On April 4, 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King was shot on a hotel
balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. Seven months later Richard M. Nixon was elected
President of the United States—on the theme of law and order.
Fifty-two years later, on May 25th, George Floyd
was suffocated on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota. At this time it’s
uncertain who will be elected President in six months, but what is certain is
that at least one side of the political debate will be using law and order as a
plank in their platform. For some the phrase “law and order” means peace and
stability. For others, it’s code language for racism and oppression.
I recently watched the 2016 Netflix documentary entitled 13th. It is a 100-minute film
that explores the history of racial inequality in the U.S. prompted by the
inclusion of a clause in the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
(guaranteeing freedom from slavery) that states, “Except as a punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” It focuses on the fact
that today our nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with
African-Americans due to repeated application of this clause throughout the
decades. It’s a sobering and seminal piece. As one person, who watched it with
me said, “It’s better to refrain from drawing any conclusions or making any
substantive reform suggestions until you’ve had sufficient time to ruminate on
what you’ve just witnessed.” Sage advice! We could all do with some productive
rumination.
Winston Churchill once said, “The further backward you can
look, the further forward you are likely to see.” And when it comes to political
tension and social unrest no truer words have been uttered. However, the
parallels between the state of our nation in the late 60s and early 70s and
today are breathtaking. As Yogi Berra would say, “It’s déjà vu all over again!”
At the height of political tensions in 1972 Larry Norman
released an album that marked the dawn of an entirely new genre of music. In
2013 his album was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in its
National Recording Registry. It was the first album of this genre ever raised
to such prominence.
They said of it, “Larry Norman is articulating a widespread
sentiment, then and now. Most of the album vents the social discontent of a day
in a sixties-style articulation against the backdrop of scriptural imperatives.”
Having grown up in San Francisco, the oldest of four, Norman
wore his hair long and rode a motorcycle; but otherwise he was straight as an
arrow. He grew up in a black neighborhood a few blocks from Haight and Ashbury Streets.
He said of himself, “I don’t really sing rock ‘n’ roll. I sing black music, but
I’m white.”
But more than the product of his heritage or ethnicity,
Norman was a committed Christian who examined the state of the world through a
biblical lens and offered a cogent alternative to anger and despair. In fact,
it’s the same alternative that Apostle Peter offers in this Sunday’s text: 1
Peter 2:11-17.
In his second song on the album, Larry Norman profiles, in
poetic language, the heart of his alternative to anger and despair. He entitled
the song, “The Outlaw”. It’s a musical tribute to The Outlaw who changed
everything for him—even his perspective on himself, his culture, and his
purpose. Here are the lyrics:
“Some say
he was an outlaw that he roamed across the land
with a band of
unschooled ruffians and a few old fishermen
No one knew just
where he came from or exactly what he'd done
But they said it
must be something bad that kept him on the run.
“Some
say he was a sorcerer, a man of mystery
He could walk upon
the water, he could make a blind man see.
That he conjured
wine at weddings and did tricks with fish and bread
That he talked of
being born again and raised people from the dead.
“Some say a
politician, who spoke of being free
He was followed by
the masses on the shores of Galilee
He spoke out
against corruption and he bowed to no decree
And they feared his
strength and power so they nailed him to a tree.
“Some say he was
the Son of God, a man above all men
That he came to be
a servant and to set us free from sin
And that's who I
believe he is 'cause that's what I believe
And I think we
should get ready 'cause it's time for us to leave.”
There are three lessons both Larry
and Peter learned from the Outlaw. And each of these lessons enabled them to
stand while all around them others were falling into the bondage of sin and
hatred. It’s these 3 lessons Peter profiles in Sunday’s text. In a message
entitled, “Living It Out”, we will dig in deeply.
In preparation for Sunday’s
message, you may wish to consider the following:
1. Download 13th and ask yourself as you watch it, “How does my
standing in Christ (as a living stone) inform my perspective on the time and
place in which I live?”
2. How does “The Outlaw” challenge
my self-absorbed racial biases?
3. How does “The Outlaw” enable me
to live as a responsible citizen of the Kingdom of God while still living in
the kingdom of this world?
4. How are 1 Peter 2:9 and 2:11 related?
5. What tangible building, made of stone, is Peter referring to
in 1 Peter 2:4-5, when he analogies the church to it?
6. What mind-blowing realities come to your mind as you wonder
what Peter is saying?
7. How does 1 Peter 2:11-17 flow from Peter’s awesome insight?
8. What’s the implication for you in being called “a sojourner
and exile”?
9. How will honorable conduct lead others to glorify God?
10. How does bondage to Jesus breed absolute freedom to live for
the sake of others?
It’s Independence Weekend! See you Sunday!
