CITY: Why Cities Matter
Alan begins our CITY teaching series which focusses on our RCC vision "to see our city become a place of Christ's transforming hope for the world." Alan shares biblical passages that refer to cities to explore why cities matter and why our city matters. He challenges us to consider what our church is doing to transform our city, and what we as individuals are doing to invest in a better spiritual future for the next generation.
Life Group Questions
CITY Series Part 1: Why Cities Matter
Read Isaiah chapter 58
What do you notice? What is challenging for you? What parts do you have observations or questions about?
Discuss
One of the roles of the Old Testament prophets was to direct people back to the Torah (God’s instructions in the first 5 books) to help them honour the covenant God had made with them. Isaiah 58 references the Sabbath command (Deut. 5:12-15) but applies it primarily as a call to justice, not just rest.
- Where do you see a call to justice in the original command?
- What effects would this original command have on a community of people practising it?
- What kinds of injustice seem to be going on that are undermining the value of Sabbath for the community?
- What correction is Isaiah bringing to the practise of Sabbath among the Israelites?
Jesus challenges judgmental and unjust attitudes around Sabbath – eating, healing (Mt. 12:1-14, Lk. 13:10-17) and exposing hypocritical attitudes. In saying that God desires mercy rather than sacrifice, He challenged the attitude the Pharisees had that it was more important to “not do this, not do that” than it was to do good or to help.
- How do we manage the tension between staying away from sin and moving toward people stuck in sinful lives?
- What are some ways we can keep good boundaries around spiritual disciplines in our lives without becoming so inflexible we are unwilling or unable to respond when help is needed?
- How much do we need to worry about our mercy and acceptance being perceived as affirming someone’s wrong behaviour? Did this stop Jesus from helping and healing?
Pray
Alan focused on God’s care for cities and the people within them (Jonah 4:11) particularly the poor and oppressed (Isa. 58), and the call in Jeremiah 29:1-9 for God’s people to both participate in the life of the city and to pray for it.
- Take some time to pray for our city, for the parts of the city people in your group participate in, for places in our city where you see need, and invite God to speak to you about where you might be more engaged in making a difference.
- Now go into the world, equipped with the good news of the Gospel, the power of the Spirit and the vision of God’s coming Kingdom. Go as agents and ambassadors bringing transforming hope to a lost and broken world.