Feb 12-18, 2023

Dominique DuBois Gilliard & "Joey" Alan Le, Ph.D.

Sermon Scripture

1 John 3:16-18

3:16 WE OUGHT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR ONE ANOTHER. What could this look like in your everyday discipleship? Is this command solely for Christian love for other Christians, or does this include a love for those who are not followers of Christ?

3:17 HAS THE WORLD’S GOODS…YET REFUSES HELP? What does this say about the use of our resources and privileges?

3:18 LET US LOVE, NOT IN WORD OR SPEECH, BUT IN TRUTH AND ACTION. Which comes easier for you, loving by speech or by action? Why? What would the church’s love for the world look like if it took the form of truth and action?

Phil 2:1-11

2:4 LOOK NOT TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS, BUT TO THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS. How is the Holy Spirit convicting you with this verse?

2:6 DID NOT REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD AS SOMETHING TO BE EXPLOITED. What privilege did Christ have, and how did he refuse to exploit it? What principle are followers of Christ to draw from his example?

Book

Foreword

Thinking deeply about your own family and life, what privileges do you have? How do they stack on one another? By chance, are there any privileges that are invisible to you?

“Give away what you have received. That is why it was given to you” (Gilliard xv). What is your reaction to this idea?

Mark Labberton states that each person participates in a world of disordered power, personal and systemic. It is everywhere and no one is free from being its perpetrator or victim. Frequently, we are both. Those with thick privilege are called to sacrifice what is theirs for the justice and thriving of others (Gilliard xv). What are your thoughts on this?

Introduction

Acts 6:1-7

Contrast the experiences of the widows. How do you see this dynamic of exploited privilege today?

Hebraic Widows

• Were cultural insiders with direct access to the city and church’s dominant culture, customs, and language.

• Had advocates at the table of power, as well as cultural, linguistic, and relational advantages that led to them receiving superior treatment.

Hellenistic Widows

• Were Jews who lived most of their lives in Greek-speaking cities and towns outside of Jerusalem and returned to the city as cultural outsiders.

• Felt as if their outsider status was causing them to be overlooked and marginalized in the church’s distribution of food.

6:7 THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES INCREASED GREATLY. The church’s willingness to confront privilege and address systemic discrimination led to the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem and beyond. The newly constructed Jerusalem Council, led by Hellenists, became a crucial bridge that expanded the kingdom, enabling the gospel to reach the Gentile world (Gilliard xxi).

Genesis 37-47

Possessing privilege does not always mean that a person has an easy life. Joseph endured abuse and was sold into slavery by his brothers (37:28) and was falsely imprisoned (39:20). And yet, God was with Joseph and established him as second-in-command to Pharaoh (41:43). This position was an extreme privilege.

Later, Joseph found himself in a position to either help or hurt his brothers who had sold him into slavery. If his heart had not been in the right place, he would have abused his power and privilege to exact revenge against his brothers. However, Joseph chose to offer love, grace, and forgiveness (Gen 45).

What does Joseph’s story teach you about God-given privilege and its power?