vintage lrc 10.2.16

{ a call to empathy & action }

…one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They replied, “The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard these words I sat down, and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven…

NEHEMIAH 1:3-4 (NRSV)

O Lord God of heaven, the great, and awesome God who keeps covenant, and steadfast love with those who love him, and keep his commandments; let your ear be attentive, and your eyes open to hear the prayer of

your servant that I now pray before you day, and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you…


Now there was a great outcry of the people, and of their wives against their Jewish kin. For there were those who said, “With our sons, and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.” There were also those who said, “We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.”


And there were those who said, “We are having to borrow money on our fields, and vineyards to pay the king’s tax. Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons, and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields, and vineyards now belong to others.”I was very angry when I heard their outcry, and these complaints.


The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God…? Moreover I, and my brothers, and my servants are lending them money, and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them…


On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. And they found it written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month…(The Festival of Booths)


…the seventh, and last festival on the biblical calendar, as recorded in Leviticus 23. Also known as Sukkot in Hebrew, God wanted the Israelites to observe this festival by living in temporary shelters for seven days as a reminder that when their ancestors were in the wilderness, God provided them booths to dwell in. It was a time of rejoicing…because (this was) when the harvest season was over; God had provided more than enough food for the people to survive. Now it was time to…thank him in worship!

THE FESTIVAL OF BOOTHS

And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.


The ability to UNDERSTAND, and SHARE the feelings of another…

EMPATHY


1. Perspective taking2. Staying out of judgment3. Recognizing other’s emotions4. Communicating w/them that you recognize those

feelings

(Brene Brown video)

EMPATHY


* In the same spirit of Nehemiah calling Israel to empathize w/their brothers, and sisters, and to act in prayerful repentance as they do

so, I am calling us to do the same for our African American brothers, and sisters in

Christ…

(Kev On Stage video)

EMPATHY

LATRICE INGRAM

“WE ARE SUFFERING.

WE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING.

I’m worried about why this suffering is being diminished. I’m worried about why so many (of my fellow) Christian(s) don’t feel the need to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, except ignore it, or worse - rationalize it.”

LATRICE INGRAM

“What if my husband was the one who had just been shot, and killed by the police? Unarmed, dying needlessly in the street? What would you tell me: to my face? Would you say…“It’s a sad thing about your husband, but you can’t blame the police for this. The police told him to keep his hands down, and he didn’t. He didn’t follow the rules, so he got what was coming to him. You have to follow rules - simple as that”? Actual internet

comments…

LATRICE INGRAM

“Friends, this the response WE need from you every time there is racial injustice because, the thing is, every time this happens, it feels like it could have been my family. It could have been my husband reading a book in his car. It could have been my son sitting on a park bench. It could have been my cousins in a routine traffic stop.

It could have been my brother in law outside of a convenience store…”

LATRICE INGRAM

“I know it’s uncomfortable for me to talk about this, but I can’t be silent about these things anymore, because being silent could mean no change, and there has to be change. For the sake of my husband, and children, and family members. And you know what? For the sake of yours, too.

So, please don’t tell me “All Lives Matter,” please don’t tell me “It’s sad, but…”. Just tell me you care.”

LATRICE INGRAM

“Tell me you don’t understand what it’s like to be black. Tell me you don’t understand what it’s like to fear the things I fear. Tell me you don’t have all the answers but you want to know more, you want to help, you want to see change. Don’t argue with me about why I’m hurting. Don’t argue with me about why I’m angry. Don’t try to be right. And please don’t try to make me responsible for why these things are happening…Maybe try to hear me. And pray...

LATRICE INGRAM


1. Perspective taking2. Staying out of judgment3. Recognizing other’s emotions4. Communicating w/them that you recognize those

feelings

EMPATHY

21-DAY FAST to PREPARE HEARTS & MIND FOR ELECTION & BEYONDSunday, October 2nd (after lunch) toSunday, October 23rd (after service)

* Three weeks of focused prayer: - Centering (Oct 2 – 8; Mickey to Uganda)

- Lamenting (Oct 9 – 16; FP week; Arlyn to Uganda)

- Repenting (Oct 17 – 23; Arlyn returns)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles.

HEBREWS 12:1-2 (NIV)

Pray, and ask God to show you:

- What is “hindering” you?- What do you need “cast off?”- What sins are “entangling” you?- Consider applying these things to your fast, as it’s

relevant…

SOUL TRAINING EXERCISE #1

Pray this “staircase” prayer provided on the series pageof the website:

vintagelawrence.com/teaching/lament-repent-celebrate/

SOUL TRAINING EXERCISE #2

vintage lrc 10.2.16

Spiritual