Sound An Alarm Commentary

The Obama Speech - the word that I did not hear

I listened intently to Barak Obama's speech. I have always considered myself fair in regards to race relations. I did not know this man before he started to run for President and have heard parts of a few speeches by him and then the tapes of his pastor came into focus this past week.

I listened to this speech and I listened mainly for one word, the word forgiveness.

Having spent the last week hearing clips from Pastor Wright's past sermons, I came to the obvious conclusion that this pastor, who claims he is a follower of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, does not know Him at all and has completely rejected the message of the Gospel.

That message is FORGIVENESS. That message resounds from the central verse, John 3:16. That message was carried by Jesus throughtout His travels in and around Jerusalem and was on His lips as He was unjustly put to death for injustices that He did not commit. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do".

The black man has to come to the reality that it is up to him and him alone to say to God and the white people of this country, "Father, forgive them for they knew not what they did". Everyday they see an injustice to them that they perceive as race related, they must say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." This is forgiveness in operation.

This is the heart of the Gospel. We must come to the conclusion that we are all sinners and that we need forgiveness. The Bible is perfectly clear on this. Our Lord was and is perfectly clear on this. He said, "If you do not forgive those who trespass against you, your Father in Heaven will not forgive your trespasses." You will never be able to enter heaven!

This is the heart of the problem of the black community in the United States. This was absent in the long and elloquent speech of Barak Obama. He spoke of the black community still experiencing "anger and bitterness". I tell you the truth, according to the Person that Barak Obama says he follows, Jesus Christ; if the black community does not come together and forgive white America for slavery and the injustice that they have experienced, they will never move forward in healing and acceptance of their ligitimate equal place in this country. They will never get past the race issue and will always carry it in their bosum and the bitterness and anger that it sews. Bitterness and anger are toxic waste. They will destroy you and send you to hell.

Barak Obama talks about health care. It is a central issue with him. God is very interested in health care. It is a central issue with Him. The healing that is needed first will not come from a human doctor. The health care that is so desparately needed by the black community in these United States must come from the acknowledgment that the injustices done to them and continue today are in great messure from their own rejection of the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are disobedient to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and until they acknowledge this and admit their sin of unforgiveness they will never receive forgiveness from God and the healing that they need.

Let's talk about "The Audacity of Hope", a book that Barak Obama wrote. I have not read it but he says that the title was taken from a sermon that his pastor, the Reverend Wright, gave. Let's look at the definition of audacity:
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
au·dac·i·ty /ɔˈdæsɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[aw-das-i-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties.
1.
boldness or daring, esp. with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.
2.
effrontery or insolence; shameless boldness: His questioner's audacity shocked the lecturer.
3.
Usually, audacities. audacious acts or statements.
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME audacite < style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=-ity" minmax_bound="true">-ity]
—Synonyms 1. nerve, spunk, grit, temerity, foolhardiness. 2. impudence, impertinence, brashness.
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That Barak Obama chose this particular word to be used in the title of his book tells me volumns of his inner character. This word is not a word of Christian character. It is a word that embraces the rebellious nature of ourselves. It is a word that denotes a lack of submission, respect for authority and the absense of humility. Let this be duly noted!

This, of course, is not directed in any way towards my fellow black Christians who have recognized their own personal sins and received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are walking in Truth and Forgiveness. God does not look at us in regard to our color. Neither should we.

We are all sinners, red and yellow, black and white and we all need to forgive everyone who has sinned against us, past and present. This is the road to healing. This is the road to recovery. Obedience to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.