Reversing the Racial Curse, Part 2

Whatever God has made you, both in personality, background, history, culture, and race, is totally legitimate until it conflicts with His divine truth. Dr. Tony Evans says reconciliation doesn't require us to abandon our culture and our customs.

You get back to a divine standard and it don't take long to reverse the racial curses in our lives. This is The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of The Urban Alternative. The Bible has been used to justify racial hatred of all kinds, but today Dr. Evans explains what the word really says about how we should deal with our differences physically and culturally.

Let's join him. Many of the problems that have been part of the history of our country is because people left the standard of God to satisfy the preferences of man. The amount of lives that were lost in this country, and in particular South Africa, was because of people running outside of biblical norms and standards, of using the word of God to make their cultural decisions okay, rather than using the word of God to change their cultural choices. You remember Peter's eating pork chops with the Gentiles? Peter was Jewish to the core.

Born Jew, thought Jew, raised Jew, just developed in a whole Jewish mindset. One day in Acts chapter 10, he was on the roof having devotions, and this big sheep comes down from heaven with all these unclean animals on it. You know, chitlins, pig feet, pork chops, all this stuff that they were not supposed to eat comes down in this sheep, and it hovers over Peter, and Peter says, no Lord, not me, I can't eat that, I'm Jewish.

We don't eat that. God says, don't call unclean what I call clean. Now, you leave here and go to Cornelius' house, that's a Gentile, and you talk to Cornelius about me, but you don't understand Jesus, we don't go over there. Don't call unclean what I call clean. Don't give me your judgment on those people. Find my judgment on those people, and that becomes your judgment.

Adjust. Well, Peter obeys, and he goes over to Cornelius' house, and I don't know what he cooked. Cornelius' a Gentile house, but he found out them Gentiles can cook. They know how to put it down, so he goes over there, and they have fellowship, they have the spiritual revival. So in Galatians chapter 2, having tasted it, he decides, look at what I've been missing out on all my life. So he greases it down with the Gentiles.

He's at the soul shack. He's over there having a good old time with the Gentiles eating. While he's sitting there eating, this is in Galatians chapter 2, some of the boys from the hood show up. Some of his Jewish brothers, his homies, show up and see Peter eating with the Gentiles. And they say to Peter, you've got to be kidding me. Now, we've got to be with them in heaven, but we don't have to fellowship with them on earth.

You just forget this. The Bible says Peter got so intimidated by his Jewish brethren that he pushed back his chair and walked away from them. It says, and the rest of the Jews who were with them pushed back their chairs and left with Peter. Now, the reason they're leaving with Peter is because a mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew. See, if the preacher isn't right on this issue, then you can't expect the congregation to follow.

And one of the reasons why we've had this curse in our country for so long is that messed up pulpits have led to messed up pews. And so they all leave. Now, you can imagine how the Gentiles felt. We were good enough for you to eat with us till your folk came.

Then when your folk came, you can't identify with us anymore. But while we were in private, you were singing, we are one in the bond of love. While we were in private, you know, we were singing all this nice unity stuff.

But as soon as this got a little public now, and you got to associate with me, you don't want that now. Now, Galatians 2 goes on to say that while all this activity was taking place, Paul came in for some pork chops, too. Paul came in and saw what was going on.

When Paul came in and saw what was going on, the Bible says that Paul condemned Peter before them all. In other words, you acting a fool in public? You messing with the word of God in public? You dividing the body of Christ in public? Well, then I'm going to confront you in public.

How dare you? How dare you split up the body of Christ? How dare you make a physical decision based on that spiritual presupposition? You know better, preacher. Peter was confronted by Paul, and Paul told Peter, don't you dare ever make a racial decision that compromises the spiritual principle. No matter what racial group you are a part of, you always make your spiritual decisions first, and then you'll come up with greater racial success.

So he confronts him. In fact, that's where my favorite verse is. I'm crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I. It's Christ who lives in me, the life which I now live.

I live in the flesh by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Peter, I don't first of all call myself a Jew. I first of all call myself a Christian, and then I apply it to my Jewishness. That's who I am.

I am a follower of Jesus Christ. Now, race or just? You're not going to stop being Jewish, you're just going to be Christian Jewish. You're not going to stop being black, you're going to be a Christian black. You're not going to stop being white, you're going to be a Christian white.

You're not going to stop being Hispanic or Chinese or whatever your background is. It's just now all going to be informed by Jesus Christ. And he will set the agenda. So, Peter had to adjust. Jesus in John chapter 4 has been baptizing more people than John.

And they are out to get him. So when it says that Jesus had to pass through Samaria, he was going against cultural norms and standards. But the reason he has to pass through Samaria is that at 12 noon, there's going to be a woman who shows up at the well for some water. So we're going to be told that the reason he passed through Samaria is because of a spiritual need that was going to be present at a well. And so the first thing I want you and I to know is that spiritual needs must always override cultural differences. Jesus would not let the cultural biases of his own people get in the way of the spiritual responsibility to his father.

He would not allow what his race said to interfere with what God wanted. He says it was on the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph where the well was located. So evidently he wants us to know that this just wasn't any piece of water.

This was a special piece of water given on the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now why is that important? You see, the Jews didn't like the Samaritans because of racial history. And the Samaritans didn't like the Jews because of racial history.

And you're going to see that in a moment come out even more blatant. But the Jews and the Samaritans both loved Jacob because Jacob was claimed by both groups as their spiritual father. In other words, when Jesus wanted to meet this woman from the other side of the railroad tracks, he chose common ground. He picked a place where they may not agree with each other, but they all would agree with Jacob. In other words, he met her at the place of agreement.

Rather than starting with the differences, he started with what they had in common. And he met her at Jacob's well. And all of a sudden there comes a woman, verse 7, of Samaria to draw water. So this woman comes to get her water and Jesus says to her, give me to drink.

May I have a drink of water? But the woman comes and the woman says, when Jesus asked him for something to drink, therefore the Samaritan woman said to him, how is it that you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

You see the problem? She says, are you really asking to put your Jewish lips to my Samaritan cup? I can't even believe you asking to fellowship with me.

I can't even believe you're asking to interface with me. Jesus didn't stop being who he was to relate to somebody else. He didn't give up being a Jew to interface with the Samaritan. You see, the first thing where you and I must understand is that God is not expecting you to not be what he created you to be.

He just doesn't want who you've been created to be to get in the way of doing what he wants you to do. So Jesus says, well, if you knew verse 10, the gift of God, who it is who says you give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. You have nothing to draw and the well is deep. Where are you going to get this living water?

She didn't know what he was talking about. Living water? You don't even have a cup. He says to her, everyone who drinks this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks the water that I will give him shall never thirst. But the water which I give him shall become in him a well water springing up into eternal life. In other words, if you drink what I'm telling you, it's going to change your life. It's going to give you salvation. It's going to give you forgiveness.

It's going to give you a brand new life. So you've got a Jew who's going to offer a Samaritan eternal life. It was his willingness to relate to her as a person that gave access to her as a being with a spiritual being. Well, he's talking to this woman. He tells her that God has a standard and God's not looking at your color first. He's looking at spirit and truth.

If you don't have those two things right, then bringing race has got nothing to do with nothing. Well, she said like a lot of Christians say in verse 25, she said, I know when Messiah comes, he going to fix it all. When Messiah comes, it's sort of like when we all get to heaven, okay? When Jesus comes back, he going to right all these wrongs. Jesus said to her, I'm already here. In verse 26, we don't have to wait till we get to heaven to fix this. We don't have to wait till we get the glory to turn this around. The Jesus who you think is going to fix it in the future is already here right now.

It doesn't take that long. Dr. Evans will come back with the rest of the story for us in just a moment. First though, if you're ready to start making a real difference in the effort to break the curse of racism in our culture, we put together a special package of resources for you. It includes Tony's current six-part message series, Faith, Hope, Unity, a Tribute to Black History Month, as well as his newly revised book, Oneness Embraced. Oneness Embraced is a powerful book that explores Tony's personal hurts and hopes over the cultural and racial divides that have separated God's people. There's a full section on black church history, providing a source of background and understanding that's been missing from social discourse.

And there are practical kingdom-minded steps that churches and individuals can take to overcome prejudice, heal divisions, and build unity. Right now, if you'll make a financial contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on this station, we'll send you all the messages in the Faith, Hope, Unity series and the Oneness Embraced book as a thank-you gift from us to you. Just drop by TonyEvans.org today to get the details. Or let one of our team members help you when you call us at 1-800-800-3222. Our resource center is open 24-7, so there's no need to wait. Again, dial 1-800-800-3222.

I'll repeat that information after part two of today's message, and this. Tony Evans and the Urban Alternative are bringing you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the majestic beauty of Alaska while receiving great teaching from Dr. Evans and others. From August 6th to 13th, worship God in an incredible setting and fellowship with others who share your passion for His Word and experience it all while on a cruise that will pamper you with luxurious accommodations, incredible meals from talented chefs, and a large variety of leisure experiences. Those dates again are August 6th to 13th, and spots are running out. So book your trip today and reserve the room of your choice at TonyEvans.org. So disciples are going into town to buy food, right?

Okay. So he's talking to this woman, so we've got this interracial conversation going on, and all of a sudden, the disciples come back and see he is talking with a woman. Now, they want you to know they saw that. Now, they don't mean that he's talking to a female. They have seen Jesus talk to many females. The Bible is full of Jesus talking to Martha and talking to Mary and talking for the Syrophoenician woman and talking for the woman who wiped his feet with her hair. It was no new thing to see Jesus talking with a woman. What's messing with them is the woman he's talking to. He is talking to a Samaritan woman, and we don't do that.

We don't do that. Now you know why he let them go into town to buy food. He could have never got his business for the father done with them racists hanging around. He said, y'all go get some chicken.

I got my father's work to do. In other words, he didn't let the folks of his own race who were messed up stop him from doing what he needed to do. He didn't let the group mess up his individual calling. Never let your being part of a group define your spiritual responsibility or spiritual integrity. Don't let the group make you feel guilty for you trying to maximize your potential, you trying to focus on what God has called you to do. Don't let the we stop God from dealing with you as the me. They don't understand it. What are you doing talking to her? Doesn't he know we don't do that?

Well, look at this now. This is a great closing to this story. So the woman left her water pot and went into the city and said to the men, come see a man who told me all the things I've done. This is not the Christ, is it? The woman said, when Jesus said, I am he, she said, you Messiah?

Yeah, I'm he. She takes her water pot and heads to town. She goes to the men and says, come see a man who told me all the things I've ever done.

Watch this now. We've got a problem. We've got a racial conflict. Because you've got all these Samaritan men coming to see Jesus. You've got these 12 disciples who king stand Samaritans. You've got a racial conflict about to happen.

You've got two different worlds getting ready to clash. Well, they went to town to buy food. They come back with the food.

Meanwhile, verse 31, the disciples were urging him, saying, Master, eat. You sent us to buy food. We brought you food. Jesus says, I have food to eat that you do not know about. What? Wait a minute now. You sent us to town to buy food.

That's a 10 mile trip. What do you mean you have food to eat that we don't know about? You've already eaten? I can see Peter now. Where is he?

I'm going to cut off his ear. You have already eaten? After all this hassle, you've already eaten? They said, no one brought him anything to eat, did he?

How could that be? That's when Jesus hit them with a 2 by 4. My food is to do the will of him who sent me.

And to accomplish his work. My food is to do what God wants, not what you want. I love all you guys, but you've got the wrong perspective, racially.

Because you're upset I'm talking to this woman who's racially different than you. Well, it's been this way. It's been this way since 722 BC. It's been this way for hundreds of years.

Jesus, that's the way it is. Notice what Jesus says in verse 35. Do not say there are four months and then comes the harvest. Now there are four months away from harvest time.

So that was the exact timing. But he says, don't say four months and then comes the harvest. Behold, if you look real close, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, they are already white for harvest. He says, guys, you're not looking right.

I know you think it's four months away, but if you look real close, you'll see harvest time is a lot closer than you think. So when they peel up their eyes and look out to the fields, what do they see? The woman went to Samaria to tell the men, come see a man who told me all the things I've ever done. Jesus tells the Jew, if you look up, you'll see you have a great opportunity to fix this problem now.

So there are Samaritan men crossing the field. What Jesus says, gentlemen, we're not going to talk about this for another 200 years. We're going to deal with it now.

And so I'm going to give you practice. We just created a scenario to bring folk together who've been apart for hundreds of years. He intentionally created a situation. So now the Jews and the Gentiles have to coagulate, have to come together in order to address the will of God.

And I love how this closes. Verse 39. From that city, many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified. He told them all the things which I have done. So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking him to stay with them. And he stayed with them two days. Now, if you read that too fast, you'll miss something. The Samaritans, who the woman said earlier, have no dealings with the Jews. After this segment is all over, they asked Jesus to come spend the weekend.

How do we go from we don't even talk to let's hang out for the weekend? And one day hadn't even passed. Jesus solved a problem in a day that hadn't been solved in hundreds of years. Because he was not willing to acquiesce to the cultural norms and standards of the day.

He brought a whole new standard. See, the beauty of being a biblicist, because you can be a Christian and not be a biblicist. So you can be a Christian on your way to heaven who God can't use on earth. Because you keep bringing stuff that God does not accept into your discussion. But the beauty of being a biblicist is that you have a standard to appeal to even on racial issues. So you don't have to acquiesce to anything because God has spoken and he has not stuttered. There are two answers to every question. God's answering everybody else's and everybody else's wrong. See, when you are a biblicist, when you have a biblical frame of reference, then you can't be intimidated by your race or anybody else's race because there's a standard above all the races and that comes from the living God.

There's a standard. So whatever God has made you, both in personality, background, history, culture, and race is totally legitimate and you're free to explore it all until it conflicts with his divine truth. Once it conflicts with that, it must be condemned. Even if the whole race is wrong. Just because it comes out of your race don't make it okay.

It's got to be in agreement with the word of God. Then you're free to express it through your race. Through your music. Through your songs. Through your history. Through your heritage. Through your dances. Through your cultural expressions.

The question is does it disagree or agree with a divine standard? You get back to a divine standard and it don't take long to reverse the racial curses in our lives. Dr. Tony Evans, with a scriptural solution to the racial problems that divide us. Another practical step you can take to foster racial reconciliation is to pass this message on to your friends, your family, and your church leaders.

It includes more material than we were able to present on the air today. And it comes as a part of our current six-part message collection, Faith, Hope, Unity, a tribute to Black History Month. If you request it by Monday, we'll send it to you along with an added bonus, Tony's signature work on Christian unity, the stereotype challenging book, Oneness Embraced. This limited-time special combo offer is yours with our thanks when you make a contribution to help support Tony's ministry. As always, details are waiting for you at TonyEvans.org. Or call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222, where team members are standing by to help you day and night.

That's 1-800-800-3222. Well, on Monday, Dr. Evans says God doesn't want us to wait until Heaven to be able to experience some of it here. Be sure to join us as he talks about Heaven's new community. Until then, be looking for opportunities to show kindness to those you meet for the benefit of our culture, your community, and the glory of God. The alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by The Urban Alternative and is made possible by the generous contributions of listeners like you.