Three years ago our nation was in an uproar. Thousands of protests were being held all over the country, with some of them turning violent. Anger was vented through arson- the burning down of private businesses and public property. Looters used the anarchy as a pretext for breaking into stores and ransacking them. A quick scan of the internet yields some sobering statistics of this time in our nation’s history. Around $2 billion worth of damage was caused, tens of thousands of people were arrested, and 25 people lost their lives at these protests- protestors, officers, and counter-protestors. Remember this time? Most of us, including myself, would much rather forget. But we can’t.
The triggering event for these protests was the murder of George Floyd by a police officer on May 25, 2020. It was a horrific act of violence that was broadcast all over the internet. I remember watching it and feeling sick to my stomach. Somewhere around 20 million Americans took to the streets- making this the largest protest in the history of our nation. Proverbial vultures hovered nearby, seeking to profit off the tragedy and unrest. The media stirred up hatred to advance their respective political agendas and get clicks and advertising revenue. Politicians did their thing to position themselves as the ones with answers- whether gun control or lack thereof, and changing funding levels for the police. Corporations and sports teams got in on the act as well- virtue signaling to the public hoping to drive up sales, while, ironically, so many were internally harboring racist policies themselves. Hundreds of millions of dollars was raised to help those in poverty, however, we’ve found out recently that a significant percentage of these donations went to purchasing mansions and enriching a select few individuals instead of going to those that need it most. Churches got in on the act as well, including a host of celebrity pastors, but their messages were so often focused on blame and shame.
I don’t know about you, but I just don’t feel like things have gotten better these last three years. It just seems to me like there is more hatred, more division, more focus on skin color than ever before in my lifetime. That begs the question- if all we’ve done these last three years has been ineffective at best, what can you and I do today? Can we change the world? Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is for sure- we can make a difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us. So what can we do about the prejudice in our world today? Glad you asked!
We’re going to look at an incredible passage of scripture this weekend that gives the key to racial reconciliation. We see in these verses several miracles occur as God brings unity among His Church, and there is so much love, hope, and practical application for us today. The solution really is so simple that it is easily overlooked. Let’s talk about it together.
I invite you to join with us this weekend as we walk through the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10. Our socially distanced service is Saturday afternoon at 3:30, and our Sunday morning service is at 10:15, where you can join us online if you can’t make it in person. We also have excellent Sunday School classes at 9 for all ages.
Have a great weekend and I look forward to pursuing Christ, Community, and the Great Commission Together with you soon!
-Pastor Nathan Rice