Don’tr Blame the Foreigners Exodus 1:8–2:10, Roman 12:1- 8
When Fear Turns into Blame
This week I was startled by the words of the hymn we will sing after the sermon today as the offering is collected, because it showed me the startling parallel between what is happening or has happened in places the United States, Hungary, France and even Australia where obvious immigrant communities have become large and some politicians and governments have tried to blame the suffering of ordinary working or retired people on those minorities. The first verse goes like this:
There came a time in Egypt when Joseph wasn’t known —
when people had forgotten the seeds of help he’d sown.
With immigrants increasing, the leaders lived in fear.
That fear turned into murmuring: “We do not want them here!”
In the United States, Hungary, Australia and a lot of other places over the last 20 plus years we have heard that we are about to be swamped by Asians or by Muslims, by asylum seekers or illegals or some other immigrant group. We are told that they are taking our jobs. We are told that it is because of them that rentals and housing are scarce which is why housing is so expensive. They tell us our way of life is threatened.
Usually this is not our idea. It is the idea of some political leader either in power trying to hang on or out of power trying to get into power. Yet lots of us because we are trying to get into housing or know someone who is or because we are worried about the price of living, or job security or crime or some other aspect of life, find the idea of blaming a particular group of people attractive. It’s an easy solution even when it isn’t true.
Pharaoh and the Fear of Foreigners
As you think about this listen again to the words of our Bible reading.
“Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. ‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous … ’” (Exodus 1:8–10, NIV)
In Australia we don’t do what the Egyptian King did. We don’t try to kill all the new born males, or enslave our minorities, but we do place asylum seekers in long term detention, or we speak about massively reducing immigration.
There is a debate to be had about immigration and asylum seekers but those who have studied these things tell us that most of our social problems stem from other factors. Immigration only has a minor effect on housing and there are many jobs in aged care, construction and health care which would not be filled if we couldn’t employ temporary and permanent migrant workers.
In today’s story about the people of Israel in slavery we are much more like the Egyptians than we are like Israelite slaves.
The question for us is are we more like the Egyptians in the Joseph story giving land shelter and support to economic refugees or are we more like the Pharaoh of Moses’ time frightened of the foreigners in our midst?
Remembering That We Were Foreigners
When the Israelites become free and settle in the promised land, they are reminded time and again to treat the foreigners among them with kindness because they too were once foreigners in the Land of Egypt.
“ ‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”
(Leviticus 19:33–34, NIV)
Just as we are like the Egyptians we are also like the Israelites once they have entered the promised land. We have been blessed to be born into or come to live in a land which has so much. It has beauty in rich diversity of people, landscape, animals and plants.
The first of us who are not of indigenous stock came here as convicts or as sailors or marines sent under orders. The convicts in time were freed and became settlers as did some of the sailors and troops. They welcomed free settlers who came as economic migrants or diggers searching for Gold.
All my ancestors were free settling English, Scotts, Danes and Germans. It is only really Aboriginal and Islander people who did not first come here as foreigners.
If that is true then like the people of Israel, ‘When a foreigner resides among us in our land, we must love them as ourselves, for we were once foreigners too.’ Just as the convicts and service personnel accepted and embraced the free settlers, we are called to embrace the modern free settlers.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
But there is a more compelling reason for us to treat the foreigners among us with kindness, to bless them and that is that we have been blessed just as the people of Israel were.
Indeed we have been blessed even more because not only do we share in the promise of blessing to Abraham and Israel and all their children we also have the Blessing of Jesus and the gift of the Spirit, and that gift of the Spirit also gives us other gifts like those mentioned in Romans 12.
As the people of God as a whole we have the gifts of:
- Prophecy — Speaking God’s truth
- Service — Helping others practically
- Teaching — Explaining God’s Word
- Encouragement — Strengthening people’s faith
- Giving — Sharing resources generously
- Leadership — Guiding with diligence
- Mercy — Showing compassion cheerfully
These gifts which individuals have are not for themselves. They are for the building up of the church, they are for keeping the body of Christ, the people of God, strong and growing and healthy.
And if we take the commandments of Jesus, and the Old Testament seriously that we are to love our neighbours, our enemies and foreigners as we love ourselves then we must also use the blessing and gifts we have received from God to bless those outside ourselves.
Living as People Who Have Received Mercy
As I have said on more than one occasion, and as the Bible teaches we are blessed to be a blessing.
To put it in the words of Romans 12:1:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
(Romans 12:1, NIV)
We have received God’s mercy, for while we were still sinners Jesus was born for us, lived, for us, healed for us, taught and proclaimed the kingdom for us, above all he died for us and was raised to new life for us.
Moreover he has poured out the Spirit for us so God’s love is in our hearts and we can know God as Jesus did as a kind and loving freely forgiving Father.
If we have been blessed like this then just as the Jewish Midwives, foreigners in Egypt stood up to and worked around Pharaoh to save lives so we too must work to bless the lives of the vulnerable.
Do Not Give in to Fear
All the midwives had was the promise of blessing and the fear of God. We have received the blessing in Jesus Christ. We have received the Spirit and the gifts and eternal life.
We must not give into fear as the Egyptians did and try to hold onto what we have for fear the foreigners may take it.
We must instead do as Jesus and the Law command, we must love each other, our neighbour and the foreigner in our midst as we love ourselves.
There Came a Time in Egypt by
To the tune AURELIA 7.6.7.6 D ("The Church's One Foundation")
There came a time in Egypt when Joseph wasn't known —
when people had forgotten the seeds of help he'd sown.
With immigrants increasing, the leaders lived in fear.
That fear turned into murmuring: "We do not want them here!"
The rulers told the midwives, "Don't let their numbers grow."
But Shiphrah said, with Puah, a quiet, faithful, "No!"
When they were tasked with killing, they saved the baby boys.
God, may we, too, be willing to challenge what destroys.
God you loved before we loved you; You make all bent things true.
In Christ you died and rose up, in him make all things new.
God this is how you loved us, so we should love the same,
and love all kinds of people, so none be put to shame.
[Yes,] God, you sent us Jesus who said, "Take up your cross!"
He taught that faithful living will often have a cost.
He taught us to be daring, creative, wise and strong —
to make the world more caring, to challenge what is wrong.
When immigrants are struggling, when children live in fear,
when forces of destruction are threatening people here,
God, make us like those women, and may we seek to be
the ones who usher life in, till all are whole and free.
Biblical References: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Matthew 16:24-26
Text: Copyright © 2023 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. "Third verse written by Andrew Gillies, and added with permission of the author based largely on 1 John 4:10-11 with allusions to 2 Cor 5:17-19 and Rev 21:5 All rights reserved. Permission is given for free use by churches in worship services (in person and online) to use this hymn. Please share it with other church pastors and musicians in the hope that it will help build support for churches caring about refugees.