Amos 5.21-27

Righteousness and Justice:God’s Heart for “the

Other”

“Justice is difficult for Christians who have been nurtured in

niceness.”

~Dr. Walter Brueggemann

Comfortably numb?

So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.~Genesis 1.27

The Imago Dei

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

“‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.

~Leviticus 19.15, 32-35

Justice Means Righteous Treatment for All

He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.

~Matthew 12.48-49

In Christ, “the Other” becomes family

…and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

~Colossians 3.10-11

Even in the New Creation, the imago Dei is still the paradigm

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit…

Jesus reconciled man to God, but Jesus has also reconciled man to man

…Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

~Ephesians 2.13-22

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

In Christ’s Kingdom Justice still means treating all righteously

…Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

James 2.1-9

There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground…There are those who hate the one who

upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Amos 5 – a prophetic voice for today

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.Even though you bring me burnt offerings and

grain offerings, I will not accept them.Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps…

Amos 5 – a prophetic voice for today

…But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing

stream!“Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god — which you made for

yourselves.~Amos 5.7, 10, 12, 21-26

Amos 5 – a prophetic voice for today

Repentance and prayerSeek to understandBe an advocate for “the Other”Blessed are the Peacemakers...

What can we do?