The truth of what he lived and preached.

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Overview

During the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed, beaten, and eventually killed for his leadership in the civil-rights movement. His nonviolent approach to change, his perseverance in the face of defeat, and his ability to inspire people with a dream of equality are still widely discussed and remembered today. In today’s lesson, Philip Yancey examines the deadly roots of racism and the legacy of King.

Table of Contents

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 26:1–6; 1 Samuel 3:1–14; Isaiah 6:1–13, 41:8–16; Haggai 1:13–15; Luke 4:16–21, 10:25–37, 22:39–44; John 4:4–41; Acts 8:25–39, 9:1–16; Romans 12:1–2; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 2 Corinthians 6:3–10; Philippians 4:4–9; Ephesians 1:11–18; Colossians 3:11–14

LEADER'S GUIDE

    • The Issue

Sample questions:

How does your own experience of racial and civil-rights issues of the 1960s compare with Yancey’s?

Why do you think racism is still a problem in our country today?

In what ways does racial hatred seem to epitomize Satan’s strategy in the world?

Sample Scriptures:

Luke 10:25-37: Why is racism inconsistent with the example and teachings of Jesus Christ?

Romans 12:1–2: In what ways are we as Christians called to a personal, bodily sacrifice today?

Sample application questions:

How does recalling the zeal and sacrifices of civil-rights advocates in the 1960s challenge you as a Christian today?

What do you think brings a person to the point of being willing to suffer and die for what he or she believes?

Looking at Dr. King’s life, what important personal lessons have you gained from his successes and his failures?

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