Smoky Hill Umc Weekly Sermon

This Sunday’s scripture text is Genesis 9:18-28. The sermon title is:  The Curse of Ham: When Scripture is Misused for Selfish Reasons.   Today’s scripture text is not in the lectionary and many in the church are unfamiliar with it. Beginning in 1830,  southern slaveholders began to misuse the text to justify slavery, disenfranchise people of color, and protect the role of honor in their psyche. Before we go judging slaveholders for their reprehensible behavior, I encourage you to pause and consider whether you have weaponized scripture to justify your judgement or criticism of others who live or think differently than you. If we are honest, we all have been guilty of misappropriating scripture for our own agenda, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. Either way, what became known as The Story of Ham is a cautionary tale about how dangerous it is to mishandle God’s word. Jesus said the Word is spirit, truth, and life. Whenever we misappropriate it for selfish gain or to judge and criticize an