Rocky Mountain News: Local - Swastikas on sign at Lovingway church

A few weeks ago, the pastor at the church in the article above put this on the church sign: "The Jews killed Jesus". Today, he's resigned, and the community has to deal with the fallout. This situation started with the charges of anti-semitism levelled at Mel Gibson and THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. All I could add would be that if you want to see it, it's there. But I couldn't overlook the scene where Christ tells Pilate that He lays Hisown life down, that no one could take it from Him but that He gives it freely. If there's any statement to be made it's this: "God killed Jesus". It was because we as humans are doomed and unholy as we act on our own, and it was because God is forgiving and merciful and yearns to forgive (Romans 3:23-26). So God gave His only Begotten to clear the way, to be the Way, for us.

We are so quick to judge another person's heart and motives, and we know so little about anything that really matters. As I read the article, I felt bad and wanted to help, both at the defaced synagogue and at the church, to get the graffiti removed and help bring some reconciliation and restoration. If I were a member of the church, would we leave our mess and go help at the synagogue?

That's not a call for pluralism. It's an idea that we can help others, and in serving we model Christ, and in modelling Christ we preach Him, and in doing all that people might actually listen to what we have to say. Someone must speak - but our actions usually shout down any hope of moving folks with our sermons and church signs.
- posted by Rick @ 07:19