practicing prejudice

PRACTICING PREJUDICE
ACTS 10: 34

Intro:
There is a story told about a young lady by the name of Pam. Pam attended high school from 1991-1995. Pam wasn’t like the other students with whom she went to school. She stood 5 foot 2, and wade 352 lbs. There are few who exit the torture chamber that is high school without scars. However, there are even fewer who leave with the scars which Pam carried.
Each day the business of education became a battle field. Pam was called names, became the butt of practical jokes, and endured mocking calls each and every day. Each morning when she arrived at her locker, she would find a picture of a pig snout taped to the door. Once, three boys followed her home, and before she could reach the safety of her house, the boys overtook her, mased her, all while calling her a pig and making pig noises at her. The boys were arrested, but released later that night and then back in school the very next day.
Pam tried talking to teachers, councilors, and her principles. She was told, by her principle, that there was nothing she could do. Furthermore, Pam was told that while the principle couldn’t do anything, maybe Pam should lose some weight, and then people might like her more.
The mental stress became so great, that finally her parents took her out of the school, and moved her to another two towns away. A young woman’s life and happiness all but obliterated because of the prejudice which some people felt.
On the screen before you, you see a common image. A joyful group of young adults departing one phase of life, and beginning their walk along the path of adulthood. They look so happy, so “normal.” However, these young people have in countered prejudice as well. Whether they look it or not, they are blind. They have and will experience the prejudice of those who have never known a blind person. They have, and will experience the prejudice of those who feel funny about being in the presents of someone who is different from them. They have, and will experience the prejudice of an employer who questions their skills, abilities, and intelligence, all because they are unable to see.
Brethren, prejudice takes so many different forms. Some have a prejudice against those who are handicap; others hate those who are of a different color. There are those who have a prejudice against those who are of a lower economic status than them, or those who have less education.
As amazing as it may sound, in the year 2009, prejudice is alive and well in our world. There are still those who use rude and inflammatory words, place themselves in the penthouse and put others in the basement, and dismiss based upon nothing more than their own narrow mindedness.
Brethren, unfortunately, the church, the pillar and ground of the truth, is not immune to this vile bit of ignorance. Let me ask you: should it be? Would God approve of our treating one another with such harshness based upon external features? In Acts 10, we find the answer to this question. There we see the inclusion of the gentiles into the Church. Beginning in verse 1, we find the Lord speaking to a man named Cornelius. He was to be the first. God spoke to him, and commanded that he should send some of his men to Joppa, and call for Simon Peter. IN verse 9, we see that Peter goes up to the roof of the home where he is staying, and goes to God in prayer. During the course of his prayer, he receives a vision from the Lord.
In the vision, God makes it clear to Peter that prejudice doesn’t exist in his heart and mind. Not only that, but he doesn’t want it to exist in the hearts and minds of his creation. In Acts 10: 34, as Peter comes to speak to the Gentiles; we see that he has indeed learned this lesson. There he says, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” In other words, God doesn’t allow those external concerns to dictate his feelings on a given individual.
Folks, we have to move past our prejudicial feelings. Today, I want to help you to do this. Why? Well, according to James 2: 9, the practice of prejudice is indeed a sin. Today, I would like for us to look at the problem of prejudice, but from a different point of view than normal. I would like for us to view it from the perspective of the things that we can and will miss if we exclude those around us. Let’s turn to the story of Joseph, and see the things that his brothers missed, because of their prejudices.

I THEY MISSED JOSEPH’S TRIALS (Gen 39: 7-20)

1. Joseph did the right thing.
A. Gen 39: 8 Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt Joseph, but Joseph remembered to whom he belonged.
B. Gen 39: 9 not to Potiphar, but to God.
2. Even though Joseph did the right thing, he was still punished.
A. Gen 39: 20 Joseph was cast into prison.
B. God delivered him, nevertheless, Joseph had no family to lean upon during his time of trial.
3. This same thing often occurs with you and I.
A. Luke 10: 30-35 we see those who are experiencing problems, but because of their differences from us, we turn away from them.
B. These same people might have problems that we could help them with, if we only tried.
C. Mark 12: 30-31, we are told that we should love the Lord with all that we have.
D. However, we are also told to love those around us.
E. This would lead me to believe that we should love and care for them at all times.

II THEY MISSED JOSEPH’S TRIUMPHS (Gen 41: 39- 42)

1. Joseph remained strong in the Lord, and was rewarded.
A. Gen 41: 39 after all that had taken place, Joseph received a blessing from God.
B. Genesis 41: 40-45 he was placed in a position of power in Pharaoh’s house.
2. Even at this time of great happiness, there is no one to celebrate with him.
A. Joseph is still a stranger in a strange land.
B. His loved ones are still many miles away.
C. One might speculate that during this time of gladness, he longed for his friends and family to know of his success.
3. Again, this is something that we can identify with still today.
A. There are times of great joy in the lives of all men.
B. During those times, our joys are multiplied when we have someone to celebrate with us.
C. Envision the most happy time in your life.
D. Were there people around to rejoice with you?
E. Would it have made it a less happy occasion if there hadn’t been anyone there?
4. We are commanded to rejoice with one another.
A. Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep.
B. 1Cor 12: 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.
C. Let us lay aside our prejudice, that we might rejoice with one another!

III THEY MISSED THEIR TOGETHERNESS (Gen 46: 29-30)

1. At the time of there reunion, more than 20 years had past sense they had last enjoyed one another’s company.
A. A lot had happened during this time.
B. Jacob had grown old, Joseph had taken a wife, and had children.
C. Much of this time together lost because of the prejudice and jellisy of his brothers.
2. When prejudice creeps in, there is something very important that is lost.
A. We lose our unity.
B. If we are divided by such trivial things as, skin color, fashion, or whatever popular trend is going around, then we will do very little in the way of saving souls.
C. Matt 12: 25, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
D. Instead of judging one another, we should draw strength, and encouragement from each other.
E. Heb 10: 24 tells us that we should come together in order to provoke one another to good works.
. We can not, and will not, be able to do this if we are divided by silly prejudices.