“Rescue Requires Respect”

September 12, 2010

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 Luke 15:1-10 1 Timothy 1:12-17

If you’ve been reading or listening to the news, you have likely heard about Rev. Terry Jones, the pastor
of the Dove Outreach Center near Gainesville, Florida. On Saturday, September 11, Rev. Jones planned
to burn copies of the Koran on what he had declared to be “International Burn-a-Koran Day.” I first heard
about this a few days ago when General Petraeus, the commander of NATO and American troops in
Afghanistan, asked that Rev. Jones not proceed with his plans because of the civil unrest it would cause in
Islamic nations and the risk that would ultimately cause to our troops in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and
other similar countries. On Wednesday, President Obama, while being interviewed on Good Morning
America, remarked that this was a stunt and that Rev. Jones should refrain from proceeding. Today we
know that Rev. Jones and his church decided to “postpone” their book burning event but are retaining the
right to proceed at a later date.

So how do we interpret such things? Clearly, if our constitution permits the burning of flags and Bibles,
then there is no particular legal obstacle to burning copies of the Koran and precisely why neither the
President nor any law enforcement agency attempted to do more than persuade Rev. Jones to change his
mind. Culturally, we must understand that our regard for the Bible is entirely different than how Muslims
regard the Koran. For us, the Bible is a book which contains the words of God communicated to humanity
through its pages. For Islam, a copy of the Koran is not just a book but an embodiment of Allah himself.
For us, burning a Bible would be distasteful, but, in the end, physically it is just a book and just one copy
out of many. For Islam, burning a Koran is equated with burning God; it is the destruction of something
priceless and truly holy. While Glenn Beck wrote in his blog that, in America, burning the Koran is like
burning the flag or burning the Bible, it’s something you can do, but shouldn’t, and while Franklin
Graham said that burning the sacred texts of other religions should never be done, and even understanding
that burning the Koran will undoubtedly put American citizens around the world at increased risk of
violence, there is another, and in my mind, more significant reason for not doing so. Before I explain
further, let us remember what will happen to everyone who does not Know God and does not have a
relationship with Jesus Christ.

In Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, God proclaims the destruction that he will bring upon his own people who
have forgotten him…
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At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the
desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; 12 a wind too strong for that comes from
me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them."
22
"My people are fools; they do not know me.
They are senseless children; they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good."
23
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty;
and at the heavens, and their light was gone.

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24
I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking;
all the hills were swaying.
25
I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.
26
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins
before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27
This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined,
though I will not destroy it completely.
28
Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark,
because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back."

Even God’s own chosen people are not exempt from God’s wrath and so we are confident that just as the
earth itself mourned over Israel’s destruction, on the Day of Judgment there will be great mourning over
those who have not heard God voice and listened to the good news of Jesus Christ. Knowing that, we are
compelled to be the messengers of this good news in order to save as many persons as possible from hell
and an eternity of torment. In Luke 15:1-10, we hear the accusations against Jesus and his response…

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Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the
teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3
Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And
when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and
neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way
there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous
persons who do not need to repent.
8
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and
search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and
says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Jesus is accused of being a man who welcomes tax collectors and sinners and eats with them. This was
clearly not meant as a compliment. “Good” people did not associate with “bad” people. Tax collectors
and prostitutes and other sinners were seen as being cursed by God and “good” people were to stay far
away from them. Jesus, however, preaches an entirely different message. Jesus describes God’s love for
his lost children and the rejoicing that results when even one is saved. While Jesus never excuses the
wrongdoing of sinners, neither does he curse them, or insult them. The example of Jesus is clearly one of
respect, grace and love so that those who were lost would be open to hearing the message of salvation.
Similarly, in 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Paul remembers that although he once lived a life that was near perfect
in the eyes of men, he fell far short of God’s standard…
12
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me
to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown

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mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me
abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of
sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on
him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and
glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul says that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” He
remembers that any good thing that lives in the hearts of men enters in only through the grace of God. No
human being can ever hope to conform to God’s standard of perfection but we rejoice because we have
been shown mercy and grace through the live, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Further he reminds
us that it is “for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might
display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal
life.” Paul says that he was shown mercy so that Christ’s unlimited patience might be displayed so that
others might believe. We cannot escape the conclusion that the same Jesus has the same expectation of
each of us. None of us is perfect and Christ displays his unlimited patience and mercy in our lives every
day so that others might believe and receive eternal life.

From scripture, we know that all who oppose God, even his own people, will face judgment and those
who do not know him and who do not know his son Jesus will face eternal punishment. Because of the
particularly bleak eternal future that faces the unbeliever, Jesus calls upon all of his followers to do what
can be done to attract them so that they can hear the Good News. Jesus modeled this in his own life and
ministry by being a friend to people who were outcasts, foreigners, sinners, and the untouchable. Jesus
never compromised his beliefs but neither did he hurl insults at them or defame their heritage. He invited
them in, loved them, showed mercy to them and then spoke the truth about their relationship with God.
When Paul walked through Athens and found statues of every god imaginable, he did not begin to tear
down these pagan idols and neither did he curse their worshippers. Instead he complimented them on
being very religious and then began to tell them about the one true God. We have no record of Naomi
pressuring her daughter-in-law Ruth to convert, but Ruth begins to worship the God of Israel because of
the love and compassion that has been shown to her.

These are the models that we have been called to follow. We are not called to be agents of retribution and
revenge but agents of respect, love, mercy and grace. As we go out into our communities, we must live
our lives so that our neighbors and friends can see Christ’s patience. We are to show love, demonstrate
mercy and treat others with dignity and respect so that others might hear the good news of Jesus Christ,
believe and gain eternal life.

I understand that inside of every one of us is a hurt child who desperately wants to burn the Koran and
hate Muslims, or at least to be angry at someone, for what happened to us on 9-11, but as Christians we
are called to follow a different path. Staging a “Burn-a-Koran Day” in the parking lot is not going to
make our Muslim neighbors more open to hearing what we have to say. Hate, revenge, retribution, curses,
disparaging remarks, unfair criticism and any other general display of intolerance and unfriendliness will
push away the very people we are trying to attract and close their minds and their ears to ever hearing the
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truth of Jesus’ love for them. As the people who are called to “turn the other cheek,” we must not react to
what has been done to us, but react instead to what Christ has done for us.

Our mission is to rescue the lost but we cannot rescue those who will not listen.

Rescue… requires… respect.

Whether our neighbors are Muslims, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, or Atheists, whether they are
business executives, factory workers, coal miners, unemployed persons or poor and on welfare, our calling
is the same. As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to live lives that demonstrate friendliness, love,
compassion, mercy and grace. We are called to invite people in, not to shut them out. We are called to
open doors and not slam them in someone’s face because we don’t agree.

This week, let not burn a Koran. Instead, let’s find a way to show our neighbors that we love them. Let’s
find a way to show others the mercy and grace that has been shown to us so that they too can hear the
good news of Jesus Christ.

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