June 05, 2020

Pentecost, Breathing & George Floyd (TAW032)

37 minutes

Episode 032 – Pentecost, Breathing & George Floyd

This is the air I breathe!

My heart broke open this week as I watched the events unfold around the murder of George Floyd, and the protests and riots that followed. At the same time, I was studying the lectionary passages for Pentecost. This is an edited version of the sermon I preached at Bridge City Community Church.

Let me be clear: In this sermon I am a white preacher speaking to white Christians about a topic that white people have to own and take action on. It might be heavy and uncomfortable… but it’s a lot less uncomfortable than 400 years of oppression. So, keep your arms and hands inside until the ride has come to a complete stop. And I promise — I’ll give you practical steps you can take.

Show Notes

The song I referred to: This is the Air I Breathe.

In scripture, both in Hebrew and in Greek, the word for the Holy Spirit and the word for breath is the same. Ruach in Hebrew and Pneuma in Greek.

The well-known Pentecost passage is Acts 2.

The lesser-known Pentecost passage is John 20:21-22.

Jesus’ mission statement is found in Luke 4:18-19

Steps white Christians must take to obey the Spirit’s call to anti-racism:

1. Listen & Learn. An excellent reading list can be found at the end of this post.

2. Interrogate Your Feelings. (I’ve got lots of posts and resources on how to work through difficult emotions. Let me know if you want support in that area.)

3. Use your privilege to support and protect people of color, including your finances, your influence, your bodily safety, and your vote.

Drew Brown, the musician, who wrote the prayer I closed with, can be found here: http://www.drewbrownmusic.com/

If you prefer, watch and share the video version on Youtube.

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By Marc Alan Schelske

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