Rev. David Holwick S I Believe in God, But...
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
June 4, 2017
Psalm 139:19-22
WHY ARE CHRISTIANS MEAN?
I. When Christians are the bad guy.
A. Terrorism with a twist.
Last Sunday I alluded to an incident that most had not
heard of, though by now you probably have.
It was about Jeremy Joseph Christian, who loudly harassed
some girls on a train in Portland, Oregon.
One of the girls was wearing a Muslim head-covering, and
he ranted that "all Muslims must die."
The girls were in a panic.
Three men intervened to tell the guy to cool it.
Christian pulled out a knife and began stabbing them.
One was an Army veteran with 4 kids, one a recent college
grad. Both of them died.
Another man was stabbed in the neck, just missing his
jugular, but he is expected to survive.
Mr. Christian is not exactly a Christian, at least not our
kind. Probably not anyone's kind.
One of his rants on Facebook says, "This I swear to Odin,
Kali, Bastet and all other Pagan Gods and Goddesses in
my Aryan Theosophical Nucleus.
This is my duty as a Viking and Patriot. In Jesus name...
I feel the Bern!" [1]
Quite a mish-mash of ideology going on there.
Further reports show he is much more into White Supremacism
and weird controversies than Christianity.
But to many people out there, he is one of us.
From our own perspective, we would like to imagine we would
be the heroes, risking ourselves to protect someone else.
How often are we the actual villain, attacking others
harshly?
B. Extreme cases can highlight valid points.
1) Most Christians are not murderers, but many can be mean.
a) We can be mean in our words, thoughts and actions.
b) Sometimes we justify it because we are fighting about
an important issue.
1> We win the argument but lose the person.
2) Our meanness is a stumbling block for many people.
a) Sometimes it keeps them from believing in our Jesus.
b) How can we live in a harsh world without being harsh
ourselves?
C. My new series is called, "I Believe in God, But..."
1) It is about people who accept the existence of God, but
resist going deeper into Christianity.
a) They have a hard time with the Bible.
b) They don't like our rigid morality.
c) They don't like our exclusivism - Jesus as the only way.
d) And they have a hard time with what they see as our
intolerance toward those who disagree with us.
2) You may be one of these people.
a) If so, I hope this series answers some of your questions.
b) If you are not, I hope it can open your eyes to
some of the issues that the world has against us.
II. Hate and intolerance are complicated.
A. Strong emotions are often called for in life.
1) When Nazism was growing, most people tried to get along.
British leaders compromised with Hitler and tried to
keep the peace.
Only a few, like Winston Churchill, said Nazism must be
hated and opposed, but he was considered an extremist.
Events soon showed he knew what he was talking about.
2) Politics and religion have high stakes.
a) Some of the things they stand for can mean life or death.
1> This is why debates on abortion, euthanasia,
poverty and the military can get so intense.
b) With religion, your eternal salvation may be at stake.
1> Therefore the claims we make to truth are defended
strongly - sometimes too strongly.
B. If you really love something, you must hate the opposite.
1) This is the point behind today's passage.
2) If you really love God, it is logical that you must hate
everything that opposes God, such as sin.
a) It is only a small jump to the position that I must
hate those who disagree with my views on God,
even if my own views are out of whack.
b) Extremists take this approach, but it is really not
what the Bible is saying.
c) We should hate what God hates, but let him dish out
the consequences, not us.
III. Antagonism is built into our faith.
A. Jesus faced a lot of hatred.
1) He was constantly opposed by enemies.
a) Some wanted to argue with him.
b) Others wanted to kill him.
2) Almost always he met opposition with arguments based
on the Bible.
a) On one occasion - only one - he responded with anger
and action (turning over the tables). John 2:15
B. Paul was more like us.
1) He also faced constant opposition.
2) On one occasion, after a leader ordered Paul to be
struck by a guard, Paul lashed back: Acts 23:3
"Then Paul said to him, 'God will strike you, you
whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according
to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by
commanding that I be struck!'"
a) Following a rebuke, he immediately regained his
composure and apologized.
b) Even Paul consistently taught that we should treat
others in a positive manner.
3) The one exception was heretics.
a) For those who opposed Jesus and good doctrine,
Paul was harsh.
b) As is often the case, we react the strongest to those
who were once close to us, but then turn away.
c) But Paul's own action was limited to shunning them.
IV. Sharpen the right weapons.
A. Real Christians don't pull out knives.
1) They should use maces.
a) Actually, this is what religious leaders used in the
middle ages.
b) A mace is a spiked ball chained to a handle.
1> It crushes your enemy's head.
2> But the damage is usually internal, no blood
flows, so it is "righteous."
c) I am, of course, being facetious.
2) As Paul says, our weapons are not the weapons the world
uses. 2 Cor 10:4
a) We use persuasion and the example of a superior life.
b) We oppose bad news with Good News.
c) We attack hate with good, not with more hate.
3) We must oppose others the right way.
a) If you feel Islam is a great danger to modern
civilization, then oppose it with reason and
argument.
b) We don't beat extremists by being just like the
extremists.
4) This is especially true within the church.
a) When some Christians get passionate about something
dear to their heart, they forget they are Christians.
b) I have been in meetings where believers call others
names, question their motives, and belittle their
faith.
c) If your temper is prone to getting out of control,
back off and let others carry your argument.
B. Toleration is a virtue.
1) Try to get along with everyone.
a) The Bible commands it.
Romans 12:18
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
live at peace with everyone."
b) "Everyone" includes the nasty people as well as the nice.
c) It includes every race and religion, too.
2) Make sure you are not the source of hate.
a) Check your language toward others.
b) Consider your ethnic attitudes.
C. We have to keep our weapons sharp.
1) Get to know people who are different so you do not form
rash judgments about other groups.
2) Don't let grudges grow into hate.
V. Hate is out there.
A. Christians will receive our share of it.
1) Jesus promises us we will be opposed.
2) The cooling of love and the increase of hate is a sign of
the end times.
a) Rejoice! Jesus is coming that much quicker.
B. Jesus is stronger than hate.
1) I can back off during arguments because I have confidence
that Jesus is always in control.
2) I don't have to win, I just have to present the truth
with as much love as I can.
a) Jesus will do the winning.
3) Others may oppose me, but when all has been said and done,
I hope they will still consider me a decent person,
a true Christian, and not a mean one.
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
1. “Who is Jeremy Christian? Facebook shows a man with nebulous political affiliations who hated circumcision and Hillary Clinton,” Lizzy Acker, The Oregonian, May 30, 2017 (updated June 2, 2017); <link>.
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