“The Christian’s Privilege: Love and Service”
By Jesse Brown
9-2-18 Labor of Love service at First Friends Meeting
Notes, scripture and queries from the service
Philippians 2:1-11
Imitating Christ’s Humility
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
In the fall of 1999, I discovered that I lived a privileged life.
From that point forward, I felt compelled to explore and discuss race and privilege as often as I experienced it.
Zacchaeus had privilege.
· The importance of Jericho and its situation would make it an important center for the collection of the Roman tribute. At the head of the publicans engaged in this business was Zacchæus. He seems to have had supervision of the district.
· He was rich. A very suspicious fact in a member of a class noted for their extortion.
· His privileges were approved by his context. He was permitted to accumulate wealth by taking advantage of his brothers and sisters.
Jesus went to his house- seek and save the lost.
Zacchaeus welcomed him gladly-
· He did not expect such an honor as the Great Teacher would stop with one of a class so despised by the Jews as his own.
· A shared meal meant equality, intimacy.
The crowds murmured that Jesus would go to Zacc’s house
· How often these complaints of Jesus stooping down at the company of sinners are recorded! Now, however, the crowd expected that at Jerusalem his kingdom would be proclaimed, but here he is the guest of the chief agent of the oppressive Roman tribute! Had Christ sought popularity he would never have gone with Zacchæus.
Zacchaeus stood, and said.
The record is silent as what had wrought so great a change. No doubt the Lord had preached to him.
Half of my goods, I give to the poor. What greater proof of a change of heart! His heart had been on riches; now at once he consecrates one-half to the relief of suffering.
If I have cheated anyone. He no doubt had, if half that is stated of the publicans was true.
I will pay back four times the amount. Not only what he has taken, but four times as much. No repentance that does not lead to restitution is genuine. "If what thou hast taken wrongfully cannot be restored to those who were wronged, give it to God; the poor are God's receivers."
What is privilege?
Credibility with strangers.
Privilege is the freedom to contextualize yourself for maximum benefit.
We all have privileges.
The organizations that we are a part of have contextual privileges or ways of being.
Like seams on a piece of pottery.
Characteristics of whiteness:
· Colorblindness- framing racial realities in anything but race
· Epistemologies of ignorance- willful aversion to the human suffering caused by systemic racism.
· Ontological expansiveness- tendency to view all spaces as available to white people as they wish.
· Property- property rights protected and enshrined by law. The holders of whiteness have the same benefits as other types of property.
· Assumed racial comfort- prioritizing white comfort over the discomfort of minoritized people.
· Fragility- quick defensiveness in racial conversations, a minimal amount of racial stress quickens defensiveness.
· Privilege- special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks that increase and maintain access
Jesus gave up his privilege in becoming human.
We are to imitate Jesus’ emptying himself.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Organizations have privileges.
White people committed to racial justice must figure out ways to become race- and power-conscious race traitors… what we know about Zacchaeus is that when he encountered Jesus he did so as someone who had been utterly complicit with the powers that be. Just like many people in positions of authority, he was seduced by the allegiance with power structures. He massively enriched his life through dealing with power structures. When Jesus approached him, Zacchaeus did not remain determined to his oppressive location. Zacchaeus chose a radical conversion. Evidence of his conversion was not merely verbal declaration of Jesus’ belief or social vision. Evidence of Zacchaeus’ conversion came when he determined to return half of his wealth and repay people that he defrauded.
How can you use your privilege on behalf of someone else?
1. Become critically conscious of your privilege. Critical consciousness requires reflection and action.
a. Beverly Tatum’s moving walkway.
2. Use your voice for the marginalized.
3. Use your power for the marginalized.
a. How many times have I encouraged women who were in harassing or assaulted situations.
4. Give up your seat.
5. Give up your privilege.
1. How can you use your privilege on behalf of someone else?
2. Where do you see collective privilege at work?