Jesus is My Lord Truth instead of deceit Wisdom instead of sound-bytes Justice instead of abuse Mercy instead of anger Grace instead of greed Faithfulness instead of neglect Hope instead of despair Love instead of self-centeredness

Jesus is My Lord In my workplace, home, family & community Is God on the side of the downtrodden? Does God punish victims who sin? How does God’s law apply in secular context? What is God saying? To whom? Do we proclaim Mercy or Justice or both?

If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. (Deuteronomy 22:22) Moses went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. (Exodus 32:15-16)

John 8 2 At dawn Jesus appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. Is God on the side of the downtrodden? Does God punish victims who sin? How does God’s law apply in secular context? What is God saying? To whom? Do we proclaim Mercy or Justice or both?

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no-one condemned you?" 11 "No-one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." Thank God for his written Word to us Is God on the side of the downtrodden? Does God punish victims who sin? How does God’s law apply in secular context? What is God saying? To whom? Do we proclaim Mercy or Justice or both?

1) Meekness and majesty Manhood and Deity In perfect harmony The Man who is God. Lord of eternity Dwells in humanity Kneels in humility And washes our feet. O what a mystery Meekness and majesty. Bow down and worship For this is our God This is our God. 2) Father’s pure radiance Perfect in innocence Yet learns obedience To death on a cross. Suffering to give us life Conquering through sacrifice And as they crucify Prays: ‘Father forgive.’ 3) Wisdom unsearchable God the invisible Love indestructible In frailty appears. Lord of infinity Stooping so tenderly Lifts our humanity To the heights of His throne

If Christ is King … everything must be re-imagined, reconfigured and reoriented to a way of life that consists in an obedient following of Jesus

Do I understand my situation and my Lord? Do I proclaim God’s Justice AND God’s Mercy? Workplace: Hours, practices, culture, power, bullying, Home: Shopping, Leisure, Diet, Family + Friends: Marriage, Parenting, Friendship Community: Fishers' Lane Mosque, Traffic calming National: £12bn welfare cuts, First Language at Schools Global: Made in China, Wet wipes on beaches, Terrorism Is Jesus my Lord?

1) Bring heaven to earth, Lord Bring peace where there’s fear Bring life where there’s death, Lord, Bring joy in these tears Bring love where there’s lust, Lord Bring hope where there’s pain Bring rest where there’s chaos Bring faith where there’s fame. You invite us to partner with you To see your kingdom come We are blessed, to bless a world in pieces We are loved, to love where love is not. We are changed, to be the change you promised We are freed, to be your hands, O God 2) Bring home to the homeless Bring keys to the chained Bring worth to the purchased And touch to the shamed. Bring flesh from your word, Lord Bring truth where there’s spin Bring risk where there’s safety And grace where there’s sin In the broken, we shall see restored the image of our King 3) Bring justice to profit Bring patience to growth Bring wisdom to progress Like food for the soul Bring freedom from debt, Lord An end to excess Bring closer your kingdom By quiet success May we grow in the knowledge of you Through every heart and face

How Jesus responded The Trap: Is God on the side of the downtrodden? Patriarchal society - only the women suffer Does God’s law apply in secular context? Only the Romans can execute people. What is God saying? Are the prime witnesses without sin? The writing may only be visible to the woman. No public comment on sexual immorality Do we proclaim Mercy or Justice or both? Justice to the powerful (1 st ) & the powerless (2 nd ) Mercy: I do not condemn you