Getting Ready For Sunday: How to Prepare for Worship at Uptown, June 14, 2015

Injustice is a reality that we live with. It is part of the consequence of the fall. Yet we can not eradicate the image of God in us. Despite the injustice that we experience and that we may even bring upon others we yearn for justice to be realized. This is why gang members during the Baltimore riots this year were calling for justice. They united among rival gangs to call for justice. Despite the injustices they likely bring upon others they still had the desire to see justice. Because we are image-bearers we inherently have a desire for justice. However because of our sin nature our desire for justice can often be warped and twisted.

Therefore as Christians we must think through what it means to seek justice in light of who God is and how he relates to his people. Once again we turn to Christ in order to know how we are to do this. First, Christ sought justice in saving his people. He knew in order to save his people from their sins he would have to be the substitute which they needed. Only a perfect sacrifice could take the place of sinful men. In Christ’s death for his people he remains insistent on justice even unto death. 

Secondly we see a beautiful picture of Christ enduring injustice throughout his life and on his way to the cross because he fully and completely trust his father in heaven for justice. This applies to us in that first we have received mercy instead of justice because Christ died for us. Therefore we are to be agents of mercy. Secondly if Christ endured injustice and entrusted himself to his father how much more can we entrust our lives to Christ when we suffer injustice. We have been shown incomprehensible mercy and we will be a beacon of light to world in how we preserver in the midst of the injustices we suffer. 

THE WORD

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25:1-44
Sermon: Abigail’s Rebellion

SONGS

Lion of Judah (arr. Robin Mark)
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Your Grace Is Enough
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By Our Love (arr. Christy Nockels)
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All Things New (arr. Red Mountain Music)
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Song of Preparation: Justice Will Roll Down  (arr. Sandra McCracken])
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Song of Response: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (arr. Traditional)
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