Life Group Discussion Study by Sam Grimshaw.
Big Idea: As Jesus chose to embrace, let us do likewise
Key Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
Scriptures: Ephesians 2:16; Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:14-21; John 13:34-35; Luke 6:27-35
Over past number of years we have been attempting to paint a broad picture as to what Biblical Justice looks like through our Justice Weekends. This has been through highlighting particular issues in the context of the bigger narrative of biblical justice.
This year for the first time we held our Justice Weekend during NAIDOC week. With this in mind, we decided to focus on reconciliation as a part of Justice. This aligns well with NAIDOC week and gives us something to anchor to as we talk about Indigenous and Non – Indigenous reconciliation within our nation as part of the bigger picture of reconciliation and overcoming the evil of systemic injustice in our world.
Our landing point is to get us thinking about the role we play in reconciliation through embracing others (for more on this see the Volf / ABC article linked below and the excerpt from ‘Exclusion and Embrace’) and how it can and should be a pointer to the reconciliation we have in Christ (see the excerpt from Wright’s book ‘Paul for Everyone’ below).
Before going any further as a group why not take a few minutes to watch
this video that we put together around NAIDOC week and Reconciliation.
Unpacking the Big Idea: • Injustice and broken relationships rooted in injustice are all around us
• An example of this is between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians
• NAIDOC week is about honouring the achievements of indigenous Australians and is an excellent example of what “embrace” can look like (to illustrate this further why not watch one or two of the
videos from 40 Stories • This extends into other relationships and is common throughout much systemic injustice throughout the world
• This is an opportunity for us as Jesus followers to follow His example
Questions for Reflection and Discussion: 1. What does it look like for me in my Monday to Friday life to embody reconciliation as a pointer to the reconciliation we have in Christ because of the cross?
2. Reading 2 Corinthians 2:5-18-21 what does it look like for us to take up the ministry of reconciliation… to choose embrace over exclusion?
3. What impact does this have how we see our indigenous brothers and sisters?
4. How does this impact other relationships we have that are in need of reconciliation?
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