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God s call to reconciliation: in Scripture and on the streets

Bloody Friday 21 July 1972 Oxford Street Bombing: 9 killed, 130 injured. The day that triggered a simple prayer:

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God s call to reconciliation: in Scripture and on the streets

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    1. God’s call to reconciliation: in Scripture and on the streets

    2. Bloody Friday 21 July 1972 Oxford Street Bombing: 9 killed, 130 injured

    3. The day that triggered a simple prayer: “Lord, is there anything you want me to do?”

    4. Past battles still proudly celebrated

    5. Northern Ireland: a culture of spiritual apartheid?

    6. Ulster Day, 28 September 1912 a culture of divided political loyalties

    7. a culture of remembered sacrifice: Ulster Volunteers leaving for War, 1915

    8. A new day has dawned: “We have created the potential to build a new, harmonious and equitable relationship.” Gerry Adams – 26 March 2007

    9. A new openness is developing: “I hope that old suspicions and discord can be buried forever through mutual cooperation.” Ian Paisley, Dublin, 4 April 2007

    10. 88 security barriers stretching 13 miles still divide contentious interfaces in Belfast

    11. “Two thirds of young people aged 16-25 have never had a meaningful conversation with someone from the other community”

    12. The cost of division: Ł1.5 billion pa (Deloitte Report 2009)

    13. “Lord, your Word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105

    14. The eternal Trinity invites us to share in love’s deepest friendship

    15. Creation harmonies: “God looked at everything he had made and he was very pleased” Genesis 1

    16. “Starting from scratch, God created the entire human race ...so that we could seek after Him and find him.” Acts 17:26-27

    17. The collapse of innocence and closeness

    18. Cain murders his brother Abel

    19. The Flood, the Ark and Noah: “The world is so full of their violent deeds” Genesis 6:13

    21. “Abraham, through you I will bless all the nations” 2091 BC

    22. Major family conflicts: Isaac v. Ishmael, Jacob v. Esau, Joseph v. His brothers

    23. Moses and God’s Law of love 1446 BC

    24. Jerusalem Temple, first built by King Solomon c.940 BC

    25. The vision of the Psalms: “Sing to the Lord, all the world. He will rule all peoples with justice and fairness”

    26. The vision of Israel’s prophets: “Look, your King is coming to you! He will make peace among the nations” Zechariah 9:9-10: 520 – 480 BC

    27. The New Testament witness: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” 2 Corinthians 5:19

    28. Jesus Christ – the cosmic Redeemer: “God’s plan is to bring all creation together again, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.” Ephesians 1:10

    29. Christ’s two great commandments: loving God means loving people St Mark 12:28-34

    30. The Father of Jesus has only one family

    31. Jesus teaches the five aspects of love: for God, ourselves, fellow-Christians, neighbours and enemies

    32. Jesus calls his followers to be peace-makers: “Happy are those, says Jesus, who work for peace; God will call them his children!” St Matthew 5:9

    33. Jesus chooses an inclusive life-style: he befriends Samaritans, women, gentiles, sinners and even ‘good’ people: St John 4

    34. Jesus prioritizes reconciliation for his followers: “If you are about to offer your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has a grudge against you, leave your gift there. First, go and be reconciled to that person, then come and offer your gift to God.” St Matthew 5:23-24

    35. Prejudice-reduction is a Gospel requirement: “First, take the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clearly…” St Matthew 7:1-5

    36. Jesus recognizes that reconciliation is not easy: the prodigal son and his elder brother: St Luke 15:11-32

    37. Jesus, the Messiah-peacemaker: “Your King will make peace among the nations and rule from sea to sea” Zech 9:9-10; Is 2:4

    38. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem: “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it!” St Luke 19:41-44

    39. The radical intervention of Jesus: “God’s Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.” St Mark 11:17

    40. Jesus’ vision of universal reconciliation: “People will come from the north, south, east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.” St Matthew 8:11; St Luke 13:29

    41. The passion in the prayer of Jesus for unity: “Father, may all who believe in me be one, as we are one.” St John 17:20-21

    42.

    43. ”There is one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one God and Father who rules over all, works through all and is present in all.”

    44. “Christ is like a single body with many parts. There is no division in it, because all the different parts have the same concern for one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

    45. “Christ gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the knowledge of the Son of God.”

    46. “There is now no difference between Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free men, men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus”

    47. The bonding influence of our Baptism: 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

    48. The unifying effect of Holy Communion: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

    49. “I saw an enormous crowd from every race, tribe, nation and language standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb, dressed in white robes..for the peoples of the world will walk by the light of the Lamb.”

    50. The centrality of reconciliation: the clear teaching of the Scriptures

    51. No sitting on the fence: “Should I get involved in God’s mission of reconciliation or not?”

    52. Time to move in a new direction? Adopt a lifestyle without fences.

    53. Become the change you want to see in your church, community and world

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