(Chapter 18)

“Inclusion elevates all”. – Elaine Hall

AGAINST the background of the political time in which Jesus lived, the group to which people belonged determined their life, comfort, and future. People were mainly identified by their appearance as Chaldeans, Romans, Jews, Samaritans, soldiers, artisans, fishermen, Pharisees, scribes, women, children and slaves. Each was in a class of his own and the classes did not mix. Each grouping also still had its internal politics and rivalry.

New Prerequisites For Inclusion

Our inclusion in His family and circle is not based on our righteousness: “Want Ek sê vir julle dat, as julle geregtigheid nie oorvloediger is as dié van die skrifgeleerdes en Fariseërs nie, julle nooit in die koninkryk van die hemele sal ingaan nie.” (Matt. 5:20).

Or the righteousness of the right family: “He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:29).

Even though we have nothing to give Him: “Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20).

Not accompanied by great prestige, or outward signs and wonders: “Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.” (Luke 17:20-21 MSG).

Not even the best religious efforts. Only those who are obedient: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21).

Die arm van die vlees kan dit nie vermag nie: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.”                                 (1 Cor. 15:50).

“Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29).

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt. 7:13-24).

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3).

“For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:25).

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22).

Receive His Righteousness:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  (Matt. 6:33).

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  (Matt. 11:11).

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.” (Heb. 10:19).

Born From Immortal Seed:

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3).

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13).

“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Pet. 1:23).

A New Definition of US:

“So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:29).

“Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.”  (John 4:43-44).

“So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57).

When you and your wife fight and quarrel it is many times because one is standing outside the circle. We use YOU and YOUR language. Covenant language is “US”. Using this word forces us to think differently. We take ourselves out of the circle so many times. Or we do not allow people into our circle.

Who is my neighbor? Who are we? See Luke 10: 29-37: Jesus teaches us to do the same for a stranger as we would for those in the circle. The man did what family would do for him – and he was a stranger; on the contrary, he was of a totally different class and race.

How To Define US? How to define church – US?  

Do we see the place where we live as OUR town? The people of our town as OUR people?

Divisiveness: It is very dangerous to speak of “them” from within a collective framework while God sees only one “us” for example.

• Within one nation, we speak of “them”.
• Within the universal church, we speak of another church as “them”.
• Within the framework of the Christian church in an area, we speak of other congregations as “them”.
• In a company we speak of management as “them”; the management speaks of the people as “them”.
• In a marriage we talk about you and you and mine.
• “They” bring separation into your thinking and cause isolation. Your perspective becomes one-sided. You only look from one perspective and lose objectivity.

Labeling: When we speak of “them”, it is not long before we give “them” a label (Matt. 5:22). We call each other names. You are always like that, and you always do like that, and you never do. You DEMONIZE the other person as always wrong and evil, which is simply not the truth. You present yourself as the angel, which is also not the truth. Later we only see the label and not the person behind the label (DEHUMANIZATION).

Lovelessness: When we talk about “them” it can lead to pride – we disassociate with the mistakes and sins of a group and place ourselves in a better / higher / higher place. As a result, you lose your voice with that group. They experience you as PROUD, haughty and knowledgeable. They feel the separation – and experience that there is no more love. Without love you lost your voice in that group (Gal. 6: 1).

Victimization: (Matt. 5:22) “You fool!” It is natural that when you focus only on. Person’s mistakes and only notice them, you will pick on such a person. You are negative towards such a person and have an automatic renunciation. You DISASSOCATE yourself from the person. In a marriage it is very dangerous, because the result is:

• Exclusion: inaccessible, harsh and mean;
• Contempt: contempt, contempt, contempt – arrogant;
• Criticism: condemnation, judgment, disapproval.

PRACTICAL

1. Try to identify positive and human qualities in the other grouping. It’s the beginning of HONOUR and RESPECT.

2. Spread the information – speak positively (Matt. 5: 46-48).

3. Pray for your enemies – when you pray, you regain God’s perspective on the person (Matt. 5:33).

4. Love your enemies – serve and minister to one another.

5. When you have something against your brother-WE – go speak it out (Matt. 18 and Luke 17).

6. When you realize your brother has something against you, leave your sacrifice and go and make amends first (Matt. 5: 23-24).

When we begin to focus on our differences, we divide humanity into groupings. We build boundaries and walls, we lose our maturity to look upon mankind divinely and objectively, we become SMALL and IMPULTS and lose authority to have a say in humanity. We lose ACCESS and we INSULATE ourselves.

The Bible says that we must separate ourselves from certain people, but it is part of a disciplinary process to win the person back to the faith. People who cut themselves off from the faith and walk away can not stop us, but we never walk away. See Chapter 13, point 6.

He Was Impartial

Do not treat the lowly and those with respect differently: “You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment. You may not be biased towards the small and do not favor the substantial. With justice you must judge your neighbor. ” (Lev. 19:15).

Make no distinction between rich and poor: Rich and poor need each other. “Rich and poor have one thing in common: the Lord made them all.” (Prov. 22: 2).

No distinction between employer and employee: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord, neither is the messenger greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. ” (John 13:16).

Not an adopter of person: “MY brethren, let not your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, be with the adoption of the person.” (Jas. 2: 1-9).

No racial preference: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and riches to all who call on him.” (Rom. 10:12).

No class preference: “where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scith, slave, freeman, but Christ is all and in all.” (Col. 3:11).

No titles and positions of power: “But do not be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher: Christ, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.” (Matt. 23: 8-10).

No distinction between man and woman: “There is no more Jew or Greek, there is no more slave or free man, there is no more man and woman; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28).

 Those who have won share with those who have not gone to war: “No, we share equally: those who have taken care of the pack get as much as those who have gone to fight” (1 Sam. 30:24).

God does not precede anyone: “And you, owners, must act with the same responsibility towards your slaves. Stop threatening your slaves. You know that you have one and the same Owner in heaven, and that He does not prefer anyone. ” (Eph. 6: 9).

Treat each one as an individual: “Those who are still indecisive should treat you with compassion. Save others by pulling them out of the fire. ” (Jude 22–23).

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice together. ” (1 Cor. 12:26)

“In a real sense, all life is interrelated. All people are involved in an inevitable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” 
– Martin Luther King Jr

Jesus’ Impartiality and Inclusivity

Jesus eats and socializes with the people who despise and marginalize the religious leaders.

Jesus eats with Matthew (Levi), the tax collector (Matt. 9: 9-13; Mark 2: 13-17; Luke 5: 27-32). Levi is a tax collector (tax collector, hated by the Jews because they were considered traitors working for the Romans).

There was a man named Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, a rich man (Luke 19: 1-10).

The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). “For the Son of man came not to destroy the life of man, but to save it. And they left for another town.” (Luke 9:56). The two “sons of thunder” wanted to call fire from heaven on the people who did not want to receive Him.

Factions are a work of the flesh – Gal. 5:20 (SECTARISM: sectarianism, sectarian spirit). Therefore Jesus warns against parties: Those who are not against us are for us – Mark. 9: 38-40 and Num.11: 27–29.

The Samaritan

When the Northern Empire, with Samaria as its capital, was conquered by the Assyrians, they took many of the Jews into exile to Assyria and settled Assyrians in that region to cultivate the land and bring peace (2 Kings 17:24). This caused widespread intermarriage between the Jews and the Assyrians and led to a mixed religion and mixed group in that area. The Jews of Judah, the Southern Empire, therefore, considered the Samaritans an impure group of people and hated them because, according to the Jews, they had betrayed their people and religion. Therefore, the Jews went out of their way to avoid Samaria and the Samaritans. However, Jesus makes no distinction between Jew and Samaritan.

One of the ten lepers returning and thanking Him was a Samaritan (Luke 17: 11-19).

Samaria is included in the missionary journeys and work of the apostles (Acts 1: 8; 8: 1, 5; 9:31; 15: 3).

The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-37).

Jesus follows a pattern that was repeated later in the Church of Acts: He begins locally, the small town, then the region, then the city, and then the corners of the world. Jesus gathers a new family, people and family of believers around Himself. Galilee: Nazareth, Capernaum, Samaria, Jerusalem. “Ye shall be witnesses against me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8).

Jesus Never Excludes Anybody

“But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” (Luke 4:25-27).

The place of the woman is restored: Mary anoints His feet (John 12:1-8) – a woman anoints Jesus’ feet (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3).

He does not even condemn the blatant sinner (John 8:1-11).

Jesus’ Family

Jesus’ own family did not even accept Him (Matt. 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-20; John 7: 3-5; Mark 3:21).

Judas, his half-brother: “Of Judas, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” (Jude 1: 1). He does not boast of being Jesus’ brother; he rather calls himself His servant.

Here is my family: “Do you know who my mother is and who my brothers are? He then pointed to his disciples and said, “There is my mother and my brothers. Everyone who obeys the will of my heavenly Father is my true family. ” (Matt. 12:48-50; Mark 3:33-35; Luke 2:48-49; John 7:6-8).

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