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Justice
& Peace by Reverend Murray Spackman, Vicar. Sunday 25th April, 2004 Amos 5:21 –24. John 2:12-17 I guess like the vast majority of people today, I have never served in the armed forces. I was born towards the end of the 2nd Worlds War, and was fortunate in that none of my close family were required for duty overseas. All were involved in essential services at home. My closest encounter with anything to do with the military was in the Air Training Corp, which was one of the compulsory activities in my high School Days. However I enjoyed it immensely, because we had holiday camps at which the highlight was a flight in a Bristol Freighter – affectionately known as 40,000 rivets flying in loose formation.! Like most other boys I played war and had visions of dog-fights shooting down enemy aircraft. But in more recent years I have read a few of the memoirs of those who served in theatres of war, and realised with acute awareness, just how far from the truth such childhood dreams and fantasies are. So when ANZAC Day comes around, probably like yourself, I find a strange mixture of thoughts and emotions. So this morning , I would like to consider just three brief points. 1/ I want to Honour those who have given their lives in the cause of Peace and to remember those serving in Peace keeping roles. 2/ To look at the relationship between Peace and Justice. And 3/ To look at our own role and what God calls us to be and do. So, firstly I want to Honour and pay tribute to those who have given their lives in the cause of Peace and to remember those serving in Peace keeping roles. Throughout the nation today, and in Australia, and in many places wherever there are New Zealander’s, there will be remembrance services at which the Spirit of ANZAC will be remembered, and those who died fighting to bring peace to the world. I don’t profess to know a great deal about the politics of war and peace, but I do appreciate the fact that we are able to live in a country where freedom is treasured and valued. And I know that such freedom and peace was incredibly costly – death , destruction, and unbelievable suffering are just some of the words which immediately come to mind. Today we remember them, and their families. We remember those who are serving in our Armed Forces, and those especially at this moment serving in our peace-keeping forces in some of the trouble spots of the world, and we pray for their safe return. We remember also their families. 2/ I want to look briefly at the relationship between Peace and Justice. I am of the conviction that Peace and Justice are the two sides of the one coin. I don’t believe that true peace in a nation is possible unless there is also justice. Sooner or later injustice, like an infection or foreign body under the skin, will erupt into a weeping sore. The only answer for it is to deal with it and clean it out. A nation that gives itself to injustice, or allows injustice to flourish will have no peace. Our own history as a nation is not without fault in this respect As long as there are people in a nation who suffer from injustice – there will be the seeds of riot and rebellion and civil disorder. A nation which tolerates injustice is an abomination to God. We cannot have true peace without justice. My third point 3/ is to look at our own role and to see what God requires of us, individually, as a church, and as a nation. The Bible makes it extremely clear that God is a just God. He is the One who is perfect and righteous and who does what is right., and always does what is right. That’s what justice is! And His requirement of us – and our calling also – is that we too demonstrate that same commitment to, and practice of, justice and righteousness in our own lives, and in our life as a church. Justice and righteousness begins in our hearts – it moves out into our relationships with others – it moves on into the community – it becomes involved in our local city and council and its laws and bylaws – and it moves all the way to the top of the beehive! It was the injustice and unrighteousness in Israel that Amos the prophet spoke out against. The people appeared to be very religious – they had all the outward show and trappings of religion - but their religion was divorced from moral application. They did not follow God’s laws and ways or apply them. So because their religion was so morally bankrupt – God says “I hate your religious festivals, ..when you bring me your burn offerings and grain offering, I will not accept them… Instead …let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” True religion makes a difference in the world. It acts to change things for the better! This is why Jesus overturned the tables of the money-changers and the merchants, in the temple! They made out they were doing God’s business – but all the time they were ripping people off, and mostly those who could least afford it. So Jesus acted, very dramatically, to put right that unjust situation. God’s call for us to practice righteousness and justice in all our dealings is just as strong today. But I don’t believe we can achieve anything unless FIRST our own hearts have been put right. If we look back through history we will note that the key figures involved in the struggle for justice and righteousness were most often those whose own hearts had come under the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. I think, in particular, of William Wilberforce and the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and I think of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement. So today – in a world that needs more than ever before, people who will stand for righteousness and justice, so that they may be peace on earth, let us choose to follow Jesus Christ, the Son of Righteousness, and the Prince of Peace, and let us ask Him to begin that change process in our hearts, that begins to make a difference in the world. PRAYER: God our Father, we give you thanks for those who laid down their lives in war, that we might live in peace. We pray that the justice and peace for which they fought may become established today among the nations of the world. We pray for those and their families who continue to suffer from the effects of war. May your Divine protection be over those from this nation on Peace Keeping Duties around the world and give them a safe return home. - And may your Righteousness and your Peace dwell in our hearts this day and forever. Amen. |
