God’s Heart For Justice

October 14, 2006

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 A Plea For Mercy
Lord have mercy…
Christ have mercy…
Lord have mercy…

Hear our cries for the poor, the

oppressed, and the needy.

Lord, have mercy…

Use us Lord, for Your glory.
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 Tidbits On Biblical Justice
“The Bible contains more than 300
verses on the poor, social justice,
and God's deep concern for both.”

“He who passively accepts evil is

as much involved in it as he who
helps to perpetuate it.”
–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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 Social Justice Defined
The principle that all persons are entitled to
"basic human needs", regardless of
“superficial” differences such as economic
disparity, class, gender, race, ethnicity,
citizenship, religion, age, sexual orientation,
disability, or health.

This includes the human right of life, liberty

and the pursuit of happiness, the eradication
of poverty and illiteracy, the establishment
of sound environmental policy, equality of
opportunity for healthy personal and social
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How Should We Go About Justice?
 “SPIRIT – HEAD – HEART – HANDS & FEET”

 1) SPIRIT – Pray, read the Word*, understand

God’s heart, and listen to God speak to you

 2) HEAD – Learn about justice issues, “google”

role models, see and hear opportunities

 3) HEART – Slip into others’ shoes, feel their

pain and suffering, weep for them, repent for
the oppressors, and plea for God’s mercy for
all, in love…

 4) HANDS & FEET – Respond to God’s call with

action! 5
 SPIRIT
 The Word on Justice

 1) The Meaning Of Biblical Justice

 2) The Meaning Of Oppression
 3) Why Does Justice Matter To A Believer
 4) God’s Heart For Justice
 5) Worshipping The Lord In Truth
 6) God’s Eyes Are On The Poor And Oppressed
 7) God’s Commands Concerning The Poor
 8) God’s Commands Concerning Justice
 9) Reward For The Just
 10) Consequences Of Being Unjust
 11) God’s Identification With The Poor
 12) Principles For Practicing Biblical Justice [
Word Doc] 6
 HEAD
 Google keywords:
 “poverty statistics”
 “world injustices”
 “modern day slavery”

 Visit ministry websites

 www.oppression.org
 www.1040window.org
 www.ijm.org

 Statistics
 82% of the “Poorest of the Poor” live in the 10/40 window
(an area of the world that contains the largest population of
non-Christians in the world, extending from 10 degrees to
40 degrees North of the equator, and stretches from North
Africa across to China) 7
 HEAD
 Examples of modern day injustices

 Large-Scale Hunger, Thirst, Diseases &

Sickness
 “Have-Have Not” Gap / “Rich-Poor” Gap
 Sexual Violence against Women in War
 HIV/AIDS in Africa
 Child Soldiering
 Sex Trade
 Slavery
 …the list goes on…

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Justice-Doer’s From Hong Kong
 St. Stephen’s Ministry (Jackie Pullinger)

 http://www.ststephenssociety.org/
 A rehab centre for displaced persons such as victims
of accidents, street sleepers, ex-prisoners, and those
with problems of adjusting to society
 Came at age 21 to serve in the notorious Walled City
– Drug addicts, prostitutes, gangster… (demolished
10 years ago)

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 Worthy Of Noting…
Jackie believes that every Christian must be directly
involved with reaching out to the poor — meaning:
people with needs which they are unable to help
themselves, such as addictions, abject poverty,
victims of child abuse or spouse abuse, and
everyone always tells her, "Well Jackie, that's your
ministry!"

Her answer is, it's really not normal for a person like
her to have responsibility for 300 drug addicts. If
every Christian family would reach out to one small
group, or even one other family, the gospel would
go forth with much greater speed and effectiveness.

This would fulfill the love commandment as inferred

by I John 3:17: "Whoever has this world's goods,
and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 10
Justice-Doer’s From Hong Kong
 Missionaries Of Charity (Mother Teresa sisters)

 Serves in the poorest area – Shamshuipo

 The Order’s mission is to serve the “Poorest of the
Poor”
 Single elders, immigrants families from China,
homeless etc…

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 HEART
 An example of injustice that hurts God’s
heart
 Abortion in US
 1973 – Roe vs Wade case – legalized abortion in US
 Millions of unborn babies have been murdered legally
 A shedding of innocent blood in God’s eyes
 Intercessors are called to pray for November 7
 JHOP.org: “On November 7, 2006, South Dakotans will
face a critical decision … [they will vote on] whether
or not to uphold the Abortion Ban passed by
legislators and signed by the governor. This law will
be challenged in federal courts and will likely be
heard by the Supreme Court, directly threatening the
constitutionality of Roe v Wade”
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 Psalm 82:1-4; Isaiah 62-64
 HANDS & FEET
 1) Ask God about it…
 Which area(s) of injustice has God touched your heart
to explore and learn more, perhaps to serve?
 E.g. Hungry, Thirsty, Sick, War victims, Lonely,
Oppressed, Victims of violence, Homeless,
Immigrants (aliens) etc…

 2) Do your research

 3) Ask youth group leaders for guidance and

support

 4) Make a decision, plan your “Love Actions”,

and go do it in Jesus’ name!
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 Last But Not Least…
http://biblia.com/jesusbible/amos3.htm

The Root of Social Injustice in the Bible is

Sin, mainly Selfishness... Selfishness of
individuals or groups or communities...

The Bible gives us the solution in just one

word: LOVE !
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 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a
clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and
can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have a faith that can move mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames, but have not
love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it

does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is
not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
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