In this, the 25th year of the Chicago Church of Christ, we are taking a look at the past, the present and the future of this miraculous church which God has built.
In this and future bulletins [This article was originally published in the Chicago Church of Christ bulletin on February 4, 2007], we will spend time being reminded of many great triumphs in the Lord. We will share the current stories of victory through perseverance, and we will talk about plans for the years to come. In short, we will look at what God has done, what God is doing and what God will do in His church here in Chicago. We will also spend time focusing on specific things we can and must do as disciples to keep our spiritual fervor for the Lord and continue running the Christian race until we cross the finish line. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) Today’s article will focus on one of the amazing characteristics of God’s church here in Chicago, one which we can be very thankful for and one which we must continue to foster if God is going to be able to bless us in the future.
One of the most remarkable things about God is how He chooses to get His mission accomplished. He doesn’t wage war as the world does, nor does He look at man’s outward appearance. As the prophet Samuel reminded David’s father, Jesse, about God’s strategy for selecting a new king for the nation of Israel, let us also be reminded of this all important truth: The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) And only one individual in the history of mankind has ever lived out that truth to perfection—Jesus Christ. In this article, I will share a few thoughts concerning how Jesus practiced this critical truth in regard to the selection of His twelve apostles and in His efforts to spread God’s word during the early days of His public ministry.
In setting forth His public ministry, Jesus began in Galilee. What surely would have been a surprise to many people, Jesus didn’t go to Jerusalem where the chief priests and elders resided. Nor did He choose any of his original twelve disciples from Herod’s court where He likely would have found the noble and powerful. Instead, He walked along the Sea of Galilee to gather a group of men and women to change the world—an area overrun with Gentiles, where the inhabitants were mostly unrefined and whose speech was often far from proper. Because of the mixture of Gentile culture, the dialect of Galilee was even unique. It was said about the Galileans that their accent gave them away. (Mark 26:73)
Galilee was also known for its diversity. Because of its coastal setting, its location on Eastern caravan routes and the incredibly fertile land surrounding it, this area of Palestine was a mix of cultures. As trading flourished, people from different lands influenced the Galileans. Though it was not known as a highly educated region, it was filled with the experiences of those from lands abroad and the people’s varied beliefs and practices. It is here, with these blue-collar, hard-working people, that Jesus chose the men who would eventually spread the gospel that still saves men and women today! But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27) I can only speak for myself, but I am so grateful that God chose the foolish and the weak! (Amen for fools and weaklings like me!) It is obvious from the very beginning that Jesus’ plan involved reaching all people, not just a select few. If He had chosen His first disciples in Jerusalem, perhaps the Gentiles would never have made it. If He had started with the noble and powerful of the world, perhaps the common folks would never have gotten a chance or, even worse, thought they didn’t deserve a chance. I believe this “foolish to the world” plan of Jesus gives a glimpse into God’s wonderful plan to save as many as possible. Ibelieve Paul put it best with these words written to the church in Corinth: Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) This was the heart of Jesus throughout His entire life on Earth, and it is the exact same kind of heart He spent three years training His disciples to possess as well. And those of us who are disciples of Jesus today must do anything and everything we can to imitate His amazing heart.
After 18 years as a disciple, I look around the auditorium during our congregational events, as well as our Sunday worship services in the Metro Region, and I am still in awe of the diverse cultures that make up God’s church. It is truly a thing of beauty! In the Metro region alone, there are disciples from Sri Lanka, Russia, the Philippines, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South America, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Poland and more. During one of our Sunday services some time ago, we had disciples from different nations share the words “Jesus is Lord” in their native languages. It was an experience I pray I never forget!
As people visit the church for the first time, one of the questions that many of them eventually ask is, “How did you get this diverse group of people to worship together like this?” After a big smile, the answer is simple—the cross of Christ! (Ephesians 2:11-18, 3:10)
Many great men and women have fought, and are still fighting, for social change along racial and cultural lines. Men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were incredibly instrumental in creating change on a broad scale. Where we live, where we work and even where we eat have all been affected by these changes. And as a man of color, I am grateful for these and many other social changes. But as a disciple, I realize that real and lasting change comes only from the inside.
When I think of the way Jesus was able to bring together a rag-tag group of eleven Galileans and one Judean, I wonder how difficult it must have been for the disciples to let go of their prejudices and preconceptions toward one another and toward those around them. How were these men able to remain unified in a way that they could represent Christ to the whole world? Similarly, how can disciples today overcome our own preconceived notions and cultural biases so that we, too, can represent Christ to the whole world? The answer lies at the cross of Calvary. The cross—the life-giving, life-saving cross—is what truly brings us together from the heart. But it wasn’t only at the cross that Jesus displayed His love for all mankind. He modeled that godly quality throughout His entire life, moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day! The disciples of Jesus, while in His presence, were constantly being taught and shown the importance of this spiritual quality. We, too, must look to Jesus as our model for overcoming our pride, prejudice and preconceptions toward other people. It is only then that we can continue to be a church of all colors and all kinds!
The United States is often referred to as a melting pot. Actually, I believe the country is more of a tossed salad, with many different flavors in each forkful. In a salad, the ingredients maintain their original shape and appearance. They do not change once they enter the salad. So if you don’t like tomatoes, it’s quite easy to take them out. Or if you only like cucumbers, you can pick them out and only eat them if you so choose.
In the Chicago Church of Christ, however, because of the example of Christ and the ultimate sacrifice we see at the cross of Christ, we become a true melting pot, made up of many different ingredients, but one wonderful flavor. And that flavor is Christ! As each new ingredient is added, it will bring something new and exciting to the pot, but it also will be melted and transformed into the one big pot. You cannot separate ingredients. They are bonded. They are one. And as more people become disciples and are added to the Chicago Church in the days ahead, they will bring with them their unique heritage and culture, but they also will be melted and transformed into the image of Christ, keeping us one, big happy family that remains under the leadership and loving guidance of God.