Sermon Tone Analysis

Seeing Christ in one-another

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On May 26th of this year on a dirt road leading to a Monastery in Egypt, 130 miles south of Cairo a group of terrorists hijacked a bus leading to the monastery and killed more than half of the people inside.

This was part of a continued rise in sectarian violence in Egypt.

Immediately the outpouring of anger, frustration, and hate poured over from many throughout Egypt and the world since many of these victims were also children.

On May 26th of this year on a dirt road leading to a Monastery in Egypt, 130 miles south of Cairo a group of terrorists hijacked a bus leading to the monastery and killed more than half of the people inside.

This was part of a continued rise in sectarian violence in Egypt.

Immediately the outpouring of anger, frustration, and hate poured over from many throughout Egypt and the world since many of these victims were also children.

Those killed were Coptic Christians which is an ancient group of Christians who reside mostly in Egypt.

They have a long history of violence coming against them.

Their understanding of what propels them forward has always been the faith and blood of their martyrs, as they say.

Those killed were Coptic Christians which is an ancient group of Christians who reside mostly in Egypt.

They have a long history of violence coming against them.

Their understanding of what propels them forward has always been the faith and blood of their martyrs, as they say.

And so over the years we have grown used to hearing these kinds of stories.

Usually what follows are scenes where loved ones are carrying coffins in the streets on their way to the burial site.

This then is usually followed by people speaking into cameras expressing their rage and frustration.

Crying tears of vengeance and bewilderment.

I get it.

And so over the years we have grown used to hearing these kinds of stories.

Usually what follows are scenes where loved ones are carrying coffins in the streets on their way to the burial site.

This then is usually followed by people speaking into cameras expressing their rage and frustration.

Crying tears of vengeance and bewilderment.

I get it.

However, with this latest attack in Egypt we come across something we rarely hear if ever.

It came from one of the leaders of the Coptic church in Egypt.

I am going to read what he has to say and I want you to keep in mind who he is talking about.

He is talking about young men who took the lives of 28 people, many of them children.

Here is his message to them:

However, with this latest attack in Egypt we come across something we rarely hear if ever.

It came from one of the leaders of the Coptic church in Egypt.

I am going to read what he has to say and I want you to keep in mind who he is talking about.

He is talking about young men who took the lives of 28 people, many of them children.

Here is his message to them:

Quote: “You are loved.

The violent and deadly crimes you perpetrate are abhorrent and detestable, but YOU are loved.

You are loved by God, your Creator, for He created you in His Image and according to His Likeness, and placed you on this earth for much greater things, according to His plan for all humankind.

You are loved by me and millions like me, not because of what you do, but what you are capable of as that wonderful creation of God, who has created us with a shared humanity.

You are loved by me and millions like me because I, and we, believe in transformation.”

Quote: “You are loved.

The violent and deadly crimes you perpetrate are abhorrent and detestable, but YOU are loved.

You are loved by God, your Creator, for He created you in His Image and according to His Likeness, and placed you on this earth for much greater things, according to His plan for all humankind.

You are loved by me and millions like me, not because of what you do, but what you are capable of as that wonderful creation of God, who has created us with a shared humanity.

You are loved by me and millions like me because I, and we, believe in transformation.”

“Christians believe in transformation”, he said, adding that even those who had persecuted Christ “went on to live with grace.

We believe in transformation because, on a daily basis, we are personally transformed from a life of human weakness and sinfulness to a life of power and righteousness,” he added.

“We believe in transformation because the whole message of the Cross and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is to take humanity from the bonds of sin and death to a liberation in goodness and everlasting life.”

“Christians believe in transformation”, he said, adding that even those who had persecuted Christ “went on to live with grace.

We believe in transformation because, on a daily basis, we are personally transformed from a life of human weakness and sinfulness to a life of power and righteousness,” he added.

“We believe in transformation because the whole message of the Cross and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is to take humanity from the bonds of sin and death to a liberation in goodness and everlasting life.”

He admitted this is far from the reaction people may expect, but said it was the “Christian message”.

Bishop Angaelos said he grieves for young men who see it as “not only justifiable, but glorious, to take the lives of other young men and women”.

“No family should lose a son in this way, even if they are partially or wholly responsible for this flawed ideology,” the bishop added.

Bishop Angaelos said these attacks come due to a loss of understanding of the sanctity of life.

He admitted this is far from the reaction people may expect, but said it was the “Christian message”.

Bishop Angaelos said he grieves for young men who see it as “not only justifiable, but glorious, to take the lives of other young men and women”.

“No family should lose a son in this way, even if they are partially or wholly responsible for this flawed ideology,” the bishop added.

Bishop Angaelos said these attacks come due to a loss of understanding of the sanctity of life.

The bishop concluded: “What is important is not that this message be read but that it be communicated; not that it be accepted but that it be understood as another perspective [lived out]; and not that it should be fully embraced, but that it may create at least a shadow of a doubt in the minds of those intent on inflicting harm and pain.”

The bishop concluded: “What is important is not that this message be read but that it be communicated; not that it be accepted but that it be understood as another perspective; and not that it should be fully embraced, but that it may create at least a shadow of a doubt in the minds of those intent on inflicting harm and pain.”

Wow, but where does the ability to be this Christ like begin?

How could we ever get to the point where we see Christ in others?

It begins right here.

It begins with one another.

IN order to do the unthinkable of forgiving the unforgivable, seeing Christ in the most evil of people, it must begin first within our own heart but then in the community.

You see the hope of this humble and Christ like man is that this message will not so much be read to the attackers but rather demonstrated before them.

That radical love and forgiveness would be what wins over the hearts of those set on inflicting harm.

This is of course in opposition to the alternative which is with bullets and bombs.

In a day and age when retaliation, fear, and vengeance permeates much of our politics, society, and even personal relationships, the words of Bishop Angaelos comes rushing in like a river of fresh water to a thirsty society and church.

The ideals of not only forgiveness.

Not only loving your enemies.

But an ideal even more difficult than those two.

ILLUS from irritation for our own selves…

Forgiving is by no means easy, but its doable.

Loving your enemies is also not easy but this too can be done.

It is what this Bishop does which is inconceivable to many of us: Seeing Christ in the other person.

Seeing Christ in the person who has harmed us.

Seeing the image of God in the person who is grating at our patience.

Seeing the beauty of Jesus in the person who has so harmed us, so wronged us.

It is this ideal which is often the hardest and impossible among us Christians.

The height of Christian hypocrisy is demonstrating bitterness, un-forgiveness, and hate to others.

It is completely antithetical to our nature.

It shouldn’t be in our DNA.

If it is then we must take a look in the mirror because everything we show towards others must run through the filter of what has been shown to us in Christ.

We have done nothing to earn or receive it but in Christ we have mercy, forgiveness, gentleness, kindness, grace, love, and a continued disposition from Jesus where he sees the image of God in us.

To not show all of this toward others denies the very pillars of the faith which we say we believe in.

I am sure many of us can think of situations, people, and circumstances where we have bitterness.

We have hate.

We have frustration.

Guess what, its Ok!

You are human!

But we must never settle for this.

What we must strive for, work towards, is to be so full of the love and power of Christ that we are able to demonstrate the skill of seeing Christ in others.

But where does this skill come from?

How do we grow in this?

It begins right here.

It begins with one another.

In order to do the unthinkable of forgiving the unforgivable, seeing Christ in the most evil of people, it must begin first within our own heart but then in the community.

As we revisit these words from Peter let us possess one trait more than any other this morning: HUMILITY.