Note:  This sermon was written in the wake ofthe LA Riots following the Rodney King Beating Trial

I have a confession to make.  Two weeks ago, when Dave asked me to preach this morning’s sermon, I was hesitant.  But when I learned what the scripture text was--Acts 2,  a light went on.  At home, on my computer, I had a sermon on Acts 2 that I’d written a few years back--a nice sermon about the centrality of fellowship in the early church and the importance of practicing hospitality today to help overcome the alienating forces in our society.  I’d just edit out references to the other church, add a few fresh anecdotes, brush up on the delivery, and presto-- a no sweat sermon--perfect for the working man.

I proceeded with this plan until Friday night when it became apparent that this sermon had to address the events of the week, and the no sweat sermon went back into the file drawer.  So forget about the title in the bulletin.  Settle back and listen.

Every so often there is an event which strips away any pretenses we might have about ourselves or our society.  And we are left to face ourselves as we truly are, not as we wish others to see us.  The saga of Rodney King is just such an event.  The videotaped beating forces us to confront not only the violence and brutality which too often passes for enforcing the law, but also the hatred and bigotry which run so deep in our society.

The trial and subsequent aquittal of the white policemen, in white Simi Valley, by a white jury exposed a system stacked against black people and unwilling to live by its own principals of liberty and justice for all.

The rioting and acts of violence erupting in cities around the country force us to see the US not as the melting pot but rather a boiling cauldron of racial unrest.  While the depth and the breadth of the violence may have come as a surprise, it probably shouldn’t have.  What we have witnessed is not about white cops beating a black man and getting off.  It’s about generations of systematic discrimination and disenfranchisement.  It’s about the rage that grows out of hopelessness and despair.

In a few days the smoke will clear over the inner city.  The military and the National Guard will restore order, some semblance of calm will return.  And what will we as Christians have learned?

I’ll share my list and you can add others:

Justice was NOT served in acquitting the white policemen.  Nobody deserves that kind of treatment.  Convicting them...though it would have delayed the destruction we have witnessed...convicting them would do little to address the deeper issues behind the violence.  The policeman are only cogs in a much larger system which is truly guilty, but too large and too faceless to punish.  Society has, through neglect, allowed a portion of it’s people to become so devoid of hope, so disinvested in their future that the only way to control them is through force, force which so easily crosses the line into subhuman violence.

This is our society, and it is a society which needs the good news of Jesus Christ more than ever.  There are those who say the church is irrelevant to today’s complex problems...and they may be right.  But the church is only irrelevant by choice.  The church is only irrelevant when it chooses to ignore the very good news it was created to spread.  And here I’m not talking about some narrow concept of personal salvation, I mean  ALL  the good news.

That means the good news of peace - where the followers of Christ repudiate violence and weapons, and confront evil with good.  We know this is only way to break the cycle of violence and overcome the hatred that is at the root of it. Spread the good news.

ALL  the good news means the good news of reconciliation with God.  Through Christ, believers receiving the forgiveness necessary to make a fresh start.  We know that we, and everyone else needs that forgiveness, needs that fresh start.  Spread the good news.

ALL  the good news means the good news of reconciliation among humanity.  We know that this reconciliation was central to the life of the early church and that we too are called to it.  Spread the good news.

The church is called not only to bear the good news, but to BE good news.  Here, the example of the early church which Louise described the Acts 2 reading is intructive.  The Christian church began as an odd assortment of people from every nation.  It became good news to surrounding society by overcoming the barriers of race, culture, class and gender that faced it.  How did they do it?  The plan was ingenious, yet disarmingly simple.  Reading from ACTS 2:42 and following:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need.  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

In some ways it sounds like just a bunch of people having good time.  But these were people who were willing to set aside their differences and focus on what united them...Christ and common humanity.

We must let our views be known.  One of the worst outcomes I can think of for the incidents of the past week, would be for the people of this city and this country to think that white Christians don’t care.  That would be a tradegy.

Though speaking out may be difficult, more unsettling for me, and perhaps the reason why I found this sermon so difficult to write, is the realization that I must change.  I liken it to the changes in mindset and habits wrought by the environmental movement.  Notice has been served that our current lifestyle is not sustainable.  We consume too much, waste too much, drive too much..... now it is up to us to make the necessary changes.  They may be very painful changes indeed, but we must make them if we are to continue living on this planet.

Similarly, this week notice was served that our society’s priorities are not sustainable.  We cannot continue to squander the gifts and capabilities of an entire segment of the population.  We cannot continue to ignore the deplorable conditions which so many of our brothers and sisters are forced to live in.  We cannot continue to accept moving to the suburbs as a solution to the poverty and violence of the inner city.  We cannot continue to live in little ethnic enclaves where mistrust and misunderstanding are free to spread unchecked.  We cannot continue squandering billions on high tech weaponry while the basic needs of individuals go unmet.  Addressing these issues will cut to the very heart of the way we live in this society and for those of us who benefit from the system, it may be very painful.... but we must change if society itself is to survive.

Finally, we must remember that anything we do to address the issues of injustice, ...of hatred and racism, of poverty and prejudice in our society, does not grow out of some newfangled concept of right.  These are the very issues Christ died for.  The success of the early church in overcoming these issues is in large part the reason the church still exists today and we are gathered here this morning.

Eph. 2:13   "But now in Christ Jesus those who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the many, so making peace, and might reconcile us all to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.
And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we all have access in one Spirit to the Father.  So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

Spread the good news.  Be the good news.