Disgusted

I know I have been quiet since July 23rd. Yes, I have held my thoughts and went about my life doing that which I feel I need to be doing - showing the love of Christ and supporting the lives of those who are struggling with the situations of today's world. I have spent some time writing sermons and Bible studies, making calls, visiting with members, working on my MAP for the Doctor of Ministry, spending time with Penny, sitting on the porch and doing my best to avoid the news of the world.

But this morning, I heard something that really upset me. You might know that John Lewis died. He was a politician who was invovled in the civil rights march of the 60's. He did many things to move civil rights forward. He received a 6 day funeral, which I feel was a over the top. Who needs to have 6 days worth of funerals? A president of the US doesn't even need a 6 day funeral. The only other one who has had such a funeral was a criminal who was killed by a police officer in Minneaoplis, MN. That made me shake my head as well. But that isn't why I am writing today.

Do you know Scipture? Let me quote something for you:

He was wounded for our trangressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his wounds, we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Do you know who this is talking about? I will wait for you to answer. (Sitting quietly while you think it though.)

Well? Who is it talking about? You? Me? Someone else? NO! This is talking about the Savior, the Messiah, the One who suffers and dies upon the cross for the salvation of all mankind. The whole of Isaiah 53 is talking about the suffering Servant, the Messiah. Read through the whole of Isaiah 53. You will see that it brings forth that which Jesus Christ went through for each one of us, for our salvation.

End of story, right?

Wrong. This is what upset me. At John Lewis's funeral yesterday, Rev. Raphael G. Warnock of Ebeneazer Baptist Church said this:

"We celebrate John Lewis. He was wounded for America's transgressions. Bruised for our inequities, and the chastisement of his peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed..."

Do you see what was done? Do you understand what is being done? Who is this Scripture talking about? John Lewis? Or the Savior? And if you put John Lewis into this passage, you make John Lewis into a savior. America was not saved by John Lewis. Isaiah was not writing about John Lewis. And you might say, "The pastor was just being creative to make a point." What point? That John Lewis is the one that we look to? That John Lewis, by the shedding of his blood, saved America from the problems of what it was facing? That John Lewis brought peace to America by the things he went  throught?

I am sorry. No wait, I am not sorry. I am upset that a Christian pastor would give to a sinful, fallen human being that needed Jesus Christ to take his place in order to bring to him salvation, and would give that message to the very man who was saved by Jesus. John Lewis is not and never was the savior of this nation. Isaiah never spoke of John Lewis in this fashion. This is heresy. This is false teaching. This is abusing Scripture and assigning to a mere human that which belongs only to Jesus Christ.

This is sinful. This is breaking the 1st Commandment. John Lewis is not a god. John Lewis is not a savior. Stop it world! Stop this lunacy.

Jesus is the only Savior. Jesus is the One who suffered and died for our sins. Jesus is the One who shed His blood for the salvation of mankind!

Let me ask you, does this upset you as much as it does me? Does it upset you as much as it does out Lord? Isaiah 45:5a I am the Lord and there is no other. And even Revelation 13:5-6 And the best was given a mouh uttering haughty and blasphemous words...It opened its mouth to utter blasphemes agsint God, blamspheming his name and his dwelling...

Welcome to a new world, where we worship man and not God. I pray that as a child of God, you are upset by anyone applying that which is given to Jesus to a fallen human. Lord, have mercy and forgive us.