Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 7:1-11; John 1:3; Acts 10:28, 34, 35; 11:25-30.

Recently there were two "funerals" of national significance in which former and potential presidents of the United States of America took part.

A Mormon disciple who is a potential candidate for president in 2009 stopped campaigning long enough to attend the funeral of Gordon Hinckley in Utah. Hinckley, president of the Mormon Church for 13 years, was buried in Salt Lake City on Saturday. ¹

Two former United States presidents and a former vice president were in Georgia last week to participate in a different sort of funeral. Organizers of a three-day “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant” called for a burial of those things that have created tensions for decades among churches within the Baptist expression of faith. Representatives of 30 different Baptist groups attended this Celebration in Atlanta last week.

Key note speakers included former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Gore challenged his fellow Christians to play a greater role in protecting God’s green earth and asked them to heed warnings about coming disasters.

Clinton quoted 1 Corinthians 13:12 pointing out that no one but God can have all knowledge. He pointed out that immediately following that chapter and verse is the section stating that love is the greatest virtue. He told the audience that the reason that they all needed to love one another is because “all of us might be wrong”.

Former President Carter was one of the meetings organizers calling for unity. The multiethnic, multiracial groups in attendance were asked for a “permanent commitment” to put aside their differences over theology and social issues that have divided Baptists into churches of different colors, cultures and social classes.  Carter called Baptists to follow the example of Jesus. ²

In our lesson this week we study Jesus’ example. Throughout the year’s of ministry Jesus never shunned or looked down upon someone due to the color of their skin or the location of their birth. Jesus realized the conflict between the Jews and the Gentiles originated when one’s own group became the center of everything that was and all other groups were rated in reference to it. A role model to disciples then and now, Jesus’ gospel was for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, culture and, gender. Samaritans, Gentiles, Canaanites, Ethiopians, to name a few, were touched by this message in profound ways.

The Adventist denomination is a global community. It is one of the few world-wide denominations. At the beginning of 2006, a statistical report on Adventists shows that the denomination has a presence in 202 countries and areas of the world. ³

Once we become disciples of Jesus we can no longer prejudge others based upon our own preferences. The gospel of Jesus Christ is able to bring about unity where there has been schism, harmony where there has been dissonance, and understanding where there has been prejudice.

If God is our Father we are all brothers and sisters.   ~ck

1.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327905,00.html

2.  Information taken from various news sources.

3.  http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/Stats/SDAWorldChurchStats%2005.PDF

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