From Grace to Race

To deal with but we want to spend all of Dr. Tony Evans is when God is dismissed from society, harmony and unity cannot be achieved if we are not fixing the problem race because we have only the glory and grace. Celebrating faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Abbott, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the urban alternative is not uncommon these days to hear talk about racism. Dr. Evans points out, it's not a new thing.

The Bible records it addresses it and shows us that cultural evils are always rooted in spiritual sands.

So if we truly want to overcome the sin of racism on a personal and societal level, we need to embrace a lesson God teaches us at the cross of Christ.

Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 2 as he explains when writing to the church at Ephesus. Paul spends the first level the chapter talking about the grace of God tells us we are saved by grace through faith tells us that in the ages to come. God wants to manifest his grace comes in verse 10 says it's because of his grace, that we are now workers. We need to get to work and get the job done. Now that we've been redeemed by Jesus Christ but curiously, when he finishes talking about grace he goes to race closer grace the race and he says that the first work of saved people of people named Jesus Christ, ought to be the work of racial reconciliation that the very first thing because the birthday he tells us about our work.

But then, beginning in verse 11, all the way through verse 22 talks about race that grace should lead to fixing the problems of race or to put it another way, if you want. If I'm not, it will not fixing the problem of race is because we haven't fully understood the glory of grace and he comes and he opens them up to the biggest racial problem in the New Testament is the problem between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Therefore, based on the grace of God that on produce the work in the people of God. Remember that you fully the Gentiles in the flesh called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands uncircumcised with the Gentiles. The circumcised were the Jews that like the Berlin wall that separated may come from Warsaw that was a division not to be crossed, the Jews rejected the Gentiles.

They were not racially pure. They were not religiously acceptable, and that was a bit by between the two, but now both were claiming the same faith.

Paul speaks into this calamity and he says now that you say you got to fix this now that your believers you got to solve this now that you name the name of Christ.

The problem was, even though they were on their way to heaven yet learned can we all get along on earth is like the saying goes to live above with saints we love all that would be glory but to dwell below with saints we know that's a whole different story.

Somehow the thought that we will do okay up there.

Then translate well to as being okay down the yet Paul is not willing to wait for us to get the glory. To fix this thing to make it right.

But the problem of race that leads to racism in the form and all of its form of inequities is because we bring our histories with us. The Gentiles only knew how to be Gentiles in the Jews only knew how to be Jewish, yet they find themselves sharing the same faith and not belonging to the same church but they brought their past with them.

You and I know it's not easy to let go of yesterday, especially when you use to it. Or maybe there's pain in it, but yet now you this new creature in Christ and how do we fix this. Rather than have it go on year after year, decade after decade, century after century, he says, but now verse 13 of Ephesians to see that. But now, in other words, is a whole new situation as a whole new reality as a whole new circumstance. Our problem today is we've got too many Christians trapped in their own racial identity because the trap they missed but now he says, but now in Christ Jesus you fully were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for he himself is our peace, making both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall by abolishing it in this flesh, which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances so that in himself he might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace. That is a Christians right but they want at peace.

They were in conflict with one another four times between these verses up through verse 17 he uses the word peace peace peace peace and he says that this is comes with an understanding of what you are now. I do a lot of marriage counseling.

The reason I do marriage counseling is because couples come to me in conflict.

There's no peace, and the relationship that at each other's throat.

They were talking about divorce does anger, misuse, abuse, insensitivity, and they come to me to help them sort out their marital difficulties.

I have discovered they never understood marriage to Matilda.

They never understood what they got into an because they brought their past with what their mamas that is taught them what their previous singlehood was like they did not understand that the two become one and what that means and how that looks. And because they never understood the root of marriage, then living in the fruit of conflict because Christians across the racial line colorblind cultural line and class line have not understood the root of what has happened. When you come to Jesus Christ.

We bring all that stuff and fight over it because we're not going back to the root. He says when you come to Christ. God is not trying to fix something oldish. He's trying to make something new.

He calls it one new man, not fixing to old racial people.

He does not mean by this, you lose your identity what he is saying is your previous identity is no longer your point of reference that we say that again. He's not saying Jews and Gentiles are Gentiles because he talks about Jews and Gentiles throughout all of his letters.

What he is saying is that this new thing this new relationship is your starting point for everything else in your experience with one another and how you want to view yourself. The moment that this new relationship in Christ is not the starting point for your racial identity you will forever live in racial conflict and confusion and debate in crisis watch because you're starting at the wrong place. He says he himself is our peace. What we have not discovered in our racial conflict and confusion is that when messing with Jesus Christ because he is our peace. He is our point of reference, he is the one who has established one new man or to put it in everyday language. You are Christian first and your, your culture must adapt to that. This type of the church of Jesus Christ to create something new to create something that the world has never seen to create a brand-new church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ without losing our uniqueness, but creating something new because Jesus is our peace. He is the one who establishes a whole different way of operating so that people from different backgrounds can still sit next to each other so that the PhD of the GB can still hang out together.

Why because they belong in their loyalty to Jesus Christ and he sits in the state of their relationship and he can overrule them, see we got too many black Christians.

Jesus can overrule. We got too many white Christians.

Jesus can overrule. We got too many Christians of every hue that Jesus can overrule and you know it's because they will quickly go back to that culture. Well, I think I feel I was raised this way and will then revert back on you real quick, which means they don't understand Jesus is creating something new one new man and he uses this concept is true to let us know that verse 16 he might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, Jesus Christ wants to reconcile these two races. He wants to bring harmony, unity and togetherness and he wants to do it through the crossing across is not a 2000 year old relic. It is a contemporary galaxy. Why because the cross was establish to deal with sin. Dr. Evans will tell us how to go about the reconciling work of Jesus Christ when he returns in just a moment. Stay with us black lives matter racial reconciliation white privilege racism race relations are at a boiling point in America today. We know racism is a sin, but how does our society fix it in his book one is embraced reconciliation the kingdom and our stir together.

Dr. Tony Evans turns to both his real-life experiences and what he's learned from Scripture to show you how to strive for unity across racial and socioeconomic divides.

The time is now.

Learn more about one is embraced@tonyevans.org Tony Avenue and.org.

Today's message from Grace to race is part of an historic collection together called 2011's top 4040 of his most powerful sermons over the last 40 years. Some originally preached for decades ago. Some, like today's that are practically brand-new for limited time volumes three and four of this for volume collection can be yours as a way of saying thanks when you make a donation to help keep this listener supported broadcast coming your way make the arrangements today and will get this great collection of audio messages on CD or digital download into your hands right away are resource centers open around the clock to help you. Just call 1-800-800-3222 day or night. That's 1-800-800-3222 or visit us online at Tony Avenue and start or you can browse through a huge collection of resources and sign up for Tony's free weekly email devotional other Peter contact information after part two of today's lesson in this verse I went to the holy land made the reality of the Bible jumble and become an experiential Dr. Tony, I think. Pain experience can be yours. Thanks to a big-screen event coming to theaters near you journey with Jesus actual places where Bible history but it's far more than just a travel down taking the site surrounded the Scripture surrounded with practical applications for your life because one is this not just to be a sightseeing but to be a spiritual experience.

Much the Bible come alive and we never felt before joining Tony on a journey with Jesus coming to a theater near you. November 16 and 17th is our prayer, hope, and our expectation seen the movie you will be 95 religions, Tony Evans.org today sometimes and more info. Tony.org the cross was established to deal with sin, but we want to spend all of talk about skin and if you spend all your time talking about skiing you go midsentence because the only reason of the problem with skin is because we will address the sin you don't reconcile by simply say let's all get along, let's meet together, you must identify the sin applies across address listing through repentance, so that the reconciling work of Jesus Christ can be at night. It holds we do we we mentioned the cross but the cross is not the final say so, having been built together. He says in verse 20 on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. The cornerstone was the alignment stone that you lined up all the other stones with in-line things up like a survey off lines things up. The cornerstone line things up and he says based on what's this, the apostles and the prophets. Now the apostles and the prophets were set up for the writing of the word of God. We talked about the prophets and apostles and not just people. They are biblical authors here say if you're going along with Christ you have to live with the word of God affixes race problem. The Bible is God overrule you. We got foregoing the sociology books before they go to the Bible, we got folk starting critical race theory before they go to the Bible.

Know the Bible sits on top of all those other things that may be great legitimacy, and there may be great benefits and study all of those reality as long as the word of God sits on top of it and is the point of reference for it with Jesus Christ being the final decision-maker of it. What we've got people doing Christians is going secular and then have the audacity to judge the sacred error list perfect word of God by the secular university or by the secular Bible calls of human wisdom. Man's thoughts know you'll get that man's ex-wife all this education we got Guice 11 saw the racial problem you know what because we start in the wrong place to start with what God says and until you start there. Then you will not be soon became ossification of Jesus Christ in the power of the cross to deal with the sin of racism so that they can be biblical centric reconciliation patient. She says were reconciled through the blood. In acts 17 verse 26 Paul says is only one race.

Many ethnicities because only one race that we've got the concept of race all mixed up. Yes, we must show empathy, we must say I see you were hurt.

I see you were struggle and we will walk with you in empathy, but you don't let empathy change the rulesbecome rubbing a prophetic Christ no longer has the final say so. We love you to the teachings of Christ.

He says watch those who would divide the church. Why because as the book of John chapter 17 verse 24 says perfect women unity so that they will see my glory and a lot of children think God's glory is because we illegitimately racially divided.

We use our culture and our race as an excuse not to reconcile, and as a result, the world doesn't have a model to look at. So we fight in here and if I cannot bear, we just sent the firefight with Lou Jesus on top using Christian these every Christian who names the name of Jesus Christ must be actively purposefully involved in reconciliation because like a football team, the different races, but is only one beautiful different cultures but only one beautiful different backgrounds but only one beautiful wife because we all headed toward one goal line will head toward one goal line.

The exultation of Jesus Christ was reconciled body with the cross and the teachings of the word of God having the last words that what your mom reported that he taught you that which a culture tortuous unless it agrees with what God says I love the way Scripture says in Colossians 1 verses 19 to 23 that if you want to see God you better focus on reconciliation because Christ came to reconcile people reconcile people vertically reconcile people horizontally one another. It's time for racism to end. It is time for the racists to confess their sins.

It is time for those who refuse to forgive, to confess the sin of unforgiveness. No justice, no peace got that no forgiveness, no peace, you better get that both must be signed simultaneously. Control of the one new man. Why, because of the Scripture.

In second Corinthians chapter 5, beginning in verse 16. Therefore, from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh okay. You don't judge people by their earth suit you, don't judge people by the confidence in the flesh, the physical humanity. He says we know only we don't judge anybody by their whiteness of blackness. Brown this that's not what we start. We don't look at people like that I was the old life as how hello to people.

First, he says now that you know Jesus Christ that's never the starting point. He says, but now if people are in Christ. They are new creatures. None of the birds they teach. Now all things are from God, that's out reference point, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us here is the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, you know the best. Ambassador somebody who goes to another country on behalf of their country to represent their country on foreign soil. Your order that the foreign country, but you are an ambassador from heaven, and what you ambassadorship about the ministry of reconciliation, so you should be healing folk black people should be healing black people and and and and and connecting them over here why people should be healing white people, and then vice versa.

Everybody ought to be healing somebody else through correcting the sin in providing the opportunity for forgiveness and embracing events, serving together to make a difference for the kingdom of God in the Olympics if you win a gold medal. They don't ask you what your favorite song noted they played a song of what your national anthem because while you may be an individual you part of something bigger. You represent your country solitaire how black you are what you are. You represent another country. Don't get so high and mighty that you forget you and the bassinets for another country and you and I and we should be agents and ministers of reconciliation.

They'll be healing your the human stuff wherever you go watch, because Christ forgave you, so you got helpful. Forgive each other so that we can addressing the sin that skipping the sin but going toward the reconciliation as the goal, let me tell you something every one you know in heaven whatever race you are now will be the ratio inhabited.

If you blackmail you will be black in heaven.

Okay whatever you are now. That's what you will be you white male, you will be white in heaven because the John said in Revelation 7 does not, he looked up and having to guess what he saw.

He saw people from every nation, every tribe, every kindred and every tongue. He said he saw something with visual differences. So what air you are is what you forever all don't be so anybody who doesn't like who they are.

You have insulted God, you have the right if you black will be white, you have the right, if you wipe the one to be black because Yahoo years which available beach because God is set it up for in eternity to operate that way.

In the meantime you and I are supposed to be modeling what is going be there, but how we working it out down as I kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Focusing a little bit of reconciliation max because for an wiggle be reconciled up. So let's get it all and let's give the world something to see, that overrides racism that overrides evil, whether it's individual structural that demonstrates what the kingdom of God looks like when people held that standard movies they show you previews of coming attractions. These are the hot clips of the upcoming show always love seeing the fight scene of the Tracy don't always a hot clips because they wanted to live based on the previous one that is a big show, the town God is the produce of the Holy Spirit is the reckless Jesus is the superstar in his mobile worldwide production, but in the meantime.

Love you would be here as previews of coming attractions were supposedly hot clips of the upcoming show people oppose and see how we live and how we relate to one another as a clip of the kingdom minister, when they see how hot the clip is through the church of Jesus Christ across racial lines and cultural lines, then they might ask where can I buy a ticket to the home show course as we can tell them you have to buy a ticket price has already been paid. Did you know the price for you is already been paid. Jesus died on the cross in your place for your sins to pay the price for your rebellion against him. The price has already been paid simply by acknowledging your sinfulness to a holy God and by placing your faith alone in Christ alone as your substitute your sin bearer. He bore your sins on the cross and he will exchange his goodness for your evil and make you acceptable to a holy God. Yes he will and will charge 1/4 of the price has already been paid.

We go to Jesus Christ right now.

Would you acknowledge your sinfulness and your need for a Savior.

Let the Lord know Lord I'm a sinner and I choose Jesus Christ and his substitutionary death as payment for my sin. Thank you for forgiving me, I would now receive the free gift of eternal life if you by faith will accept him, he will give you salvation right to learn more about what it means to accept that salvation and become a member of God's kingdom through Christ visit Tony Evans.org today and follow the link that simply says Jesus there. Dr. Evans will explain everything you need to know about what being a real Christian is all about. Again that's Tony Avenue and start org will Tony will come back in just a moment with the final challenge for believers. But first, a quick reminder, you can get the full-length version of today's lesson is a part of. Tony ever and stop 40, a collection of his best and most powerful messages of all time. Remember volumes three and four of this for volume collection can be yours right now with our thanks for your donation to the urban alternative.

We depend completely on the prayers and gifts of friends like you to keep Tony's teaching on the station just visit Tony Avenue and start or to make the arrangements or give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 were someone on a resource team is always available to assist you.

That's 1-800-800-3222 one next time. Be sure to join us for a personal message from Jonathan Evans as he shares with us his reflections on the powerful life lessons learned from his mom right now. Dr. Evans is back with this closing challenge for each of us.

If you are a believer maybe that has glacially culturally. Maybe you see injustices and inequities rather than just complain about it become a minister of reconciliation become an ambassador let the Lord know that he can use you this week to heal the wound in somebody's life to the people been wounded by racism or reverse racism or the misuse of power injustices and immediately you will be a healer, not just the instigator or complaint you tell Jesus Christ that this was what the cross is all about.

Thank you for reconciling you to him and thank you for not making a minister of reconciliation.

The alternative with Dr. Tony ever since my Q5 urban alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness.

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