Witness for Peace Luke 2:8-14; Acts 1:7-8

On August 11, 2020 Joe Biden the candidate of the Democratic Party for president of the United States announces his choice for the candidate for Vice President, Kamala Harris a senator from California. How will she be received by the American people in the November election? Will she be an access to Biden, or will she be a liability? Will the democrats win the election, and will the election of Biden start the country on a road that leads to peace between the many various people groups in America? I believe that it is possible for change to take place that will improve relationships between racial (ethnic) groups, but in my mind the Bible tells me that any lasting peace will come from the church only. Further, peace is possible only in the kingdom of God, and Jesus commissions the church to witness to this truth.

Now, on the surface it looks like Senator Harris might have appeal to a broad list of racial and gender groups. Let me tell the ways that I have heard her described in the news in less than twenty-four hours. Kamala Harris is the daughter of a father from Jamaica, and her mother is from India. They are immigrants to the United States and Kamala was born in Oakland, California. She has been described in the news as a “Black woman,” an “African American,” and an “Asian American;” and “a woman of color.” What an appeal for a diverse group of people in America. Women groups, especially African American women find this selection very favorably. Black and brown people will be happy with this selection. However, there are issues to be concerned about.

First, there is the issue of the historical relationship between Black women and white women. The relationship has not always been a good one. We do not yet know if white women are ready to be displaced by a woman of color. This includes both conservative and liberal white women. Second, there are people in America that are more concerned about ethnic background than they are about skin culture. The proponents of slavery in America do not base their positions on skin color alone. Rather, it is also a matter of ethnicity. Who are your ancestors? How does the God of the Bible make distinctions between people groups based on genealogy, not skin color? Their decisions are not made simply because of the color of skin. Rather, skin color is a means of identifying people according to their ethnic groups.

Second, when we look at genealogy, Kamala Harris is chosen and if accepted will be accepted more because of her ethnic background than her skin color. How so you might ask. Kamala Harris is not a descendant of slaves in America. The same is true about President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. White people in America have been more favorable to people of color that are not descendants of slaves. Their assumptions about people may be or may not be true, but their conclusions are accurate in their minds. In fact, many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were started to educate the former slaves that white people believed to be more advanced and civilized than their sisters and brothers in slavery.

Third, there are other issues that are cause to pause concerning the selection of Senator Harris. President Trump criticizes Harris because of her personal character traits. He gives her the nickname “phony Kamala.” There are questions about her record as a prosecutor in California. However, I write this paper mainly to say that peace among competing and rival groups in America will not be achieved by any human endeavor. Rather, peace is achieved by people of every ethnic group through Jesus Christ. Let me give a few reasons.

First and primarily I look to the Old Testament writing of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Now, we need to be clear here. The prophets are not sent by God to the nations. Instead, God sends the prophets to speak to God’s own people, namely the Israelites. Their choice is not a matter of skin color. The Israelites are God’s covenant people based on the faith of their ancestor Abraham. God promises to bless the seed of Abram/Abraham (Gen. 15:5). “Then he believed in the LORD; He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (15:6, NASB).

The prophets speak during a time in the history of the Israelites when there is a decline in moral standards, ethical practices, increased lawlessness, and wide spread idolatry. The Israelites are threatened by powerful foreign powers, especially the Assyrians and Babylonians. There is war and strife between the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom as well as their enemies that are from the nations in their vicinity. The people are hearing mixed messages from those that call themselves prophets. Many of the prophets are telling the people that there will be peace. On the other hand, prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah are warning the people that there will be no peace forth coming. Let us look at what these two prophets say.

First, we learn from Isaiah that God makes a distinction between the righteous and the wicked. In chapter forty-eight the Lord reminds His people of the blessings that they have received from God. The people are now in exile in Babylon. The Lord promises to bring them back to their homeland (Isa. 48:20-21). God redeems His people, but He says to the wicked, “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the LORD” (v. 22, see also 57:21).

Secondly, in chapter fifty-nine Isaiah says that there is no peace among the people because there is no peace with God. The people’s attitudes and behavior are because of their lack of peace with God. They have rejected the Law of God that tells them how to live together in peace. Instead, they are going their own way. “They do not know the way of peace, and there is no justice in their tracks; they have made their paths crooked, whoever treads on them does not know peace” (Isa. 59:8, NASB).

The prophet Jeremiah is called by the Lord to warn the people that their ways of living is leading to their disaster. They reject the words of the Lord to the point that the Lord determines that he will punish them. Initially, God invites Judah to repent. They refuse to repent; instead their immorality, their lawlessness, and their idolatry only increase. The people deny their sins and they do not believe the prophets that the Lord sends to warn them. On the contrary, they believe the false prophets. The people accuse the prophets of the Lord of being liars. “They have lied about the Lord and said, ‘Not he; Misfortune will not come on us, and we will not see sword or famine” (Jer. 5:12, NASB). However, Jeremiah says of the false prophets, “The prophets are as wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them” (Jer. 5:13). In spite of the sins of the people, the Lord provides for peace between the Lord and the people. By extension, the Lord provides for peace between people groups.

From God comes one who brings peace. Isaiah tells of His coming. “For a child will be born to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the government or His peace” (Isa. 9:6-7, NASB).

Now, we turn to the New Testament to learn about the Prince of Peace that Isaiah foretold. Luke tells us that a man named Joseph and his wife travel to a town called Bethlehem to be taxed. Mary, Joseph’s wife is pregnant and while in Bethlehem she gives birth to a son. There are shepherds watching their flock at night. The angel tells the shepherd that “in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11, NASB). The angel tells the shepherds how to identify the child that the angel speaks about (v. 11). “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased,” (vv. 113-14).

Jesus is born and He lives on the earth for thirty-three years. According to God’s plans and His provision, Jesus dies on the cross. He is raised from the dead. As He prepares to return to the Father He commissions twelve apostles to initiate the spreading of the good news that in Jesus their sins are forgiven. They are at peace with God. Those that are at peace with God are also at peace with like believers. Jesus gives these final words to the apostles and by extension to the church. Jesus says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NASB).

I hope that we get the message. Peace does not come through human governments. The Lord does not engage in politics. God does make preference of people by ethnicity, nationality, location, and social status. The Gospel is available to everyone. If there is to be peace in the world it will come from the Lord through the church.