Tyndale Chapel Podcast

Good morning. Thank you for having me. Today I want to talk about dreaming with the king.

So when I was in my last year of high school, I had the opportunity to memorize and perform a monologue. So being a Christian, and being a black Christian, I thought, you know, Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech was perfect. So this is for drama class, my drama teacher said, "Are you sure?" I said, "Yeah, you know, like, I have a dream, I have a dream", it's pretty repetitive. Got it. I don't know if you've ever heard the speech or looked at this speech. So this is how long the speech is. This is I have a dream part. And then it goes on. So yeah, I don't know how. But I actually did end up memorizing the entire speech. For my for my final exam and drama class. Don't ask me to do it now. Because I don't remember it. But spending the time with that speech was so impactful for me. I actually didn't realize that until I was asked to speak today. And as I was studying and remembering my journey, it just struck me how incredible it was, like the fact that Dr. King could have such an impact on society, as a Christian, as a minister. It just really gave me hope for the church, hope for a pastor. And I didn't even know at that time, that that's what I would end up becoming. But I think that was a small part of that journey.

So allow me in this moment that we have to share a little bit of Dr. Martin Luther King's dreams, and then to talk about where he got it from. And then to talk about what that can mean for us today. Does that sound like a plan? Okay, no, I need your permission. So a little, a little background about this. So Mahalia Jackson, who's a famous gospel singer, she was sitting behind Dr. King, as he was doing his speech. And they were, they had traveled together. And she would, he would often ask her to sing some songs and specific songs. And you know, like, they kind of knew each other's repertoire. So she kind of, over here in a corner, had heard him speak about some of the dreams that he had. So like, I don't know, if she thought that his speech was, you know, kinda needed a little bit of extra. But you if you listen to the whole speech, you can hear her in the background, "Tell them about the dream Martin". And if you look at him, you see him change. You see, he looks at his notes, and he leaves his notes, and then goes on to give what perhaps is one of the most powerful speeches of our time. "I have a dream. I have a dream, that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves, and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day, even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racist, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification. One day right down in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls. As sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted. Every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all flesh, shall see it together. I have a dream."

Where does Martin Luther King Jr. get this dream from? He gets it from Isaiah 40, verses three to five. "A voice of one calling in the wilderness. Prepare a way for the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up. every mountain and hill made low, rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." This is a message that's given to the Israelites to comfort them when they're in captivity. But where is this taking place? It's taking place in the wilderness. In the desert. Pastor and author Eugene Peterson talks about how there's a geographical present that's highlighted. There's suffering. And that's where God shows up. That's where the Highway of God is going to be built for the Israelites in the desert, in the wilderness, in suffering.

Dr. King could reference this because he was suffering. He knew what it was like to suffer. He was put in jail. He was beaten, he was harassed, there was attempts made on his life. And eventually his life was taken. He saw brothers and sisters suffering, he saw everyone suffering. But he had a dream, that in that suffering, a new path could be built with God. And not by avoiding it, but by showing up and doing the hard work. And so he did. He showed up, he peacefully showed up. He was forceful, without being violent. He fought without fighting. Where did he get that from? This is where you give your Sunday School answer. Jesus. There is a geographical present that is highlighted in God, with Jesus. If you ever want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. And then if you skip down a few verses, The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. He tabernacled, he moved into the neighbourhood, there's a geographical presence to Jesus. Jesus didn't just kind of look down at us and see our situation, see our suffering, see our hurt, see our pain, and say, "Hey, man, hope it works out for you guys." He came into our lives, He came into our present. Jesus is with us. Wherever they're suffering, that's where Jesus shows up. And that's where the Highway of God is going to be built. So maybe you're here today. Maybe you're watching online, and you're going through something. Maybe you're suffering, maybe you feel alone. This is where Jesus shows up. This is where God is calling us to build a highway, right in the valleys, in the hills, where we are.

Or maybe you're here and your heart is burning. Because you feel like there's more that you can be doing. Maybe you feel like there's something that God is calling you to do. And you need some courage. You know, although we're not in the States, where you know, this day is most officially observed. There's still an opportunity for us, here, to do the work of reconciliation. Just yesterday in the news, I was watching something about a gentleman who at U of T, right, was because of his skin color. He was followed and harassed. And so that is something that is still happening today. Or what about our Indigenous brothers and sisters, there is still so much for us to learn. There's still so much for us to be a part of. So I'm not sure what God has for you today. But I do have some thoughts that I want to share for you. How are you connecting with other cultures, to listen and to learn, and to build relationships? What books are you reading? And who are the authors of those books? Are they all the same? I was challenged about that, ironically, by you guys.

So Tyndale is doing us Study, and helping our church do an intercultural study. And one of the questions that they asked is who, what books are you reading? And who are they buy? When I looked at all of the books that I read, it's all written by, same kind of person. Right? So it challenged me to try and, you know, get some other books from different cultures. One of my friends gave me a book about her, that her grandfather wrote, and he's Asian. And so that's just helping to open my mind about another culture. What about you? What are the books that you're reading? You're like, "Dude, I'm in school. I don't think you appreciate how many books I have to read right now". I went to Tyndale. So I know. You know, but, you know, maybe at nighttime, you can you can grab a book that's from another culture, just to expand your mind. There's podcasts, you know, there's so many ways that you can open up your mind. Who are your friends? Who do you hang around with? Are there people that are in your circle, that are from a different experience from you?

The way forward is not always easy. But the Jesus way never is. The way forward is not always immediate. Pastor, and author, Eugene Peterson, says this, "Build a highway, which takes time, build it well, and build it where you are." I think for some of us, sometimes we think about this future that's over here. You know, and when I graduate from Tyndale, and I go to, you know, whatever God is calling me to, that's where I'm going to be able to change the world. But God is calling you today, to start the work of building a highway. Have you ever seen someone building a highway? It's not like fun. It's not like playing on a playground. Right? It's hard work. And it's, it's digging, and it's dirty. But it's necessary. And that's the way forward. And so perhaps God is calling you today. So I want you to take a moment, and think about the rest of your day. Who are you going to be around today? And how can you build a highway? How can you build a bridge with the people that you're going to be with today? Maybe it's in your family. Maybe it's where you work. Probably it's right here at school. How can you build this highway? Are you prepared to serve in the actual valleys, and mountains, and hills that you find yourself in? In the rough and crooked places of our culture? Are you willing to become a construction worker? To build a highway with Jesus? Are you prepared to take the time to connect with those outside of your comfort zone? Because that's, I think, the dream that Dr. Martin Luther King had. And I think that's the dream, that ultimately, Jesus will fulfill. The highway will be built, and this highway will be a highway that Jesus will come back and make a triumphant return. But we start building that today. Isn't that why we're here?

Okay, all right. Okay. So I want to give you just a moment of silence, to think about what would be the very next step. If you're like me, I have a great memory. But it's short. Right? So we're having a great time right now. And then it's lunchtime. And this is gone. Right? So I want you to like, think about an actual tangible way, one small step that you can do to apply what God is saying to you today. Did you notice that the songs are saying the same thing that we're talking about here, talking about valleys, and the hills, and the rough places, and suffering? So maybe God spoke to you through the worship. Maybe God spoke to you through the Scripture. Take a moment now to think about well, what's what's a way that I can apply what I've learned, what God is saying to me today. Take a moment to think about that.

My challenge, is that the glory of the Lord would be revealed through you, as you build a highway with Jesus, that all people will be able to travel on together. I believe that's the dream that we're working for. Let us pray.

Father, you're a good God. We thank you that you are present. In Jesus, you are Emmanuel, God with us. You say that you will never leave us, and you will never forsake us. Never. Father, if we're honest, there are times where we do feel alone, that we don't feel your presence. Help us. Have mercy on us. Forgive us. Father, we thank you that you're always at work. So help us to see where you're working, and to join in. Help us to build highways in the valleys of our lives. And for those of us who are in a valley, we pray for your spirit, to keep us, to give us strength, to give us peace, and to give us love, and to carry us through. And Lord forever, whatever it is that we're thinking about today, I pray that You would help us to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid, because you are with us. Help us to build with you. And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

Thank you so much for having me. The Lord bless you. The Lord, keep you, the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace. Thank you.