Radical Acceptance: Embracing the Stigmatized Like Jesus
Summary
In our journey towards Advent, we are not only remembering the birth of Jesus but also anticipating His return when He will set everything right. This journey calls us to a posture of radical acceptance, both of ourselves and others. It is about opening our hearts to God's grace and extending that grace to those around us, especially those who are often marginalized or stigmatized by society.
The concept of stigma, as explored by sociologist Irving Goffman, refers to the marks or attributes that society uses to devalue individuals, reducing them from whole persons to tainted ones. These stigmas can be based on mental, emotional, or physical illness, addiction, sexual orientation, race, poverty, or criminal history. In Jesus' time, religious leaders often distanced themselves from the stigmatized, but Jesus did the opposite. He embraced them, associating with lepers, the blind, the poor, and those considered sinners or criminals. Jesus' holiness was defined by His love and acceptance of those who were stigmatized.
Jesus bore the ultimate stigma, the stigmata, as He was crucified as a criminal. Yet, this became a symbol of holiness, showing that to bear the marks of stigma in this world can be a sacred thing. The challenge for us today is to reflect on whether the church is a place where those who are stigmatized feel drawn, as they were to Jesus. Are we, as a community, welcoming and accepting, or have we become like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, preferring to stay within our comfort zones?
The invitation is to have a welcome mat in front of our hearts, ready to accept whoever God brings into our lives. We are called to see beyond the stigma, to not divide people into categories of normal and stigmatized, but to love and accept them as Jesus did. May God grant us hearts like Jesus, to radically welcome and accept others.
Key Takeaways:
- Radical Acceptance: Embrace a posture of openness and surrender to God's grace, allowing it to transform how we view ourselves and others. This involves accepting the stigmatized and marginalized, just as Jesus did. [01:11]
- Understanding Stigma: Stigma reduces individuals to less than whole, based on societal judgments. Jesus challenged this by associating with those who were stigmatized, showing that true holiness involves love and acceptance. [03:59]
- Jesus' Example: Jesus' life was marked by His association with the stigmatized, from lepers to the poor. His actions teach us that holiness is found in loving those whom society deems unworthy. [06:25]
- Bearing Stigma as Holiness: Jesus bore the stigmata, transforming the concept of stigma into a symbol of holiness. This challenges us to see the sacredness in bearing the marks of stigma in our own lives. [09:24]
- The Church's Role: The church should be a place where the stigmatized feel drawn and accepted. We must examine whether we are truly welcoming or if we have become like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, avoiding those who are different. [10:21]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:48] - Journey Towards Advent
- [01:11] - Radical Acceptance
- [01:23] - The Welcome Mat
- [02:05] - Understanding Stigma
- [03:31] - The Greek Origin of Stigma
- [04:14] - Normals vs. Stigmatized
- [05:18] - Categories of Stigma
- [05:58] - Jesus' Radical Holiness
- [06:40] - Jesus and the Stigmatized
- [07:56] - Deviating from Society
- [08:41] - Jesus' Stigmata
- [09:40] - The Church's Challenge
- [10:53] - Invitation to Radical Acceptance
- [12:01] - Community Engagement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 9:10-13 (Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners)
2. Luke 7:36-50 (Jesus anointed by a sinful woman)
3. John 8:1-11 (Jesus and the woman caught in adultery)
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Observation Questions:
1. In the sermon, how does the concept of a "welcome mat" relate to our personal approach to others, especially those who are often rejected? [01:40]
2. What are some examples of stigmatized groups mentioned in the sermon, and how did Jesus interact with them? [06:40]
3. How does the sermon describe the religious leaders' approach to stigmatized individuals in Jesus' time compared to Jesus' approach? [05:58]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of Jesus bearing the stigmata, and how does it redefine holiness? [09:24]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Jesus' interaction with stigmatized individuals challenge the traditional understanding of holiness as separation from impurity? [06:25]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church today might resemble the religious leaders of Jesus' time in their treatment of stigmatized individuals? [10:21]
3. How does the concept of stigma, as described in the sermon, affect the identity and self-worth of individuals? [03:59]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of grace in transforming our view of ourselves and others, particularly those who are marginalized? [01:11]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal "welcome mat." Are there specific groups or individuals you find difficult to welcome? How can you begin to change this attitude? [01:51]
2. Think of a time when you felt stigmatized or marginalized. How did it affect your relationship with others and with God? How can this experience inform your interactions with others who are stigmatized? [04:14]
3. Identify a stigmatized group in your community. What practical steps can you take to reach out and show acceptance, following Jesus' example? [06:40]
4. How can your church community become more like Jesus in drawing stigmatized individuals? What changes might be necessary in attitudes or practices? [10:21]
5. Consider the concept of bearing stigma as a form of holiness. How can you embrace the challenges of being associated with stigmatized individuals as a sacred calling? [09:24]
6. What specific actions can you take this week to extend grace and acceptance to someone who is often marginalized or stigmatized? [11:09]
7. How can you cultivate a heart like Jesus, one that sees beyond stigma and embraces radical acceptance? What daily practices might help you in this journey? [11:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace Radical Acceptance
Open your heart to God's grace, allowing it to transform how you view yourself and others. This involves accepting the stigmatized and marginalized, just as Jesus did. Radical acceptance is not passive; it is an active choice to see beyond societal labels and embrace the inherent worth of every individual. By doing so, we align ourselves with the heart of Jesus, who consistently reached out to those whom society deemed unworthy. This posture of acceptance challenges us to extend grace to those around us, especially those who are often overlooked or judged. [01:11]
"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:7, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life have you unintentionally marginalized or judged? How can you actively extend grace and acceptance to them today?
Day 2: Challenge Societal Stigma
Stigma reduces individuals to less than whole, based on societal judgments. Jesus challenged this by associating with those who were stigmatized, showing that true holiness involves love and acceptance. In a world that often categorizes people based on their perceived flaws or differences, Jesus' example calls us to see beyond these labels. He demonstrated that holiness is not about separation from the stigmatized but about embracing them with love and compassion. This challenges us to examine our own biases and to actively work against the stigmatization of others. [03:59]
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (John 7:24, ESV)
Reflection: What societal stigmas have you unconsciously accepted? How can you begin to challenge these perceptions in your daily interactions?
Day 3: Follow Jesus' Example of Holiness
Jesus' life was marked by His association with the stigmatized, from lepers to the poor. His actions teach us that holiness is found in loving those whom society deems unworthy. By choosing to walk alongside those who were marginalized, Jesus redefined what it means to be holy. His life was a testament to the power of love and acceptance, and He invites us to follow in His footsteps. This means stepping out of our comfort zones and actively seeking to love those who are often overlooked or rejected by society. [06:25]
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community is often overlooked or marginalized? How can you intentionally reach out to them this week?
Day 4: See Stigma as a Sacred Mark
Jesus bore the stigmata, transforming the concept of stigma into a symbol of holiness. This challenges us to see the sacredness in bearing the marks of stigma in our own lives. In a world that often views stigma as a mark of shame, Jesus' crucifixion redefines it as a symbol of divine love and sacrifice. By embracing our own stigmas and those of others, we participate in the sacred work of redemption and healing. This perspective invites us to see the beauty in our brokenness and to recognize the holiness in our shared humanity. [09:24]
"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, ESV)
Reflection: What personal stigmas do you carry that you view as shameful? How can you begin to see them as sacred marks of your journey with Christ?
Day 5: Create a Welcoming Church Community
The church should be a place where the stigmatized feel drawn and accepted. We must examine whether we are truly welcoming or if we have become like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, avoiding those who are different. A truly welcoming church reflects the heart of Jesus, who embraced all people with love and compassion. This requires us to critically assess our attitudes and practices, ensuring that we are not inadvertently creating barriers for those seeking community and acceptance. By fostering an environment of radical hospitality, we can become a beacon of hope and love in a divided world. [10:21]
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:13, ESV)
Reflection: How can your church community become more welcoming to those who feel marginalized? What specific steps can you take to foster an environment of radical hospitality?
Quotes
God, I want to live in a posture of openness. I want to be able to receive your acceptance of me, your grace. I want to be in a posture of openness and surrender to whatever it is, the thoughts and the feelings that go through my mind and my body, and the suffering that I experience, and your will for my life and your calling on me, and offer acceptance to other people. [00:50:48]
Does it say welcome to everybody? Am I a radically welcoming person for those who are often rejected? Now the word that I want to talk about today is kind of the opposite side of that, and it's the word stigma. There's a fascinating book by a sociologist named Irving Goffman written about 60 years ago, and it's simply called Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. [01:48:56]
The Greeks, who were apparently strong on visual aids, originated the term stigma to refer to bodily signs designed to expose something unusual and bad about the moral status of the person. The signs were cut or burnt into the body and advertised that the bearer was a slave, a criminal, or a traitor, a blemished person, ritually polluted to be avoided, especially in public places. [03:34:17]
Goffman says that those of us who don't carry such a stigma are referred to as normals, and that associating with people that are stigmatized can actually threaten the status of a normal. He goes on, when the stranger is present before us, evidence can arise of his possessing an attribute that makes him different from others in the category of persons available for him to be, and of a less desirable kind. [04:24:40]
In Jesus' day, in the first century, religious leaders generally understood holiness to involve separating myself from the stigmatized. So, lepers, people with physical deformities, people with criminal records, the sexually scandalized. What's amazing about Jesus is he perceived, he understood holiness to be loving those who are stigmatized, being with them, even identifying with them. [05:58:16]
If you think about those seven categories, in every one of them you find examples of Jesus hanging out with them, deliberately associating with them, and often being pretty close to a member of a stigmatized group himself. So, people with physical deformities, lepers, the blind, people who were crippled, that the religious leaders would want to stay away from, particularly on the Sabbath or around a meal, Jesus invited. [06:28:40]
When it comes to drug users, Jesus talks in Luke about how people actually said about him he was a wine bibber, he was one of those. When it comes to the sexually scandalized, prostitutes, the Samaritan woman at the well who'd been married five times, Jesus was amazing in his acceptance, hanging out with people that had that stigma. [07:09:36]
What is maybe most remarkable about him is that he bear in his body, he born in his body what were called the stigmata. That was the holes in his hands and his feet and his side that showed that he was crucified as a common criminal, regarded as a traitor by Rome, stigmatized by the highest authorities in the greatest religion of his day, Judaism, and the greatest state that the world had ever seen, Rome. [08:45:27]
In Jesus' day, people who regarded as religious leaders had an unwelcome mat out before people that carried stigma. Jesus drew them to him like a magnet. So now the question is, how about the church in our day? Do the people who bear stigma, emotional, mental illness, physical disabilities, the sexually marginalized, LGTBQ folks, addicts, drug users, people that are racially ethnically other, people that are desperately poor, people with criminal records, they were drawn to Jesus like he had some giant magnet on them. [09:37:44]
The invitation today now is to have that welcome mat in front of my body, my heart all day long. Whoever God sends into your life today, whoever you come in contact with on the phone or even online with an email, texting somebody, whoever you see physically, especially those that the world might regard as stigmatized, God would you help me radically accept human beings. [10:43:60]
When I look at people, might I see beyond the stigma, might I not divide people up into normal and stigmatized, high status and low status, attractive and unattractive, influential and insignificant. God, oh God, give me a heart like Jesus, me radically welcome and accept the people the way that you do. [11:22:48]
That's Jesus. I'll see you next time. [11:49:76]
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