Hesed – It’s Our Turn Now!

Matthew 5:20-48 What is the BIBLE for? Why did God send His Word? • Salvation & Formation (Christlikeness) • Faithin Seeking Understanding • Practical Wisdom (how to live in the world) • EstablishJustice(reconciliation) to His people Hesed – It’s Our Turn Now!

1. What does justice demand of individuals and societies? (Amos 6:8, 8:6) That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes. 2. How does God respond to injustice? Wrath (Isaiah 13:9-11), Mercy (Exodus 33:19c), Judgment (Psalm 9:16), Proverbs 3:31 Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways From last week…

Explain Micah 6:8 in your own words God’s definition of His requirements of what is good is… do justly (justice), love mercy and walk humbly before our God What happens in a society when sin runs rampantly unchallenged? (Isaiah 59:12-*14, 15) Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off and truth is fallen in the streets and equity (fairness) cannot enter. From last week…

3. Why did God establish David to be a king? I Kings 10:9 to do judgment and justice II Sam 8:15 to execute judgment and justice unto all his people 4. What does Psalm 82:3 say about our posture toward the poor and fatherless? Defend the poor, and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 5. Even though God sent prophets to establish justice, how did the people respond? (Amos 2:11,*12) They said, Prophesy Not! From last week…

How Did Jesus show justice? (Matthew 9:9-13, again in v36), He came to bring righteousness to sinners as they repent. (v36) He shows compassion How about John 8:1-11?Forgiveness, Acquittal, defender of the weak How did Joseph show justice? (Matthew 1:19) He did not put her away publicly, making her a public example but was minded to put her away privately From last week…

1. What does it demand of individuals and societies? (Amos 6:8, 8:6) That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes. 2. How does God respond to injustice? Wrath (Isaiah 13:9-11), Mercy (Exodus 33:19c), Judgment (Psalm 9:16), From last week…

A Source of: Truth– Evangelical (Ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free) Goodness Beauty (Wonder and Delight – (Matthew 8, Romans 1) • The bodily purpose of Christianity. Spirituality in the biblical context is reclaiming the body. I am known, not just what I believe, but what I do! You cannot have disembodied Christianity • Ortho doxy (right belief) • Ortho praxy (right practice) How Should We View the Bible?

Epistemic Confidence= Holding fast to what you belief • Epistemic Humility= Be open to learning something new and change • Remembrance for identity • Imagination (image what it will be like to be free and established) • Impartial judgment Finding the Thread for Hesed

John 5:18 The Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. John 10:31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him John 10:39 They sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hands *John 11:47-*52-57 The Prophecy of Caiaphas

Throughout history God has provided a way for reconciliation between he and his people. He would use.. PATRIARCHS: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses JUDGES (Deborah, Barak, Shamgar, Samson, Gideon, Sameul), I Samuel 8:1-5… Give us a king, like all the other nations KINGS (Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Hezekiah, Josiah and many more) Those Who Have Tried and Failed

AMOS • Written during a prosperous time in the history of the children of Israel. • 1:2 When the Lord roars from Zion, all of those opposing them will receive their due justice for war crimes. • 2:11,12 Ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not! • Rejection of the prophets is the undoing of the nation of Israel. • Here’s the sequence of events: Rejected Prophet Rejected Justice Rejected Israel (nation) PROPHETS

Here’s the Cycle

…their struggle for freedom threatens not only the oppressor, but also their own oppressed comrades who are fearful of still greater oppression (47) • “… Functionally, oppression is domesticating. To no longer be prey to its force, one must emerge from it and turn upon it. This can only be done through praxis: reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it. Meet Paulo freire

Self-depreciation is a characteristic of the oppressed… when a person hears that they are good for nothing, know nothing and are incapable of learning anything – that they are sick, lazy and unproductive – that in the end they become convinced of their own unfitness (63) • “… Those who authentically commit themselves to the cause of justice must re-examine themselves constantly. This conversion is so radical as not to allow ambiguous behavior (60) • Functionally, oppression is domesticating. To no longer be prey to its force, one must emerge from it and turn upon it. This can only be done through praxis:reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it. • Dialogue without praxis, you will not be taken seriously by your oppressors. Paulo freire

Oppressor - To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority • Justice - the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness • Victim – a person who is deceived or cheated, as by his or her own emotions or ignorance, by the dishonesty of others, or by some impersonal agency • Prescription (law) - Positive prescription. the process of acquiring rights by uninterrupted assertion of the right over a long period of time. • Negative prescription. the loss of rights to legal remedy due to the limitation of time within which an action can be taken. Definitions… you need to know

There is a common thread of understanding that God wants to extend his love to His people so that worship and prosperity can be restored as it was in the beginning. • Justice concerns itself with the proper ordering of things and people within a society. As a concept it has been subject to philosophical, legal, and theological reflection and debate throughout our history. A number of important questions surrounding justice have been fiercely debated over the course of western history Let justice Prevail

Jesus came to DO SOMETHING, NOT JUST BE SOMETHING. • John 1:1-5, *12-14THE ARRIVAL OF MESSIAH • Salvation is not just about going to heaven, it is about, redemption and deliverance out the clutches of your oppressors • “It takes a free man to free men” Jesus- Hesed is ALIVE!

Matthew 1:1-17 God reaches through 42 generations to continue reaching toward mankind • Matthew 4:18 “I will make you fishers of men”. • 5:13, 14 Ye are salt of the earth and the light of the world” How? By being a prophetic community. • 5:17 I am come to fulfill the law and the prophets. The point of the law is to show mercy, love justice and to walk humbly before your God. (Micah 6:8) Through Jesus - Hesed is ALIVE!

5:44-*48 Be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. HOW? By walking in justice, sitting with sinners, healing, forgiving • 9:9-13They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick • 9:36 He saw the multitude, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd Through Jesus - Hesed is ALIVE!

Genesis 6:3-9 God shows Noah the sin in the land and his displeasure with the way things are going for the purpose of prompting him to do something about it. Exodus 3:7- God tells Moses that he has seen the affliction of His people and He has heard their cry… I am come down to deliver them… Joshua 1:5-9 God tells Joshua that he will be the instrument of justice through which the people will not only be set free but have their own land. Don’t be afraid! God’s Revelation, Man’s Invitation

Deu 32:4 [He is] the ROCK, his work(deeds) is perfect: for all his ways (directions, habits, manners and course of life) are judgment (a decision for a cause or case): a God of truth(firmness and fidelity) and without iniquity(violent deeds of injustice), JUST (tsaddek) one who maintains the right and dispenses justice for one’s cause. It defines a person’s character as being fair and correct) and right (upright, straightforward, righteous) Truth… Truth..

Psalm 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face Psalm 82:3 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High Scriptural Support

Luke 10:30-37Parable of the Good Samaritan • If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me? If I don’t stop to help this man, what will happen to him? • Our challenge is to maintain the integrity of being JUST people, even when we have our own issues and reach out to help others (the poor, sick) It’s Our Turn!

Challenging Issues & Injustices • Aids • Unemployment • Human trafficking • Debt • Divorce • Drugs • War (domestic & abroad) • Unfair treatment at work • Domestic Violence • Racial profiling • Gender biasing • Addiction • Health care • Education • HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS AND THE CHURCH RESPOND?

LUKE 10:17-24 • MARK 16:15-18 • John 14 • ACTS 1 Not only will the Lord walk with you, He will live inside of you! Parable of the Samaritan (Luke 10:30-*37) THE PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

John 19:7-13 Luke 23:1-25 Three charges Against Jesus: Subverting the nation. Promoting a radical social change. Violating the Commandments Claim to be the Christ, a king. Where’s the justice?

Hesed – It’s Our Turn Now!