Scripture:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Matthew 3:1-12
Article by Diana Butler Bass referred to in the sermon:
"Fox News' War on Advent"
The theme for this second week of Advent is a challenging one. This week we focus on justice. While the scripture passages both speak of justice and judgement, they do not refer to them in the same way that we usually think of them. Often we think of judgement as a legal affair. Judgement is passed on someone according to the law. When the law has been upheld and judgement has been passed, we often say that justice has been served. In this way, judgement and justice are often have a negative feel to them (at least for those upon whom judgement is being made), and they are considered to mean that people get what they deserve.
This week, the passages from Isaiah and Matthew refer to a justice "to come" where justice is not limited by the law. People do not get what they deserve in the way that we understand it. Instead, all people are treated as equals and everyone receives what they need. This type of justice still deals with judgement, however the judgement that is being passed might not look like what we usually think of. Jesus is the one who is "to come"; the one who will carry out this judgement. Jesus did this, and the judgement that he passed on individuals was routinely rooted in mercy, grace and forgiveness. Whether is was the woman caught in adultery, the tax collector who stole from his own people or the people who hung him on the cross, Jesus passed judgements of forgiveness and mercy. He did not see that people got what they deserved according to the law.
Certainly there is negative judgement being passed both in these two passages and in Jesus fulfillment of the passages. I would argue, however, that those judgements are not being passed on individuals. Rather, they are judgements made on systems of inequality and oppression. Eternal justice; justice of the kingdom to come is justice for all people. When systems cause the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, judgment must be passed. This is not a message that we like to hear during Advent, because it gets in the way of our Christmas joy. Perhaps, though, we need to hear this message during Advent so that we might prepare for a greater joy "to come."
This week, the passages from Isaiah and Matthew refer to a justice "to come" where justice is not limited by the law. People do not get what they deserve in the way that we understand it. Instead, all people are treated as equals and everyone receives what they need. This type of justice still deals with judgement, however the judgement that is being passed might not look like what we usually think of. Jesus is the one who is "to come"; the one who will carry out this judgement. Jesus did this, and the judgement that he passed on individuals was routinely rooted in mercy, grace and forgiveness. Whether is was the woman caught in adultery, the tax collector who stole from his own people or the people who hung him on the cross, Jesus passed judgements of forgiveness and mercy. He did not see that people got what they deserved according to the law.
Certainly there is negative judgement being passed both in these two passages and in Jesus fulfillment of the passages. I would argue, however, that those judgements are not being passed on individuals. Rather, they are judgements made on systems of inequality and oppression. Eternal justice; justice of the kingdom to come is justice for all people. When systems cause the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, judgment must be passed. This is not a message that we like to hear during Advent, because it gets in the way of our Christmas joy. Perhaps, though, we need to hear this message during Advent so that we might prepare for a greater joy "to come."