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James 2:1-13
“Don’t Show Favoritism”
“Favoritism is more than foolish, it is sin.”
Sunday Morning Sermon
09.02.07
Intro: (Start with title and text)
Good morning. It is a blessing seeing each of you this morning.
You seem alive and awake this morning so I have a test for you. I want you to identify the objects when they come on the screen. (Advance after they name each of these)
(football) (Stroller) (Telephone)
(Birthday Cake) (roadblock)
I’ll give you $50 bucks if you can tell me what those images have in common. I’m just kidding. Sometimes when we see things – they are clear. All of those images were clear – no question. The last one – sometimes roadblocks in our lives aren’t the easiest to figure out. Even inside the church. We want the church to grow and move forward and be a blessing to our community and glorify God – but there are roadblocks.
Discussion:
The church that James is writing to has a possible roadblock. He gives them a warning – he’s giving us the same warning. He does this because he loves them and wants them to be everything they can be for the glory of God. It’s the same for us. From time to time we have to look at ourselves and see if we have possible roadblocks for growth, so we can fix and change them, for the glory of God.
Turn with me if you have your Bibles to James 2:1-13 (Read) (Advance)
He gives them three warnings – three things not to do.
(Advance)
I. Don’t Show Favoritism
He appeals to them as brothers – and as believers. We are all connected in the body of Christ, as brothers and sisters in Christ – Children of the most high God.
a. He tells them clearly –
i. DON’T SHOW FAVORTISM
b. He illustrates it
If you are having a meeting, and a man walks in wearing gold rings and fine clothes. And at the same time a man with shabby clothes, he’s unkept and dirty and he stinks.
c. You have to think about this
i. A rich man
1. Could boost the churches finances
2. He could donate a lot of stuff to the church
3. The preacher could be driving a hummer
The value of a rich man – way up there. We could make him a church leader, get him to feel responsible. He probably has influence in the city, he could make sure the police drive by more often to protect the property. Rich people are like roaches where there’s one, there’s probably a dozen – he probably has friends rich friends. Wow – what a blessing that would be to the church.
d. You have to think about the poor man too
i. The poor man
He stinks. His value is LOW. The preacher won’t be driving a hummer if we have poor people in the church – where’s the blessing in that? He wouldn’t add anything to the churches finances – he doesn’t have anything he could donate. We certainly wouldn’t put him in church leadership.
e. They need different seating too –
i. The stinky poor man should sit on the floor – the idea is that he would be out of the way – we might stand him up in the back.
ii. The rich man would have the best seat – maybe a Lazy-Boy Recliner
The problem with everything I just said – is it’s so true! We look at people like that. We want people to look like us and dress like us and act like us and be like us – almost to a fault. We are far away from looking like the God who created us, when we judge the outside of someone.
f. God sees the heart – he sees motive – he sees truth – and sin
We see gold rings, leisure suits, bad hair and dirty jeans. We make judgments based on that. Here’s the harm and the warning all at the same time. When those judgments affect how people are treated or accepted inside the church – it is sin.
g. The world’s measurement is opposite of God’s
i. I’m pretty sure God cares more about you being in church this morning than the way you look.
ii. I’m pretty sure God cares more about your attitude of worship than your ability to just do the right things and say the right things.
iii. I’m pretty sure God cares more about your response to his word, than the restaurant crowds, or the roast you have in the oven.
All of us – regardless of skin color, money we have or don’t have, influence we have or don’t have, the status that we have or don’t have – ALL of us are in need of a savior. Really it matters very little what is on the outside – because you could dress in the nicest suit and drive the best car and have an excellent relationship with Jesus. You could dress wonderful, and set tends, and have perfect hair – and be far away from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord.
Several years ago (more like 10 years ago) I was working 7pm to 7am. Church starts at 10 – We were there, and I was always exhausted tired. Only when I am exhausted tired, I look more like I was drunk the night before – blood shot eyes, slurred speech…a deacon in the church came to me EVERY SUNDAY and told me how bad I looked. It wasn’t like I was wearing the yellow sponge bob pants into worship.
We don’t have the right, the privilege, or the purpose of judging someone by what they look like on the outside – Fat, skinny, rich, poor, ugly, pretty, white, black, big hair, no hair, tall, short, young or old – none of that stuff matters to God, and it shouldn’t matter to us. We shouldn’t judge those around us.
A man was having difficulty communicating with his wife and concluded that she was becoming hard of hearing. So he decided to conduct a test without her knowing about it.
One evening he sat in a chair on the far side of the room. Her back was to him and she could not see him. Very quietly he whispered, "Can you hear me?" There was no response.
Moving a little closer, he asked again, "Can you hear me now?" Still no reply. Quietly he edged closer and whispered the same words, but still no answer.
Finally he moved right in behind her chair and said, "Can you hear me now?" To his Surprise and chagrin she responded with irritation in her voice, "For the fourth time, yes!"
If I remember scripture right – (Advance) Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." The celebration is over one sinner who repents. So the celebration is not – “WOO HOO – Jack is finally wearing a tie.” – Maybe our celebration should be over sinner who repents. Maybe our focus should be setting the excellent example and getting people to that point. Maybe our focus should be taking those outside and bringing them inside and growing together in Christ. I’ve been in the church 20 years – you’ve been in the church 2 minutes – there are many things we can learn from each other and grow in Christ Jesus together. That’s powerful because it changes hearts and minds.
Here’s another warning that James gives the church (Advance)
II. Don’t break the Law
I’m not sure how many laws we would be breaking if we move the leather couch in here and set the rich man up front and make the poor man stand. He’s hardly talking about the laws of the land. Remember James is writing to a church that is mostly from a Jewish background – they understand keeping the laws, because it’s what they’ve done all their lives.
a. The royal law – Love of neighbor
Jesus calls this the second greatest command; (Advance) Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’
(Advance)
Paul says Galatians 5:14 (NIV) The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
b. Showing favoritism – is the opposite of showing love of neighbor.
i. It is the opposite of keeping the royal law and keeping the commands.
While we might not break our laws – it would break the second greatest commandment.
c. Can’t break part of the law
If you don’t commit adultery, or murder and you show favoritism toward anyone inside the church, regardless of how – according to James it’s makes you just as guilty as murder or adultery –
i. It’s a huge sin.
1. Because it could involve someone’s salvation
I told you just a minute ago that a deacon in the church told me every Sunday how bad I looked.
To the glory of God we’ve had excellent response in every church we’ve been on the ministry side of. Assume for just a moment that I didn’t know the man was an idiot and ignorant of God’s word – I could use him as an excuse for leaving the church. Assume for just a moment that we left the church because of him, there would be a lot of people who might not know salvation. Church, this is huge, because it affects and could affect the salvation of people – people who could be active in explaining salvation to other people and loving them like Jesus.
I encourage you this morning – If you have a prejudice or have some kind of favoritism regardless what it’s based on – Repent of it. Apologize to whoever it is, and move yourself forward, in the grace and mercy of God.
Here’s the third warning – not really in the negative (Advance)
III. Offer Mercy
Dog the bounty hunter said this: “Mercy given, mercy received.” Jesus said it this way: (Advance)
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
If I understand that I am in need of mercy – I will offer it to those around me. So read the rest of this with that in mind. (Advance)
James 2:12-13 (NIV) – Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
a. Our view of those outside will involve
i. Mercy or Judgment – really only goes two ways.
If you are truly interested in those around you knowing Jesus as Lord and understanding this great salvation – Show mercy to them. Regardless of who it is – your children, your parents – friends at work, your boss – show mercy. Extend the passionate mercy of God to those around you, and see what happens.
b. Speak and act as if you are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom – the royal law
Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. I would dread the day that I stand in judgment and God doesn’t offer me his mercy, because I haven’t shown mercy.
Where ever you are in your understanding or your walk with God – you need mercy. I know that because I need it too. Without his mercy, we’d have to depend on our righteousness – The Bible says we have all fall short. Guess what – it’s not good enough. Sin separates you from God and any attempt to bring yourself back to him independent of Jesus – is worthless. Jesus said – it won’t happen. (Advance)
John 14:6 – Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the mercy of GOD. Through Jesus we are given life when we are worthy of death. We are given a crown when we deserve a cross. We are given joy and eternal salvation when we deserve separation from God on an eternal level.
Conclusion:
That’s the good news! Jesus didn’t save us from our sins so we could pick and choose who gets into heaven and who doesn’t. In fact my guess is – heaven will be a very colorful place to be.
My step-brother (1993) was lying in a hospital room about to die. He was rejected by everyone around him because of his lifestyle and his illness. He moved just as many people away from him, but that’s a characteristic of a hurting person. The summer I spent with him – probably left him more confused, and possibly angry. Because while I could point to a man in Shawnee, Oklahoma as an idiot and ignorant of God’s word, my step brother could point to me. My step-brother’s doctor didn’t care for him very well – he was very demanding and hard to take care of. A new doctor was on call for the weekend – A Christian doctor. He shared the love of Christ in a way that demonstrated the mercy we have in Christ. My step-brother Rick died not long after accepting Jesus Christ as Lord again – and even repenting of the harmful lifestyle.
I don’t know why we have those experiences. The lesson I learned is taught in scripture – God’s kindness leads people to repentance. It’s not his judgment, it’s not fear of hell or even the hope of heaven – It’s God demonstrating his kindness.
Kindness – sorta the opposite of favoritism isn’t it? If you have been shown God’s kindness in your life – you won’t show favoritism.
Pray
