrinal positions.  This is often misunderstood by those who get hung up on denominational views.  But, Jesus was clear.  He even declared that the sheep on his right hand were welcome into heaven, because their behavior revealed the condition of their hearts.  “Then the King will say to the good people on his right, ‘Come.  My Father has given you his blessing.  Come and receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made.  I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house.  I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me’ ” (Matt. 25:34).
    But they were surprised and answered, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food?  When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our house?  When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear?  When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?” (Matt.  25:37-39).

    Then came the clincher.  The King said, “I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me” (Matt.  25:40).
    The point he makes is that this group did not look religious.  They didn’t act religious.  They didn’t even know they were religious, but they were in the best sense of the word.  Jesus evaluated deeper traits. 

    The Gospel allows diversity.

CONCLUSION:

    So, the good news of the gospel allows diversity.  The story of the Good Samaritan sees individuality, respects differences and evaluates deeper traits.

    It’s unfortunate that Christians sometimes leave the impression that Christianity is only for good conservative people.  But the Bible says, “God so loved the world . . .”  We must not narrow it down to folks like us.  An old verse puts it this way:

    Believe as I believe—no more, no less;
    That I am right (and no one else) confess.
    Feel as I feel, think only as I think;
    Eat what I eat, and drink but what I drink.
    Look as I look, do always as I do;
    And then—and only then—I’ll fellowship with you.

    One writer drew a comparison.  He said, “A certain elderly woman went down from Washington to Richmond.  She had a flat tire that left her stranded by the side of the road.  After raising the hood, she locked the door and sat in the car, praying for the Lord to send help.

    By chance, there came down a limousine that way with a bumper sticker that read, “Smile, God Loves You.”  When the occupants saw the stranded woman, they passed by in the far lane without smiling.

    And likewise there came a sports car with a bumper sticker saying, “Honk If You Love Jesus.”  The man who was driving passed by without honking and without using his cell phone to call the highway patrol about the woman’s dilemma.

    But a certain Muslim janitor, as he traveled to his job, saw the raised hood, and flat tire.  He had compassion on her, and he stopped his old pick-up, which had no bumper stickers, crossed the four lane highway and changed her tire.

    When he had finished, the woman tried to pay him, but he refused, saying, “If my mom was stranded on the highway with a flat tire, I’d want someone to stop and help her out.”

    Now, which of these three did a Christian act unto her that had a flat tire?

    The Samaritan was judged to be good because of his compassion for others; and that is how God judges.  The Good News of the Gospel allows diversity.

(WC1909)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Copyrighted 2009 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK.  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THIS MESSAGE IN ANY WAY YOU THINK IS APPROPRIATE.  The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in PUBLISHED works. 

NEW PERSPECTIVES is a free service from Diversity Press.   

You may find other messages and a book list on our Webpage:
                                  www.ForMinistry.com/USOKSOBCOFBC5
or                               www.diversitypress.com

Email: wdiversitypress@aol.com or milesewesner@gmail.com
Phone: 1-580-286-3148


Miles E Wesner