Our Resurrection Weekend services begin with our Good Friday Evening Gathering, March 29 at 7:00 pm, and conclude with our regular Sunday activities on Resurrection Sunday Morning, March 31!

Please find below Brandon's notes from the Mid-service comments this past Sunday. Think through these comments and read the scriptures Brandon has drawn us to. Meditate on your responses and help us to come together as one body under the authority of Scripture.  

Our country this past week witnessed the stirring of deep emotions surrounding race and race relations. If you’ve followed news reports or social media, you know there are all kinds of strong opinions about what we’ve seen. And no doubt there are differing viewpoints among us today.

Yet as the church and as individuals, we must be sure we are viewing these situations thoughtfully and responding biblically.

With that, I simply want to encourage us with four thoughts that I think will help us display a biblical response to these situations.

First, remember that as the Church, our differences, particularly our ethnicities, magnify the power of the Gospel.

We should readily acknowledge and value our differences. God created us as we are, and we know that He values ethnicity. In Rev. 7:9, we see a scene before the throne of God, where a great multitude from every nation, all tribes and peoples and tongues are worshipping God. Though ethnically different, the beauty is that they all are “one people for God’s own possession.” (1 Peter 2:9)

We are not to divide over our differences. We are to celebrate the grace of God that’s on display as He makes all who trust in Jesus Christ, God’s possession; creating one people -- His family.

Secondly, God doesn’t dismiss injustice and neither should we. Yet Jesus is our example of how to respond to unfair treatment.

1 Peter 2:22-23 describes Jesus as one who “committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”.

Everyone on all sides of this issue must understand that the fear of injustice is real. And that fear is valid. But know that God loves righteousness and justice. So we must trust that He sees all injustice. We can rest assured that He is the only One who can and will righteously judge. Therefore, we are to point people to this righteous Judge for hope, not any human solution.

Third, seek God’s perspective about these matters.

Don’t fill your mind with the world’s perspectives via the news or social media.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

How will we carry out God’s will for us as believers in addressing these issues if we are not biblically minded about these matters? The Word of God must guide our thoughts, our words and our behavior.

As a church, we should not shy away from discussing matters of race. Let’s talk about it and equip one another to share a God-centered biblical perspective of the hope that Christ brings to this matter and to all our brokenness in this world.

Fourth, know that the days are evil, so live for the will of God - not for yourself.

Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

How do we as Christians walk wisely in these evil days? Despite our differences, we are to keep fervent in our love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). And we, as one people belonging to God, are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9) Let’s use these times as opportunities to do so.