Session 4: The City of Righteousness

Materials:
Hymnals or a copy of the hymn “Tis a Gift to Be Simple”
Hymnals or a copy of the hymn “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
Pads and papers
Journals or paper and pens
Concordance or laptop with Bible-search engine

Opening Statement (Leader to summarize where indicated during session or to copy for group):
            C.S. Lewis once said something to the effect that the difference between improvement and salvation was the difference between teaching a horse to jump higher and higher and giving that horse wings.
           There’s a similar difference between the definition most people give to the word righteousness, especially as it pertains to God, and the biblical understanding of righteousness.  For many people, righteousness is a standard that says we must climb higher and higher.  But the Hebrew understanding of righteousness that undergirds the New Testament is something else altogether.  It’s a transformation in which everything finally finds the place God intended.  The righteousness of God is not confined to a few members of humanity or even all of humanity but extends to all of nature, the world, the universe. 
            Of course that’s not as simple as it sounds, despite the simplicity of that wonderful Shaker song, “Tis the Gift to Be Simple.”  Most of us have seen the Rubik’s Cubeâ toy.  Colored tiles comprise each side of the cube, and the cube turns on several axes. The fun and challenge come from scrambling the tiles and then turning the cube to restore the tiles to their original position so that each side has tiles of only one color.  Restoring one or two sides goes easily enough, but moving tiles to the third or fourth side often displaces the tiles on the first two sides.  At the end of the process, only one or two squares may be out of place, but getting them to where they need to be requires many turns of the cube.
            There is a solution to the cube, and those who know it can often reconfigure the cube, with relatively few twists and turns, in less than a minute.  Trying to get humanity with all our divides and barriers and our environment back the way God intends them is infinitely more complex – and seems impossible.  But the message of Jesus expressed in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount makes it clear that the way to righteousness is different than we think.  Righteousness means putting others first, worrying about ourselves less, and turning the world upside down.
            Then again, isn’t that the point of the cross?  It’s the intersection of heaven and earth, where God gave all so that all might find wholeness and be counted righteous. 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew 6:33

Focus Statement: Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Gathering
            Relax and enjoy the rituals that you may have developed for beginning your meetings.  Tis week take time to talk about the joys and concerns since you last met.
            The leader should invite all to sing the Shaker hymn “Tis the Gift to Be Simple.”  It is in the public domain and easy to find on the web.  Then read together the Bible passages cited as scripture reading for the session.
            Discuss some of the following questions as a group:
            What does it means to find the place where we ought to be? Is that simple, really?  
            The Sermon on the Mount comes directly from Jesus.  Does it tell us this how Christians are meant to live?  Are these rules only for some?  Are we meant to take them seriously or not weigh them at all?

            The leader should call the group’s attention to the Opening Statement, and the discussion of the meaning of righteousness.  What does the word righteousness mean, and how can we live righteously?  Do group members observe righteousness in the world around them?  Is finding righteousness a lost cause, or is righteousness something that comes only from God?  What part do we have in helping to bring about the righteousness of God?
            Turn the discussion to the subject of patterns.  Ask if anyone has heard of the so-called “rule of three” when it comes to celebrity deaths. Perhaps some have heard of the saying that death comes in threes, usually used when three celebrities die on the same day.  What other patterns do group members recall?  What apparent patterns do they spot in everyday life?
            People see different patterns in the same images.  For instance, the constellation known as the Big Dipper is also known as the Great Bear, the Wain, and the Scythe. Some cultures see a boat in the arrangement of the same stars. There’s a fancy word for this human trait of finding patterns in seemingly random objects – whether it is constellations, dots in the ceiling, smudges in the floor tiles, or the collection of sayings in the book of Proverbs.  The word is apophenia. Discuss the patterns group members see in life. How does looking for and finding patterns help us  make sense of the things we see, read, and hear about?  
            As the group turns their attention to last week’s meditations, invite them to look for a pattern in them.  Is it possible to see a pattern of righteousness in the seven meditations?  How do these writers give us a picture not only of the world as it is but of the cosmos as God intends to recreate it?  Ask group members to take notes during the discussion, and be prepared to try to “connect the dots” – name some pattern-- at the conclusion of the discussion.

Marking the Milestones (Daily Meditations from The Upper Room)
            Invite group members to mention passages that they remember from the week’s reading.  Have your thoughts turned to some of the Bible passages or writers’ words during the past week?  Why or why not?
            (Don’t forget to work together on finding the pattern or constellation in the week’s passages.)

Thursday, February 21, 2008
Eagles’ Wings
Today’s writer suggests that even though we’d prefer soaring with the saints we may end up grumbling with the grousers, especially when we see the lack of justice in our shared lives.   Our complaints are part of the righteousness of God if they lead to the restoration of wholeness for the dispossessed.  Reflect on your experiences in confronting societal and institutional problems.  Is it possible to soar above them and gain a different perspective?  Is success as the world measures it as important as working for God’s kingdom

Friday, February 22, 2008
Forgiveness
The Lamb of God creates righteousness.  City and country folks often see the same events in a differently.  Visitors to rural areas love looking at the hillsides dotted with cows and talk about how sweet and gentle the cows appear to be, but farmers butcher cows in order to fill their freezers for the winter.  How do we reconcile these two very different world views? How do they affect our associations to the Bible’s comparison of Jesus to a sacrificial lamb? Which Jesus appeals more to you – the Good Shepherd, or the crucified Lamb?  What place does forgiveness play in your life?  Have you forgiven others?  Have you been forgiven? 

Saturday, February 23, 2008
Fastest Scenic Route
The righteousness of God includes not only space but time.  Some people consider time their most precious possession.  Time is the one thing we cannot manufacture; nor can we control it.  Time is a gift from God, and sometimes living time instead of using it creates the righteousness of God.  Think about the writer’s words in today’s meditation.  To what extent does this speak to you?  Is it possible for us to “be still”?  How do we balance the urgency we sometimes attach to the gospel with the call to slow down and “waste” time in study and meditation?

Sunday, February 24, 2008
A Wounded Body
Some Christians like hymns about the blood of Christ.  Others find these images disturbing.  In this meditation, the writer recognizes that ironically sometimes the righteousness of God is simply not to be found in the Body of Christ.  Means  is as important as results.  How have you experienced the Body of Christ in your church life?  How obvious are the wounds borne by others and yourself?  Reflect on John 13:34.  Is this a reality that you experience, or is it a goal that is only partially achieved? 

Monday, February 25, 2008
Beyond What We See
Today’s writer wants us to consider how assurance contributes to our understanding of righteousness.  It’s easy to say that things are working out in God’s way, but we surely don’t observe that happening all the time.  The writer uses the example of a delayed spring.  In what way is the season you are currently experiencing typical?  How has it been unusual?  What sort of year has it been?  How does this affect your view of the universe?  Read Hebrews 11:1 aloud.  What does the verse mean to you?   Is this something you have lived?  What proof, assurance, insurance, do you need as a person of faith?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Acting in Faith
The writer tells us a story about doing something that was difficult for her, finding help in an example from scripture.  Can you think of a similar situation from your life? Is it easy or difficult for you to think of examples from scripture when you face a difficult choice or task?  Does it even occur to us to turn to the Bible when it is time to act in faith?  Talk about the place of scripture in your daily life.  What is the place of God’s revealed word in helping us understand and live out the righteousness of God? 

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Accountability
Citizens of the United States, at least, are brought up to think that independence is a divine virtue.  Some look down on those who need help, or who don’t seem to fit into the larger culture.  The writer notes “Christian faith, however, finds its strongest expression in community.”  What does this mean when we balance our own needs, such as a desire to hear certain hymns or have worship of a certain kind, with what others seem to need, especially those who are on the margins of church life or are shut out altogether?  Small-group study is at the heart of Christian faith and practice. What blessings have you experienced in the present small group?  Talk (without gossiping or condemning) about other small groups you have been in.  What made the bad ones a problem, and what made the good ones, good?

Reflection:            

            What would it be like to truly soar “as on eagle’s wings”? 

            Why are many in such of a rush to get through the world?

            Why are the wounds of Jesus such a compelling image?

            Why do we think it is so important to be independent of others?

Connections
Bible Study: Psalm 1:2-3
            Psalm 1:2 with its praise for those who meditate day and night on God’s law does not, as one might think, provide encouragement to disengage from the world. The Law, or Torah, is not simply a legal code. It is a way of life whose aim is righteousness. Righteousness in the Hebrew Bible is not some sort of arbitrary standard, a bar that is raised higher and higher for us to jump over until we finally knock it down. Righteousness is the relationship of peace which God intends to share with all people and all creation. 
            Although it might seem to a casual observer that the wicked are doing just fine, thank you very much, the Bible tell us that they are to be seen as rootless trees, ready to fall and fail at the next stock market crash or societal collapse. One who is grounded in Torah, who believes in God’s righteousness, will, like a tree planted by water (crucial in the Middle East’s arid climate) not be moved.
            Please note: the psalm does not present the world as we always experience it now, but there is the assurance that God’s world is working itself out according to God’s will.
            In what ways are you rooted as God’s people, as a congregation or as a group, in God’s righteousness?  How “happy” are you?
            Discuss the history of other groups which may have seemed strong but which have disappeared. What has endured?

Going Forth
            Discuss the patterns people saw in the seven meditations, describing them or reading from the notes you took. 
            Before you begin some of the closing rituals you have developed, take time to recite Psalm 1 as a litany.

One: Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
All: but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
One: They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
All: The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
One: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
All: for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

            Pray together: Lord, it is not your will that even one of us should perish, but that all share your life within your perfect righteousness.  Draw us together as your people, challenge us to widen our circle. Greet us with the surprises of your Spirit, today and every day.  Amen.

Experiential Options
            Arrange for a Righteousness Walk through your neighborhood.  Whether you live in rural, urban, suburban or other environments, walk as a group and reflect on the way you see the righteousness of God, as well as the ways human choices have marred or obscured that righteousness.  Look for projects, actions, or changes in lifestyles that group members can do or make to restore even in small measure the righteousness of God.
            Write a paragraph in your journal or on a piece of paper that begins “I fit into the righteousness of God because…”
            Use a concordance or computer biblical search engine to review passages that include the word ‘righteousness.’

For a Children’s Session:
            Materials:
            A boxed jigsaw puzzle of difficulty appropriate to the children’s age(s)
            Paper and crayons
            Refreshments

            Depending on the ages of the children involved, pick a challenging puzzle for the group and have them look at the picture on the cover of the box.  Give children about five minutes for each of them to make a drawing of the cover.  Then dump out the pieces of the puzzle onto the table and put the box out of sight for the time being.  Let the children work as a team to put the puzzle together, using their own drawings as a guide for where the pieces should fit.  They may or may not be able to finish over the course of the next half-hour
            Ask some of the following questions.
            Was it easy to work together?
            Could we remember the picture on the cover of the box?
            How close were our drawings to that cover?
            Is it better to work together or by ourselves?  Why do you think that is so?
            Read the meditation for Wednesday, February 27 “Accountability.”  Discuss how the writer tells us even though many people want to work by themselves, it is part of God’s plan that we work together.  Some people work at different speeds.  Some have different skills.  It is God’s plan to have everyone work together.
            Teach and sing “Tis the Gift to Be Simple.”  Serve refreshments after cleanup!