“WHEN JESUS COMES: JUSTICE”
(Advent 2010, Week #1)
Rev. 11:15-17
Sermon Objective: The reigning presence of God’s kingdom always brings justice which is not about someone (s) getting what they deserve … it’s about everyone getting what they need.
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 58:1-2, Psalm 72; Proverbs 29:14; Isaiah 51:1-5; Isaiah 59; Dan 2:31-45, Zech. 4:19; Amos 4 & 5; Micah 6:8, Mark 1:14-15, 11;
SERIES INTRO
The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.
Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, anticipation, preparation, and longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin. It is the hope of deliverance by a God who hears our cries.
It is that hope, however faint at times, in a God, however distant He seems at times, that sustains us. It brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice over His people and in His creation.
Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the "Day of the Lord" may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people.
The exposure of our sin is intended and designed to prepare us to receive God’s pardon, mercy and grace. In turn we are prepared to worship and be in His presence. Advent, you see, brings us full circle.
It is this understanding of Advent that spawned this year’s sermon series, “When Jesus Comes.” As we will see, when Jesus comes (whether it be the first Advent, His coming into the heart of an individual through His Spirit, His visitation to a congregation, or the final consummation of all things in His Second Return) it brings:
• WEEK #1, JUSTICE (REV. 11:15-17)
• WEEK #2, JUDGMENT (REV. 11:18)
• WEEK #3, JUSTIFICATION (REV. 11:19)
• WEEK #4, JUBILATION (REV. 12:1-17)
SERMON TEXT: REV. 11:15-17
15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." 16And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
SERMON INTRO
The Kingdom of God coming to earth has always been the backdrop of the Scriptures and the ultimate objective of salvation (maybe even creation). His reign among men is certainly the climax of redemption. He did not come just to save our souls … it is to commune with us … to live among us. In Mark 1:14-15 (ESV) we read: “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
The New testament’s writers wrote of Advent; knowing that the Kingdom had come. This includes John.
The key verse(s) of the book of “The Revelation” is 21:1-4 (emphasis on v. 3).
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (ESV)
Scripture shows us that Advent, God’s coming kingdom, is a premise behind every theme in the Bible; both Old and New Testaments.
• If you talk about redemption … you are talking about God’s coming and realized Kingdom.
• If you talk about evangelism … you are talking about God’s coming and realized Kingdom.
• If you are talking about holiness … you are talking about God’s coming and realized Kingdom.
The Kingdom of God is a central theme … maybe THE central theme … in Jesus’ preaching. AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE APOSTLES WHO WROTE THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVED THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS TO BE REALIZED THROUGH CHRIST’S CHURCH.
The Kingdom of God is an appropriate way to study theology. It is, as The New Dictionary if Biblical Theology suggests, “At least one possible theme by which Biblical Theology can be integrated: … the entire Biblical story, despite its great diversity of forms and foci, is consistent in it emphasis on the reign of God over His people in the environment He creates for them.” (p. 620).
• It was with Jesus’ first Advent (coming) in a manger that the long-awaited Kingdom was announced.
• It was in the Advent (coming) of the Holy Spirit that the rule of God touched the human heart and made God’s righteous reign possible … the Spirit dwells within the Church … the first-fruits of His Kingdom. It is the Church that will be “raised with Christ to sit in heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:5-6) and takes God’s reign everywhere His people go.
• It is with his Second Advent (coming) that the Kingdom of God will be fully realized and consummated.
And so we look, today at the first “impact” of God’s Kingdom coming to earth. This, impact also began at the manger, was ushered into the heart of God’s people with the coming of the Spirit, and will be fully realized at the Second Advent when “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
And what is that first impact?
JUSTICE.
The need and provision for Justice is woven throughout the text of The Revelation. The world (and the church) suffer from corruption and it is only the Gospel of the Kingdom that can make things right.
YOU SEE, THAT’S WHAT JUSTICE DOES … IT MAKES THINGS RIGHT.
AND AS WE WILL DISCOVER TODAY – JUSTICE IS NOT ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING WHAT THEY DESERVE … IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED. As Psalm 67:4 says: “May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.”
God’s reign will set all things right.
• Instead of being penalized for identifying with the Lamb, Christ’s followers will be rewarded.
• Instead of those with power exploiting the defenseless, they will came to their aid. As Proverbs 29:14 says, “If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.”
• Instead of God’s people live rightly (“righteously”) in despite the world’s system, justice will be encouraged, nurtured, and established.
The idea of “right living” and righteousness” is frequently used to describe justice. They are often “coupled” in Biblical texts … they are seen together. That’s because they are the same word (see Unger’s Bible Dictionary and Vines Expository Dictionary). It is context that determines which is used. When righteousness is imputed (given or credited to our account) to us, it means God, in Jesus Christ, sees us in right standing. As Romans 3-6 teach (particularly 4:5-8) … WITH GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED TO US GOD SEES US AS IF WE HAVE NEVER SINNED. NOT BECAUSE OUR DEEDS ARE RIGHTEOUS BUT BECAUSE JESUS’ ARE! HE IS FLAWLESS AND WITHOUT SIN!
• Righteousness is the Biblical word “dikaiosunē” and means “right action.”
• Justice is the Biblical word “dikaios” and means “right conduct.”
The use of the two words (and the delineations) just depends on context but they are the same word.
Justice and righteousness are a lot like a tree. It does not matter whether I am looking at a leaf, bark, or the trunk it all has the EXACT same DNA. It’s the same stuff just different expressions of the same DNA.
BOTH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE HAVE COMMUNAL ASPECTS … RELATIONAL ASPECTS. The relational aspects address the second portion of Jesus’ core values, “Love Your Neighbor as yourself.” Righteousness/justice reveals itself in how we treat our fellowman. Just take a close look at Proverbs or the prophets if you need support for this.
The DNA of “dikaios” always has outward expressions.
Justice / righteousness is about how we express our faith … keeping God’s instructions and fulfilling our duties. It means living justly … living rightly.
AND THIS “RIGHTNESS” WILL BE EXPRESSED AS JUSTICE WHENEVER JESUS COMES – WHETHER IT BE TO A PERSON, A PEOPLE, OR A PLANET! THAT IS WHY JOHN ENDS THIS BOOK SAYING, “COME LORD JESUS!”
LET’S BE CLEAR. “WHEN JESUS COMES” JUSTICE WILL FOLLOW.
Someday that justice will be consummated by the coming of a Righteous Ruler an Equitable Reign and Peace-full community.
A RIGHTEOUS RULER
God is the righteous governor of the world. He stands in contrast to every other ruler … including the “Caesar of the day.” This was why God was offended and disappointed when His people wanted a human King. All humans are flawed. Even the best cannot bring complete justice – only God can rightly judge and rightly govern this planet. We will look at this aspect (God as Judge) in more detail next week.
On more than one occasion John envisions (and longs for) the coming ruler. We echo that sentiment.
I notice out text says Jesus is “the One who is and who was.” It does not finish the traditional formula. It does not say “and who is to come.” It is omitted because his coming is no longer future. In this text you are looking at what happens when he comes … when he reigns.
• Daniel predicted the day when the Kingdom of God would utterly destroy the Kingdoms of this world (Dan 2:31-45, esp. v.44). the day is coming, said • Zechariah, when God will be “king over the whole earth” (Zech 14:9)
Oh yes … “COME LORD JESUS!”
In Psalm 45:6 we read:
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
In Isaiah 11:1-4 (NIV) we read:
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Someday that justice will be consummated by the coming of a Righteous Ruler and …
AN EQUITABLE REIGN
Psalm 58:1 and 2 say “Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity? 2 No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.”
Psalm 58 concludes the chapter by saying “11 Then people will say, ‘Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.’”
Psalm 72:1 (NIV) says “Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.”
There will be an equitable rule because God’s laws are equitable and practical. Rev. 11:15ff envisions the transference of the world empire, once dominated by a corrupt usurping power that has now, at long last, passed into the hands of its true owner and king.
You see, justice is ultimately rooted not in a collection of laws or rules but in the very character and nature of God. As Judge of the whole earth, he is the only One competent to measure the motivations of our hearts. When we pray to God we are praying to the One whose righteousness demands perfect justice but who has also provided a way for us to be acquitted of our guilt through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son.
AGAIN – JUSTICE IS NOT ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING WHAT THEY DESERVE … IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.
“When Jesus Comes” justice follows. That expresses itself in a Righteous Ruler, an Equitable Reign and …
WRAP-UP
A PEACE-FULL COMMUNITY
Peace can only happen when Jesus has come; first to the human heart and second to the planet.
We are talking about “Shalom” and what shalom looks like and is based upon. The prophet Micah understood what happens when God comes to a human heart.
Micah 6:8 (NASB)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Let’s be clear. “When Jesus Comes” justice follows.
Justice that accords with God’s character is,
• dynamic rather than static
• creative rather than codified
• realistic rather than idealistic
• It is neither merely forensic, nor merely religious … it is covenantal justice.
• Justice rightly orders the relation of people to God, and thereby to one another.
God’s goodness is structured into the social order. The justice that God inaugurates remains restless so long as the poor are oppressed, the needy crushed, and justice turned to wormwood (Am. 4:1; 5:7). “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Am. 5:24).
(See the International Bible Encyclopedia, pp. 1166 ff).
Someday justice will be consummated by the coming of a Righteous Ruler, an Equitable Reign, and a Peace-Full Community.
BUT JESUS HAS ALREADY COME INTO THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT GIVES US THE POWER AND CALLING TO BRING JUSTICE (RIGHT LIVING) INTO OUR WORLD EVEN TODAY. IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR IT TO SWEEP OVER THE GLOBE UNTIL JESUS RETURNS AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS BUT “MY WORLD” (MY LIFE) CAN AND WILL BE GOVERNED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS … BY JUSTICE … BY RIGHT LIVING.
THE WAY I TREAT PEOPLE WILL REFLECT THE RULE AND REIGN OF GOD WITHIN MY HEART!
You see, justice is part and parcel of the reigning presence of God.
This world becomes the arena for the manifestation of God’s kingdom.
Julie Dawson wrote a book titled “Everyday Justice” [IVP, 2009]. In it she says”
How does a Christian live justly, in imitation of God’s justice? What are the practical ways to imitate God’s passion for justice and righteousness?
God’s justice isn’t merely punitive. As a practical outworking of loving God and others, true justice is restorative. True justice represents God’s love to those around us, thereby honoring the image of God in people. Christians are called to imitate God’s love in every area of life, and living justly reflects this.
Justice is a very real calling for Christians today. Practicing love may not be as abstract as it sounds. With community awareness, individual responsibility, and a bit of hard work, you can implement justice in the everyday.
The justice (righteousness) of God is about much more than people getting what they deserve. It is about people getting what they need … the power and motivation to live rightly in their world. And as Jesus comes to you during this ADVENT SEASON I TRUST YOU WILL SEE THE DNA OF RIGHTEOUSNESS MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE WAY YOU TREAT OTHERS.
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CANDLE LIGHTING MEDITATION FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
“WHEN JESUS COMES: JUSTICE”
Micah 6:8 (NASB)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
The coming of God’s Kingdom will set things right. It will bring justice to earth while driving falsehood and sin away.
What we anticipate happening in “The Second Advent” (the Second coming of Christ) has already happened in the hearts of His people. God is with us. His Spirit dwells within. He has equipped us to live justly, love kindness, and walk humbly just as our Lord Jesus did at His first Advent.
During this Christmas season lets reflect upon the transformation that Christ’s coming has brought. Let’s allow Christ to be formed in us by loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Our prayer echoes that of Philip Brooks’ beautiful Christmas carol:
O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in;
Be born in us today!”
Light to first candle.
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
