{"id":3122,"date":"2020-01-14T11:18:52","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T00:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3122"},"modified":"2020-01-14T11:18:52","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T00:18:52","slug":"theological-justice-12-01-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3122","title":{"rendered":"Theological Justice 12-01-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Theological Justice<\/i>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah 42: 1 \u2013 9; Matthew 3: 13 – 17<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God\u2019s justice more than social-justice!<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A man was brought before a jury of respectable educated townsfolk to be tried for a crime he had allegedly committed. As the court began the accused asked the judge how qualified the jurors were to judge him. \u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre they experienced thinkers able to determine right from wrong?\u201d he asked.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He requested the judge to ask the jurors separately to write an answer to his question: \u2018what is bread?\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

These were the jurors\u2019 answers:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 1st<\/sup> juror wrote; \u2018Bread is food.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 2nd<\/sup>; \u2018It is a gift from the Almighty.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 3rd<\/sup>; \u2018It is a mixture of flour, yeast and water.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 4th<\/sup>; \u2018It is obvious, it is baked dough.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 5th<\/sup>; \u2018It depends very much how you use the word bread<\/i>.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 6th<\/sup>; \u2018No one really knows.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The accused man looked the judge squarely in the face and said;\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhen the wise and educated decide what bread is it may be possible for them to determine what is right and wrong.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What is justice? Definitions of justice run like this:\u00a0 <\/span>the quality of being fair and reasonable, the administration of the law, what is morally right and fair. As much as we might have a problem defining what bread is we might also have a problem with the concept of justice. Cicero said that the fundamentals of justice are that no one shall suffer wrong, and that the public good be served<\/i>. Let it be known that the demand for justice does not come from Karl Marx, or the poor, or the rich, but from the Hebrew prophets and it is embodied in Jesus. When we ask what is justice? we may too readily think of equality of treatment and opportunity, fairness, and punishment of the unjust. The Isaiah text implies it is more and certainly suggests a distinctive administration of justice.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We remember today the baptism of Jesus by John.\u00a0 <\/span>The lectionary includes Isaiah 42 implying it has something to say about Jesus. We can note two things that connect the Isaiah reading to Jesus and his baptism. Firstly, the Baptism of Jesus has more to do with him being anointed by the Holy Spirit than water baptism. The key point in Jesus\u2019 baptism is the anointing of the Spirit described as a \u2018dove\u2019 descending on him accompanied by the words, \u201cThis <\/i>is my Son<\/i>, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased<\/i>.\u201d [Mt 3:17]\u00a0 <\/span>The Servant in Isaiah 42 is also anointed with the Spirit. Secondly, Jesus begins his ministry, according to Luke, citing a passage on justice from Isaiah. Justice, theological justice, is strongly tied to Jesus [Lk 4:18].<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah chapter 42 is most significant. Scholars spend a lot of time reflecting on who the \u2018servant\u2019 is in this visionary reflection.\u00a0 <\/span>Scholars also spend a lot of time discussing how this vivid piece of writing connects to other passages in the book of Isaiah. I am not interested in these reflections.\u00a0 <\/span>I believe, as some scholars point out, that Jesus embodied the task given to \u2018the servant of God\u2019 in chapter 42.\u00a0 <\/span>So let us look at the task given to the servant and the manner in which the task was to be accomplished.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The passage begins with; with here is <\/i>my servant, whom I have chosen<\/i> [Is 42:1]. What stands out in this passage is that the servant of God<\/i> is chosen and God puts God\u2019s Spirit into the servant.\u00a0 <\/span>The servant of God is chosen and anointed with power. Throughout the Bible God calls people and anoints them with the Spirit. Remember in creation it is the Spirit of God that breathes life into the whole of creation. The Scriptures consistently tell that the Living God<\/i> breathes life into this world. Nothing can be done without the Spirit of God empowering and breathing life into our lives.\u00a0 <\/span>The first lesson we learn is that God never leaves God\u2019s servants to act alone. Every time we step out in faith and serve God in what we say and do the Spirit of God is with us. Remember in our baptism we celebrate God\u2019s anointing of us with the Spirit.\u00a0 <\/span>God gives us what we need. We are never alone.\u00a0 <\/span>It is only in our ignorance, unfaith or arrogance that we may feel and act alone. Every time I stand at this lectern I am conscious of God\u2019s Holy Spirit being with me and speaking through me. I see the Spirit\u2019s anointing of our worship leaders as well. But it is much bigger than that.\u00a0 <\/span>Have you not noticed how ordinary people become powerful when they address the daunting task of injustice? The OT prophets and leaders all received the anointing of the Spirit. I cannot overlook the powerful prophetic people who confronted Apartheid in my birth-land; and while preparing this sermon I couldn\u2019t help thinking of the powerful voice of Rosie Batty, the domestic violence campaigner. Whether she recognises it or not I believe the Spirit of God rested on her, for God\u2019s Spirit breathes life into all of creation.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The task of God\u2019s servant is to bring forth <\/i>justice to the nations<\/i> [Is 42:1] \u2013 yes, justice to the nations!\u00a0 <\/span>In verse four the scope of the justice is re-enforced where the servant\u2019s task is to establish justice in the earth<\/i>.\u00a0 <\/span>What we easily overlook or simply fail to understand is that God\u2019s justice doesn\u2019t only concern God\u2019s people; i.e. it is not parochial justice \u2013 it is worldwide justice. Psalm 82 makes it abundantly clear that the domain of God\u2019s justice is the whole earth with its climatic statement; Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!<\/i> [Ps 82:8]\u00a0 <\/span>In Psalm 82 the direction and nature of God\u2019s justice is determined. Give justice to the weak<\/i> and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute<\/i> <\/i>[Ps 82:3].\u00a0 <\/span>What is patently clear is that God\u2019s justice is about general well-being and health for the whole of creation.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God\u2019s method for justice. Isaiah not only describes the task of justice and its expansive scope, but the servant\u2019s unique means of establishing justice. Let us pause a moment and reflect on how we establish justice.\u00a0 <\/span>We impose justice by law, edict, enforcement and worst of all by military might. But listen to what Isaiah says and think on Jesus\u2019 life and practice.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

a bruised reed he will not break<\/i>, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

he will faithfully bring forth justice<\/i>. [Is 42:2,3]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The manner in which servants of God will bring forth justice stands in utter contrast to the manner in which we usually pursue justice.\u00a0 <\/span>I cannot express this point more forcefully than Paul D Hanson does in his commentary on Isaiah.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe style of witness of the Servant stands so starkly in contrast to the ways of the nations and their leaders that it must be regarded either as foolishness or as an intriguing alternative to a failed strategy. What sort of agent can this be, described in terms not as a conqueror but of as a victim. Is it possible that the reign of justice can be promoted by submission and the express renunciation of force, even by special attention and care to fellow victims who are on the edge of collapse and death?\u201d [p. 45 NTBC] What Isaiah describes here is how Jesus confronted evil and injustice. Jesus appeared more as a victim than a victor. He used love and compassion rather than coercion and violence. And what Jesus began his disciples through the ages have continued doing \u2013 bringing wholeness and justice in a peaceful manner. So in Jesus we see this prophetic poem being fulfilled.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The second half of our text in Isaiah chapter 42 appears to be an expansion on the first four verses. It is in the style of other Isaiah passages where the \u2018Servant\u2019 of God includes the nation as in Isaiah chapter 41. Elsewhere the book of Isaiah is quite explicit, that the work of the servant involves the people. In fact we find a kind of democratisation of the work God in Isaiah 65 and 66.\u00a0 <\/span>God\u2019s work will be done by all not merely the hierarchy or the privileged.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is at a time like this, when we see our land burning at a level not witnessed before, when we witness so many displaced people in the world, and when political leadership appears more nakedly as personal power, that we need men and women to stand up and be anointed by God\u2019s Spirit to bring in God\u2019s justice in a manner that decreases the violence and injustice in the world.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God has shown us the way. God will equip and empower us. God will anoint and God has given us the blueprint in Christ Jesus.\u00a0 <\/span>It remains for us to begin speaking and praying for God\u2019s justice to be done.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t say you can\u2019t take up the call! Every time you bring joy, love and hope to someone, especially the stranger, you bring justice. Each small deed of kindness and charity is a building block in God\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC:\u00a0 <\/span>12\/01\/2020<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

pcwhitaker@icloud.com<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Theological Justice. Isaiah 42: 1 \u2013 9; Matthew 3: 13 – 17 God\u2019s justice more than social-justice! A man was brought before a jury of respectable educated townsfolk to be tried for a crime he had allegedly committed. As the court began the accused asked the judge how qualified the jurors were to judge him. \u00a0 \u201cAre they experienced thinkers able to determine right from wrong?\u201d he asked. He requested the judge to ask the jurors separately to write an answer to his question: \u2018what is bread?\u201d These were the jurors\u2019 answers: The 1st juror wrote; \u2018Bread is food.\u2019 The 2nd; \u2018It is a gift from the Almighty.\u2019 The 3rd; \u2018It is a mixture of flour, yeast and water.\u2019 The 4th; \u2018It is obvious, it is baked dough.\u2019 The 5th; \u2018It depends very much how you use the word bread.\u2019 The 6th; \u2018No one really knows.\u2019 The accused man looked the judge squarely in the face and said;\u00a0 \u201cWhen the wise and educated decide what bread is it may be possible for them to determine what is right and wrong.\u201d What is justice? Definitions of justice run like this:\u00a0 the quality of being fair and reasonable, the administration of the law, what is morally right and fair. As much as we might have a problem defining what bread is we might also have a problem with the concept of justice. Cicero said that the fundamentals of justice are that no one shall suffer wrong, and that the public good be served. Let it be known that the demand for justice does not come from Karl Marx, or the poor, or the rich, but from the Hebrew prophets and it is embodied in Jesus. When we ask what is justice? we may too readily think of equality of treatment and opportunity, fairness, and punishment of the unjust. The Isaiah text implies it is more and certainly suggests a distinctive administration of justice. We remember today the baptism of Jesus by John.\u00a0 The lectionary includes Isaiah 42 implying it has something to say about Jesus. We can note two things that connect the Isaiah reading to Jesus and his baptism. Firstly, the Baptism of Jesus has more to do with him being anointed by the Holy Spirit than water baptism. The key point in Jesus\u2019 baptism is the anointing of the Spirit described as a \u2018dove\u2019 descending on him accompanied by the words, \u201cThis is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.\u201d [Mt 3:17]\u00a0 The Servant in Isaiah 42 is also anointed with the Spirit. Secondly, Jesus begins his ministry, according to Luke, citing a passage on justice from Isaiah. Justice, theological justice, is strongly tied to Jesus [Lk 4:18]. Isaiah chapter 42 is most significant. Scholars spend a lot of time reflecting on who the \u2018servant\u2019 is in this visionary reflection.\u00a0 Scholars also spend a lot of time discussing how this vivid piece of writing connects to other passages in the book of Isaiah. I am not interested in these reflections.\u00a0 I believe, as some scholars point out, that Jesus embodied the task given to \u2018the servant of God\u2019 in chapter 42.\u00a0 So let us look at the task given to the servant and the manner in which the task was to be accomplished. The passage begins with; with here is my servant, whom I have chosen [Is 42:1]. What stands out in this passage is that the servant of God is chosen and God puts God\u2019s Spirit into the servant.\u00a0 The servant of God is chosen and anointed with power. Throughout the Bible God calls people and anoints them with the Spirit. Remember in creation it is the Spirit of God that breathes life into the whole of creation. The Scriptures consistently tell that the Living God breathes life into this world. Nothing can be done without the Spirit of God empowering and breathing life into our lives.\u00a0 The first lesson we learn is that God never leaves God\u2019s servants to act alone. Every time we step out in faith and serve God in what we say and do the Spirit of God is with us. Remember in our baptism we celebrate God\u2019s anointing of us with the Spirit.\u00a0 God gives us what we need. We are never alone.\u00a0 It is only in our ignorance, unfaith or arrogance that we may feel and act alone. Every time I stand at this lectern I am conscious of God\u2019s Holy Spirit being with me and speaking through me. I see the Spirit\u2019s anointing of our worship leaders as well. But it is much bigger than that.\u00a0 Have you not noticed how ordinary people become powerful when they address the daunting task of injustice? The OT prophets and leaders all received the anointing of the Spirit. I cannot overlook the powerful prophetic people who confronted Apartheid in my birth-land; and while preparing this sermon I couldn\u2019t help thinking of the powerful voice of Rosie Batty, the domestic violence campaigner. Whether she recognises it or not I believe the Spirit of God rested on her, for God\u2019s Spirit breathes life into all of creation. The task of God\u2019s servant is to bring forth justice to the nations [Is 42:1] \u2013 yes, justice to the nations!\u00a0 In verse four the scope of the justice is re-enforced where the servant\u2019s task is to establish justice in the earth.\u00a0 What we easily overlook or simply fail to understand is that God\u2019s justice doesn\u2019t only concern God\u2019s people; i.e. it is not parochial justice \u2013 it is worldwide justice. Psalm 82 makes it abundantly clear that the domain of God\u2019s justice is the whole earth with its climatic statement; Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you! [Ps 82:8]\u00a0 In Psalm 82 the direction and nature of God\u2019s justice is determined. Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute [Ps 82:3].\u00a0 What is patently clear is that God\u2019s justice<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Leighmoor.Master","author_link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/author\/leighmoor-master"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Sermons<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Theological Justice. Isaiah 42: 1 \u2013 9; Matthew 3: 13 – 17 God\u2019s justice more than social-justice! A man was brought before a jury of respectable educated townsfolk to be tried for a crime he had allegedly committed. As the court began the accused asked the judge how qualified the jurors were to judge him.…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3123,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122\/revisions\/3123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}