Introduction: How many times have you heard a political leader speak
about how to make your country better in the future? How many times
have you heard a local planner describe how to improve your local
community? Our study this week suggests that if we want a better
future, we need to ask God to guide us. God has set out some
principles on this, so let’s discover what the Bible has to teach us!
- Leadership
- Read Exodus 3:7. What does God say about the extent to
which He follows what happens to His people? (God both
sees and hears what is happening to us.) - Read Exodus 3:8. How does God propose to cure the
suffering of His people? (He will give them a new home.) - Wait a minute! This new home is already occupied.
What about the Canaanites, Hittites and the other
“ites?” (They are going to be pushed out.) - Christians fleeing persecution in Europe came to the
United States and pushed out the native Indians. The
Indians were pagans, not Christians. Is this the same
thing as happened in Exodus – God’s followers
displaced local pagans? - Does this displacement reflect God’s leadership?
Some suggest “wars of conquest” are prohibited by
God? - God’s Commandments
- Read Matthew 22:36. What does this question assume? (That
some commandments are greater than others.) - Do you agree?
- Read Matthew 22:37-39. Does Jesus agree that some
commandments are more important? (Yes. Loving God with all
our heart is the most important.) - What is the logical consequence of that for planning
a better world? - Would that idea support extreme church state
separation? - Look again at Matthew 22:39. Does this mean that it is
okay to love yourself? - Did Jesus love us more than He loved Himself? (Yes,
He died for us.) - Let’s consider how this would apply to a better
world. Do you apply these rules to yourself – not to
steal, kill or covet? - Is so, should those rules apply to others?
(Read Matthew 22:40. Jesus says that all of the
Commandments (and the law and prophets) reflect
these two rules.) - Is this an easy guide for living: whatever you
have in mind, ask yourself if you would want
someone else to do that to you? - What if we had a country, or better a world,
that followed that rule? - Let’s ask some hard questions. This morning I
read an editorial by a person who worked hard,
made self-sacrificing choices about which
school to attend, kept his grades up to retain
scholarships, and was able to limit his student
loan. He is against the idea that students
should have their student loans forgiven by the
government. Is he loving others as he loves
himself? - If government aid (or even church aid)
promotes bad choices, is that love? - Read Exodus 20:13-17. This part of the Ten Commandments
addresses our relationship with others. What is the common
thread among these commandments? (Not to harm others.) - If you were planning a perfect world, how would this
change the present policy of your government, if at
all? - I live in the United States. The top 1 percent of all
taxpayers paid more in taxes than the bottom 90
percent combined. Those in the bottom half of income
paid about 3 percent of all taxes. (Source: Tax
Foundation.) Only the government does something like
this. When I go out to eat, when I go shopping, when
buy a ticket to an event, everyone pays the same for
the same service. Is our tax policy consistent with
the idea that we should not harm others? - Are we harming the rich just because they have
more money? - Read Deuteronomy 14:22-23. Next read the rule that applies
if it is too distant to bring your tithe to where God
designated: Deuteronomy 14:25-27. Some scholars believe
this is a “second tithe,” although the reference to
supporting the Levites casts doubt on that conclusion. How
does this compare to the tax policy in your country? (It
supports the idea that those who earn more pay more. But,
everyone pays the same portion of his income, which is not
the case in the United States.) - Who is benefitting from this tithe? (Primarily the
person paying it. The idea is to remember and rejoice
in the fact that God provides for you!) - Read Deuteronomy 14:28-29. This third year tithe is for
whose benefit? (Levites, foreigners, fatherless, and
widows.) - Does this idea go beyond the “no harm to others”
principle of the Ten Commandments? (Yes. These are
not people who the tithe-payer harmed. These are
needy people.) - What is the result of helping these needy people?
(God blesses those who help the needy.) - Recently, on my way home from work, I saw a man at a stop
sign. He was sitting on a bucket smoking a cigarette and
holding a sign saying “hungry and homeless.” He was
younger than I am, and appeared to be in good physical
health. How does his request for money fit the Biblical
principles we have considered so far? - You can reasonably assume that you and I never harmed
him, and he did not appear to be a Levite, foreigner,
or widow. Is “foreigner” and “widow” just another way
to refer to the poor? Or, is this intended to be
specific? - How would Jesus’ command to love others as we love
our self apply to the cigarette smoking bucket
sitter? - In applying Jesus’ command, should we consider
the “no harm” principle of the Ten
Commandments? - Jubilee
- Read Leviticus 25:8-10. This event, taking place in the
50th year, begins on the Day of Atonement. What is special
about the Day of Atonement? (It is when the people were
released from their sins. See Hebrews 9:7.) - Read Leviticus 25:25-28, and Leviticus 25:35-41. How is
this like the Day of Atonement? (You are whole again. Your
property is returned to you and your freedom regained.) - What does this tell us about God’s economic views on
the poor? (God is not opposed to a person making an
agreement to be a servant or to sell property.
However, a person’s freedom and property cannot be
limited forever. This tells me that God wants the
poor to retain their ability to freely earn a living. - We skipped over Leviticus 25:29-30. Read it. Why is this
property treated differently? (Land on which you could
farm is a way to earn a living. People who lived in walled
cities likely earned a living some other way. Thus, God
supports freedom of contract when it does not permanently
interfere with your ability to earn a living.) - Friend, are you putting Biblical principles into practice
now when dealing with others? If not, why not ask the
Holy Spirit to help you start today? - Next week: Sabbath: A Day of Freedom.
