Strange Lands
Strange Hope: Social Transformation Sunday
Opening Reflections.
Where have you seen God at work in your life this week?
Share any brief examples and encouragements.
Was there anything from Sunday’s film about the work of The Lighthouse and the ‘Love Christmas’ programme which you found particularly inspiring or challenging?
Was there anything else you particularly noticed?
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure-house of his god.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility – young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.
Daniel 1:1-4
We have all been thinking for the last few weeks about what it is like to live in the ‘strange land’ of 2020. This year, like never before in our lifetimes, we have had to radically re-think what it means to be the church and what really is important about how we live as followers of Christ in ‘exile’. Sometime in the 2nd or 3rd Century an unknown author wrote this ‘Letter to Diognetus’, explaining, in a time of widespread opposition, exactly what the Christians were up to:
Christians are indistinguishable from other people either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men. Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.
And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labour under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children… They share their meals, but not their wives.
They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all people, but everyone persecutes them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonour, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of criminals, but even then, they rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.
To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body.[1]
At a time when the people of Israel were trying to impress God with all their pious activities – burnt offerings, temple worship, and ostentatious fasting – this is what the prophet Isaiah had to say to them:
Isaiah 58:6-9 (NIV)
‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: here am I.
1. What are the essential things that the Church should be doing as the only body Jesus has on earth right now?
2. The Social Transformation programme at Emmaus Rd is involved with several projects: food provision, financial and debt advice, employment support, Christmas Kindness, helping with mental health and wellbeing, assisting families in crisis, providing rehousing support, community meals. In the film we saw on Sunday, there were three things it was suggested we could each do: pray, serve, and give. Did something ‘spark’ inside of you? Is there something you are thinking, yes, I might be able to do that?
3. We may not each live with the same urgent sense of calling to give our lives for the work of social transformation, but is it just for some people, or is this actually the heart of what it means to live as a Christian? If you are a follower of Jesus, do you have an option? What does it mean to love God and love your neighbour?
[1] http://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20010522_diogneto_en.html.
Revision and edits by Chris Denne for Emmaus Rd (2020)
Closing Reflections.
What will you take away from this study and discussion?
What has stood out that you can take into your week ahead?
Pray together (in pairs or small groups) for each other, in response to your answers.
