Yes, 43min is long, but I find that listening to sermons or listening-books while you're at them makes boring tasks such as scrubbing floors and peeling potatoes much more enjoyable.
However, I see your point. So here’s my attempt at a summary:
In his opening words David Platt, President of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, points to the enormity of the global refugee crisis as one of the greatest humanitarian crisis in modern history with 60 million people being displaced, put in danger or forced from their homes. Half the population of Syria have either been displaced or killed. He bemoans that most Christians in the USA are paying little or no attention to this crisis, and if they do it’s through the lense of political punditry. “If there is any response it seems to be coming from a foundation of fear rather than of faith, flowing from a view of the world that is far more American than it is Biblical,far more concerned with the preservation of this country than it is with the accomplishment of the great commission.” He says that the church cannot sit still and not stay silent and that we need to know how the Bible informs us how we view crisis like this in the world and then act accordingly:
He then goes to what he sees as five Biblical truth’s concerning the refugee crisis starting with
Point 1: Acts 17:24, which tells us that God created all mankind and that God reigns sovereign over all things. We can find comfort in knowing that the world is not run by various dictators or politicians and that – pointing to Job, the almighty God is even sovereign over suffering.
Point 2: God oversees the movement of all people and uses the scattering of people for his own purpose, to be sought and found by all people.
Point 3: God generally establishes government for the protection of all people (Romans 13). Thus government, particular representative governments such as ours, have the responsibility to promote good and restrain evil.
Point 4: God commands the church to provide for His people especially and to do good to everyone whenever the opportunity arises (Galatians 6:10). We are to love all our neighbours as ourselves and Christ is suffering with our brothers and sisters in crisis (Matthew 25:31-46), so we must not turn a dead ear to them.
Point 5: care for refugees is right and even required because of the character of God. “God seeks, shelters, serves and showers the refugee with his grace”. Book of Ruth – a Moabite woman - in which Boas mirrors God giving refuge: We are compelled to reflect our redeemer likewise.
Summary: The good news of the gospel is that God is not detached from our suffering and familiar with our pain. Christ Himself was a refugee. The greatest news is that Christ turned suffering into victory over sin to give us eternal life. Refugees need to hear this gospel, but they won’t unless we preach it. The refugee crisis gives us an unprecedented opportunity to do just that. We should go to refugees, hear their stories and meet their needs, both their material need and their need for the gospel. Sure there are risks involved in that, but referring to Matthew 16:24: “where in the world did we get the idea that Christianity is devoid of risk. Self is no longer our God, therefore safety is no longer our concern.” We ought to pray for Gods mercy “with our kids for kids like them, who sit in a boat right now or sleeping outside waiting at some Hungarian border” and act with mercy, justice and faithfulness (Mathew 23:23). Love even strangers sacrificially (Good Samaritan). We don’t want to sit idly by when God is calling us to act.
