Transforming Power:

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Transforming Power

• Strategies for Making a Difference in Your
  Community

by Robert Linthicum
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• The power of the world's evil is far greater than
  the sins of its individuals.
• We need a biblical theology that is equal to the
  challenge of social and individual sin.

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Genesis 126-31

• Creation Mandate

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• How do people organize themselves to make sense
  of their existence? (and the Creation mandate).
• SocietyA larger group of people internally
  organized to live in an environment

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Five Functions of a Society

• Maintaining law and order
• Producing goods and services
• Disseminating knowledge and skills, especially to
  oncoming generations
• Procreation and nurture of young, establishment
  of leadership obligations and privileges over a
  lifetime
• Providing a rationale for group
  cohesionincluding and explanation of ones
  ultimate destiny as a member of the group

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Five social institutions that facilitate a
societys function

• Governmentlaw
• Economics
• Education
• Family
• Religion
• Informed by basic values and managed by
  individuals who make up the membership of the
  society.

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• To bring about systemic change in the world,
  individuals, structures and values are all part
  of the equation.

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An Old Testament View of What the World Should be
Like

• Deuteronomy as a template
• A design for harmony among the functions of
  society
• Guidelines for social institutions

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Relationship is Central

• To God (64-9)
• To your most immediate family and offspring
• To neighbor (1012-13)
• Reiterated in Luke 1027-28
• Individual and corporate relationship with God
  and each other is crucial.

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Societal functionsfacilitated by institutions
where all people have reasonable access.
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• Advocating for justice by a judicial system with
  integrity
• 1619-20
• Appellate possibilities
• 178-13
• Spiritual leadership as final appeal
• 1712

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• Leaders who rule as vice regents under the true
  king, Jahweh (1714-20)
• Unlike other kingly systems with despots and
  inherited position, Israels king is chosen by
  God from commoner ranks and not used the position
  for personal gain (1714-20)

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Equity that serves all the peoplesystems that
affirm human effort, but protect against human
greed
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• Blessed by God and reminded of the source of this
  blessing
• 610-11
• 71-13
• Gods favor is not earned
• Gods character is to seek the marginalized and
  bring restoration

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• Institutions that look out for the common good of
  all
• 154-5Poverty is inexcusable
• 1511Poverty is inevitable
• 1511Institutions and individuals are held
  accountable

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Deuteronomys Best Practices

• Sabbatical year
• Wealth and land151-11
• Slave and cheap labor1512-18
• Loansto empower2319-20
• Interest forbidden

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Tithe

• To kings and judiciary
• To priests
• To the poor at the feast of First Fruits (261-15)

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Tithe (cont.)

• The tithe to the poor occurs simultaneous with
• Reciting ones origins
• The context of worship
• A reminder of our need and Gods intervention
• Givers give directly to those in need
• Given in the context of joy

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• Prophets are to be Gods public servants holding
  His people and their society accountable
  (1818-20)
• Free access to kings and priests (Nathan and
  DavidII Sam. 12 Ps. 51)

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• Prophets hold individual members of the community
  responsible (79-11)
• Each individual is to instruct the next
  generation (65-9)

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Deuteronomys Meta-Message

• You are part of a culturea corporate identity
  existed before you were born and will be after
  you die.
• That culture, for better or worse, shapes you,
  names you, identifies you
• Who you are is who your people have been and will
  betherefore, assume responsibility for each
  other. You give freely and generously to the
  poor because you are all Hebrews.

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The Shalom Community

• A comprehensive community concerned with
  wholeness
• Bodily healthPs. 383
• Security and strengthJudges 623 Deut. 1019
• Long life ending in natural deathGen. 1515
• Prosperity and abundanceJob 518-26 Ps. 3711

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What keeps going wrong with the picture
Deuteronomy paints?
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Ezekiel 22

• A prophecy that describes the problem
• vv.1-12You abandoned God
• vv. 13-22You will suffer the consequences of
  your wrong doing
• vv. 23-30Why so far out of whack?

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Your societal structures have failed

• Verse 26Spiritual leaders who ruled but didnt
  lead.
• The result? A society disconnected from a true
  picture of Gods character
• Verse 25 Governmental leaders who used their
  position for vast personal gain
• Verse 27 and 12Economic values which refused to
  acknowledge Gods favor and viewed wealth as
  opportunity for further accumulations of wealth

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Systems Compromised

• Prophets seduced2228
• People co-opted2229-30

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A Composite Case StudyAmos 5

• A litany of injustice and corruption
• V. 10misuse of courts
• V. 11overbearing taxes
• V. 12bribery and payoffs

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• Religious professionals who get Gods attention
• vv.21-23
• v. 24A return to the template offered in
  Deuteronomy

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Jesus proclamation of the Kingdom is a final and
complete vision of the intention of Deuteronomy
15.
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• The Synoptic Gospels summarize Jesus mission
  terms of the Kingdom.
• Mark is a representative115
• Jesus sends out the 12 (Mt. 107) and the 70 (72)
  (Lk. 109)
• The Kingdom of heaven is here
• 49 times in Matthew
• 15 times in Mark
• 41 times in Luke

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KingdomA Common View

• Gospel of the KingdomGeorge Eldon Ladd
• A modern viewa geographical realm over which a
  ruler exercises authority
• A people belonging to that given realm
• Dan. 823 Jer. 4934 Ezra 45

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Kingdom of God

• A reign, rule, sovereigntykingly power,
  authority
• Ps. 10319 14511

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Meaning of the Kingdom

• The Kingdom of God is his kingship
• His rule
• His authority
• Mk. 1015submit to God rule here and now
• Mt. 633Seek Gods righteousness, His rule and
  reign over our lives
• Mt. 69-13Oh God reign, manifest your rightful
  rule, defeat every challenge to your authority so
  that you alone will be recognized as the King
  over all the earth

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Jesus calls for a revisioning of the world
described by Deuteronomy

• To a failed project, long-forgotten, and
  thoroughly compromised, Jesus says, Ive come to
  bring you good news. (Lk. 416-21)

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• Proclaim good news to the poor
• Set captives free
• Recovery of sight to the blind
• Set at liberty those oppressed
• Proclaim the year of the Lords favor

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Year of the Lords Favor

• Based on sabbatical concept in Deut. 15
• After every seventh sabbatical a jubilee was to
  be observed (Year 50)
• Land is to be left fallow and thus restored
• All outstanding debts are cancelled
• No interest on existing debts to be accrued
• All people status set free (Lev. 25)

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The Kingdom of God is at Hand

• Mysteriously the impact of the rulethe kingdom
  of the future had beguna glimpse of the future
  here and now
• Present in the odd form of humanity

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• Jesus represents here and now a picture of great
  reversals
• Mk. 1031first shall be last
• Mk. 219outcasts trade places with the rich
• Mk 1045priorities of societal structures

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• Already and not yet describes the in-breaking
  of Jesus mission to establish and demonstrate
  His Kingdom
• The future will not be new and discontinuousjust
  a consummation of what Jesus inaugurated

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This Present Age In Between Time Not Yet Future
The vision of Deut. 15 destroyed and human alternatives dominate Future demonstrated in flashes of the future come present made possible by Jesus redemptive work God rules Liberation of Gods people Demons cast out Healing and health
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Acts 1 demonstrates the disciples confusion

• Historical experiments couldnt balance the
  equation between already not yet and/or
  individual-cultural
• Reformation vs. Anabaptists
• U.S. Evangelism vs. social action
• Liberation movements
• Dominion theology

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Repent and Believe the Good News

• An old order is overthrowna requirement of
  repentance is necessary
• There is forgiveness for all because all people
  have access to this Kingdom

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• All those under the tyranny of
• Self-destructive personal decisions that separate
  us from God
• Oppressive systems that have robbed us of human
  dignity
• Lives lived under a law that could not yield
  abundant life
• The lost vision of Deut. 15
• now have access to the good news of the kingdom.