We believe the words and actions of both Jesus and the First
Church amount to a complete rejection of homophobia and
transphobia, as well as a complete acceptance of sexual
and gender minorities. Today we continue with Part 3 of
this four part series from a sermon by Pastor Zach W Lambert
at Restore Austin. In this episode, Pastor Lambert
preaches on three sacred biblical scriptures which are
pro sexual minority, pro LGBTQIA, plus pro gay, pro
homosexual, pro lesbian, and pro queer.
His words brought tears to my eyes.
Here is Pastor Lambert. In Matthew 19, Jesus is asked a
question about divorce. Now some claim divorce was
permissible by the husband for any reason, and some said it was
only legal in certain situations.
Now remember, it's framed this way because wives could not
legally divorce their husbands in this culture.
Women couldn't really legally do anything in this culture.
And so these questions are being asked of Jesus and Jesus says
this. I tell you that anyone who
divorces his wife except for sexual immorality and marries
another woman commits adultery. And the disciples said to him,
if this is the situation between a husband and wife, it's better
not to marry. This response and the disciples
is so chauvinist, right? They're basically like, if I
can't divorce my wife anytime for any reason, I'm just not
even going to get married. It's not even worth it.
Followers of Jesus man. But as he often did, Jesus uses
their response to make a bigger point.
Verse 11 is how he responds. But Jesus said to them, not
everyone can receive this saying, but only to those who it
has been given for. There are eunuchs who were born
that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made that way by
others, and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for
the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Let the one who is able to receive this, receive it.
Now Jesus mentions 3 different kinds of people who his
statement about divorce does not apply to, and he uses the word
eunuch each time. So what is a eunuch?
Well, in the Bible, eunuch is an umbrella term used to describe
someone in the sexual and gender minority.
So sometimes eunuch refers to people who have been castrated
either voluntarily or against their will.
This happened for a variety of reasons.
So sometimes people were castrated actually because of a
job. People believed in the ancient
world that Unix had no sex drive.
Castrated people had no sex drive, and so they were more
trustworthy. And so they would be castrated
before going to work in like finance or in like a House of
royalty or something like that. Sometimes it was done as
punishment because a young boy did not exhibit enough masculine
characteristics by a certain age and so he would be castrated.
And then sometimes it was done voluntarily.
Somebody chose to do it to themselves or have it done
because there was a disconnect they felt between their
sexuality and gender, a condition we now call gender
dysphoria. Well, other times in Scripture,
eunuch refers more broadly to intersex people.
And then still other times eunuch refers to people who
choose to remain celibate for a variety of reasons.
But here's what I want us to really understand about this
passage. OK?
Jesus is acknowledging people outside of the more common
cisgender heterosexual constructs, and he's not doing
it in a condemning way. He's just saying Unix exist.
This is reality. Or to put it another way, Jesus
is recognizing sexual and gender minorities.
So listen, if you're listening to this and you're a sexual and
gender minority, a member of the LGBTQ plus community, this is
such beautiful proof that Jesus sees you, that Jesus talked
about you, and that he radically includes you in his family.
Because you see those listening to Jesus in this statement, they
would have been reminded of an Old Testament prophecy about
eunuchs. Sexual and gender minorities,
you see, were one of the most vulnerable populations in the
ancient world. And because of that, Scripture
says they cried out to God for help.
And here is how God responds through the prophet Isaiah in
the Old Testament. For this is what the Lord says
to the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what
pleases me and hold fast to my covenant.
To them I will give within my house and it's walls a memorial
and a name better than sons and daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.
Now notice it doesn't say that God is going to fix these units.
He's going to change these units.
He simply says if they follow him, they will be welcomed into
his home and into his eternal family.
So listen, if you're someone who is experiencing gender dysphoria
or who identifies as non binary, I want you to really listen to
that promise. God says even when you don't
feel like you fit neatly into the category of sons and
daughters, He promises to give you a name better than sons and
daughters. That is unbelievable, that is
beautiful, and the promise keeps going.
These I will bring into my holy mountain and give them joy in My
House of prayer. Their burnt offerings and
sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be
called the House of Prayer for All Nations.
I love that it ends by saying that my house will be called a
House of prayer for all nations. Everyone is welcome.
Did you know that's the exact same phrase that Jesus yells out
as he flips over the tables of oppression and marginalization
the temple courts just days before he's killed on the cross?
My house will be a House of prayer for all nations.
That's why he yells out because there is room for anyone in
God's house, because there is a seat for everyone at God's
table, and because God's family is all inclusive.
Now for the first church, this radical inclusion of a sexual
and gender minority wasn't just theoretical, it was actually
something that they explicitly practiced.
So look with me at Acts chapter 8 starting in verse 26 says now
an Angel of the Lord said to Philip, go South to the road,
the desert Rd. that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.
So he started out and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an
important official in charge of all of the treasury of the
conduct, which means queen of Ethiopians.
This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home
was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the
prophet. Now Philip, he's one of the main
leaders in the 1st century church.
He's told by an Angel of the Lord to go meet this person who
becomes known as the Ethiopian unit.
Now like I said a moment ago, there were lots of reasons that
someone became known as a eunuch, but what's most
important to understand is that they were in this sexual and
gender minority. And because of that, he would
not have been allowed to even enter the temple in Jerusalem,
much less worship there. Jewish law strictly forbidden.
So think about this y'all, The Ethiopian eunuch travels about
1500 miles from Ethiopia to worship God in the temple in
Jerusalem, only to be turned away, only to be told no one
wants you here, only to be called unclean and defiled in an
abomination because of his sexual and gender minority
status. Put yourself in his shoes for a
moment. Think about how he must have
felt. He travels for weeks in pursuit
of this God he's been reading about, and when he arrives, the
people representing this God completely shun him.
Now, for many of you in the LGBTQ plus community, you don't
have to imagine that you've experienced it first hand.
But even after all that, this man is still reading the Bible
on his way home. Isn't that incredible?
He's still pursuing God even though he's been told you can
never be included. So God obviously knows what has
happened to the Ethiopian eunuch and that's why he sends Philip
to meet him. Verse 29, the Spirit of God told
Philip, go to that chariot and stay near it.
Then Philip ran up to the chariot.
He heard the man reading Isaiah. The prophet Philip said, do you
understand what you're reading? And the Ethiopian eunuch said,
how can I unless someone explains it to me?
This question from the Ethiopian Eunuch is one of the most
powerful sentences in my opinion, in all of scripture,
and it is a searing indictment on how the church has so often
treated LGBTQ plus people. How can I understand it?
He asked. I've travelled 1500 miles, I've
tried to worship in your temple. I've met everyone that I can.
I've asked them what it means, but no one will explain it to
me. Yo, I've lost count of the
number of LGBTQ plus folks who have asked me if they are
allowed to be a part of the family of God even though
they're queer. And after I say of course, yes,
yes, of course you are. I always ask, have you ever
asked any other Christians or pastors that question?
And do you know what most people say?
They say I've tried to, but no one will talk to me about
anything other than how I'm living in sin.
How can I understand? No one will explain it to me.
But like so many sexual and gender minorities I know, the
Ethiopian eunuch is undeterred. Even after experiencing bigotry
and exclusion, he still wants to be a part of God's family.
And so God sends Philip to welcome him with open arms.
And at the Ethiopian eunuchs request, Philip climbs into the
chariot and begins talking to him about Isaiah, what he was
reading verse 35. Philip began with that very
passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
And as they travelled along the road, they came to some water
and the eunuch said, look, here is water.
What can stand in the way of me being baptized?
What a question. When Philip hears it, I'm sure
the first thing that goes through his mind is a whole lot
could stand in the way of you being baptized.
Because basically every single thing about the Ethiopian eunuch
had historically been used to keep people from being a part of
the family of God, His skin colour, his occupation, his
citizenship, and most of all his status as a sexual and gender
minority. I cannot, I cannot overstate
what an important moment this is in the history of the church.
Because the real question that's being asked here is who can be
included in God's family? Who's allowed in?
After all, that's what baptism represents, full inclusion into
both God's family and a church family.
It's one thing to read scripture with someone in a chariot, it's
another thing to fully include them in the church and in God's
family through baptism. Philip could have easily pointed
out any of those excluding factors and said, I'm sorry, I
can't baptize you, but he doesn't.
Verse 37, Philip said if you believe with all your heart, you
may. And the eunuch answered, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he gave orders to
stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch
went down to the water and Philip baptized him.
What an incredible story that just never gets taught in the
church and it makes me so mad. I think my favorite part is that
three different times it says Philip is being being explicitly
directed by God every step of the way.
Why? Because he wants to make sure
that everyone who reads this understands that the full
inclusion of sexual and gender minorities in the family of God
is God's idea. Excluding and marginalizing
people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity
is in direct opposition to God's design for his family and for
the local church. I believe that with all of my
heart, and that is why we are committed to full inclusion of
LGBTQ plus people here at Restore.
Now, we've done our best to be clear about this commitment for
a long time. We've got statements about it on
our website. We talked about it in the
welcome video every single week. But let me put it directly.
So there is absolutely no ambiguity here at Restore.
LGBTQ Plus people are fully loved exactly as they are, and
they are fully included in every part of our church family.
There are no restrictions based on someone's sexual orientation
and your gender identity. And this is true whether someone
is in a relationship or not, whether they are pursuing
celibacy or not, whether they have transitioned or not,
etcetera. Now, this does not mean that
everyone who is a part of the church family interpret
Scripture the same way. Our goal is not theological or
ideological uniformity, but we are completely committed to
unity around full inclusion. And that means that if you are
here at Restore telling sexual and gender minorities that they
aren't fully image bearers of God or that they aren't welcome
in God's family, or that there's some restriction on how they can
participate in our church, we're going to have a problem.
We have drawn a line at full inclusion of all people.
This is who we are because this is who we feel God has called us
to be. For 2000 years, sexual and
gender minorities have been doing their best to follow
Jesus, and the majority of Christians have been too bigoted
to notice. Homophobia and transphobia have
caused immeasurable harm to queer folks, but it's also
really messed up the church. Because when we exclude people
that God specifically tells us to include, we miss out on the
gifts and talents that they bring.
We miss out on the unique ways in which they bear God's image
and fully express the fruit of the Spirit.
For far too long, churches and Christians have tried to take
Jesus from LGBTQ plus people, and we are committed to making
that stop. Wow, what a sermon.
There is so much in it. Pastor Lambert starts by quoting
Jesus teaching on eunuchs and sexual minorities in Matthew 19.
Then Pastor Lambert quotes Isaiah 1 of the greatest of the
Old Testament prophets talking of faithful eunuchs and sexual
minorities. Isaiah says God promises.
I will give within my house and its walls a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting
name that will endure forever. Truly, God has created you for a
very special purpose. Pastor Lambert has this
insightful observation on Isaiah's message.
God says even when you don't feel like you fit neatly into
the category of sons and daughters, He promises to give
you a name better than sons and daughters.
That is unbelievable. And then Pastor Lambert closes
with the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, a person of color and a
sexual minority, about which Pastor Lambert says.
Now, for the first church, this radical inclusion of a sexual
and gender minority wasn't just theoretical, it was actually
something that they explicitly practice.
I cannot overstate what an important moment this is in the
history of the church, because the real question that's being
asked here is who can be included in God's family?
Who's allowed in? And the answer is you.
You are included in God's family regardless of your skin color
and regardless of your sexual orientation.
If you are going through a dark time, please find a church or a
pastor that proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ, the Good
News inviting all to the table. Unfortunately, many churches
hide their homophobia and transphobia.
I have found the simplest way is to ask if they will marry same
sex couples and if the answer is no, look elsewhere.
And if you can't find an affirming, supportive church,
reach out to pastorlambert@restoreaustin.org.
The link is in the notes. In the next and final episode of
this four part series, Pastor Lambert deals with several of
the scriptures that conservative churches and conservative
theologians have weaponized, twisted and misused to attack
sexual minorities. Until then, remember that God
created you exactly as you are and promises you a place in His
Kingdom better than sons or daughters.
I am Elton Sherwin, stay safe and God bless.