Response to Racist Violence in Charlottesville, VA

This week has been a particularly difficult week. 

A week ago Saturday a bomb was thrown through the window of a mosque in Minnesota while worshippers were gathered for morning prayers. 

Through the news this week, rhetoric surrounding Nuclear war seems to have reached a crescendo. 

Then over the weekend we have been witness to horrific hatred and racism, that many assumed was relegated to the history books of our society. 

White supremacists openly marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. During this time faith leaders gathered a group in an interfaith prayer service. A time of prayer as they prepared to march in counter-protest to the hatred of white supremacy. 

Then the following day, a man who was there for the for the white supremacy march drove his truck into this crowd of counter-protestors. Killing one injuring 19 more. Additionally, two Virginia state troopers were killed as their helicopter that was monitoring the protests crashed in the woods. 

The Christian witness is that this evil. 

Last week we shared the good news of John 10:10 that Jesus came to give us life — life to the fullest. White supremacy and hate is opposed to life. 

In Hebrews 12:14 the Christian witness proclaims: Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone—and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it.

This witness is continued throughout the New Testament and the Christians tradition with words such as these found in Colossians 3:15-- The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body.

And in Galatians 3:28 we read the Christian witness is not just about peace. The witness of the church is also that through Jesus we are united as one. The barriers of nations, of race, of ideology that humans create are not of Jesus Christ. For, in the witness of the church, these words speak of our ultimate identification:

There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

As my heart was broken yesterday. I stepped outside at a loss of words and at a loss of prayer. And I saw the most magnificent rainbow spread open over the church and over Decatur. And I was reminded of these words from Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present[a] help in trouble.
2 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
    though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 
though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 
God is in the midst of the city;[b] it shall not be moved;
    God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.
8 
Come, behold the works of the Lord;
    see what desolations he has brought on the earth.​

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 
“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I am exalted among the nations,
    I am exalted in the earth.”
11 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Still in the midst of this week, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. And still in this midst of this week, people that consider themselves Christ followers are called to recall and join the peace and unity of the Christian witness. If you are baptized and if you a member of this church, you made such a promise. 

During this display of hate and evil, I want to remind you of the vows we all made.  

Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin? 

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?

These were made for a time such as this. I invite you to stand and sing our affirmation of these basic Christian vows through with our opening hymn, “Let there be peace on earth” number 431.