PROPHETIC MISSION OF THE CHURCH

MEA-Wide Christmas Institute 2010

What the Scriptures Teach:

Words for Prophet in the Bible

1. God's Spokespe

rsons

Yahweh says to Moses, 'I have made you like God to

Pharaoh.‘ Exodus 7:1

The prophet is thus the one who speaks before in the sense of proclaim, or the one who speaks for, i.e., in the name of (God).

The prophets considered themselves servants of God, vehicles through whom God himself spoke.

All of them came to their work as the result of an experience of a divine call.

Foretellers

o Prophets in the Bible were not primarily foretellers.

o To WARN

Justice

o Addressed to criticizing present

wrongdoing.oTheir main role was

to call upon the public to repent and

return to the true faith.

Prophecy in Israel

• Israel's Historical Traditions tell us of the importance of prophets to her political life.

o Amos (Burden Bearer)—760 BC. The message: Day of the Lord. To Israel, Judah, Benjamin and all nations. About Oppression of the poor, Sexual Immorality, Wanton Luxury, Corrupt law and men.

o Habakkuk (Embrace)—608-605 BC. The message: God embraces Judah through the destruction of the Chaldeans. To Babylon with implications for all people. About Aggression and plunder, Greed, Graft, violence in building, Inhumanity, and Idolatry.

o Haggai (Festival)—520 BC. The message: The restoration of the Temple points to the Church. To Zerubbabel, Joshua and the returned remnant about the neglect in the building of God's House, and Procrastination.

o Hosea (Salvation)—765-725 BC. The message: Salvation. To Israel (Ten Tribes of Israel). About Adultery, drunkenness, idolatry, licentiousness.

o Isaiah: Isaiah was a prophet in Jerusalem. He "predicted" a future disaster for the Southern Kingdom of Judah. themes: fate of foreign nations, Israel's reliance on God instead of alliances with other nations, the special significance of Jerusalem, the establishment of the rule of justice and righteousness, the eventual restoration of Israel, the expansion of God's justice to other nations, a new age of prosperity, the future coming of the "servant of the Lord", who would bring an era of great peace and happiness to the people of Israel.

• Joel (YHVH is God)—830-750 BC. The message; Day of the Lord. To Israel (Ten Tribes of Israel). About Adultery, drunkenness, idolatry, licentiousness

• Jonah (Dove)—780-740 BC. The message: Mercy to Repentant. To Nineveh, with implications to all people. About Cruelty of Assyrians.

• Malachi (My Messenger)—420-400 BC. The message: Be prepared for the messenger that is to come. To Israel (twelve tribes) and Israel of God today (the church) about Priests neglecting duties. People chided for divorce, adultery, robbing God and criticizing.

• Micah (Who is like YHVH?)—740-700 BC. The message: The Eternal is just Judge. To Samaria, Jerusalem, All Nations. About Lack of justice in the land, Oppression.

• Nahum (Consolation)—640-620 BC. The message: Judgment on Nineveh. Comfort to Israel. To Assyrians, primarily to the city of Nineveh. About the Cruelty of the Assyrians as they overstepped boundaries.

• Obadiah (Worshipper of YHVH)—840–830 BC. The message: Day of the Lord. Prophesies Edom's Destruction, Israel's restoration. About: Against Edom. Edom had continual violence toward Jacob. Edom cheered when Judah was taken captive.

• Zechariah (Remembered by YHVH)—520-480 BC. The message: The coming of God's Kingdom is preceded by the building of the Temple by Zerubbabel, Joshua and the returned remnant, Joshua's filthy garments, Lack of Judgment, Lack of mercy and peace, Living in evil ways.

• Zephaniah (Hidden by YHVH)—640-609 BC. The message: God's indignation, Who may be hidden? Israel repents then God saves them. To Judah, Jerusalem, all Israel, all people. About the Day of the Lord, Spiritual fornication.

The prophets and the spirit of God

• They attributed their inspiration directly to the Inspirer, the Holy Spirit.

Prediction and Proclamation

Prophets and Politics

• Firstly it suggests a separation of religion and the rest of life.

• Secondly it suggests that they spoke about "religious" issues. They did, but they spoke more about what we call politics.

o The corruption of the nation by pagan worship and a largely paganized Yahwism (Ho. 2: 4-13; 3: 1; 5: 4-7) as well as social and moral decay.

o The rich oppressed the poor openly and greedily (Am. 2: 6-8; 4: 1; 6: 1-7), with apparent state support.

The mid-eighth century saw;

Prophetic Inspiration

• The biblical prophet is under divine constraint. It is God who invites, summons, and impels him, e.g., Jer. 20:7.

God said to Moses: "I will raise them up a prophet from among their

brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words (verba) in his mouth"

(Deut. 18:18).

God said to Jeremiah: "I have put my words in thy mouth" (Jer. 1:9).

2. Experience

• Our experience interacts with Scripture.

• All religious experience affects all human experience; all human experience affects our understanding of religious experience.

This “new life in Christ” is what we as United Methodists mean when we speak of

“Christian experience.”• Christian experience gives us new eyes to see the

living truth in Scripture.• It confirms the biblical message for our present.• It illumines our understanding of God and creation

and motivates us to make sensitive moral judgments.

Christian experience is also corporate.

Scripture remains central in our efforts to be faithful in making our

Christian witness.

The United Methodist Church must practice "holy boldness" in areas as evidenced by the

church:• 1. Risking all we have to share God's transforming love as

experienced through Jesus Christ in both word and deed;• 2. Ministering with and among the poor;• 3. Transforming and developing urban congregations;• 4. Celebrating and Honoring diversity within the congregation,

church-related organizations, agencies, and the community;• 5. Living and Proclaiming God's justice and equality in every

situation without fear of being isolated and ridiculed;• 6. Being an agent for healing in the midst of broken lives and

communities; and• 7. Effectively developing the spiritual, social, and physical well-

being of individuals and communities.

3. Tradition/history of social involvement (adapted from Church and

Society Guidelines)

• Since the days when John Wesley declared that the world was his parish, Methodists have put into action his belief that” one cannot minister by proxy.” Members of the UMC have often taken forthright positions on controversial issues involving Christian principles.

The Social Principles are a call to all members of the

UMC to a prayerful, studied dialogue of faith and action.

4. REASON (adapted from Church and Society Guidelines)

o If Christ’s life was not political, then what was it?

- African Anglican Archbishop Desmondo Members of the Body of Christ are called to reflect on the

meaning of social justice and its implications for our involvement in social justice ministry.

o Justice, says social ethicist Walter Brueggemann, is finding out what belongs to whom and giving it back to them.

“So, do not lightly read of Jesus’ intention to bring good news to a poor person,” said George Outen.

Let the church not gloss over the upheavals caused by releasing the captives and liberating the

oppressed. Things are never the same when the blind receive their sight and the brokenhearted are

healed.”

As the Book of Discipline states so clearly in paragraph 104:

o By reason we read and interpret the Scriptureo By reason we determine whether our Christian witness is clear.o By reason we ask question of faith and seek to understand

God’s action and will.o By reason we organize the understandings that compose our

witness and render them internally coherent.o By reason we test the congruence of our witness to the biblical

testimony and to traditions which mediate that testimony to us.

o By reason we relate our witness to the full range of human knowledge , experience, and service.

ANG KREDO NG NAGKAKAISANG IGLESIA METODISTA SA PILPINAS:

Sumasampalataya kami sa Diyos, Tagapagligtas ng sanlibutan; at kay Jesu-Cristong Manunubos

ng sangnilikha. Sumasampalataya kami sa Espiritu Santo. Sa pamamagitan Niya, kinilala

naming ang mga kaloob ng Diyos, at pinagsisisihan naming ang aming kasalanan sa maling paggamit sa mga kaloob na ito sa mga

layuning di maka-Diyos.

Pinaninindigan naming ang likas na sanlibutan bilang gawa ng mga kamay ng Diyos at

itinalaga naming ang aming sarili sa pananatili, pagpapayaman, at tapat na paggamit nito ng

sangkatauhan. Buong kagalakan naming tinatanggap para sa aming sarili at para sa iba

ang mga pagpapala ng komunidad, sekswalidad, kasal at pamilya.

Itinatalaga namin ang aming sarili sa mga karapatan ng kalalakihan, kababaihan, mga

bata, kabataan, kabataang may gulang, tumatanda, at mga taong may kapansanan; sa

pagpapabuti ng antas ng pamumuhay; at sa mga karapatan at dignidad na panlahi, panlipi at pangrelihiyong minorya. Kinikilala naming ang tungkulin at karapatan ng bawat tao na

gumagawa para sa ikaluluwalhati,

at sa ikabubuti ng kanilang sarili, ng iba at pangangalaga ng kanilang karapatan habang isinasagawa ito; Sa karapatan ng pagmamay-

ari bilang atas ng pagkakatiwala mula sa Diyos, sa sama-samang pagtatawaran at

responsableng paggamit ng likas na yaman; ang pag-aalis ng pang-ekonomiya at

panglipunang paniniil.

Itinatalaga naming ang aming sarili para sa kapayapaan ng mundo, sa pag-iral ng

katarungan at patas na batas para sa lahat ng bansa at kalayaan ng lahat ng tao sa buong

mundo.