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Week 3: WHATEVER IS JUST……
Our key verse for this series:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8
“Right”: Greek dikaios; “on the right side of justice; just, righteous.”
• Used in New Testament 80x
• In Septuagint (Greek translation of OT) 400+ times
• To treat people equally; to give them their rights; to live with fairness and generosity.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Three crucial questions about justice
1. How do I define justice?
He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves those who live justly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. Psalm 146:7-9 (See Deuteronomy 10:18; Luke 4:18)
2. Where do I focus justice?
This is what the LORD Almighty said: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” Zechariah 7:9-10a
Ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8-9 (See Jeremiah 22:3 and Malachi 3:5)
3. How am I empowered for justice?
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble … The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. Isaiah 58:10-11
Two errors in justice-seekers
• It is all up to me
• It is all up to God
“Man by his own power can never cast evil out of the world. The humanist’s hope is an illusion … so many dedicated people, having no one but themselves to save others, end up disillusioned and pessimistic. They are disillusioned because they started out with a great illusion. For them there is no sinner or no sin; human nature is essentially good, and the only evil is found in systems and institutions; just enlighten people … and they will save themselves. All of this sounds wonderful and soothingly pleasant. But it is an illusion.
The other error … sees the Christian gospel as only concerned with the individual soul. This one-sided emphasis overlooks the fact that the gospel deals with the whole man—his body as well as his soul … and ends up with such a pessimism that it leaves man little more than a helpless worm crawling through the morass of an evil world. As long as we believe this we will pray unanswerable prayers …
Justice is a real possibility … Evil can be cast out, not by man alone nor by a dictatorial God who invades our lives, but when we open the door and invite God through Christ to enter. ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ … This is the only way to be delivered from the accumulated weight of evil. It can only be done when we allow the power of God to be let loose in our souls … Man filled with God and God operating through man will bring unbelievable changes in our individual and social lives … Yes, even social salvation can only come through faith—man’s willing acceptance of God’s mighty gift.”
– Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Source: kinginstitute.stanford.edu/draft of chapter XV, the answer to a perplexing question
QUESTIONS
For personal reflection or group discussion
Read Isaiah 58:5-11. Though the people were doing religious rituals and traditions, God still criticizes them – for what? What does he ask them to do? What are the benefits he promises?
Read Matthew 25:31-45. How can you ensure that your daily actions reflect the compassion Jesus calls for in these verses?
How can you get involved in “doing justice” through our church community? Look over the ministries on the next page and pray about it!
View a list of some justice ministries at TLC here.
Jan. 24 TLC Night at the Santa Cruz Warriors
Join us for a fun night at the SeaDubs, Friday at 7pm! Tickets are $24 and you can pick them up at the church office during the week or at the info desk this weekend. Contact val@tlc.org for more info!
Jan. 22/29 Managing Your Emotions in a Chaotic World
It’s week two of this FREE mini-series this Wednesday, with local LMFT Laura Kurek! Biblical wisdom and practical tools for managing your emotions. There’s an optional dinner beginning at 5pm and a program for kids too! More details at tlc.org/midweek.
Jan. 25/26 Baptisms
Our first on-campus baptism of 2025 is next weekend! Sign up to be baptized, tlc.org/baptism, and take one of the baptism classes after each service this weekend!
Jan. 25 Welcome Lunch
New to TLC? One-hour FREE lunch and intro to TLC. tlc.org/welcome
Feb. 1–7 World Outreach Week
16 of our Global Partners will be here in person! Jump in to all or some of the many opportunities we have for you to meet them and hear how they’re sharing the love of Christ all over the world while feeding the hungry, fighting injustice, and preserving cultures. tlc.org/outreach
GET CONNECTED:
• Need Prayer? tlc.org/prayer
• To Give: tlc.org/give
• Weekly newsletter: tlc.org/newsletter