The House of the Shoeless
The church has been wrong
The religious right, which becries about unborn babies, saying God is going to judge America because of the Abortions, yet the church refuses to raise its voice against the sin of racism
Judgement on America - Ezek 22:29-30
The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. 30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
Our gov’t leadership is in open rebellion to the Word of God - Lev 19:33-34
If a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Matt 25:35. For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
Guilty of Misusing the Bible – Alternative Facts
Gen 9:25
Original man was white,
That Ham was turned black because of a curse,
That his Black descendants would serve white people – to justify slavery
This has left Blacks searching for Identity, Belonging & Value in the Scriptures
This is important for Evangelism – especially to men
1 Peter 3:15. Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.
Some have become Muslims
· Christianity started 600 years before Christianity
· A Black man was converted to Christianity (Acts 8) before a European (Acts 10)
· Ethiopians studying the Ge’ez Bible & building churches 100 years before Mohammed born
· Islam is the ‘Ole Time Religion’ in regards to a racist history of enslavement
o Arab Muslims were the first nations to target Blacks for slavery
o Blacks converted to Islam to avoid being enslaved
Some have turned to “The Israel of God”
The Old Testament called Israel, “God’s chosen people”
It begs the question, “What does that make me”
To be God’s chosen, does not mean to be God’s favorite
Because of their backsliding, God divorced Israel – Jer 3:8
Israel rejected Jesus (John 1:11), so the Ekklesia chosen (Mt 16:18)
Israel is blind & enemy to the Gospel – Rom 11:25, 28
People of color were God’s first people - in creation & in the creation of the church
Blacks are God’s chosen people, in this day – 2 Sam 18; Ps 68:31
Some have radically turned away from God, the church & the Bible
“The Bible is a White-man’s book”
The Bible is for weak people & is used to control you
Systemic Racism only acknowledged Blacks in 2 scriptures
1. Ham, cursed
2. Simeon, serving
If society is putting me down – saying my life has less value
And the Bible puts me down – saying I’m cursed & only fit to serve
Then I must become “Self-Reliant”
The Problem: The message leaves God out
Challenge you: Go back & look again
“How can you hear without a teacher?”
The Bible is a book of Color
The Bible is a book of Empowerment
· Be Whole: Prosper, be Healthy, renewed Mind, strong Spirit
· Make Friends of Money
· You are a Masterpiece – You are Marvelous
· There is No Condemnation – God is not holding anything against you!
· “… according to the power that works IN you.” Eph 3:20
Jesus is related to you! – Not just spiritually, but naturally
If Jesus weren’t related to you, He didn’t have the right to redeem you
The Law of Redemption – Deut 25:5-10
Applies to something lost – land or legacy
· Come before the elders at the gate
· Declare Relationship, Willingness & Ability to Redeem
· If not, take the shoe off the person who is not able to redeem
· 'The house of him who had his shoe removed.'
Redeem: pay the ransom, release, purchase from slavery
1. Must be willing
2. Must be able
3. Must be related
Ruth 4:1-2, 6-8
Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend, sit down here." So he came aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
6 And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it." 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal.
Moses brought the people out of bondage, but he couldn’t do it
Ex 3:5. Take your shoes off your feet
Joshua lead them into the land of promise, but he couldn’t do it
Jos 5:15. Loose your shoe from off your foot
John the Baptist made the path straight, but he couldn’t do it
Mk 1:6. There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
Jesus Kept His Shoes On
· Jesus was willing
· Jesus was able
· But, was He related?
5 women listed in the genealogy of Jesus
1. Tamar – Canaanite
2. Rahab – Canaanite
3. Ruth – Moabite
4. Bathsheba (the wife of Uriah) – Cushite
5. Mary
Three of the four women are descendants of Ham
Jesus is related to me
Jesus is willing to redeem me
And He’s able – the price wasn’t too great
“I know my Redeemer lives”