Identity and the Cross

"Hello, and welcome to air conditioning," was the pastor's introduction. Welcome to Southern California in the days of global warming. 

Don't invest your day in ambition, greed, selfishness, and guilt. Invest your day in other people. Don't lust after treasure that rusts, invest in true things of the heart. 

The pastor just returned from China. Chinese people tend to be more concrete thinkers - hard for our abstract loving pastor. 

Christians in China are mostly in rural areas. Rural areas almost Third World in feel. Still persecuted, but not as bad. Right to assembly, not right to believe is what is attacked, although government censorship is a big problem. Government trying to push underground Christians in allowed, censored church. They are trying to combine Christianity and Confucianism. Possibly hoping to form state religion because communism doesn't have hearts of people. 

Now to the sermon. There is a long term downturn in violence in the world. Most terrorist-related deaths were in 70s and 80s. Lots of good things happening in world today; but, people always tend to feel the opposite. 

Our culture is built on a divide that is really a conflict. Can be fruitful but can work to divide nation. 

We could say let's forget our differences in view of a greater thing; but, that's not the answer. We need to love each other and learn from our differences. Both sides have a compelling story. 

The key issue for unity is identity. Who are you? Is your first response political, career, family, etc.? Our key identity should be in Jesus. 

Quarrels at the congregation at Corinth were called "warring" by Paul. Our current political divides are nothing new. They were fighting over focus, perspective, ethnicity, and race - just like today. In other words, they were fighting over identity. 

If we are to get past current conflicts, our identity must be grounded in our baptism. 

Learn how to see the humanity in the Bible. 

Learn how to see the humanity in one another. Do not demand change in others. Put on the identity of Christ and make space for one another.