Trinity Methodist Church

July 20, 2025

Trinity Methodist Church, Eugene Oregon

Based on: Amos 8:1-12 and Psalm 52

Rebecca Wetmore-Cook

Sermon: “False Rulers and the King of Justice” 

In today’s scripture readings, we hear a distinct tone of rebuke from God. At first, this may seem a departure from God’s core message to us: that He has a profound love for His creation, for us. Yet, it is this very love that fuels the rebuke. God is calling out the small number of people who are attacking, destroying, the world that He intended for us—a world of peace and of justice. It is from these “plotters of destruction,” as our Psalm refers to them, that God seeks to reclaim His throne and restore His divine order.

Throughout the Bible, and indeed throughout history, these enemies of God have always existed. They have gone by different titles: Pharaoh, Caesar, Queen, Governor, etc, but they all follow the same playbook. They seek to establish their own power, their own will, often at the direct expense of the vulnerable and the voiceless. God, through his prophets, and later through Christ himself, out of love for us, has consistently denounced the behavior of these corrupt leaders. 

In our reading from the book of Amos, the shepherd prophet is relaying a message from God to the false rulers of Amos’ time. Amos, a humble shepherd, who had only ever ruled over a flock of animals, had somehow been chosen by God to rebuke those who had ruled over men. These leaders, the kings and elite of Israel, had ruled unjustly—a crime a shepherd like Amos would know nothing about. Amos knew how to care for his sheep, how to protect their lives, how to seek out the lost and bind up the injured. This stood in stark contrast to the way the kings had been ruling, not as shepherds but as wolves, preying on the very flock they were meant to protect.

Through Amos, God warns those who “trample the needy and bring ruin to the poor of the Lord.” He points out the insidious ways in which these leaders have chosen material wealth and selfish gain over God’s abundant love and the well-being of their own people. The prophet paints a stark picture of their greed: Amos 8:5 speaks of those who “make the ephah small and the shekel great, and cheat with dishonest scales,” ancient terminology describing inflation. They were eager for the Sabbath, for God’s day, to end so they could return to exploiting the poor, selling even the sweepings of the wheat, the garbage off the floor, to the hungry. They would “buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.” This isn’t just abstract injustice; it’s a visceral, heartbreaking picture of human dignity being traded for mere trifles. The imagery is strong. God is so incensed by the abuse of his people, by this profound distortion of justice, that he threatens to blot out the sun itself in the middle of the day. This is an apocalyptic warning, a sign of cosmic disruption, because when human rulers corrupt justice, they shake the very foundations of God’s created order.

Our Psalm reflects God’s vision of justice for the world. Psalm 52 contrasts the destructive arrogance of the so-called “mighty one” with the steadfast hope of the righteous. It paints a vivid picture of the false ruler, the “tyrant,” who “boasts in evil, mighty to do wrong,” whose “tongue plots destruction,” and who “loves evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right.” This is the very playbook we’ve been talking about, isn’t it? The pursuit of power through deceit, the crushing of truth.

But then, the Psalm pivots, beautifully, powerfully. It lays out the future for those who take advantage of God’s people with that of the faithful toward him. Psalm 52:8-9 declares, “But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for it is good.” This isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a profound statement of faith that even amidst the plots of the wicked, God’s justice will ultimately prevail. The flourishing olive tree represents vitality, longevity, and fruitfulness—a powerful image of God’s people thriving under His care, even as the wicked are uprooted. It is a promise that those who root themselves in God’s love and justice will endure and bear fruit, while those who boast in their own destructive power will wither and be cut down. The Psalm assures us that God’s justice will put an end to the destruction plotted by the false rulers of this world.

The justice of this world is so distorted that many of God’s people were not able to recognize Jesus when he came because they were waiting for a different kind of Messiah. Violent, earthly kings were all they knew, so they expected a warrior king. They looked for someone who would lead an armed rebellion against Rome, restore Israel’s earthly kingdom with military might, and sit on a physical throne in Jerusalem. They understood power in terms of swords and legions.

But Jesus brings a profoundly different kind of kingdom. A kingdom of kindness, yes, but also of radical justice. His justice isn’t about violent overthrow but about a profound reordering of priorities, values, and power dynamics. Consider His teachings:

In Matthew 5:3-10, The Beatitudes, Jesus declares blessings upon the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for righteousness. This is an upside-down kingdom where vulnerability and humility are elevated, and the pursuit of justice is a path to blessing. This directly confronts the self-serving power structures of the false rulers.

And in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that our eternal destiny is tied to how we treat “the least of these”—the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned. This isn’t just a suggestion for charity; it’s a litmus test for genuine faith and a blueprint for God’s justice. The King of Justice identifies Himself with the most vulnerable.

In Luke 4:18-19, during his inaugural sermon, Jesus proclaims His mission by quoting Isiah, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This is a manifesto of justice, a declaration of liberation for all those crushed by physical, economic, or spiritual burdens.

Jesus didn’t wield a sword against Caesar; instead, He transformed hearts and exposed the emptiness of earthly power by demonstrating divine love and sacrificial service. He confronted the hypocrisy of religious leaders who burdened the people, and he consistently challenged the social norms that marginalized women, children, and the sick. His kingdom is one where the powerful are called to serve, where the marginalized are welcomed to the table, and where righteousness is not a set of rules but a way of living that reflects God’s own character. He shows us that true power lies not in domination, but in humble, compassionate service. He is the shepherd-king, unlike the wolf-rulers, who lays down his life for his sheep.

This is not a call to despair, but a call to action fueled by hope. God’s deep love for His creation means He will not abandon it to those who plot its destruction. He has set the stage for justice to come, and He invites us, His beloved people, to participate in bringing His kingdom of kindness and justice to fruition right here and right now. 

Remember, the true King of Justice has already come. He has shown us the way. His kingdom is not built on earthly power or human might, but on radical love, profound humility, and unwavering justice. We are called to be His hands and feet, His voice and His heart, bringing His reign to bear on every corner of our world.

Let us go forth, discerning the signs of injustice, and boldly living as subjects of the King of Justice, transforming our corner of the world, one act of truth and compassion at a time. Let us be the flourishing olive trees, rooted in God’s unfailing love, bearing the fruit of justice for all to see.

Amen.