This Worldwide Movement // The whole letter is worth a read, but one of my favorite sections reads like this: Romans 16 // Romans # 31 I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, [but] as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure Martin Luther King Day of satisfaction from the label. This weekend is MLK Day--a time where we celebrate, remember, and Was not Jesus an extremist for love? “Love your enemies, bless them prayerfully continue to pursue the legacy Dr. King championed. that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sat in a small, solitary jail cell in Birmingham, and it’s there he penned his now famous “Letter from a Was not Amos an extremist for justice? “Let justice roll down like Birmingham Jail.” Dr. King’s letter confronted inaction and passivity with waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” the authority of a biblical worldview, particularly one shaped by the gospel. We often talk about Dr. King’s vision of racial equality. But “Letter from a Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel? “I bear in my body the marks Birmingham Jail” reminds us that this wasn’t Dr. King’s vision. It was God’s of the Lord Jesus.” vision. Was not Martin Luther an extremist for justification by faith? “Here I Dr. King called for an end to racial injustice not by appealing to political stand; I cannot do otherwise. God help me, Amen.” correctness or even the will of the majority. Dr. King’s “Letter” ground his call in God’s purposes for humanity. A vision rooted in the gospel. And John Bunyan? “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make ● Multi-racial unity, he said, is God’s intention for his church. a butchery of my conscience.” ● Reflecting the unity of the coming Kingdom of God is God’s intention for the church. And Abraham Lincoln? “This nation cannot survive half slave and half ● People of different ethnicities, backgrounds, political affiliations, free.” income levels, and even languages coming together is God’s intention for the church. And Thomas Jefferson? “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal …” “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” was a thunderbolt in the battle for racial justice, and it remains a powerful wake-up call to this day. So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will A lot has changed in the past 57 years, but the need for us, the church, to we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of lead out in the fight for racial reconciliation as a distinguishing mark of justice? gospel proclamation is as pressing as ever. Summit family, we want to be fervently devoted as extremists of love, for ● It destroys the pride that leads to division by showing us that we justice, and for unity in the gospel. are all sinners in need of grace. ● It destroys the despair by making one person feel inferior to This is why, at the Summit, we’ve established the Commission for Oneness another because it shows us that we are special creations, made and Reconciliation (CORE). CORE is made up of members from all over our in God’s image, recipients of his love. church, and CORE’s mission is to provide vision, leadership, and guidance to The Summit Church in our pursuit of racial reconciliation, ethnic diversity, Paul says that in the cross Jesus made us one by “tearing down the and gospel unity. dividing wall of hostility.” He did that by shedding his blood his blood CORE is our way of showing this isn’t just talk for us. We want to move for our sin, and the way we remember that is by taking communion toward healing, racial reconciliation and unity in the body of Christ right together. here in our church. With their guidance, we have put out a goal called “25 by 25” – having a church membership that is at least 25% people of color by As you take that bread and cup, I want to remind you of two things: 2025. 1. Only for believers What would it look like if 25% of our congregation, our leaders, our elders, 2. For believes, communion is a time where Paul calls us to our SG’s, our staff—were people of color? By God’s grace, I hope we find “examine ourselves.” I think when it comes to division in the out very soon. church, we’ll all find that when we look within we’ve contributed plenty to the problem. If you want to know more, and to access some of their resources, visit summitchurch.com/core. So I’d like for us to have a time of corporated repentance before we COMMUNION take the bread and the cup together by reading this prayer of 1 repentance : Well, OUR TEAMS are going to pass out the bread and the cup… ● Forgive us, Lord, for the pride that leads to division, and the apathy that keeps us apart. Once a month here at TSC we take communion together, and I think ● Forgive us for looking at others with suspicion and distrust. it’s meaningful to do it in light of our desire for unity and healing. ● Forgive us for not accepting others as freely as you have accepted us. Because, see, the gospel gives us a unity nothing else can. 1 Adapted from Nolan Palsma’s prayer for reconciliation, Pitcher Hill Community Church, North Syracuse, NY ● Forgive us for caring more about our preferences than your modern-day Palestinian politics, how we should feel about Donald glory Trump, drinking alcohol and whether public school or home ● Forgive us, Lord, for not loving our neighbors as ourselves, and school is the best choice. ● We said “circumcision” like 53x. you supremely above all ● And you’re still here! Turn to your neighbor and say, “I’m really ● Reconcile, O Christ, by your cross, in your name, for your impressed with you. You. You are a serious Christian.” glory. Everyone stand up ○ If you were here when we began Romans, remain standing" Eat and drink. ○ if you have heard every one of the messages… either here or by podcast, remain standing. By the way, many churches throughout the country are ○ If you were HERE for every message, remain standing. commemorating another important event this weekend—Sanctity of ○ Extra credit: "if you were here AND you still have your Human Life Sunday. We haven’t forgotten about that, but in order to Romans journal” give that the weight it deserves, we’ll be focusing on it next week. Romans 16… Romans 16 ● Reading this chapter reminds me of a tradition my family had at New Years. On New Years my mom cooked Corned beef and Well, for the last time, open your Bibles to the book of Romans. I’m cabbage w/ coins in it. I hated corned beef and cabbage, but it kind of sad. Romans 16. In your journal, p. 88. was by far my favorite meal of the year. ● Anyone else have that tradition? (You know how when you’re Can I just say, “We did it!” a kid you just assume that what your family does, everyone ● FWIW, we broke all the church growth rules with this series. does? Then you find out later that nobody did what you did? According to the church growth gurus we’re not supposed to do a We got married and my wife was like, “You did what?” series over 4 weeks long and it’s supposed to have a really ● Eating that meal is what reading this chapter is like. This chapter creative title. We overshot that by about 27 weeks and we were reads like a random list of names, like it’s Paul’s list of Twitter really creative with our title: ‘ROMANS.’ followers or the credits at the end of a movie that you don’t ● But do you know why it didn’t matter? We had 981 people give watch unless someone has told you they’re followed by bloopers. their lives to Christ throughout this series. ● Most readers are tempted to skim through it. But this chapter is ● And that’s because the power is in the gospel, not in the far from irrelevant. Sure, it’s a list of names, some of which are presentation. Romans 1:16. When you have a powerful gospel, hard to pronounce. you don’t depend on flashy packaging. ● But it shows you the personal nature of Paul’s ministry, and ● And, God as my witness, we didn’t skip anything in this book, did tucked among all the cabbage of these names are some awesome we? In this series, we’ve talked about total depravity, God’s gospel-coins. wrath, predestination, homosexuality, the exclusivity of Christ, MUSIC 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings. 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the 17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who 2 church in Cenchreae. So you should welcome her in the Lord in a create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she learned.