Especially at this time of year when we draw close to celebrating the birth of the Christ child, I always mourn one fact. I mourn how segregated churches are. Yes, when you think about the people sitting in the pews, it is such a monolithic group. The people gathered together have a surprisingly similar backgrounds.
I am sure you know what I mean. Yes, I have a church full of Gentiles. Not a Jew among them. And in some ways, I always feel we are robbed of some richness because of it.
The segregation allows us Gentiles to forget how blessed we are to be included among those kneeling at the manger of the King of the Jews. We can think it is quite normal that we are here. We forget the breadth of the love of God that allows us a place in his Kingdom.
The segregation also points out how rare it is to find those with Jewish blood gathered to their King. That is is exceedingly sad. After all as Paul said, “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever.†How sad that any Jew would not know the Messiah.
It seems that since the very beginning of the New Testament church, this has been an issue. I wonder what richness would flow from a truly integrated church, Jew and Gentile side by side. Would not the uniquely Jewish parts of the Christmas story take on depth and the Wise men’s arrival be an epiphany in more than name only.
This story is one richly bound up in God’s choosing of one people always intended to bless all people. I mourn the segregated church.
