Putting ALL politics aside,
it was stunning to watch the emotional reaction of the African American community on election night. In spite of all of their trials in the last two centuries, there was now no doubt that someone from their community could do anything.
This teaching is part 4 of Radio Antioch Podcast Episode 7.
Click above to watch a short video of this teaching. The full
video of Podcast 7 is available Here.
How many remember on election night this year when thousands of people went to the park to hear Barak Obama celebrate victory? Do you remember the picture of the prominent African-American leader with tears running down his cheeks? I learned something from one of my African American friends, who is a Christian. He was on the TV films on the news as being among that crowd. I asked him if he had been an Obama supporter. He said that he did not support Obama in all of his views, but he said he went to the park to share the moment with all of his people. Now there was no doubt that a man of any race can be the president. Now, even if many of that community are poor, they know that their sons can be anything if the put their mind to it. It was a great, freeing moment for that community. They knew on that night that it is not about money, or race, or social class. I asked him if that moment was a step toward ending the era of racial inequality, and reducing the impact of the whole race issue on our society. He said yes, that he thought this would go a long way in that direction.
Going back to scripture, there is another indication that Mary and Joseph were among the lower class….When Jesus was presented in the temple in Luke 2:22, his parents brought the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or pigeons. Now, if you research what they were doing in Leviticus 12, you will find that a new family was to bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a dove or pigeon as a sin offering. However, if they could not afford a lamb, it was acceptable to substitute a dove or pigeon for the lamb. Looking further in Leviticus 5, the poorest could bring an offering of flour if they were very poor and could not afford a dove. Joseph and Mary presented Jesus with two doves or pigeons. They were too poor to bring a lamb, but not at the poverty point of bringing flour. So the King of Kings is born into a righteous, but lower income working class family. By Man’s standards the Great Teacher should have been born in a Rabbi’s house and taught in the best schools. Instead He was known as the carpenter’s son!
Luke 2:15-18 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” [16] And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. [17] And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. [18] And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
So it was to the poor shepherds that Jesus was first revealed. And it was the poor shepherds that were the first to spread the good news about Jesus.
How many of you have ever been stunned by a Christmas gift that you know was more than you could possibly deserve, and very costly to the giver? Have you been stunned by the favor that you receive from the giver of the gift, who loves you? That what Christmas is like. We did not deserve to have the King of Kings come to this earth, be born in a cave, be raised by a poor working class family, and give His life in suffering on the cross to restore us. We received the unmerited favor of God.
The message here is that Jesus came to this world to restore favor from God to Man. Through His work on the cross the gulf of Sin that separates man from God can be covered by His blood. And this message of reconciliation, and the task to spread the good news, is for all men, of all races, social classes, income and education levels.
It truly brings the message of Peace on Earth, Good will to Men.
