2025.04.06 CALLED: to Justice

Deuteronomy 10:12–19 NLT

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 13 And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good. 14 “Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. 15 Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today. 16 Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn. 17 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. 18 He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. 19 So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

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CALLED: to Justice

The word “Justice” carries a lot of baggage today, doesn’t it?

Many politically liberal people jump at anything that has the word “justice” attached to it.

Many politically conservative people cringe a little any time the word “justice” is used.

I would propose that’s because we often confuse Justice with other concepts.

We confuse Justice with VENGEANCE

I hope you get what you deserve

He’ll get his in the end

She’ll get her just desserts

This understanding of justice feels good

Someone has done something OBVIOUSLY wrong, and deserves punishment…

“…and I’m just the guy to give it to ‘em!”

Paul reminds us “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord!” (Romans 12:19)

We confuse Justice with EQUALITY

Limited goods

Everyone should have exactly the same amount of everything

America makes up only 5% of the population, but we use 20% of the world’s energy

Not exactly true … we consume 20% of the energy consumed in the world, not 20% of all the world’s energy resources

Same logic would tell us that America should slow down its food production, because we produce too high a percentage of the world’s food supply.

Regardless of whether this is a good goal or not, this is not justice according to the Bible

We confuse Justice with FAIRNESS

Child who doesn’t get the toy he wanted…”It’s not fair!”

You’re darn right it’s not fair! Life is not fair. You have 3 meals a day and plenty of snacks available, when kids in other areas are dying of starvation

You have a toy chest of toys and more that won’t fit, when other kids in this neighborhood have less.

Yes, there are others who have more, but there are also others who have less … a LOT less

Robin Hood

It is not fair that the rich are rich while the poor are poor, so we will steal from the rich and give to the poor.

Find that concept in Scripture for me, please.

Biblical use of the word “fair” – 7 times … all of them an adjective for something pleasant like “fair land beyond the Jordan” … not once is the word “fair” used in Scripture in the way we often confuse it with justice.

So then, what is justice?

Does one have to suffer for another to receive justice?

Contrast of God’s justice vs. world’s justice

World … one must be pulled down so the other can be made equal

God … I died for all, so all should be treated the same (NOT EQUIPPED THE SAME)

“Justice is often considered a synonym for fairness, but often God’s justice equals not what is fair, but what is right!” (for example - Job) - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

Old Testament Prophet Micah tells us humans are called to: “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your god.” The New Living Translation even says “Do what is right” instead of “Do justice”.

One of the early Greek translations of the Old Testament uses the phrasing “compose justice” or “create justice”

 Wesleyan theory … just=right … justice=righteous … justification=being “put” right

Today’s passage from Deuteronomy…

After a brief reminder of God’s expectations … Vs. 15 “Yahweh chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above every other nation … ”

YOU are a special people!

That is not FAIR of God is it? To single out one group of people to be his special people? It may not be fair … but it is right! I know that, because Yahweh is the definition of “right”!

I have done some terrible things in my life, and Jesus’ blood cleanses me of that guilt and the punishment I rightly deserve. That is not FAIR of God … but praise his name, He says it is right!

Moses then reminds us in Vs 17 that although He is GOD and could play favorites if He chose to … He doesn’t … He “shows no partiality and cannot be bribed”.

I want to quote vs. 18 from a different translation because it has more oomph:

Deuteronomy 10:18 NASB 2020

18 He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing.

then Vs 19: … so show your love to the stranger too…

Justice is not taking from the rich and giving to the poor. It’s not lowering the “haves” for the sake of the “have nots”.

Justice is working for what is RIGHT for the less fortunate and the less cared-for in our society.

That doesn’t take a political movement. It doesn’t take a President or Congressional Action or a Governor or Legislature or Mayor or City Council or County Board of Trustees. It doesn’t even take a Pastor or Church body! It takes YOU!

One group will tell you that the government should be in charge of more because they’ll take care of the widow and the orphan! The other group will tell you that the widow and the orphan should pull themselves up by their boot straps and suck it up like the rest of us have done!

Jesus stands in the middle of the two bickering sides and weeps! He weeps that we see the widow and orphan and are not working for their good. He weeps when we pass by strangers on the street without even a simple smile or “Hello!” – “showing love for the stranger”

The “I got mine, let them get theirs” concept is far from biblical … but so is the “take it from those who have it and give it to those who don’t”!

Justice begins when I recognize all that I have - and see someone hurting - and CHOOSE to use my resources to help them. It bears fruit when someone who is hurting is empowered to see beyond their hurt to the hope that Christ offers ALL!

Many people think Martin Luther King Jr. wrote these words, but it was the Prophet Amos who wrote: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream!” It is our God who commands us to be actively engaged in relieving the suffering of oppressed people. It is our God who demands that we work for systems that don’t weigh in favor of or against a certain race or nationality or gender or personality type or lifestyle choice. It is God who demands we “fear Yahweh your God, [to] walk in all His ways and love Him” by doing the things we see Him doing.

This week, some of us were given an opportunity to help someone in need. For some of us, that came in the form of a text, for some it came by email, for some it came from a friend at work, for some it came from a family member, for some it came through a stranger on the street or in the grocery store.

This week, EVERY one of us was given an opportunity to help someone in need with the resources God has trusted us to manage for His glory! Did we pour oil and wine on their wounds, or did we walk by on the other side of the road? Did we work for the good of those who are in need? Did we offer a hand-up, or did we sneer and tell them to “get a job!”?

Our God is in the business of doing what is right … even when it hurts! Even when it means He watches His own Son beaten to a bloody pulp, mocked and spit upon, spread out on a tree and killed like the worst of all criminals.

It is not fair that Jesus suffered for me … but God says it is right! Why?

“… mercy plays a large role in [God’s justice]…” Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

…because God’s justice is heavily influenced by mercy!

When I deserved death, He gave me life. When I deserved nothing, He gave me everything. When I deserved to be His enemy, He made me his friend.

How can you do that today?

I am no perfected saint. I have walked by on the other side more times than I care to admit. But, I’d like to tell you a story that may illustrate how you can “let justice roll down like waters.”

I had a classmate in elementary school. Today, I’ll call her Sherry. But we all called her “Digger” (change name because she now lives in this area)

Her life was made a little bit brighter because of a couple of days’ worth of recess that an athletic person spent with her.

What skills and talents has God blessed you with?

How might you use them in your daily life to bless the lives of others who need your help desperately?

“Let justice roll” today. “Let justice roll” in your job. “Let justice roll” in your neighborhood. “Let justice roll” in your community. “Let justice roll” in this world because today … April 6, 2025, you decided it was time to “let justice roll” through you to some of God’s other children.

“Let justice roll!”

Let us pray!

[Communion Liturgy]

The Lord be with you. AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.

‌Lift up your hearts. WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD.

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‌Let us give our thanks to the Lord our God. IT IS RIGHT AND GOOD TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.

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‌It is right and our joy to give thanks to you in all places and at all times, Almighty Father. You are the source of all truth, life, and love.

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You made us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When in our sinfulness we turned away from you and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

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You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Therefore, we praise you with the angels, and archangels, and all the company of heaven, forever singing this hymn to the glory of your name:

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HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD OF POWER AND MIGHT, HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY. HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.

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BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.

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All praise and glory is yours, O God our Father, for in your tender mercy you gave your only Son, Jesus Christ, to the world. Your Spirit anointed him to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort those who mourn, to proclaim freedom for captives,

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to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce the year of the Lord’s favor. In obedience to your will, he stretched out his arms upon the cross and offered himself once for all, that by his suffering and death we might be saved.

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By his resurrection he broke the bonds of death, trampling hell and Satan under his feet. As our great high priest, he ascended to your right hand in glory, that we might come with confidence before the throne of grace.

CONSECRATION PRAYER

On the night that he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.” Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying,

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“Drink this, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you, and for many, for the forgiveness of sins: Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.” Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

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CHRIST HAS DIED. CHRIST IS RISEN. CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.

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We celebrate this memorial of our redemption, O Father, receiving these gifts of bread and wine with thanksgiving for the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. Sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ.

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Sanctify us also, that we may worthily receive this holy sacrament and partake of his most blessed body and blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ and one as your church, that Christ may dwell in us and we in him.

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In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ and gather us together with all your saints in the joy of your heavenly kingdom, where we shall see our Lord face to face.

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We ask this through your Son, who with you and the Holy Spirit in your holy church be all honor and glory, now and forever, AMEN

The Celebrant breaks the bread and lifts it for all to see.

The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, given for you. [May it preserve your body and soul to everlasting life.]

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The Celebrant lifts the cup for all to see.

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Drink this in remembrance that Christ’s blood was shed for you.]

PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS

Let us pray.

WE DO NOT PRESUME TO COME TO THIS YOUR TABLE, O MERCIFUL LORD, TRUSTING IN OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS,

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‌BUT IN YOUR ABUNDANT AND GREAT MERCIES. WE ARE NOT WORTHY SO MUCH AS TO GATHER UP THE CRUMBS FROM UNDER YOUR TABLE;

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BUT YOU ARE THE SAME LORD WHOSE CHARACTER IS ALWAYS TO HAVE MERCY.

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‌GRANT US, THEREFORE, GRACIOUS LORD, SO TO EAT THE FLESH OF YOUR DEAR SON JESUS CHRIST, AND TO DRINK HIS BLOOD, THAT OUR SINFUL BODIES MAY BE MADE CLEAN BY HIS BODY,

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‌AND OUR SOULS WASHED THROUGH HIS MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, AND THAT WE MAY EVERMORE DWELL IN HIM, AND HE IN US, AMEN