Today marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech ranks as one of the most inspirational and compelling speeches ever delivered. Dr. King touched hearts with his words and sparked change in our country.
Congress passed the civil rights bill. Integration became the policy for public schools. And a people group, oppressed simply because of the color of skin, began to taste the freedoms our constitution spelled out for every American citizen.
Fifty years later, everyone agrees there is more work to be done. Even though we have traveled many miles down the road of social equality, there are many miles left to go.
The issue is near and dear to my heart. I was 5 in 1963, living near Atlanta, GA. I experienced integration first hand. By the time I reached high school, our school system was fully integrated. I felt the deep tension of two groups trying to figure out how to live harmoniously. Some school days were frightening. Fights in the hallways were common, and on several occasions riots broke out.
I graduated high school in 1976. Some changes had occurred. The way previous generations thought about those of a different skin color was giving way to a new mindset. Going to school together, competing against each other both academically and athletically, and learning to be friends changes the way you view each other. We were starting to see each other as equals.
One would think that our country was well on its way to seeing Dr. King’s dream fulfilled. Headlines news today tells us that is not the case. Racism still plagues this nation and prejudice still resides in the hearts of people. Is there a solution?
Jesus Christ is the cure to our heart problems. He alone is the One who can bring healing to our souls and empower us to live and love as one. Paul spelled out this reality in his letter to the Galatians. To this group rife with divisions and prejudices, he wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
In Christ, we have new hearts. As the writer of Hebrews stated, Jesus Christ has placed his laws of faith, hope and love in our minds and has written them on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). In Christ, we have the Holy Spirit, the One who takes the things of Christ and makes them real to us. In Christ, we live in His love spelled out in the New Covenant. In Christ we find unity and harmony. In Christ, racism finds its end.
Jesus Christ is the solution.
Every Sunday, at our church service in Carrollton, TX, we see this reality as believers from all walks of life and every ethnic group come together to worship as one the One who loves us and gave His life for us.
God so loves the world. His grace is there for the “whosoever wills”, regardless of skin color or ethnic background. This is why we do what we do as a ministry. This is why I’ve given my life to the proclamation of Jesus Christ. The world needs Him!
Tag: Gospel
The Message Matters
The message matters. And not just any message. There is only one that will save and that is the message concerning Jesus Christ. This is never more clearly stated than in the first several chapters of 1 Corinthians.
Paul had been very exact in his presentation of the Gospel to the Corinthians. He didn’t use fancy words or persuasive tactics in his communication. He simply preached the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Add to this message or take away from it and you have robbed it of its power.
The Corinthians were doing just that. Many of the Corinthians believed water baptism was part of the Gospel message. Others relied on the wisdom of man as the way and means of knowing God. But these just caused all kinds of confusion and even divided the believers to the point that Paul called them babes in Christ.
There is nothing we can add as far as the Gospel is concerned. It is all of Jesus and none of us. His death took away our sins. His resurrection brings life to our dead spirits. This doesn’t make sense to us. It even sounds like foolishness. This isn’t the message our minds would conceive. That is why it had to be revealed to us by the Spirit of God.
To those who accept the message for what it is, it becomes both the power of God and the wisdom of God. The message does matter. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.