Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

The Jews had a practice of seating the most important people nearest the sacred scrolls in the synagogue. Other (less important) people would be seated in the back. This unhealthy practice was still carried on by some Christians in Jerusalem in the time of James, the half-brother of Jesus. Those with the most important jobs or roles would get preferred seating.

Thus, James speaks out against this. He made it clear that it is our relationship with Christ that gives us dignity, not our profession or possessions. The Christian answer is not reverse discrimination—treating the poor like royalty and the rich like scum. Our goal is to treat people without consideration for their status. No one is unworthy to be seated. A man’s WORTH is not based on his WEALTH.

- Precept Austin

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons

  • The Poverty Mindset

    Contributed by Jeff Van Wyk on Apr 13, 2013
    based on 4 ratings
     | 40,371 views

    One false concept is that poverty has some mysterious refining qualities. Some believe that it is spiritual to be poor. That is not the way God lives and neither does He want us to live that way. Just look how He blessed Abraham. The Bible teaches us that

  • The Purpose Of Walls

    Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 23, 2015
    based on 15 ratings
     | 37,373 views

    God built His church to be ONE... but Satan builds walls to divide that church. How do we identify what the Devil does so that we can unify our church and challenge the power of the evil one?

  • Invest In God's Kingdom

    Contributed by Jeff Van Wyk on Feb 2, 2013
    based on 1 rating
     | 34,267 views

    To be a good steward we must not waste what has been given to us. We must invest what has been given to us and must show a return for it.We are given resources according to our individual abilities. We are all different. It is a fact that some people are

  • The Rich Fool Series

    Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 4, 2018
    based on 5 ratings
     | 29,637 views

    Why was God angry at the "rich farmer?" What had this farmer done wrong and what can we learn from his story about the need to being rich toward God?

  • The Rich Fool Series

    Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 4, 2018
    based on 5 ratings
     | 29,637 views

    Why was God angry at the "rich farmer?" What had this farmer done wrong and what can we learn from his story about the need to being rich toward God?