Can Jesus save my people?

From time to time I’ll write my good friend Pastor John E. Coleman, from sharing thoughts of some things I am going through to my thoughts on the Christian walk in the Spirit. Recently, I sent PJ a long e-mail focusing on how African Americans in the United States have looked to things in this world for their salvation. For the younger generation it may be R+B/Rap entertainment’s fame, fortune, and fashion. For the older crowd it seems to the supposed savior of black people, Barak Obama. Whatever the case, the question becomes, can Jesus save the African-American? YES

Going down the steps at New Carrolton Metro Station in PG County, Md, I saw two young African American brothers and a sister walking with them. Wearing white T's with their pants sagging (showing their draws), and the sister had on everything tight (showing her body figure), I remembered how I used to dress the same way when I was younger. I remembered how I tried to walk like a gangsta and smoke like them even thought I grew up in a predominately white area. No matter what, I had a stereotype or what I call an image to fulfill; my salvation was in being black. My blackness would save me. At the Catholic high school I attended, the black kids from Baltimore looked at me as just a county boy (rich kid if you want to call it that). So my hope was in looking like a foolish person, to show I was cool and mainly BLACK. Anyways, many of these types African Americans I see day after day, traveling from work through the one of the roughest Metro stations in PG County, Md, to now a middle class suburban majority black neighborhood in Odenton, Md. Same kids, trying to fit the same mold I did, that the young African American must is defined by how they dress, talk and walk.
Speaking to a group of middle school children in my neigborhood, these young teens told me how they enjoyed texting on their phones. They informed me of their favorite R+B/Rap singers. I thought, “wow, I may be older now but I see Salvation is truly through the Lord Jesus Christ.” I am no longer defined by these things, and these children are looking at me, telling me everything that they do. Why? Because they are around Light (not me) and Christ is showing them the true way of living. This generation of young African Americans can be saved, only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Looking at the papers today, I see Hilary Clinton, on the front page affirming her supposed go ahead to Barak Obama to be president. What? Now everywhere I go I hear my people excited that "one of their own maybe in the White House!" . What???!!!!. I see the T-Shirts and the signs, all of them believing that their salvation is Barak Obama. I had a couple of friends at work boasting about Obama’s wife speech. Was it really the great? African Americans are finally going to be receognized, and the United States is going to experience great change. So, some African Americans have accused me of being a white man lover because I don’t support their messiah, Barak Obama. Why? Why are my people, and the young teenagers looking at man and things to save them? This has been going on for years I'm sure. African American men and women putting their trust in someone or something else for their salvation. What is going to save black people in this country, only One: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12 KJV)

This country and its evil ways are headed directly towards hell, straight to the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The noun salvation used in verse 12 above is transliterated sōtēria, which means the following: (properly, abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally):--deliver, health, salvation, save, saving. I thought for so long that my safety was in my pants sagging, acting like a fool to prove that I was a black man; that I was somebody. Now today, if I stake my claim behind Barak Obama, then too am I saved under the accordance of the African-American viewpoint? The only way for my people are to be saved is by Jesus Christ. The only One they can truly identify with truth, along with all other races and cultures is through Jesus Christ alone. I love what the scripture says:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 KJV)

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:2-5)

As an African American Christian, I am dead to those things that I once thought saved me. I don't need to pull down my pants to fit in or fit some stinking image. I don't need to vote for Barak Obama, in order to see change come, I have a Savior with the name the LORD JESUS CHRIST. The Notorious BIG had a song on his first album where he stated that "when he died he wanted to go to hell." He said "it don't make sense going to heaven with goody goodies dressed in white, I like black tims and black hoodies….!" Wow, what was the Notorious holding his salvation in (Mind you this brother was shot dead a few years later)? The African American (and all other races as well) only has hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. No president, no latest music fad is going to save us. With all these things we are trying to figure out about Christianity, what music is right?, what clothes should we wear?, who should be our president or even what Passa should I be under? (lol), only ONE really matters:

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV)

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:8-10 KJV)

So I live the Christian life doing such:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)

See, African Americans in this country have a Hope, and His name is Jesus. I rejoice when I see my young black brothers smoking that cigar or walking around like a gangsta. Not because they are smoking that cigar or looking crazy but I rejoice because they have only One Hope that they can know about and JESUS CHRIST is His name. Now the question to the Christians is; “Can we love them enough, to let them see our Savior? “ YES, if Jesus Christ is in us! Can Jesus save black people, yes He can!!!!!! Now you all know that I’m not going to leave you without a scripture, here it is:

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. (Acts 8:26-40 KJV)