The Injustice Of Justice

INTRO.- ILL.- A shoplifter was caught red-handed trying to steal a watch from an exclusive jewelry store. "Listen," said the shoplifter, "I know you don’t want any trouble either. What do you say I just buy the watch and we forget about this?"

The manager agreed and wrote up the sales slip. The crook looked at the slip and said, "This is a little more than I intended to spend. Can you show me something less expensive?"

Brothers and sisters, we know that this is not how it works. If you’re caught stealing you go to jail. You don’t get to bargain your way out of it. If someone lets you make a bargain to keep you from going to jail something may well be rotten in the wood pile!

We must admit that there are many unjust things in this world or many injustices. There is much deceit and crookedness in our world.

ILL.- A West Texas judge has rejected country singer Willie Nelson’s plea bargain that would have resolved his marijuana possession case with a fine. Hudspeth County Judge Becky Dean-Walker told The Associated Press Wednesday that she rejected prosecutor Kit Bramblett’s suggestion that Nelson plead guilty and pay a $500 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor not punishable with jail time.

Dean-Walker says, "It’s not right simply because he doesn’t do that for anybody else." She wants Nelson charged with the misdemeanor of possession of marijuana, which could mean up to one year in jail.

It doesn’t sound like Willy Nelson is going to get off without a bigger fine or perhaps a jail sentence. There are many times, however, in the lives of the rich and famous where they do get off easy.

There are many injustices in our world! One of the biggest that made the news is the murder trial of Casey Anthony.

ILL.- I saw a Fox news online survey where people were asked “Do You Agree With the Casey Anthony Verdict?”

Yes. The prosecution did not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 16.4% (37,043 votes)

No. I think Casey got away with killing her daughter. 72.48% (163,669 votes)

Not sure. I think Casey did something but the prosecution didn’t convince me. 11.12% (25,114 votes) Total Votes: 225,826

In the light of what many consider to be an injustice, let’s consider what God says.

PROP.- Some Biblical thoughts we must remember when it comes to justice and the injustice of this world.

1- We must remember to judge the world

2- We must remember not to judge others

3- We must remember there will be an ultimate

judgment

I. WE MUST REMEMBER TO JUDGE THE WORLD

ILL.- A tourist stopped at a combination service station and general store in the country. An old man was basking in the sun, holding a short piece of rope.

“What’s the rope for, sir?” the tourist asked.

“It’s a weather gauge,” replied the old man.

Puzzled the tourist asked, “How can a piece of rope tell the weather?”

“Simple, sonny,” said the old man. “When it swings back and forth the wind is blowing. When it gets wet it’s raining.”

That’s one way to predict the weather and you wouldn’t miss doing it that way.

Luke 12:54-57 54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? 57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

What a powerful thought! What a powerful question! Jesus is saying, “You can discern the weather but you can’t discern what is right or wrong in life?!

We know about many things in life but what about life itself?

ILL.- I worked with a meat cutter at Safeway many years ago that knew everything about cars and drag racing. In fact, he had an old Willys car (1930 some model) with a big Oldsmobile engine that I believe was supercharged. He built that car and he’d race it at the Mokan Dragway near Joplin, MO. It was fast and he knew his cars.

He knew how to cut meat too. He was the meat department manager. He knew he business, but he didn’t know the Lord’s business. In fact, he didn’t know the Lord. His wife was a Christian but he was not. He knew many things about life, but he didn’t know the giver of life!

Brothers and sisters, no matter how much we know about the things of this world and there is one thing we must know and that’s the Lord! And by knowing the Lord we can discern what is going on in this world.