Chad Prashad, one of our Origins Community Group leaders, emailed me, especially moved by the gathering itself, the music, and the message from John 10:9-11 with references to a boy who was born blind but healed by Jesus. I asked him if I could share his email, and he agreed. So powerful:
I told you this would be long – I took lots of notes because things were striking me in ways I hadn’t considered before.The prayer: Asking God to introduce Himself to any lost sheep. For those who have left the flock, asking God to bring them back. This is in contrast to 99% of prayers I hear – asking people to repent and come back. It’s interesting that Pastor Donald asked God while most other white churches ask people to do something.The song ("Break Every Chain"): There’s an army rising, to break every chain… that’s great imagery in Origins and incredibly powerful in an African-American church. To think about how much their history has shaped their faith. My grandparents were the first to be freed (Chad is of Asian Indian descent via Guyana), but their freedom resulted from a slave uprising – they sought, fought, and took their freedom. Most of the old masters left Guyana and went back to England, leaving the Indians and Africans to build their own society. Here, they fought against tyranny for years and were emancipated, meaning they couldn’t taste true freedom for more than 100 years from those who continually said “I know what you really are” – which is a theme used later about the blind boy and with new believers.The guests: The folks from Byrnes High class of ’57. Growing up in the south, I know that schools were not integrated here until 1970. So, this group of folks grew up in a society of complete segregation, their kids went to segregated schools and work places too. Their grandkids finally were “free” enough to go to an integrated school – which may or may not have been good situation. Those folks lived the lives that we consider history – so did their kids. And their kids raised kids who finally got to go to an integrated school, see a movie, eat, and shop where they want. The ingrained perception of who you are is so dominated by your friends, family, and society - Talk about the difference between free and “free indeed” importance of confidence of self-identity.Just interesting, enlightening, and blessed things from the sermon:· Thief/Robber
o Robber -- The robber holds you up and takes something from you. We hold on to things and, Bam, suddenly something happens and you’re powerless. The goal of evil is to steal, kill, and destroy – all to make you hopeless. Robbery makes hope disappear immediately.o Thief -- I like this one. He comes in the night and takes something. Before you know it, you’ve woken and it’s gone. You may think you’re in a relationship, but sometimes over time we replace that with religion. Then you wake up realize your relationship is gone – you’re wandering off somewhere.· Blind boy
o He can’t express his new identity. Everyone knows that he’s blind, so of course that’s who he still is. I’ve always seen this as a miracle story and never considered that point, but it opens a whole new door for me. His friends and family don’t let him be new again. He was blind. If he timidly uses his new sight, then he’s not living abundantly. If his friends/family still see him as blind, then he’s not living abundantly. The caged person being free but not free indeed is a great analogy (and plays well historically too). Average isn’t good anymore, once you see greatness. Think about the boy, now that he sees, going back to being blind would be terrible. But, don’t we do that to our brothers/sisters? They glimpse God and get excited, but we know who they really are and keep them down.o Without a solid identity – we can be pushed around and manipulated, and we’ll manipulate others too. So true. Think about the new believer. So excited, but one of 3 things happens here: “Bob” glimpses God, and his friends and family know the real Bob. He’s a screwup and always will be. They think his religion thing is a waste because Bob isn’t good enough. Now he’s being manipulated into believing he’s still blind and can’t see and what he sees is worthless. Might as well be the blind Bob he’s always been. His society pushed Bob into remaining blind. Christian Fail.· Bob glimpses God and he has support from everyone. It’s great and he can see. He’s freed and his past is behind him and he’s going forward. His supporters help him do the “right things” and things fall into place – gets cleaned up, goes to services, says the right things, etc. Others think he’s crazy, but his supporters put him at ease. He initially sees a relationship, but then finds it easier to be like his supporters – following the right rules and doing the right things. Everything he does is centered around him doing things, not letting God do things through him. He lives an average life – not great. He’s more free, but certainly not “free indeed”. His supporters pushed Bob into bettering his own life by his own standards. Is this still a failed Christian? If so, do we have more of these than the next type?· Bob glimpses God and he has support from everyone. It’s great and he can see. He’s freed and his past is behind him and he’s going forward. He focuses on God and how God wants him to use his freedom. Others think he’s crazy, but God puts him at ease. He doesn’t care what others think about him, his relationship, and what he’s called to do. He lives abundantly and He allows Bob to accomplish great things – some of which are seen as insignificant or meaningless by others. He does it purely for God and not for the support of his friends, family, and church. Imagine a church with 5 or 10 of these people. Whoaa boy – watch out! Bob is free indeed and focused not on himself but on Christ.o Free vs Free Indeed§ Things that entrap us, before we’re free: Money, ego, how we want to be perceived, our status amongst friends, being likable, being different, our family, our hobbies, etc§ Things that entrap us when we’re free (as Christians) and prevent being free indeed: Dressing or acting a certain way, focusing on being different than we were before, following the rules, Anything that is us copying others instead of us being the clay for God to mold us and make us different.§ Things that show we’re free indeed: Focus on Him and letting His will become our will – with joy and contentment. Focusing on who I belong to, now what I do or try to do for Him.· "Ghetto Rich." Finally, this is my favorite thing. I may be fishing too deep here, but I loved it.
o Thinking you’re rich when you have a couple hundred bucks, you blow it, and you’re back to where you started or you’re worse off.o No sense of purpose or direction – you’re not spending it with His goal in mind or investing it for a greater cause.o Think about the 3 Bobs above:§ This tax refund is like when you’re glimpsing God. Some folks get little refunds and some get big ones.§ Some folks blow all of their “Jesus high” and in 3 months they’re out of steam. Like the first Bob, they may end up worse off than before – further from Christ and with a bad taste about “religion”.§ Some folks invest their Jesus High on themselves. Everything is about what “Bob does” himself and the church supports it. These are the middle Bobs – welcome to average religion.§ Some folks see the Jesus High for what it is – a glimpse. They use it to seek more and become the third Bob. They see things differently – not as they are, but how they could be. And not how they could make it, but how He could make it. They think big and step on faith and confidence – not courage. We, as a church, can help people invest to become the third Bob.That’s what I got. I loved it. We should do it often. I want to make friends with folks there and have my kids really know their kids. Even if we just eat and hang out in the park – play some games, or whatever – we should do life with Open Heart.
