FEBRUARY 2, 2020
WILL YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? --PART I

SERMON TITLE: RECONCILING PREJUDICE
SERMON THEME: NEIGHBORING THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT
SERMON TEXT: LUKE 10:29

INTRODUCTION: AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WE NEED TO LEAD THE WAY IN SHOWING LOVE TO EVERYONE.  LUKE 10:29

• WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? 

• JESUS DOES NOT SAY WHO TO NEIGHBOR, INSTEAD HE SHOWS US HOW TO NEIGHBOR!

LUKE 10:33-37

• THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL IS LOVING GOD AND LOVING OTHERS. 

• "RACISM IS NOT BORN, IT IS TAUGHT." DENNIS LEARY

HOW DO YOU NEIGHBOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU?

I) RECOGNIZE YOUR PREJUDICES.

• RACISM IS NOT A SKIN ISSUE. RACISM IS A SIN ISSUE.

THREE REASONS PEOPLE BECOME RACIST OVER TIME.

            A) YOU ARE A VICTIM OF HATRED.
           
            B) IT IS TAUGHT AND HANDED DOWN.
           
            C) IT IS PLAIN OLD IGNORANCE. 
JAMES 2:9

• PREJUDICE IS PREJUDGING. IT IS A PRECONCEIVED OPINION THAT IS NOT BASED ON REASON OR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE.

II) SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU!
PROVERBS 2:2-6
           
            1) A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS COMPASSIONATE
           
            2) A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS AVAIABLE.
MATTHEW 7:12
           
            3) A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS RESPECTFUL
PROVERBS 3:28-30

III) LOVE THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU.

• RACISM IS NOT JUST THE PRESENCE OF HATRED, IT IS THE ABSENCE OF LOVE.

 GALATIANS 3:28

• GOD CREATED EVERYONE! HEAVEN WILL BE WONDERFUL, AMAZING AND DIVERSE!

REVELATION 7:9-10

• DOES NOT MATTER THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN, IF YOU CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD YOU WILL BE SAVED.

ROMANS 10:12                                        

• THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE RACE, THAT IS THE HUMAN RACE AND JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU!

CONCLUSION: YOU ARE TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, SO YOU CAN BE A SMALL PART OF THE SOLUTION.
 I JOHN 4:20-21