LABC Update – August 13, 2022 | Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church

Midweek Message

LABC Update – August 13, 2022

Jim Hopkins

August 12, 2022

Family,

As you may be aware California is the first state to establish a body to study the long history of terror and oppression against African-Americans and recommend reparations. This June the California Reparations Task Force (The Reverend Dr. Amos Brown of Third Baptist Church – San Francisco is its Vice-Chair) issued its Interim Report. The full report runs 400+ pages but the 20+ page Executive Summary is linked below.

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/ab3121-interim-report-executive-summary-2022.pdf

I have been thinking about reparations this week because my daily Bible readings have been from Genesis 32-33, the reunion of the estranged brothers, Jacob and Esau.

Here are some of my reflections:

Genesis 32:20b Jacob was thinking, “I will win him over with the gifts, and when I meet him, perhaps he will forgive me.”

These “gifts” can be viewed as reparation from Jacob to Easu for the harm he influcted on his brother, as evidence that his repentance was real and his desire for reconciliation sincere.

Genesis 33:10 Jacob said, “…if I have gained your favor, accept my gift. To see your face is for me like seeing the face of God, now that you have been so friendly to me.”

Gift can also be translated as blessing. It is not a reach to say that Jacob was engaged in reparation to Esau, paying him back for the blessing he had stolen.

Prayers that justice will be done,

Pastor Jim

This morning on LABC Zoom – Reverend Sydney Webster leads A Time For Prayer, 10:00

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