Journey to Justice: What Can We Do?
Do you see injustice around you? Racial injustice, human trafficking, injustice for the unborn... It is easy to feel detached. It is easy to feel overwhelmed. It is easy to feel hopeless. It is easy to feel arrogant about your position. Jesus, through Micah, invites us on a Journey to Justice. Let's take a look at 6 practical things we can do as we seek to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God".
Will you come on the journey with us? Directly below you will find sermons for each of these things. Below that you will find resources to help you take each step of this journey! Let's go!
Will you come on the journey with us? Directly below you will find sermons for each of these things. Below that you will find resources to help you take each step of this journey! Let's go!
FEEL WHAT GOD FEELS
"For this I will lament and wail..." Micah 1:8
Oppression and injustice are attacks on the glory of God. All humans are made in the image of God and dearly loved by God. When we love God and those whom God loves, we will feel what He feels for those experiencing oppression.
Oppression and injustice are attacks on the glory of God. All humans are made in the image of God and dearly loved by God. When we love God and those whom God loves, we will feel what He feels for those experiencing oppression.
Hear the Truth
"Do not preach" thus they preach... Micah 2:6
The truth can be uncomfortable. The temptation is to turn away to something more palatable. A necessary step in the journey to justice is to hear the uncomfortable truth and repent from both complacency and complicity in injustice. Let's listen together....
The truth can be uncomfortable. The temptation is to turn away to something more palatable. A necessary step in the journey to justice is to hear the uncomfortable truth and repent from both complacency and complicity in injustice. Let's listen together....
Confession- Putting Off and Putting On
As we have sought to feel what God feels and hear the truth, we must take the necessary step of confession our complacency and complicity in injustice. Please follow along with the confession time here and let's pour our hearts out together.
Speak God's Word in the Midst of Injustice
"I said, "Hear, you heads of Jacob... is it not for you to know justice? ....as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression..." Micah 3:1, 8
What do you say when you see oppression in a system or unfold personally before your eyes? You speak God's message in the power of God's Spirit! Here are some examples of what you can say...
What do you say when you see oppression in a system or unfold personally before your eyes? You speak God's message in the power of God's Spirit! Here are some examples of what you can say...
Genesis 1:27
"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Psalm 138:6
"For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. "
Ephesians 2:13-14
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility."
Romans 13:1, Micah 3:1
"There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God... Hear you heads of Jacob... is it not for you to know justice? You who hate the good and love the evil..."
Speak Up
Speak up and share what God has taught you recently about justice on our "We Are Family" facebook page! What God is stirring up in you may just stir up someone else!
Look Ahead
"In the latter days... He shall judge between many peoples... and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation... and no one shall make them afraid... we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever." Micah 4:1-5
- Look Ahead by "dwelling" on God's word that speaks to our future hope! You can access the "Dwell" app for free until August 31, 2020 by going to the link below.
- Look Ahead by praying with others and asking the Father that His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Do Justice
"Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God..." Micah 6:8
God has given us justice and grace. He has helped above and beyond what we deserved (Romans 6:23). Now, as we walk with Him, He enables us to do justice and love mercy at the same time too! This is a call to ACTION!
Let's engage in what Eric Mason calls "Intervening, Preventative, and Systemic Justice". Will you step up and do what is right, right where you are today? Here are some ideas to get you started!
God has given us justice and grace. He has helped above and beyond what we deserved (Romans 6:23). Now, as we walk with Him, He enables us to do justice and love mercy at the same time too! This is a call to ACTION!
Let's engage in what Eric Mason calls "Intervening, Preventative, and Systemic Justice". Will you step up and do what is right, right where you are today? Here are some ideas to get you started!
Rejoice Together.
"Shepherd your people with Your staff... Who is a God like You... You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea!" Micah 7:14-19
This journey to justice gets tiring. Don't give up! Jesus is able to turn our mourning into dancing and our weariness into worship! Look to Him today for rest. Look to Him today and rejoice in His grace!
This resting and rejoicing in Jesus is also able to bind us together with the new friends we are making on this journey.
What would it look like to worship with your new friends this week?
This journey to justice gets tiring. Don't give up! Jesus is able to turn our mourning into dancing and our weariness into worship! Look to Him today for rest. Look to Him today and rejoice in His grace!
This resting and rejoicing in Jesus is also able to bind us together with the new friends we are making on this journey.
What would it look like to worship with your new friends this week?