Today's Gentile

Romans 15.7-13

It would be so easy. It would be so easy to walk through this passage and focus on how Paul was stressing how important it is to accept one another, unconditionally.  I could explain how this passage was directed to the brethren of Jewish decent, that being Jewish was nothing more than God fulfilling his promise to Abraham, that they were not the end result, but were a conduit to a greater glory. Paul quoted both David and Isaiah regarding the nature of the Messiah being for all, for the restoration of fellowship. Not only will Jews be one in fellowship with God, but so will Gentiles who believe in Christ. They will join the Jews in the restored fellowship with God. And that should excite the church. God should fill us all, Jew and Gentile alike, with peace and joy because of our faith in Christ, and from that, our lives are overflowing with hope, a hope that spreads to our neighbors.

That would be the easy message. That is encouraging, has three points and is short. But as a congregation, we’ve been looking at a different kind of thinking, rather than the traditional. Sure the passages are traditional, but have we been motivated to change our thinking? The world, at least our American culture, has changed its thinking about the church. Have we adjusted our own thinking to keep up? That has been also a recurring appeal in my sermons from Romans. We are free to soar for Christ, for we cannot fail.

Let’s further the different thinking. Let’s translate the letter forward 2,000 years. Let us all apply these words to us. Let us then rethink the word, “Gentile”. Let us redefine the word. Then let us look for today’s Gentiles in our daily lives.

Solomon once wrote that there is nothing new under the sun. He was right. What the church was dealing with yesterday, the church is still dealing with today. Race played a factor. Economics played a factor. Feelings played a factor in the church both yesteryear and today. Paul tells us at the start accept your neighbor because God accepted you. When we don’t accept someone for whatever reason, we are in essence defining a Gentile, stating who is worthy of the Gospel. Do you define Gentile?

A Gentile is someone who is a different race than I am.  One of the first people I met here a year ago told me that 1957 was but a couple of years ago.  Sure, you walk around the community you see all races attending the same school, swimming in the same pool, eating at the same places. But on Sunday, there’s the difference. Now a few churches have mixed worship, but no church has mixed membership.  (Now if I am mistaken and there is a congregation or two, then praise be to God, the Father. We meed more.) It is good to get along, but is that where we stop, holding one another at arm's length? No I am not bashing us alone, for this is an issue that all races are battling.  Remember we once had a lady coming last summer. She stopped because of pressure of her family attending a church like ours. You know though, she and her family need the same Jesus you and I do. Or is she a Gentile?

A Gentile is someone who is a different social class than I am. This one is a little harder to see within a congregation. But suppose there are two visitors. One comes in wearing fine clothes. The other, shorts and a tee. Who would we show favor to? Of course we are taught neither. We do not know what is in the heart of either visitor. We are to welcome both of them wholly, equally. It was a Saturday afternoon, early spring. A ragged looking man came onto the car lot. He wore torn shorts, filthy shirt, holey shoes. No salesman would go near him, but one. The man wanted to drive the new Broncos, the big one, not that littler 60’s model. The salesman, Herb, went and grabbed the key. He saw something in this man that all the others missed. He saw the Danny in the man. The next week more men wearing their jerseys, their bling, their fineries came to the lot ready to buy. All the other salesmen tried, but all were told, no, we will wait for Herb. We have time. Herb saw someone valuable under the rags. He had been cleaning the yard and remembered that he wanted to be the first to drive the brand new SUV that Lincoln was venturing. No longer just cars. So he came as he was. Danny White doesn’t look too fancy in work clothes. But for Herb, it meant selling 20 cars in a single day to the Cowboys offensive line, and eventually to the whole team. My point, God sees the valuable in each person. So should we. Who knows, the next person who comes to Christ with us may be the next Paul, Apostle to the Gentile. Or would we mistake Danny for a Gentile?

A Gentile is someone who hurts our feelings. You’ve heard the cliché: “Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.” It’s one of the characteristics of being independent American. We are to forgive, but not to be put in the position to be hurt again. So someone slanders us. Someone cheats us. Someone steals. Someone blames. Oh, one might forgive, but according to one Biblical counselor, he should avoid being set up for that situation to repeat. But true forgiveness means just that. Doesn’t God put himself in a place where my sins will hurt him again and again? Yet he still forgives me. How much more must I forgive unequivocally as He has? Or do I call the person who hurt my feelings a Gentile?

God has meant his kingdom to be one from many. In fact that is our nation, out of many, one. Out of many nations, one nation, the United States of America. Out of many people, one people, God’s Children in Christ Jesus. When we refuse to consider someone else, then how much are we robbing the joy and peace? How much are we limiting the hope that comes from being right with God because God wants me, as He wants you, as He wants all we otherwise would call a Gentile.

How? Let me close with this thought, this reminder. We have the Holy Spirit. We received the Holy Spirit when we became clothed in Christ. Because of that, we have His power as a resource for living in Christ to honor God, to share His news. How have you been calling a Gentile? What will you do about it?