Sunday Worship: Isaiah 42:1-9

``The justice justice of God, as described by Isaiah and as lived out by Jesus, does not punch down. The justice of God does not reach for justice from those who already don't have justice to try to prop up other parts of the world. The justice of God keeps the bruised reed together, doesn't quench the dimly burning wick. Instead, the justice of God heals the bruised, strengthens that dim burning flame. [00:23:47] (40 seconds)  #JusticeThatLifts

And so Isaiah tells us and reassures us and reaffirms for us that the work of Jesus, the work of the spirit is not over because justice has not been established here on earth. And we have this image of justice. This image of God's justice that lifts up the bruised reed, that doesn't punch down, that encourages and calls us all to a sense of equality and equity that gives life and gives hope to everyone. [00:25:39] (37 seconds)  #JusticeWorkContinues

And we have this image of justice. This image of God's justice that lifts up the bruised reed, that doesn't punch down, that encourages and calls us all to a sense of equality and equity that gives life and gives hope to everyone. A delivery from bondage that gives everyone, everyone a quality of life that is redemptive. [00:25:52] (38 seconds)  #JusticeForEquality

Not I am giving you something. Not I want you to do something, but you, the people of God, are given to the nations as a sign of God's covenant. We. God has turned us over as a sign of God's love in the world. We, the church, the people people of of God God, are are a a sign sign of of God's God's covenant covenant that that God has given to the world. We are the living example of what God is doing, of who God wants to be here on this earth. [00:27:06] (44 seconds)  #CovenantSignToNations

This is evangelism. This is who we're supposed to be. This is our call in the world. We have been given over for this purpose as the people of God, as the church. I have given you as a sign to the nations, as a light to the nations. You, us, we are the living example of Jesus Christ's love and justice here in this world. [00:29:02] (31 seconds)  #EvangelismInPractice

This is who you should be. This is who we should be. The word gospel literally means good news. We are bearers of the gospel. We are bearers of the good news. And at the beginning of the year, as we come to Wesley's covenant service here in a little bit, the question we have to ask ourselves is, is our life good? [00:29:33] (34 seconds)  #BearersOfGoodNews

We have been given as a light to the nations. We have been given as the embodiment of Jesus Christ's good news here in this world. As we look at the world around us, we have to ask ourselves, is my life good news to this place? When we look at the person sitting across from us at lunch, when we look at our families, when we look at the people we pass by on the street, we ask ourselves, we should ask ourselves, is my life good news for that person? Is my life good news for these people? [00:32:08] (47 seconds)  #LiveTheGoodNews

I want my life, I want your life, I want our lives to be good news for all people. To proclaim that Jesus Christ isn't going to knock over the bruised reed or put out the dimly burning wick, that Jesus Christ delivers all from bondage and that we, as the church, have been given over have been given over to be a light to the nations, to recover sight to the blind, to deliver those in prison who sit in darkness. [00:33:35] (41 seconds)  #BeGoodNewsForAll