Dr. King's Legacy Remembered

Text: Amos 5:21-24

Focus: The Legacy of Non-Resistance

Function: To help people claim our peace position

Form: Story Telling

Intro: Rev. Marthame Sanders writes this true story:

“Tariq got the call from his parents. His uncle’s home was being demolished. He tried desperately to call them back, but the phone was dead. He was beside himself - they lived next door to his uncle, and there was no telling what could happen during a home demolition.

“This was the latest in a string of bad news for the 18 year-old. Several cousins had been killed.

“His parents were out of work. And his town was being completely isolated, surrounded by a 25-foot high cement wall on all sides. Meanwhile, Tariq tried to focus on his studies. It was his freshman year of college, and his life seemed upside-down.

“A few weeks later, an organizer came to campus, talking about “non-violent resistance.” An intelligent, thoughtful young man, Tariq was by nature a skeptic. But the past few months had filled him with rage. The thought of non-violence seemed so naïve, but something grabbed him. Perhaps it was desperation, anything that could bring a glimmer of light to his darkened life.

“Tariq is a Palestinian Muslim, a person too often written off as a terrorist. The kind of anger and desperation he felt can easily provide fertile soil for militancy. And yet, Tariq found himself at a non-violent protest. Israelis and Palestinians joined hands against Israel’s building of the Separation Barrier and the further expropriation of Palestinian land. He found himself next to a young Israeli, the first he had ever met who wasn’t carrying a gun. His eyes lit up as he recounted the story. He had found a reason to hope.”

And she ends with these words:

“Dr. King left a legacy that non-violent resistance can change the world. Such hope glimmers as a candle in an ocean of darkness. The darkness shall not overcome it.”

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of a 20^th century Martyr.

We celebrate because his was indeed a very Christian legacy and we want to keep it alive, and dare I say, even continue to work to finish it.

Because all though we have made great strides, racism still exists in our nation and I believe that God wants us, the Church, the black and white Church, to join hands as we did in the 60's and continue the struggle.

So, for a minute, I am going to go into a near history of racism. For a minute, I am going to get negative. But don't worry, there is hope, great hope, at the end.

Let me try to put racism into a context that might be easier for us to understand.

I studied the Post Modern Church in London England on a grant given by Eli Lilly Corporation.

Directly across the Thames river from Parliament is another British icon: Westminster Abbey.

Inside the Abbey is a museum of sorts. All along the periphery are tombs of famous English Historical figures. There are many people buried under the tiles, and there are monumental stones to many others.

Most of them are past kings and conquerers.

In one sense, the Abbey is a monument to British Colonial/Imperialistic power. All of the great conquerers, are enshrined there as if somehow their religion can justify the evils of Imperialism.

Since it was a museum, we each paid the equivalent of 32 dollars to get the museum tour.

On tour, I noticed a monument to Charles Darwin. Now I know that he almost didn't publish his book, “on the origin of the species” because he knew how much it would upset the Church in England.

And to make it worse, the initial title of “On the Origin of the Species” was shortened from; On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.” And that says it all.

Let me repeat the words omitted from the original title: “The preservation of favoured (sic) races in the struggle for life.”

Favored races. Better races. Not better animals. Not better species, but better races. It is indeed a scary thought. And although I greatly appreciate his work, and I see no contradiction between the Bible account and Evolution and I am glad that Christians found it in their heart to enshrine him, I recognize that initially, his title, which he voluntarily changed because he was speaking about natural selection not better races could and did have terrible consequences.

And he did, sort of, become the enemy of the Church.

So I found it remarkable, almost ironic, that they would have a monument to him in the Abbey.

But I think I understand it, and his original title, when I realized that some of those great conquerers entombed in the Abbey, who also claimed to be Christian, were some of the most ruthless men who ever lived.

The idea: “the survival of the fittest” justified the murder and displacement of everyone they they deemed to be inferior to them.

And there are direct links, from other English authors, to the the Eugenics programs of the Nazi's from these precepts.

Racism still exists.

In their religion they were taught that somehow they were better than others and that “betterness” justified their conquering other people. Then, I understood it as a false understanding of Dominion Theology instead of the good news to all the world, especially the poor.

Behind racism is the fear, anger and the lies that somehow or another, one group of people are better than others.

I have even heard of Christian ministers who have justified racism because of the Tower of Babel and have said that it was God's plan that races do not mix.

Now listen, most of the greatest strides against racism and for justice have been done by Christians just like us. And I promised that I would only be negative for a bit.

So let me change the tune.

Because, right over the main entrance, the public entrance, to the Abbey is the Wall of Martyrs. On the wall is a Jewish woman, a Chinese man, Gandhi, Dietrich Boenhoeffer, others and of course, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It thrills me that it is people of all different races and religions.

That Martyr's wall was for me, the most eventful and worshipful icon in the entire building. It almost seemed as if they themselves were repenting of their feeling of superiority.

Most Christians, as they have grown and been more enlightened share this passion for peace.

So, let me go back to the scripture and use this to illustrate the superior power of the kind of Christianity that Dr. King preached, taught, showed by example and ultimately died for.

This is a scripture about God’s distaste for any religion that clams to worship God while endorsing any form of racism or pride or feelings of superiority.

Reread Scripture:

When I read that phrase: “I hate your festivals,” like you, I ask the question: “Why would God say that?

And then, I see the reason in the last verse:

²⁴Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.

Instead.

This was a favorite verse or Dr. King. He quotes it often in his sermons.

I confess, the first time I ever heard that verse preached was at our own Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN when Richard Kyerematen preached to the congregation.

When he got done with that sermon, and this is the only time I have ever seen it at Annual Conference, the entire audience stood up and cheered.

He nailed it! (give fist sign of all right!)

He remembered that it works.

He preached that God loves the worship that celebrates God and lets justice flow.

Dr. King did not force justice with violence. There is no restorative violence. He followed Jesus and Gandhi (who also followed Jesus). He placed his faith in Jesus' teaching and all though it cost him his life, it changed the world as we know it.

So here we are, remembering.

In 1968, Dr. King was murdered.

In 2008, the first black President was elected to lead us.

(build cadence here) For 40 days, Moses fasted on the Mountain. For 40 days, Jesus fasted in the wilderness. For 40 years, the Children of Israel waited in the desert for the fulfilling of God’s promise. And, for 40 years, African Americans waited from the time Dr. King was murdered until an African American was elected President.

It seems to me, it seems obvious, that God kept true to God's 40 as used as symbol for the time of suffering.

This isn't a Democratic of Republican sermon. I would have been just as happy Colin Powell had been elected.

This is about God's kingdom completely overshadowing the kingdoms of men.

And his legacy lives on. He embodied the teachings of Jesus Christ and gave his life for it, so today we celebrate his legacy.

And we see how his teachings live on with the illustration of Tariq, the Palestinian boy who made friends with lovers of peace and changed his own narrative.

There is a neat connection to him here at Hope. The Trotwood COB, where I came from, where my son is still a member, along with the Elm Street Congregation in Lima, where many from here originated both are involved in Agape Satyagraha. It is a peace mentoring group for kids that teaches peaceful non resistance based on the teachings of Jesus, Dr. King and Gandhi. My son is a mentor.

But the job isn’t done.

Fear and anger still controls the mindset of to many.

Friday, the week before, Wes and I went to hear an African American speaker, Bryan Stevenson, from The Equal Justice Initiative Project speak at Calvin College.

He reminded us that in 1972, 300,000 people were incarcerated in the US. In 2010, 2,300,000 were incarcerated in the US. We have 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoners. The so called war on drugs, combined with the “three strikes and your out” has caused men, mainly black men, to serve life sentences for non violent crimes like writing bad checks.

To make it worse, or to help understand the fear and anger mentality he explained this:

He said: “we made great strides during the civil rights marches of the 60’s. But we now have the wrong impression, or remembrance of the history. We see it in three steps. 1) Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of he bus. 2) Dr. King marched on Washington and was killed. And 3), we passed a bunch of laws that ensured Civil rights.

He said that the battle isn’t over. And given his statistics, the murder of Trayvon Martin, the death of Eric Garner and the Killing of John Crawford III in the Walmart across the street from where my black daughter-in-law works, he is right. Dr. King’s legacy is still alive and sadly, his work needs to continue.

I have a dream that someday, black mothers will not have to have “the talk” with their black sons about how not to scare white people in normal situations so that they are not killed by the fear and anger that still fuels racism.

And it goes back to the initial concepts of racial superiority.

Bryan Stevenson said this: We were not just a nation that held slaves. We were a Slave Nation. Whose economy was built on the backs of slaves.

And in order to do that, we had to dehumanize black people. Our leaders, even our churches, told us that black people were inferior to white people. They told us that even the color of their skin proved that we were better since white signified purity and black signified evil. They were told that they could be saved by serving the White man.

And, that narrative, he said, has still never been officially addressed.

There is still a body of work to be done. And, we can do it. And, we want God to be pleased with all our worship, so we should do it. AMEN?

One might ask how:

He said, 1). Proximity

If we do not face the uncomfortable reality, if we do not allow ourselves to get close to the problem, awareness shrinks. Don't let fear control us.

2). Change the Narrative

• fear and anger causes us to forgo compassion 
• history of racism
• we have never dealt with dehumanization of black slaves
• need to understand traumatization of people of color 

3). We have to be Hopeful

• injustice prevails in the face of hopelessness
• no one can be defined by their worse act
  • I can't wait until you get to know Kathy better.
  • She is very content working in the hood with a primarily African American clientèle.
  • And yes, she has faced racism against her.
  • But she chooses to not define anyone by their worse acts.
  • She chooses not to define any religion, race, gender or anything by the acts of a few.
  • Jesus loves the little Children

And 4). We Have to Choose to do Uncomfortable Things

• some of us have to speak 
• it is necessary to represent love and truth 

And finally, he said something that helps me think of how God does and will continue to love this Church.

“Do not judge the morality of a society by the way it treats the rich, but by the way it treats the poor.”

I would add, do not judge a Church by the way it treats its own, but by the way it treats others.

When I hear those words, I find a positive direction to go in

Amos 5:21-24Good News Translation (GNT)

²¹The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! ²²When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. ²³Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. ²⁴Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.

I sat across from a man who was studying this in love feast once. He told me that the true Jewish nation escaped Babylon after the first destruction of Jerusalem into the Caucasus mountains. They settled Eastern, then Western Europe, England and finally, the Americas.

They, according to him, are t he true Jewish people and the true master race, the race with a manifest destiny. I was appalled that he believed it.