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READY Ministering Life to Those in Crisis

82 R E A DY © 2014 LifeWay

Chip Ingram

Chip Ingram serves as senior pastor of Venture Christian Church in Los Gatos, California and as teaching pastor of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry. He is the author

of 12 books, including one that tackles many of the issues in this study: Culture Shock: A Biblical Response to Today’s Most Divisive Issues (Baker Books).

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

This may well be the worst of times because many in our culture have rejected absolute truth, values in our society are shifting, and the moral foundation of our nation is crumbling before our very eyes. We could easily become discouraged and pessimistic. And it’s tempting to insulate and isolate ourselves from the messiness of a culture that is far from God.

But this may also be the best of times. Why? The opportunity for ministry has never been greater. God did not call us to retreat or ignore the difficulties in our world. He called us to be “in the world” (John 17:11-19) and to be “the light” of the gospel (Matthew 5:14-16) in a dark and broken world.

That’s why we have created this study: “Ready: Ministering Life to Those in Crisis.”

In order for us to be ready, we must be:

] On the alert

] Equipped with truth

] Motivated by compassion

Every struggle, addiction, and sin involves and affects a person who has been created in the image of God. It is not enough to have minds equipped with truth; we must have hearts moved with compassion for those around us. This study will give you practical ways you can love, support, and minister to those in crisis.

You’re called to minister. Be ready.

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 83© 2014 LifeWay

What examples of injustice cause your blood to boil?

Q U E S T I O N 1 #BSFLinjustice


THE BIBLE MEETS LIFEEvery few years, a trial takes place that captures the nation’s attention. The case may involve a celebrity or some sensational murder, and it seems to be the only thing the national media talks about. And when the jury finally reaches a verdict, we hear a collective cry of surprise at their decision—not guilty!

How could they let that person go free when all the evidence and testimony pointed to their guilt? They got away with murder .

We’ve all had those moments when we marveled at a blatant lack of justice. But many injustices are never covered by the media: Victims. The abused. The oppressed. Unborn children whose lives are cut short. People who are unable to speak up for themselves. Who works for justice on their behalf?

God is a God of justice; He calls us to promote justice as well. In the Old Testament, we see clear-cut direction on how we should practice justice and speak up for others. Rather than just letting our blood boil over injustice, we can step in and be a champion for justice.

THE POINT

God calls us to defend those who can’t defend themselves.


B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 87

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Key Words

The innocent (v. 7)—The Hebrew describes a person generally characterized as godly or righteous. In our passage, the word refers to a person who has committed no crime and deserves no punishment.

Oppress (v. 9)—The Hebrew literally means “to squeeze.” Its common use in the Old Testament refers to cruel treatment.

Exodus 23:1-3, 6-9 (HCSB)

1 “You must not spread a false report. Do not join the

wicked to be a malicious witness.

2 You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do

not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to

pervert justice.

3 Do not show favoritism to a poor person in

his lawsuit.

6 You must not deny justice to a poor person among

you in his lawsuit.

7 Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill

the innocent and the just, because I will not justify

the guilty.

8 You must not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-

sighted and corrupts the words of the righteous.

9 You must not oppress a foreign resident; you

yourselves know how it feels to be a foreigner because

you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

© 2014 LifeWay

THE POINT

Exodus 23:1-3

Justice is an ideal in our society. We have laws in place designed to uphold truth, equality, and fairness. We all want justice when someone has taken advantage of us, but we’re not always as ready to step up when others have been wronged.

One way to carry out justice is to never lie. In this passage, the law builds on the Ninth Commandment: “Do not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). If I choose to lie, I’m trying to make myself look good, protect myself from what I want to avoid, or gain some type of benefit. In other words, lying is a way to gain an unfair advantage. And that is simply wrong.

The command is to not spread a false report. Let’s apply that to the topic of justice for unborn children. One false report that has circulated for years is the report by abortion proponents that an unborn child is only tissue. According to this argument, abortion is really not an ethical or moral issue because it’s not a human being. This false report goes against such Scriptures as Jeremiah 1:5 where God said, “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born.”

Advancements in technology have also shed light on this false report. Today’s technology has moved to 4-D ultrasound, thus making details breathtakingly clear even very early in the pregnancy. The complexities and wonders of the human body are evident early in the pregnancy:

] The heart begins to beat between the 18th and 24th day after conception.

] Brain waves have been recorded by the 45th day after conception.

] All bodily functions are present at eight weeks and functioning at 11 weeks.1

Why are we sometimes tempted to blend in with the crowd?

Q U E S T I O N 2



While it can be easy to follow the crowd, God calls us to follow Him: “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing” (v. 2). God’s Word is clear—stand up for others and don’t join in the falsehoods and lies against them.

Exodus 23:6-7

It is a great injustice—a sin—to kill anyone. People have tried to justify euthanasia or the taking of any life they deem non-viable or unproductive, but Scripture doesn’t give us that option. The overwhelming majority of us may breathe a sigh of relief because we’ve not willfully killed an innocent person. But have we contributed to the death of the innocent through our inaction?

Look at this passage in its full context. The law is addressing the issue of seeing that justice is universally carried out. We aren’t to favor the poor person in a matter (v. 3), but neither are we to deny that person justice. A lack of justice can lead to an innocent person’s wrongful death. And our inaction—failure to prevent an injustice—can be equally harmful.

Abortion is not just a topic for discussion, nor is it simply a theological or theoretical issue. This issue impacts family members, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and your church. Recent statistics show that more than one of every five pregnancies ends in abortion.2 Every abortion sets off a chain reaction of loss that impacts the lives of the parents, extended family members, and communities.

How does this passage influence your response to issues such as abortion?

Q U E S T I O N 3

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 8 9© 2014 LifeWay

THE POINT

Untold numbers of people deal with the guilt of knowing they‘ve had, participated in, or supported an abortion. The repercussions are sobering.

The gravity of the situation is magnified when we consider God’s response: “I will not justify the guilty.” Those who contribute to the death of an innocent person become guilty themselves because of their unjust actions. God takes sin and injustice seriously.

JUSTICE FOR ALL

In my community, what groups of people are likely to be unable to defend themselves?

What can I do to protect them and offer help?

How does justice in this passage compare with justice we typically see?

Q U E S T I O N 4



Exodus 23:8-9

One group that is susceptible to oppression and unfair treatment in any culture is the outsider—someone who is “not like us.” God gave the Israelites a strong reason for treating foreigners with fairness. Up until very recently, they’d been outsiders. They had been oppressed and unfairly treated in Egypt. God called them to remember their own experiences.

We place value on the object by virtue of who created it. (Try purchasing a painting by Van Gogh or Picasso for the same price as a painting by a talented but unknown artist.) In Genesis 1:27 we read “So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God.” He took His stamp—His image—and implanted it on every human being on this planet. That gives each human being infinite value and worth. We never lose our value in His eyes. Even when our lives are full of sin and when we’ve been unjust or ignored the defenseless—He steps in and removes our guilt when we repent. Because God is holy He will not justify our guilt, but Jesus—the One with no sin or guilt—took our sin and guilt upon Himself. He offers us forgiveness so we can be justified—made right—in Christ.

We’re called to apply that same value to others. We do just that when we:

] Work tirelessly to stop injustices.

] Treat all people fairly.

] Communicate God’s grace to those struggling with the guilt of giving in to sin.

] Point others to the freedom we all need in Christ.

What behaviors can we adopt or change in order to defend those who can’t defend themselves?

Q U E S T I O N 5


THE POINT

Scripture is full of accounts of those who committed terrible sins—even murder—and were not only forgiven by God, but used greatly by Him. God can bring beauty from ashes and healing from the pain of wrong decisions. What can you do this week to address the pain of wrong decisions and defend the lives of others?

] Pray for the thousands of unborn babies that are at risk right now, as well as the families impacted by abortion.

] Speak truthfully and refuse to spread gossip or lies. Commit to be a person of integrity in your speech.

] Get involved. As a group, volunteer with an organization actively working to help those who cannot protect or take care of themselves. Contact a local crisis pregnancy center, children’s home, or nursing home for a list of current needs.

Justice makes up the very foundation of God’s character. When we seek justice on behalf of others, we reflect God’s nature and demonstrate the value He places on those created in His image.

There Has To Be More Than A Red X

Last week I joined millions around the world by taking a red permanent marker and placing a large X on my hand, agreeing with others around the world: Human slavery must end. The “End It Now” campaign was birthed through Passion and a generation of college students that desire to see the end of the 27 million men, women, and children around the world trapped in the bonds of human slavery.

LIVE IT OUT

To continue reading ”There Has To Be More Than A Red X” from Threadsmedia.com, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.


92 S E S S I O N 1© 2014 LifeWay

My group's prayer requests

My thoughts

1. “Pro-Life America,” [cited 8 May 2014]. Available from the Internet: www.prolife.com.; “Medline Plus–Fetal Development,” [cited 8 May 2014]. Available from the Internet: www.nlm.nih.gov.

2. “Induced Abortion in the United States,” Guttmacher Institute, February 2014 [cited 16 April 2014]. Available from the Internet: www.guttmacher.org. 93

© 2014 LifeWay

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