justice...
In between 1st John (our last sermon book study) and Luke (our next), we're taking some weeks to walk through Core Value stuff.
I'm amazed at how much can be said (by me and by others) on these topics. Months ago, during one of our first communions as a church, we walked through all five core values (mission, justice, community, hope and history). Man, that was a long one.
Just for general information purposes, we don't go short, but neither do we go driscoll-long. About an hour and a half. And that time is all a mixture of discussion, reading from the psalms, singing, some experiential elements.
So, around our first anniversary, we took a couple of weeks to talk through them, and still... not quite enough time.
Now, week by week, a different value each Sunday and still...
I suppose the next step is going to be a couple weeks to a month on each value. One of these days.
Anyway, we (of course) walked through Isaiah 58 this week. Verse by verse. I didn't comment on this part: "Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws. You would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God." It sometimes seems to me like our nation is suffering from multiple personality disorder. I love when certain preachers begin to go on about the greatness of America (cue music swell!), the principles on which this nation was founded (cue lights! Where are the lights?!?!), the divinely ordained destiny (cue children's chorus!) of this great land of ours ("America, America, God shed His grace on thee...")
And then they talk about drugs, and strip clubs and "immigration" (which of these things is not like the other?) and everything else that is ruining the country. Yeah- you would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God. I highly recommend the book Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church for a great look at a different way for Christians to interact with the State/culture than is currently proposed by the religious right, as well as a short, concise de-bunking of the whole "This was a godly nation and if we could just get back..." line of thought.
Tangent.
Anyway, one of the passages we read aloud as a community this week was Jer 22:16, speaking of king Josiah: "He made sure that justice and help were given to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn't that what it means to know me?" asks the LORD."
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
That should be in a catechism somewhere... does anyone know if it is?
I'm amazed at how much can be said (by me and by others) on these topics. Months ago, during one of our first communions as a church, we walked through all five core values (mission, justice, community, hope and history). Man, that was a long one.
Just for general information purposes, we don't go short, but neither do we go driscoll-long. About an hour and a half. And that time is all a mixture of discussion, reading from the psalms, singing, some experiential elements.
So, around our first anniversary, we took a couple of weeks to talk through them, and still... not quite enough time.
Now, week by week, a different value each Sunday and still...
I suppose the next step is going to be a couple weeks to a month on each value. One of these days.
Anyway, we (of course) walked through Isaiah 58 this week. Verse by verse. I didn't comment on this part: "Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws. You would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God." It sometimes seems to me like our nation is suffering from multiple personality disorder. I love when certain preachers begin to go on about the greatness of America (cue music swell!), the principles on which this nation was founded (cue lights! Where are the lights?!?!), the divinely ordained destiny (cue children's chorus!) of this great land of ours ("America, America, God shed His grace on thee...")
And then they talk about drugs, and strip clubs and "immigration" (which of these things is not like the other?) and everything else that is ruining the country. Yeah- you would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God. I highly recommend the book Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church for a great look at a different way for Christians to interact with the State/culture than is currently proposed by the religious right, as well as a short, concise de-bunking of the whole "This was a godly nation and if we could just get back..." line of thought.
Tangent.
Anyway, one of the passages we read aloud as a community this week was Jer 22:16, speaking of king Josiah: "He made sure that justice and help were given to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn't that what it means to know me?" asks the LORD."
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
What does it mean to know God? To make sure that Justice and help are given to the poor and the needy.
That should be in a catechism somewhere... does anyone know if it is?
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