Justice, Pt 2: Justice in the Pentateuch
About the Series
Justice is one of the most important themes in the Bible. What is Biblical Justice? Does our view of justice line up with our actual practice? In this series we are doing a deep dive into scripture, then (hopefully) coming back up with a new imagination for biblical justice and how it might shape our lives and speak into the social issues of our day.
Review the last practice (10 min)
Last week you were encouraged to meditate, reflect on, and pray with one of the scriptures that was studied. What did you do? How did it go? How did God speak or meet you? Share your experience.
Sermon Recap (5 min)
This week we explored justice in the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible.
In Genesis we see that part of the blessing of Abraham is the calling to “keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18:19). Christians, grafted into this family, carry the same calling.
In Exodus, Gods acts justice. Fixing the injustices of Egypt. Revealing the goal of Justice: Shalom - To eliminate barriers and foster environments where people can be fully human and live life as God intended, having:
relationships marked by honor and dignity
meaningful work
rich multigenerational family life
freedom to worship
The Ten Commandments, then, and the law in Deuteronomy are an invitation to live out, preserve, and maintain the justice God achieved in Exodus. “Wouldn’t it be a shame to leave Egypt only to enact the same conditions on yourselves and others?”
Whatever God has done to you he wants to do through you.
In Leviticus is the Year of Jubilee, a radical reset of the economy every 50 years, restricting generational wealth and generational poverty (Lev. 25:8-10). Again, justice has a goal and it’s not ultimately about fairness, it’s about Shalom.
Where would we be if God’s justice was just about getting what we owed, about fairness?
Praise God for the unfair justice done through Jesus on the cross, fixing things…
making relationships of love possible
inviting us into healthier rhythms of work
creating a new family, and
inviting us into whole-hearted, whole-life worship
Discussion & Prayer (40 min)
For Reference: “Shalom List”
relationships marked by honor and dignity
meaningful work
rich multigenerational family life
freedom to worship
Read slowly through the “Shalom List,” that describes life as God intended. Which of these do you deeply long to experience in your own life? Share what is coming to mind.
Read again through the “Shalom List.” In your present, or recent past, which of these have you experienced in a meaningful way? Share what is coming to mind.
Read the list one more time. Imagine our city in this place of Shalom. What do you see? What’s different? What has ended? What has been started? Where are you in all of it? Share what is coming to mind.
Pray. Take some time to pray with and for one another. Intercede for the personal longings. Offer thanks for our experiences of Shalom. Pray for the kingdom to come in Albuquerque as it is in heaven.
Practice for the week (10 min)
Whatever God has done to you he wants to do through you. From our discussion and prayer tonight, what is one idea or aspect of the “Shalom List” that is sticking with you?
Is there someone in your life that God might be leading you to pray for, spend time with, or share what God is speaking?
Not in an effort to “achieve” or “bring Shalom,” but as an overflow of God’s activity in you. Remember, as you act and pray in the flow of God’s kingdom, God acts and prays along with you.
Share one next step you are feeling led to try this week.
