Making Distinctions; Doers Of The Word Series

Making Distinctions

Doers of the Word

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B

September 5 2021

James points out the economic distinctions that we are all too likely to make in our hospitality ministry. But it wouldn’t be too big a leap to talk about racial and immigrant and gender and orientation distinctions at the same time. James 2:1-9, 14-17

Main Text: James points out the economic distinctions that we are all too likely to make in our hospitality ministry, the church has often been quick to judge folks this is one of the key issues for 21-century church death. But it wouldn’t be too big a leap to talk about racial and immigrant and gender and orientation distinctions at the same time.

James clearly builds on the final verse of chapter one: RR Real Religion saying Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27 NRSV) Left alone, we could all claim to be obedient to this.

So, James gives us a test case. If we’re honest, we have to squirm a little bit as he describes the scene. Of course, we’ve all done this; we’ve all shown partiality in this.

We hope we’re overcoming it; we hope we’re countering it;

we hope we’re better than that.

But our society has drilled into us to value people on outward appearances more than essential beings.

What is fascinating about James’s test case is that he seems to be talking to the poor – at least to the working class. Look a little later on when he says, “is it not the rich who oppress you?” (v.6).

He’s making a distinction between those folks out there who are rich and those who are poor.

So, this is also a hospitality issue. Who are you happier to see come through your door? The ones who can help you pay the bills or anyone?

This means, in part, that this comes back to who are you really looking out for? Are you really interested in yourselves and those who can help you realize your vision for the church?

Or are you interested in “seeing all the people,” as we say in Discipleship Ministries? Do you believe that every Body has a right to live as we say in the Poor People Campaign or Is it about the inward focus of the church or the outward mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? The world, notice, not the church.

The text of this week's Old and New Testament Bring to mind an old movie called Trading Places. Louis Winthorpe is a businessman who works for a commodities brokerage firm on wall street called Duke and Duke owned by the brothers Mortimer and Randolph Duke. Now the Dukes are bickering about is whether it's a person's environment or heredity that determines how well they will do in life. The brothers decide to make a wager as to what would happen if Winthorpe loses his job, his home, and is shunned by everyone he knows and if Valentine ( a Black Conman Played by Eddie Murphy) was given Winthorpe's job. Would the two men turn out to be that much different? In other words, if you gave the poor Black Man the Same head start the middle-class white guy had could they flip places.

I wonder sometimes as we look at society how simple it would be for some people to trade places. So when the text in James says to be careful how you judge the rich man and the poor man when they come into worship it is indeed hitting on a lot of relevant issues. I wonder if some of you listening to this message today if born in a different family if having to deal with a different credit score if having had more or less parental involvement in your life would have made you a different person. If No one had ever brought you to church or made you learn a Christmas or easter speech how much different your life would be. If you had to Trade Places!

1) The Church Is No Place For Acts Of Favoritism

Favoritism may be illegal if it takes the form of discrimination, harassment, or another mistreatment.

Favoritism happens when people dole out the benefits based on who they like, rather than who is doing the best job for the company.

Favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character. Impartiality is an attribute of God. He is absolutely and totally impartial in dealing with people. God doesn’t let your stuff determine God's Stuff.

2) Favoritism Is Contrary To God’s Values.

James addressed a situation in which believers gave preferential treatment to the rich (2:2-3). What would motivate this kind of behavior? Is it not because these believers valued the rich more than they valued the poor? They would rather have the rich attend their church than the poor, and their treatment of the rich and of the poor reflected their values.