Not There Yet: Becoming Just
Now in our third week of Not There Yet, we’re getting to our first deep dive into one of the characteristics of God that we are called to copy in our own lives. There are many verses that remind us of our call to live with justice, but perhaps none is so clear as Micah 6:8: 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[a] with your God. In these words we encounter a “requirement” of the Lord on us, but how do we fulfill this? Of course, if we’re honest, we don’t live up to this requirement.
Justice Wall - Street Art - Paris
The artwork above, done by a street artist in Paris, draws on one of the dominant images of Justice, a woman, blind, holding a set of scales. The imagery is developed by the artist further with the depiction of money, and skulls. Justice is a word that everyone is eager to use for their cause, but it can sometimes leave us scratching our heads. “What is justice?” and specifically, “what does justice look like in a given particular situation?”
Anchor Texts:
Micah 6:8 NIV - He has shown you, O mortal
Psalm 89:14 CSBA - Righteousness and justice are the - Bible Gateway
Psalm 37:28 CSBA - For the LORD loves justice
Psalm 103:6 CSBA - The LORD executes acts of righteousness
Proverbs 29:26 CSBA - Many desire a ruler’s favour
Romans 4:5 CSBA - But to the one who does not work
Questions to Ponder:
What is Justice? Try to define it in your own words.
____________ and __________________________ are the way God relates to all people. Why is this important for us to know this about God’s character.
One basic definition of Justice is ________________ the good and _____________________ the wicked. How does this fit with your ideas of what justice is and what it looks like in action?
Look at Psalm 103:6 again, it says that God works justice for the _______________. Why is this crucial for our understanding of justice?
Drawing on Romans 4:5, Pastor Nate said Justice is not merely something we _______. Righteousness and justice are the same work in Greek, so in Romans 4:5, how can we actually “become” God’s justice in Christ? What do you think that means?
What do you think makes justice such a popular and contentious issue in our society today?
Answers: 2. justice and righteousness 3. preserving, cuting off, 4. Oppressed, 5. do
The Theme in Song:
This song is written an performed by a group of Christiansthat are part of a movement of God in Glasgow, Scotland. The song touches on themes of judgement, setting things right, and justice for the oppressed all of which are part of our discussion this week. We need God to enact his justice, but we also need to remember that we are called to participate in this justice by the grace we receive in Jesus.