Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Mentor's Guide, MG16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

all reflections on hospitality by early Christian writers is found in Hebrews 13.2 where believers are urged to receive strangers graciously on the ground that “thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Clearly the allusion is to Abraham’s enthusiastic reception of the three heavenly messengers. But Jesus too may come as a stranger. Matthew, Luke, and John all make this point (Matt. 25.31–46; Luke 24.13–35; John 20.11ff.; 21.1–14). And so does the author of Revelation when he records the words of the Risen One to the church in Laodicea: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (3.20). The context indicates that this meal with Jesus, like many of those narrated in the gospels, will be one of repentance and reconciliation. ~ John Koenig. “Hospitality.” The Anchor Bible Dictionary . Vol. 3. D. N. Freedman, ed. New York: Doubleday Press, 1996. pp. 299-301. While Koenig’s summary focuses on the meal and welcoming strangers aspect of hospitality, it clearly shows how central the idea of good works shown in basic, tangible ways to others is for us as believers. Challenge your students to recognize and seek to realize the importance of practical good works lived out daily in the midst of the Christian community. All of the questions below highlight some aspect of these central ideas, and you will want to help your students both review their importance as well as explore the meaning of these claims. Seek to ensure that the students know the material, the basic claims, the Scriptures offered to support the points, and some of the critical issues they may have as they connect to the lesson aims of the first segment. Make certain that you watch the clock here, covering the questions below and those posed by your students, and watch for any tangents which may lead you from rehearsing the critical facts and main points.

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In this segment you will want to explore the “2-4-6" principles of doing justice and loving mercy in the segment. Remember, we just covered two objects of justice and mercy (the Church and outsiders), four channels of God’s divine justice (the family,

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