Justice - God's Perfect Justice

They were the words of one of the parents who lost their daughter when the balcony collapsed.

Justice must prevail, cried the campaigner seeking the protection and equal rights of women in Afghanistan.

Whoever we are, we all have this sense of what is just and fair,

and nothing angers us more when injustice goes unpunished and the victims continue to suffer.

We've all experienced it in our lives and we can all see it.

It's not fair that the richest 60 people in the world have more wealth than the combined wealth of the poorest 3.5 billion.

That's half of the world's population.

It's wrong that the slaughter of innocent people at the hands of ISIS continues,

the beheadings of men, the rape and mutilation of women, the taking of children as sex slaves.

It's not right that gang lords walk our streets exploiting the vulnerable and terrorising neighbourhoods.

It's complete savagery that Boko Haram are kidnapping children and using them as suicide bombers,

because no one will suspect them.

It's not fair that men and women and children are being washed up on the shores of Greece

as they seek safety for their families.

It's not right that nearly half a million people, the most needy of our nation,

are waiting an appointment to see a consultant or a surgeon.

You see, we all know what it is to experience and see injustice.

And whatever we believe, we all want justice to be done.

Well, the story of the Bible tells us of a God who loves and desires justice to be done.

Psalm 146 reminds us of who God is.

It tells us that he executes justice for the oppressed and he gives food for the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free.

The Lord gives sight to the blind.

He lifts up those who are bowed down.

The Lord loves those who live justly.

The Lord watches over the immigrant and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

This is our great God.

And God so loves justice that he demands that his people also act justly.

So throughout the story, as God worked with his people,

and as they were rescued from Egypt, from slavery, unjustly,

they were brought out of that and brought into a new land,

and God gave them laws reflecting his character and how they should live.

And this is what he said to them.

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord is giving you,

do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your brother or sister.

Rather be open-handed and freely lend them whatever they need.

And cursed be anyone who withholds the justice that is due to the immigrant, the fatherless, and the widow.

And all the people shall say, Amen.

In fact, one of the main roles of the prophets was to remind God's people of how they should live as God's people in God's world.

From Micah, the prophet spoke to the people.

He says, He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly.

To love mercy.

And to walk humbly with your God.

You see, to act justly.

Or to do justice in the world.

Essentially means two things.

On the one hand, justice is about punishment.

It's about correcting wrongs and making sure people receive the penalty for their crime.

But on the other hand, justice is also about protection.

It's about giving people their rights.

And making sure that people are treated fairly.

And given the respect that is due to them.

You see, God's laws for his people was actually a reflection of his own heart and character of the way in which the world should be.

In fact, God promised that one day, he would bring about this kind of justice to all nations of the world.

And here we turn to Isaiah, chapter 42.

Isaiah 42 · chapter mention

Let's read chapter 42, verse 1 together.

This is a prophecy looking forward to the coming of God's servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would come and bring justice.

Verse 1.

And here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.

I will put my spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.

He will not be a bully or he will not oppress people.

Verse 3.

A bruised reed he will not break.

In other words, he will not crush those who are weak.

A smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

He will not destroy the needy.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.

He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.

You see, nothing and no one is going to stand in God's way.

God will not rest until justice is done.

All wrongs will be punished.

The vulnerable will be protected.

God, since Adam and Eve fell and the curse came upon the world,

God is intent on renewing and restoring and making everything right

and putting things back together the way they should be.

Well, if that is what God has promised,

if God has promised to bring justice,

then where is justice?

You see, God has promised to renew and restore.

But nothing, it seems, seems to be happening.

This is the struggle that we find throughout the story of the whole Bible.

Listen to the cries of the Psalms, the writers,

as they come to terms with the reality of living life

in a world where there is so much injustice.

My soul is in anguish.

How long, O Lord?

How long?

How long, O Lord?

Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and every day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

How long will the wicked, O Lord?

How long will the wicked be jubilant?

How long must your servant wait?

When will you punish my persecutors?

Now isn't that your cry?

Isn't that your experience in life?

You work hard for your employer.

You do everything that's right,

but then you watch

as the lazy and the cheats get a pay rise.

Where's the justice in that?

Someone has wronged you

and every time you see them

it's a reminder that they got away.

It's as if they're sneering and laughing at you.

Where's the justice in that?

We turn on the news

and watch as another bomb goes off

and more lives are lost

and we wonder,

what is God doing?

How long

till you put it all right?

You see,

these are the normal questions

of Christians

as we live on the one hand

with God's promise of justice,

but then the reality of injustice.

And there's this tension.

God says,

I'm going to put everything right,

but our experience in life

is that nothing seems to be right.

That was certainly the experience

of the prophet Habakkuk

as he sees his own people

being oppressed

by an invading nation.

Have a look at Habakkuk chapter 1.

Habakkuk 1 · chapter mention

It's one of those books

that are there,

but we find hard to find.

It's on page 490, I think,

if you're using a red-covered Bible.

Sorry?

Oh, sorry, 940.

940.

Habakkuk chapter 1.

Habakkuk 1 · chapter mention

So here's a man called by God,

a prophet,

to speak into the people

in their situation.

He knows of God's promise of justice,

but yet his experience in life

is one of injustice.

page 940,

Habakkuk chapter 1.

Habakkuk 1 · chapter mention

Let's pick it up in verse 2.

How long, O Lord,

must I call for help,

but you do not listen,

or cry out to you,

violence,

but you do not save.

Have you not heard,

God,

the cries of those

270 girls

that were kidnapped

by Boko Haram,

or the 1,000 other children

who've been snatched

on their way to school?

Have you not heard

their cries at night

as they long for their parents?

Verse 3.

Why do you make me

look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrong?

God,

do you not know

about the 23 million people

who are suffering

to the point of sickness

and starvation

in that evil

and cruel state

of North Korea?

Can you not see

what's going on?

Verse 3.

Destruction and violence

are before me.

There is strife

and conflict abounds.

Do you not care

about that innocent man?

This past week,

that father of three,

struggling with his

drug addiction,

then being shot

in the face

and killed?

Do you not care

about these things?

Verse 4.

Therefore the law

is paralysed

and justice

never prevails.

The wicked

hem in the righteous

so that justice

is perverted.

How long?

How long,

O Lord,

till you deliver

on that promise

to renew

and restore

this disordered world

and our broken lives?

Or is this just

some big sick joke

and you're just

leading us up

the narrow path

to a dead end?

God has answered.

God has answered

in time

and in history

in three ways.

First,

justice has been done

at the cross.

You see,

when Jesus came

and moved

into this world,

he moved

into a world

of injustice.

He wasn't immune

to the suffering.

He was a man

who suffered

unjustly.

Jesus was innocent

of any crime.

He was without sin,

but yet he was

beaten,

whipped,

crushed,

broken,

crucified

on a wooden cross.

But Jesus' death

was so much more

than just identifying

with the injustices

of the world.

His death

was our substitution.

Go with me,

please,

to Luke's Gospel,

chapter 23.

Luke's Gospel,

chapter 23.

In Luke 23,

we have the account

of Jesus

dying on the cross.

His execution.

And as Jesus

was crucified,

you remember

that he was

crucified

with two criminals,

one on either side.

And we pick it up

in verse 39.

So we picture there

this innocent one

crucified

on the cross.

Verse 39,

and one of the criminals

who hung there

hurled their insults

at him.

Aren't you the Christ?

Well, save yourself

and us.

But the other criminal

rebuked him.

Don't you fear God,

he said,

since you are

under the same sentence?

We are punished

justly,

for we are getting

what our deeds

deserve.

But this man

has done nothing wrong.

You see,

in the history

of the world,

there is only one

who is truly

innocent.

That is the God-man

who hung

on the cross.

We might not be

responsible for

acts of terrorism.

We might not have

siphoned off

taxpayers' money

into our own

personal accounts.

but each one

of us

has acted

unjustly

towards others.

Our words,

my words,

have hurt

the innocent.

Our greed,

my greed,

has caused

needy people

to suffer.

You see,

if justice

is to be done,

if we want

God to bring

his justice,

justice,

then we too

deserve

to be punished.

If we want

God to come

right now

and correct

all wrongs

and put

everything right,

then that means

God must not

just deal with

the world,

he must deal

with me.

Why should I

be excluded

and stand apart

from it all

and be let

off the hook?

Well,

in history,

God has come

in the person

of Jesus Christ.

Jesus came

into this world

to be our

substitute

and he was

treated as you

and I deserve

to be treated

because Jesus

came and took

all our acts

of injustice

on himself

and so the

justice of God

falls not on us

but it falls

on his son

on the cross

who takes the

blame

for all that

we have done

wrong.

verse 42

this is criminal

he says to

Jesus

remember me

when you come

into your kingdom

and Jesus

answered him

I tell you the

truth

today

you will be

with me

in paradise

you see

when we fall

in dependence

upon God

when we

acknowledge our

guilt

when we trust

in Christ

alone

we can be

forgiven

of all of

our sin

we are

welcomed as

that criminal

was

into paradise

itself

the new

creation

where justice

reigns

and where

peace

rules

justice

is done

at the cross

well justice

has been done

at the cross

and justice

is being

done

through the

church

you see

when we

turn

independence

to Christ

he doesn't

just leave

us as we

are

he transforms

us into

the kind

of people

who begin

to live

and act

justly

the church

is to be

a place

where we

speak up

for the

oppressed

where we

give a voice

to the

unborn

who provide

for those

who have

suffered

injustices

have a look

at Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

here we get

this wonderful

picture

of the church

and how

it should

operate

a people

of justice

Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

and verse

44

so chapter

2 verse

44

all the

believers

were together

and had

everything in

common

selling their

possessions

and goods

they gave

to anyone

as they

had need

this is a

picture of

God's new

people

the church

those who

have been

changed

by God

now begin

to reflect

the very

character

of God

to others

they look

out for

the most

vulnerable

the weak

and the

poor

they look

out for

those who

have suffered

injustice

in fact

those who

have much

have a

very special

responsibility

have a look

at chapter 4

and verse

34

again we

have a

picture

of what

the church

should be

as the

believers

met together

look at

verse 34

there were

no needy

persons

among them

for from

time to

time those

who owned

lands or

houses sold

them brought

the money

from the

sales and

put it at

the apostles

feet and

it was

distributed to

anyone as

he had

need

you see the

needy today

is the

refugee who

is fleeing

from Syria

it's the

homeless person

which includes

those who are

living in

emergency

accommodation

it's a

single mum

who's suffering

abuse at the

hands of her

so-called

lovers

it's the

father who's

having to

work three

jobs trying

to make

ends meet

it's the

immigrant who

can't speak

English and

needs help

and support

if we are

people who've

experienced the

grace of God

where the

justice of God

has not fallen

on us but

upon his son

so that we

can be

forgiven

if that is

our experience

we will be

a people who

are seeking

justice in

the lives of

those who

are most

needy

instead of

crying out

what is

God doing

what are

God's people

doing

one of the

ways we

seek to do

that as a

church is

through what

we call

ministries of

mercy

we have a

financial fund

to provide

for the

practical and

social needs

of other

people

in some

way to

reflect the

character of

God to

those who

do not yet

know God

so God's

plan is not

that justice

has been done

on the cross

but justice

is being done

through his

people

the church

but there's

a third

way

justice

will be

done

when Jesus

returns

have a look

at Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

Revelation

is this

spectacular

vision

of what

is going

to happen

in the

end

if you

want to

know

how the

history

of the

world

the story

is going

to reach

its

conclusion

read

Revelation

but it's

full of

imagery

and symbolism

so we

don't take

everything

literally

it's got

full of

vibrant

colours

and pictures

to help

us see

and at

the heart

of this

vision

comes this

question

in

Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

and verse

10

Revelation

Revelation 6:10

chapter 6

verse 10

there's a

question

that is being

raised by

God's people

as they look

out on the

world and see

the injustice

that is going

on

do you see

what it says

there in

verse 10

they called

out in a

loud voice

how long

sovereign

Lord

holy and

true

until you

judge the

inhabitants

of the

earth

and avenge

our blood

how long

is it going

to be

till you

bring justice

to those

who are

suffering

injustice

well as we

read through

the conclusion

of the story

we're not

told a

day or a

date

but we are

simply told

that justice

will come

and we are

given a picture

of what it

will look like

have a look at

Revelation

Revelation 19 · chapter mention

chapter 19

Revelation 19

we have this

incredible picture

we need to

engage our

minds here

in this

to picture

it

this is what

it will be

like

when the

risen

Lord Jesus

returns

in all

his glory

and all

his power

and will

fulfill the

promise to

bring justice

upon all

peoples

and all

nations

let me read

from verse

11

so picture

this scene

standing as it

were if we're

looking up

to the sky

I saw

heaven

standing

open

and there

before me

was a

white

horse

a white

horse

being a

symbol

of the

purity

of the

one who

is to

come

the rider

is called

faithful

and true

faithful to

all his

promises

throughout

time

to renew

this broken

world

and restore

disordered

lives

he is

true

he is

going to

expose

every

single

wrong

nothing

will be

kept

hidden

everything

will be

shown

for what

it is

with

justice

he judges

and makes

war

his eyes

are like

blazing

fire

and on

his head

are many

crowns

here is

one

with

absolute

power

and supreme

authority

over all

things

and over

all people

he has

a name

written

on him

that no

one knows

but he

himself

in other

words

nobody

can

comprehend

his

awesome

rule

and power

you cannot

confine

him to

a mere

name

you cannot

squish him

down into

a box

that you

can manage

he is

bigger

and beyond

and greater

than all

things

verse 13

he is

dressed

in a

robe

dripped

in blood

because

this

faithful

and true

rider

on his

white

horse

is nothing

less

than the

crucified

Jesus

whose

blood

was shed

for you

and for

me

and now

he comes

in victory

and in

power

his name

is the

word

of God

verse 14

the armies

of heaven

were following

him

riding on

white horses

and dressed

in fine

linen

white and

clean

the armies

are not

just the

armies

all the

angels

but God's

people

those who

have trusted

in him

will be

with him

as he

rides in

victory

with power

and authority

and they

will be

behind him

on their

horses

coming to

bring

justice

verse 15

out of his

mouth

comes a

sharp

sword

and with

it to

which he

will strike

down the

nations

he will

rule them

with an

iron scepter

because with

his word

he will

execute

justice

punishing

wrong

and protecting

the weak

he treads

the wine

press of

the fury

of the wrath

of God

almighty

just as

those in

days gone

past

would have

gone out

to the

vineyard

and collected

the grapes

and brought

it back

into the

big vat

and they

would put

all the

grapes

there

and then

the servants

would come

and they

would trample

on the

grapes

squeezing

the juice

out of them

until it

ran below

into the

vats

underneath

well in

this image

in this

picture

we see

God

gathering

the nations

of the

world

and as it

were

he treads

and he

crushes

upon them

bringing

his justice

to all

who have

defied him

and not

one will

escape

justice

will be

done

verse 16

and on

his robe

and on

his thigh

he has

his name

written

the king

of kings

and the

lord of

lords

just as

God had

promised

that a

saviour

would come

and that

saviour

did come

so God

has promised

to you

and me

that one

day his

judge

the risen

Jesus

is going

to come

Jesus

the risen

king

will come

and execute

justice

upon all

peoples

and all

nations

how will

we stand

before this

king of kings

and lord of

lords when he

comes

the only

place for us

to stand

is to stand

under the cross

where justice

has been

done

where we

take refuge

where the

justice of

God has

fallen on

his son

instead of

you and

me

so that we

can look

forward to a

new heavens

and a new

earth where

everything is

put right

not because we

deserve it

but because of

his grace

and his mercy

justice

will be done

let's pray

or

pray

on