St Margaret's Church Prestwich

Rev Sue preached this sermon on Sunday 8 March. Here it is for you again:

The Old Testament reading today comes from the book of Deuteronomy, which is probably one of the books of the Bible that people know least about. It is the fifth book of the Bible and the final book of the Torah.

In the preceding books, Israel has left Egypt and spent a year at Mount Sinai, where the people entered into a covenant with God. Nevertheless, the Israelites struggled on their journey through the wilderness, and the entire Exodus generation was ultimately disqualified from entering the promised land.

Deuteronomy begins with Moses standing before a new generation. Throughout the book he delivers a series of speeches calling this next generation to remain faithful to their covenant with God.

Our reading today begins with Moses telling the people of Israel that they must observe the instructions he has given them. If they do, then—unlike the previous generation —they will enter the promised land, cease to be a nomadic people, and settle down with their flocks. And then the nations around them will see what a wise and discerning people they are. The Israelites will be guided by the Ten Commandments and the other laws that follow them. They will protect the poor, the defenceless, and immigrants from exploitation. Israel’s leaders will be called to account by prophets.

Sometimes the laws we read about in the Old Testament can seem harsh. But in comparison with the surrounding nations —such as Babylon and Assyria—they represented a far more humane vision of society. In those cultures, human life was valued less. People could be put to death for stealing, while the wealthy might escape punishment for murder by paying a fine. Slaves had no rights, and kings often claimed to be gods who could act entirely as they pleased.

The covenant between God and Israel was not simply about Israel retaining God’s favour and prospering. It was also meant to show the surrounding nations that Israel’s God was a God of justice and mercy—a God who was close to his people and ready to hear them when they called upon him.

The passage ends with a reminder that these standards must never be forgotten. They are to be remembered, taught, and upheld by the generations to come.

Jesus tells us that he has come not to abolish the law but to fulfil it. He builds on the laws of the Old Testament, but shifts the emphasis in an important way. Where the Old Testament often tells us what not to do within a legal framework, Jesus focuses on the attitudes that should shape our lives.

For example, the Old Testament speaks of “an eye for an eye.” This was actually a law designed to limit punishment—you could not impose a penalty greater than the harm done. But Jesus goes further. He says we must turn the other cheek.

Of course, the punishment of offenders by courts will always be necessary. Jesus is not speaking about the judicial system. Rather, he is speaking about the way he expects his followers to live: with love, forgiveness, and mercy as the cornerstones of our relationships with others.

In our everyday lives we have the two great commandments we recited earlier to guide us: to love God, and to love our neighbours.

And when we look at the way our society operates today, we are reminded of the continuing importance of justice—especially for those who lack power or wealth, who are foreigners, or who have little support. These standards are universal and enduring. They are not negotiable. And they are the values we are called to pass on to the generations that follow.