Sermon Synopsis
This sermon explores the biblical foundation of social justice as an expression of God’s character and will. Drawing from both Old and New Testament passages, it shows that justice (mishpat) and righteousness (tsedeqah) reflect God’s concern for the vulnerable—especially the widow, orphan, foreigner, and poor. Through examples such as Job, the laws of Israel, Jesus’ teaching, and the early church, believers are called to embody justice in daily life. The sermon concludes by encouraging Christians to pursue practical, local, and sustainable ways of demonstrating God’s love through acts of justice and compassion.
Please note: This transcript is provided as close to verbatim record of the sermon.
Social Justice and the Will of God
Opening Prayer
Good morning. Let us come to the Lord in prayer.
Father God, as we consider and rejoice over the risen Lord, we continue to pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit. As we consider Your Word this morning, we pray that You will guide us in everything. Ultimately, we ask that Your will be done.
We ask and pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Introduction
Today’s topic is Social Justice and the Will of God.
Before we begin, just a brief disclaimer: ChatGPT or OpenAI played no role in the linguistic guidance of this message or this morning’s ministry. However, I do not think that its future use as a tool is necessarily incompatible with the will of God. Just as God has used human ingenuity and invention for centuries—such as the Gutenberg printing press for the Bible, or Zoom virtual meetings—there is nothing inherently preventing us from using technology as a tool. Ultimately, it remains a testament to the creative power that God has given humanity.
Let us now move on to the message.
Today we will explore:
On this Easter Sunday, as we remember and rejoice in our risen Lord and Savior, it is fitting that we also remember who Jesus had a soft spot for.
Sometimes social justice is difficult to understand. Sometimes it is inconvenient. Sometimes it is costly—both financially and in terms of time. But the Word of God is clear: love is an action, and participating in social justice is one way we show God’s love to others.
The Biblical Foundation of Social Justice
The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry
Let us begin at the very start of Jesus’ ministry. After spending forty days fasting and being tempted, Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah. We read in Luke 4:17–19:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
From the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus showed a heart for the poor, the downtrodden, and the oppressed. Immediately after this declaration, He began healing the sick and the infirm.
Jesus came to bring forgiveness and grace. Yet this grace also compels us to seek justice in the world.
But if that is the Lord’s heart, what about us?
What Does the Lord Require?
Consider Micah 6:8:
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?”
At first glance, justice and love (often translated as mercy) may appear to be separate ideas. But a closer examination shows that they are deeply connected.
The Hebrew word for justice is mishpat. This is an action word.
The Hebrew word translated kindness or mercy is hesed, which describes the motive behind the action.
In other words, justice arises from merciful love. To walk with God means that we practice justice motivated by mercy.
Mishpat: Justice in the Old Testament
The word mishpat appears nearly 200 times in the Old Testament. At its heart, it means treating people equitably and fairly.
For example, Leviticus 24:22 instructs Israel to apply the same rule of law to both the foreigner and the native-born.
Justice includes punishment when wrongdoing occurs, but it also includes giving people their rightful due. For instance, Deuteronomy 18 describes how priests were to receive a portion of the offerings. This provision is also described as mishpat—their rightful share.
The Quartet of the Vulnerable
Throughout Scripture, four vulnerable groups are frequently mentioned together:
These are sometimes referred to as the quartet of the vulnerable.
We see this in Zechariah 7:9–10:
“Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another. Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor.”
In ancient Israel, these groups lacked power and influence. They depended on the compassion and fairness of society.
Therefore, the justice of a society can often be measured by how it treats these vulnerable groups. Neglecting them is not merely a lack of kindness—it is a violation of justice itself.
How God Describes Himself
In job interviews, we are sometimes asked: How would you describe yourself? The interviewer wants to understand our defining characteristics.
But how does God describe Himself?
In Deuteronomy 10:17–18 we read:
“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.”
Justice is not merely something God values. In many ways, it is part of His identity. God describes Himself as the defender of the vulnerable.
Similarly, Proverbs 31:8–9 says:
“Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Does God Favor the Poor?
Does this mean that God unfairly favors the poor at the expense of the rich?
The Mosaic law warns against showing partiality to anyone, regardless of wealth or status. The law applied equally to all. Likewise, salvation by grace is offered to all.
However, Scripture consistently shows God as the defender of the poor. He is rarely described as the defender of the rich.
Why?
Because injustice is not evenly distributed. The poor are often more vulnerable and therefore require greater protection.
If this is how God views the underprivileged, then God’s people must also show concern for the weak and vulnerable.
Righteousness: The Word Tsedeqah
There is another Hebrew word often translated as righteousness: tsedeqah.
In modern thinking, righteousness often refers to private morality—reading Scripture, praying, abstaining from wrongdoing.
But in the Bible, tsedeqah includes how a person conducts relationships—with family, friends, business partners, and society. It involves fairness, generosity, and equity in everyday life.
It is relational justice.
If everyone practiced this kind of righteousness, corrective justice (mishpat) would be unnecessary.
The Example of Job
We see this lived out in Job 29:12–16:
Job says he:
Job also pursued those who oppressed others and stopped their injustice.
This passage shows both:
Social Justice Today
What might this look like in our modern context?
We are fortunate in Singapore to live in a relatively prosperous society. Yet we also have a large and vulnerable migrant population working in healthcare, construction, and other sectors.
Do we look out for them?
Do we speak up when they are wronged?
Or do we retreat into our own roles and say, “This is someone else’s responsibility”?
Do we treat them as equals—fellow human beings made in the image of God, for whom Christ also died?
When mishpat and tsedeqah appear together in Scripture, they can often be translated as social justice.
For example, Jeremiah 9:23–24 says:
“Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.”
God delights in these things.
Social Justice in the Old Testament
Debt Cancellation and the Jubilee
In Deuteronomy 15, God commands the cancellation of debts every seven years.
This policy prevented long-term debt from trapping people permanently in poverty.
Even more radical was the Year of Jubilee described in Leviticus 25, where land was returned to its original families every fifty years.
This gave every generation a chance to start anew.
If these commands had been faithfully followed, poverty would have been dramatically reduced.
The Law of Gleaning
Another example appears in Leviticus 19:9–10.
Farmers were commanded not to harvest every last portion of their fields. Some produce was to be left for the poor to gather.
Two principles emerge:
Similarly, Christian businesses should not seek to maximize profit at the expense of workers or customers. Instead, they should strive to pay fair wages and offer fair prices.
Social Justice in the New Testament
The Banquet of Grace
In Luke 14, Jesus teaches:
“When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.”
This was revolutionary. In that culture, social gatherings were often transactional—people invited others who could return the favor.
Jesus calls us to give without expecting repayment.
This reflects the nature of grace—the unmerited favor of God.
The Sheep and the Goats
In Matthew 25, Jesus says:
“As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
One’s attitude toward the poor reflects one’s attitude toward Christ Himself.
The Early Church
In Acts 4:34–35, we read:
“There was not a needy person among them.”
Believers shared their resources generously so that everyone’s needs were met.
This reflects the original Old Testament ideal: there should be no poor among God’s people.
Practical Applications
In Job 31, Job describes how he constantly looked for opportunities to help the poor, the widow, and the fatherless.
Justice was woven into his daily life.
Often, opportunities to help exist right around us.
Job did not travel across the world to help people. He helped those within his reach.
Similarly, many needs exist in our own communities.
Helping the vulnerable often requires different levels of support:
Relief – meeting immediate needs
Development – helping people become self-sufficient
Social reform – addressing systemic issues
All three forms can play a role in breaking cycles of vulnerability.
Conclusion
We often say that God is just and humanity is unjust. But why does this matter?
Because justice and righteousness are at the core of God’s identity.
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we are called to reflect God’s character by caring for the last, the lost, and the least—the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the poor.
Our help must never be transactional. It flows from the grace we ourselves have received.
And as we consider how to live this out, we are called to be practical, local, and sustainable in the ways we extend God’s love to others.
Closing Prayer
Let us come to the Lord in prayer.
Father God, we thank You for this time to consider Your heart for the last, the lost, and the least. From the beginning, we see Your plan and purpose for justice and compassion.
We pray that You will continue to speak to us and guide us. Even as we rejoice today in the resurrected Christ, help us to look to You in our daily lives and work.
We ask all these things in the glorious and precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.