Jer. 9:23-24; 22:1-5, 13-17
Introduction: During this season of Lent we are focusing on this premise: there is no true justice without Jesus, and there is no true Jesus without justice. Justice is a concept that is being actively debated in many of our cultural/political conversations these days. It is entirely possible for us to err in two ways in seeking a biblical application of justice to our present culture. One, we might observe what we see around us and demand for a version of justice without reference to Jesus. Two, we might seek to uphold a version of justice in the name of Jesus that ignores the legitimate plights of others. As we will observe in this series, both of these versions of justice are extra-biblical conceptions that deter us from seeking a comprehensive view of justice as communicated by God in the Old Testament, affirmed by Jesus of Nazareth, and upheld by the early church.
What about Righteousness?
The word justice has become quite a controversial word in our culture for many reasons. The biblical definition is much more comprehensive. Each week we are unpacking the concept of justice from different portions of Scripture - mostly the prophets. This will help us broaden our understanding of justice in a biblical sense. One of the unique ways we see justice used in Jeremiah is in its connection to righteousness. The reason the two terms are mentioned in this way has to do with how well they blend together. Bruce Waltke defines righteousness by distinguishing two kinds of people. “The righteous person is the one who disadvantages themselves for the advantage of the community, and the wicked advantage themselves by disadvantaging others.” The connection to justice is quite interesting: the righteous person is willing to disadvantage themselves for the sake of justice. But just who is the person called to be righteous, and what reason do they have? Jeremiah records God’s directive to his people that is strikingly relevant.
1. The Responsibility of Justice: Who Should do Justice?
On one level, what God says through the prophet Jeremiah about justice is for everyone. Of course, God holds us accountable to do justice and righteousness in whatever setting we find ourselves. Still, the context in Jeremiah can tell us more about the types of people God spoke to through Jeremiah.
A) Jer. 9:23 - The wise man, the strong man, and the wealthy man in this passage represent people who are educated, successful, and affluent.
B) Jer. 22:1-2 - The king of Judah, officers, and “people who enter these gates” represent not only leaders, but people with some level of influence, success, or power.
C) Jer. 22:14 - Those who say “I will build myself a massive palace…” represents wealthy people who have adequate resources to adorn themselves.
One of the most important things we can take from this is that there are people God speaks to directly in by His word that have a special responsibility to do justice. In application, if you are a Christian who has a good education, a measure of success, comfort, the ability to do home improvement projects, and a degree of wealth in savings and investments, then you are one of these people. You and I have a special responsibility to understand and apply biblical justice in our lives because God has blessed us with many things including our ability to help others.
2. The Reason for Doing Justice: A Theological Basis
What is the basis and grounds for justice? The answer is much deeper than because God commands it. Jeremiah 9:24 grounds the reason for justice in knowing God. To know God is to know what He does and what He delights in. He tells us He delights in justice. To say we know God and not care about doing justice is like a situation in which someone claimed to know you intimately, but did not know anything about where you work, what you love, or what makes you happy. If that were true, then you would have every reason to doubt that they knew you, right?
Jeremiah 22:15-16 says it even more starkly and plainly. In speaking of administering justice and righteousness, especially in the case of the poor and needy, God says, “Is this not what it means to know me?” This is one of the most powerful declarations in the Bible. If we drafted an equation it would be Knowing God = Doing justice and righteousness + Taking up the case of the poor and needy. God equates the two, and it is not a matter of propositional knowledge, but intimate, relational knowledge. Two challenges that arise from this equation are equally shocking. One, you cannot know God and not have a concern for justice. In God’s view, there is no possible world in which you can sit comfortably at church without any concern for justice. Two, you cannot have justice without God. Different cultures and times may help us understand different aspects of justice, but it still needs a foundation. It is important to note that people can act justly without belief in God, but that is not the same as having a strong grounds or reason for justice without God.
3. The Motivation for Justice
Even If we claim to be a Christian, we need more than an equation or a logical argument to do justice and righteousness. How does knowing God lead us to doing justice by disadvantaging ourselves for the sake of others? Jeremiah 9:23-24 provides clarity by distinguishing two types of people and their motivations. There are those who boast in their own wisdom, might, and wealth, and those who boast in faithful love, justice, and righteousness because they know God. If you continually boast in the first three, you will never boast in the second three. The former type of boasting will cause you to fault others if they lack the same qualities that you attribute to your own doing. Even if you try to help them, it would be out of superiority/pity rather than love.
To boast in the second three means that you have been broken by divine grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that we have been saved by grace through Christ that “no one may boast.” Elsewhere, Paul writes, “let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” If we have any reason for boasting, it is not in ourselves but because of God’s grace. This does not mean that wisdom, might, and wealth are bad, just that we remember where these gifts come from. In this way, we agree with the Gospel, and the Gospel motivates us to act in justice and righteousness toward others in humility, as Christ did with us.
REFLECT OR DISCUSS
What about this sermon most impacted you or left you with questions about justice and righteousness?
Do you agree with the definition given by Bruce Waltke that “the righteous person is the one who disadvantages themselves for the advantage of the community, and the wicked advantage themselves by disadvantaging others?” How does this challenge you or change the way you view what the Bible says about the righteous life?
Do you recognize yourself as having a “special responsibility” to do justice? In what ways would you consider yourself blessed? What are the ways you try to avoid or excuse yourself from this special responsibility?
Why do you think God speaks so highly of doing justice and righteousness especially in the context of helping the poor and needy? How does this challenge you to consider your relationship with God and with others?
Is it possible to have justice without God? What about people who do not believe in God that fight for justice and equality?
Read Jeremiah 9:23-24. In what ways are you tempted to boast in these things? How does boasting in these things close our hearts off to the poor and doing justice for the oppressed?
How does the gospel of the grace of God brake all our boasting? See Eph 2:1-10 and 1 Cor. 1:26-31. How has God’s grace done this breaking in your life? In what ways do you sense a need for more breaking (and less boasting)? What does it look like to boast in “knowing” God?
Let’s get practical. How do we do justice when we live comfortable lives filled with the pursuit of education, success and wealth for ourselves and our families? Discuss these 3 suggestions:
Availability – A middle class spirit sees its time as its own. How can you surrender your time to God and make yourself available to obedience to his command to do justice?
Proximity - A middle class spirit feels like it has earned a right to be isolated from poverty and need. How can you get closer to actual people who are at the margins/affected by injustice?
Community – A middle class spirit feels like it can do it alone. How can you partner in community to follow God’s call to do justice.