Download Justice Movements

He has shown you, O man,
What is good and what the Lord
Requires of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humbly
With your God
(Micah 6:8)
Kingdom Justice in
the Midst of Poverty
and Injustice
Viv Grigg
Story: Land Rights
Confrontation
½ the world are dispossessed, and landless
Ownership of land is the basis of entrance into the economic systems
View a Video of Manila Slums
The Biblical Basis for
Doing Justice
• God is a God of Justice (Jer 9:23,34)
 Story of Hector
• We are to Seek first his Kingdom, his
justicia (Matt 6:33)
• We are to defend the poor from those who
oppress (Proverbs 31:8,9).
Four Levels of Doing
Justice
1. Personal justice and peace
2. Relational Justice at Family &
Community Levels
3. Movements Who Live Justly & Seek
Justice
4. National / International Justice
Isaiah 42:1-4
One of the Four Servant Psalms
The Servant of
Justice Foretold
The Servant Among
the Poor Foretold
Four Servant Songs in Isaiah
 Isaiah 42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:1353:12
 Prophecies about Jesus
 Prophecies of a servant among the poor
The Servant Foretold
Behold my Servant whom I uphold
My chosen one in whom I delight
I will put my Spirit on him and he
will establish justice in the earth
He will not falter or be discouraged
till he has established justice in
the earth.
Isa 42:1-4
The Incarnation: Act of InJustice
That Changed History
 Incarnation as the Beginning of a New
Social Ethic
 Incarnation as a Profound Economic Act
 Incarnation as a Profound Political Act
 Incarnation as a Profound Historical
Symbol
Peacemaking begins in being
one of the people
HOME
⏎
What is Justice?
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The right thing
The right place
The right way
The right timing
• These lead to peace
• Is that the same as holiness?
1. Personal Justice
• Definition of righteousness (Ezek 18:7,8)
• The Command (Micah 6:8)
• Not dealing with issues too high for us
(Psalm 131:1)
The Spirit of Peace
• The presence of the Spirit is the core of
personal peace
– Meet him daily in word and prayer
• And let the peace of Christ dwell in your
hearts…Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
(Col 3:15,16)
2. Relational Justice
• Leave Edges of the Crops (Lev 23:22)
• Relationship to Authorities
– Speaking Truth + Submissive Spirit
• Peacemaking (Matt 5:8)
• Equity:
– Favoring the poor in order that justice is done
• Is God biased
– No, he equalizes, so he helps the poor
3. Development of
Justice Movements
• Doing justice begins in prayer
– E.g. Garbage in the slums
• Those who separate from the world impacts the
world
• Society is strong when small organisations
multiply
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Economically – small businesses
Spiritually – movements of churches
Politically – grassroots organizations
These diffuse power in society
• Seek the welfare of the city (Jer 29:7)
Movements for Justice
• Two levels of movements to transform
society
– Religious movements among the poor
– Social transformation movements among the
elites
Reconciliation of Peoples in
New Zealand
• The story of Ruapekapeka
National
Movements
4. National/International
Justice
• How does a country become injust? (Isa 58:9-16)
– Transgressions are multiplied
– Denying the Lord, Turning away
– Speaking revolt ------------- Speaking oppression
(Breakdown of Consensus)
– Violence
------------- Law & order
– Beyond Ethics
• Solution: a man or woman to intervene
Upper Level Justice
• Joseph, entrusted with the care of his masters
house (Genesis 39:6).
 Doesn’t belong: live as exiles (1 Peter 1:14,15)
 God is with him = success at every stage and
blessing of those he serves
 Vicious opposition. Good actions may bring evil
consequences
 Sees two Kingdoms, but fully engaged
 Sets clear boundaries