The Church’s most important defining moment in generations is upon us

A few months ago, the highly respected Pew Research Center found that 45% of white evangelical adults had made a decision to not be vaccinated.1

45% !

That number amounts to 14 million people refusing the vaccine, or a whopping 14% of the U.S. population… 14% of the US Population, all white Christian evangelicals, saying no to the vaccine.

That 45% does not include those still on the fence. That 45% is made of those who have firmly decided against it.

With those incredible numbers, if this group of white evangelical Christians alone chose to receive the vaccine, it would have a staggering impact on the ability of the disease to spread, infect, and harm others.

Just white Christian evangelicals alone could single-handedly would put the nation within reach of herd immunity.

I believe that we can all agree that it would be better if all followers of Jesus were united—of one heart, one mind, and of one opinion—on the matter of how to respond to COVID. But we’re not, and now we find ourselves, more than a year-and-a-half in, obviously and deeply divided on how to respond to the crisis of the pandemic.

I believe that God wants us to be together on this, if we can.

The Apostle Paul said to the church in Philippi:

“Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” — Philippians 2:2

I still have faith that we can all eventually come together on this… but it’s going to take work.

But also, I understand. I really do.

There are hesitancies.

We have concerns, and our concerns have been informed from many divergent people and places.

Our decision has been impacted by our politics, and it’s tough to part ways with our politics and think for ourselves. Our decision has been influences by our fears, and we do have fears. There are conspiracy theories that can be tough navigate in a time of deep distrust of our leaders. And there has been a lot of seemingly conflicting medical advice.

Some of us have personal or family medical issues to navigate, some of which could make getting the vaccine riskier for us than for the Average Joe.

And if there weren’t enough, there is still just the plain-and-simple unknowns that come in a worldwide pandemic. It can be easy to stall out and not be able to clearly see the right thing to do for us.

“What is the right thing to do, for me!?” we ask. It is a question we struggle to answer.

What may be right for you might not be right for me, right?!

I mean, isn’t freedom the foundation of our nation as well as our faith?

The right to choose is inbred within us.

So, many have used this freedom by choosing to avoid receiving the vaccine. The cons outweigh the pros in those minds. And one person’s choice won’t matter that much right?

I’ve been addressing many of these concerns online over the last year-and-a-half. It’s not been easy. I’ve been unfriended, blocked, and even cussed. Just over the last few days, I’ve been called “arrogant”, “ignorant,” “following the ways of the world,” a “woke pastor”, that I’m “leading people down a highway hell.”

And let’s be honest, I’ve probably been all of those things in one moment or another. I’m not perfect. I’m just a guy who knows a lot about God who is trying to help others get to know him better as well.

I didn’t really deserve to be called all of those things people have said about me… but we’ve entered a day and age where we interpret any division or alternate opinion as being divisive and a mortal wound to our self.

And some people just generally dislike debate. (I see you my Enneagram 9’s.)

And I understand, it can be uncomfortable at times to disagree… and it is ESPECIALLY uncomfortable if you find yourself in disagreement with your pastor, or an authority figure in your faith tradition.

I haven’t always been a pastor, you know. And I remember that unease when I realized I didn’t quite see eye to eye with my pastor.

You know what I did when that happened? 
I took it to the Bible.
I took it to prayer.
And I took time to simmer and reflect.

It shouldn’t be THAT uncomfortable to find that you and your minister don’t quite see eye to eye. Pastors are SUPPOSED to disagree with you, challenge you, and push you out of your comfort zone on occasion.

It has been the job of the clergy to debate the moral, ethical, and God-centered positions on theological and cultural issues since, well, since forever. Even in the Bible it was the job of the clergy—Rabbis, prophets, and others—to debate and point people to the Scriptures, to God, and away from ideas filled with errors that had taken root in societies and souls.

But again, I get it.

We don’t like to be confronted, especially by clergy.

We have strong feelings about masks and vaxxes, and that seems to come out in our online conversations. But as Americans, we have even stronger feelings about “personal freedom” and not being told what to do or how to think.

The individualism runs deep here. Very Deep.

And perhaps, that’s the root of our issue.

Fierce American Individualism is our greatest strength …and perhaps our original sin as a nation.

Why is individualism potentially a sin?

Well, it puts self-first.

Individualism thinks of self first, and Jesus had a lot to say about that.

Perhaps the strongest statement on the matter came in the form of the second commandment. First, love God.

But then, Jesus said:

“the second is just as important: Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Matthew 22:39

We all think that we understand that statement from Jesus, but I’m not so sure that we really do.

I’m not so sure that I fully do, honestly… but I am trying, desperately, to understand it, and live it out. Because it was REALLY important to Jesus, and many in Jesus’ day thought they were living it out too, but weren’t… like the guy that asked Jesus the question in the first place.

Jesus gave that statement to an expert in the religious law (or, a lawyer) who wanted to know how to get in good with God.

But when Jesus said: ‘Yeah, that’s simple, love your neighbor as much as you love yourself’ … the guy wanted clarification.

Of course he did! LOL. He was a lawyer. And besides, he didn’t want to love anyone that he didn’t have to love. He had a list of people that was categorized: People I love, people I mostly like, and people I could pretty much do without.

And you shouldn’t be too hard on him, you have that list too I imagine.

We all do.

So, “Who’s my neighbor?” He asked.

And in response, Jesus tells a story. And I love when Jesus tells a story in response to a question, because we pretty much know that the questioner is fishing for a specific answer that Jesus was going to just outright avoid giving.

So, the story:

“A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” — Luke 19:30-37

“Go and do the same,” Jesus says.

Go. And. Do.

You should recognize this story, but do you recognize that the Samaritan didn’t HAVE to act. He didn’t HAVE to help. He had the freedom to not do so. In fact, it was safer for him to follow the other religious people and ignore the man.

But he risks himself, sets aside his valid concerns, and shows “compassion” is the word Jesus uses here.

Compassion. And, Mercy.

Go and do the same.

You can’t be a neighbor without DOING something.

I’m not sure if you realize it, but this is a healthcare story, found only in Luke, who himself was a Physician. So it’s no surprise that Doctor Luke includes this healthcare story in his book about Jesus, who is the Great Physician.

Healing others is important to Jesus. So important, in fact, that it brought Luke to Jesus.

Essentially, Luke desired that followers of Jesus would become healers themselves.

That the healed would take responsibility for healing others.

Love your Neighbor.

But Luke also tells us that the lawyer didn’t really want to do that. Luke tells us that he asked:

“Who’s my neighbor?” because “The man wanted to justify his actions.” — LUKE 10:29

He had decided that certain people weren’t worth his going the extra mile… weren’t worth putting himself out… weren’t worth risking himself.

This lawyer was a religious leader… and in Jesus’ story, not one, but multiple religious leaders avoid caring for someone with a medical need.

What happens if the healers refuse to help?

Jesus is essentially saying that it is absolutely unfathomable that someone who follows the way of God would resist doing everything within their power to help others, to protect others…. even at their own personal risk or peril.

And that is a clutch difference in the Way of Jesus and all other faith ways.

Jesus says: “You, yes YOU. You put yourself in harm’s way to help and protect others.”

As a Christian, your body is no longer your own.

By choosing to show compassion—by stopping, by helping—the Good Samaritan was putting himself in great danger. This was a very dangerous stretch of road, called the Adumim, (“The Way of Blood”), and clearly there were bandits about who were not above doing great harm to others.

And the religious people who passed by, it could be said, inflicted their own harm on the man by NOT caring for the neighbor in need.

So, he was harmed by the bandits AND the religious people of the community.

This is a failure of the way of Jesus.

As Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Philippi:

“Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.” — Philippians 2:4

This idea is radical.

This idea is revolutionary.

This idea is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive.

This idea is the core tenet of Christianity …and it flies in the face of fierce American Individualism.

It could be said, in fact, that Jesus call definitively anti-American.

And here, that is a GOOD thing.

Jesus forces us to push down our own needs in order to put the needs of other’s first and foremost.

And let me be clear.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 45% of white evangelical Christians are not doing that. But I have hope that a better understanding of the way of Jesus will radically change that number.

There are risks, concerns, fears, and unknowns.

You have them. I have them.

But how do we hold on to those individual concerns in one hand and then ignore the clarion call of Jesus who clearly said things like:

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” — Matthew 16:25

or

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

And Jesus’ call to this kind of selfless behavior on behalf of “the other” wasn’t new, it was simply a continuation of God’s longstanding plan for the radical care of others, the revolutionary idea of putting others first.

It’s not natural to do that, of course, which is why we have to keep being reminded of it.

Like this Old Testament remember from Ezekiel the prophet on behalf of God:

“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! …You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured.” — Ezekiel 34:2,4

The Way of Jesus is the way that pursues every possible means of protecting others in times like this.

On the basis of the sweep of scripture, I can confidently say that God expects those who are able to mask up, vaxx up, and take care of those who become sick.

You say,
“But Pastor Kevin,
I still have some objections.
I still have some concerns.
I am still unsure of the risks.”

I understand. And that is okay… for a time and to an extent.

But no longer.

The real question is: Are you unsure about the risks to yourself… or are unsure about the risks to others?

Because the risks to yourself are now clear—based on overwhelming scientific data.

The risks to others is also very clear.

People are dying y’all.

LOTS of people are dying.

And like that man lying on the side of the road, many religious people are simply passing by, shrugging and saying “not my problem.”

And it’s not okay.

Jesus said: “Nope, it’s your problem… What are you going to do about it.”

You can’t be pro-life unless you are, well, pro-life for all lives. Here, truly, all lives matter.

Those small objections, concerns, question, and unknowns that we have likely do not outweigh Christ’s call to sacrifice for others.

Our cons list does not outweigh the unmistakable overarching command of Jesus.

Love your neighbor.

Love your neighbor, more than yourself.

Love your neighbor, more than the rest of the world.

Love your neighbor, more than your worry or fear.

Love your neighbor, with a radically self-sacrificing love.

Love your neighbor, just just in word… but in how you live.

Love your neighbor, by wearing a mask if you are able.

Love your neighbor, by getting the vaccine if you are able.

Love your neighbor, by not allowing politics, false data, or fears to control you.

Whether or not you get the vaccine: It’s time for us to do the right thing, Christians, and be the Good Samaritans that world so desperately needs. The world needs to see this type of Christian response.

It’s time for us to show the radical love of Christ to the world by putting our communities first. That may mean we have to swallow some concerns or fears… it may also mean that we have to eat our own words.

Love.

Your.

Neighbor.

Love your neighbor.

P.S. As something of an expert on data and research: I need to implore you to avoid listening to anyone or anything about the efficacy of masks or vaccines, UNLESS it is backed up from a published peer-reviewed medical journal.2

There are a lot of lies out there on the internet, Facebook Youtube, and your friend-circles posing as truth. Hard to believe, I know:

• “The vaccine interacts with and altars your DNA.” False.

• “The vaccine contains aborted fetus cells.” False.

• “The vaccine is untested, unapproved, and unsafe.” False, false, and false.

• “The pandemic is God’s will and he will decide if people live or die.” False, and bad theology.

So, how do I know these things are false. Because of peer-reviewed medical journals. Peer-reviewed medical journals are like the Bible, for science.

Thanks be to God.