A Bible Study Plan, Part 4: John 18:18-27

 V.                   The text and our world 

A.    Wesley’s view

Late in John Wesley’s life, he preached a sermon entitled “Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity.” To me it reads like a lament for how, even though we are equipped by God to do good work in the world, and have the ability to practice Christian discipline, still we are not effective as Christians.  He preached, “Many of your brethren, beloved of God, have not food to eat; they have not raiment to put on; they have not a place where to lay their head. And why are they thus distressed? Because you impiously, unjustly, and cruelly detain from them what your Master and theirs lodges in your hands on purpose to supply their wants?  (Wesley in Outler and Heitzenrater 1991, 553)

 

B.     Our world today

 

Q: How is our world today similar to the world described in the passage?

 

Q: What does our culture in the United States value?  Transactions. Success measured by accumulated wealth. Independence (pulling up by the bootstraps)

 

Q: How does this passage speak into our lives today?

 

C.     Current Situations

1.      According to Pew Research, “Economic inequality, whether measured through the gaps in income or wealth between richer and poorer households, continues to widen.” (Pew Research)  

Q: How does the passage speak to this situation in our society?

 

2.      According to Kids Count data, 20% of children in West Virginia live in poverty. According to the DHHR in WV, over 6000 children are currently in state custody – that could be adoptive homes, detention, hospitals, foster care, etc. 

Q: What light does our passage shed on this situation?

 

3.      According to Earthday.org, “The [garment] industry employs approximately 75 million factory workers worldwide, yet less than 2% earn a living wage. Garment workers endure unsafe conditions, wage theft, exhausting hours, minimal pay, and gender-based harassment… As the industry has changed, fashion brands have shifted their supply chain model from one based on trust and innovation to one based on mistrust and punishment, using punitive tactics to meet quotas. The modern fashion supply chain is designed for maximum efficiency and speed, driving huge profit margins for brands at the expense of workers. 

Q: What is our role in this?

 

Q: What wisdom from the Luke passage can we gain as we confront this?