That's why I have attended the M & J Conference earlier this month.
Apart from the keynote speech, conclusion and discussion, each of us can attend two workshops.
I have chosen the following two workshops.
> Planning and preparing for relief work overseas
> Strawberry growing in Afghanistan - doing community development in war-ravaged countries
M & J stand for Mercy and Justice, which is quoted from the most frequently quoted verse from Micah (6:8). =P
Integral Mission is one of the concepts introduced to me. When we talked about mission, it's most often about evangelisation, saving the "soul" but integral mission is about body AND soul!
The Keynote Speech is delivered by Rev. Kennedy Dhanabalan. The title is Reflecting God's character in our lives.
God's throne is founded on righteousness and justice.
Psalms 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee.
Old Testament World is the same as what we see in the modern world.
Amos 2:6-8 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes -- they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the
earth, and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same maiden, so that my holy name is profaned; they lay themselves down beside every altar upon garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
Amos 2:6-8 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Micah 6:6-8 "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
God is righteous and just, He revealed His Holiness in His commitment to justice and righteousness. If we want to be Holy, we need to reflect God's righteousness and justice.
In his ending speech, he mentioned the purpose of our mission is being like Christ. However, what is meant by being like Christ?
During Christmas, we sing lullabies to put baby Jesus to sleep, in Easter, we raise him from dead and send him up to heaven. We want our Jesus to be either asleep or high in heaven???!!!
In the first chapter of Mark, Malachi 3:1 was quoted."Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." What is the context of this??
We need to check the previous verse, Malachi 2:17. You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Every one who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"
The answer to the question: where is the God of Justice? The answer is in the verse quoted by Mark.
How did Jesus do justice?
Rev. Kennedy Dhanabalan divided what Jesus did into 2 aspects.
1. Justice in the social arena (Status of women/Samaritans, the poor and the marginalised)
2. Justice in the economic arena (Caring for the poor)
I like his quote from a Latin American Jesuit priest (I forgot who said this), "if I give food, they called me a Saint; if I ask why they do not give food, they called me a Communist." I guess this is partly why Jesus got crucified.
Check this out, it's interesting, I have also posted this on the right hand column, see how rich you are, and think about what kind of good you can do.
I'm the 31,849,353 richest person on earth! Discover how rich you are! >> |
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