1. Introduction (2:1)
2. Treat people in light of man’s motives (2:2-4)
3. Treat people in light of God’s purposes (2:5-7)
4. Treat people in light of Jesus’ commandments (2:8-11)
5. Treat people in light of God’s mercy (2:12-13)
JAMES 2:1
I recently heard a story about a man who was the interim pastor of a church. He hadn’t been at the church for long, so the people didn’t know him very well yet. Interim pastors are in a very unique position. Many times they have a lot more insight into what’s really going on in a church than people who have been there forever. Not only do they have more insight than the people, most of the time they have more freedom to do something about it than a full-time pastor does. In other words, they can more easily see the problems. And when they see the problems, they are free to do something about them. Apparently that’s the way this man felt. One Sunday morning before church, he didn’t shave or shower or brush his teeth. He dug through the rag bin and found the worst clothes he could find. They were dirty and stained and worn and smelled like they had been in the rag bin for a while. Then he went to the store and bought a bottle of beer and borrowed a shopping cart. He filled the cart with cardboard, aluminum cans and other junk. And then he poured the beer over his clothes. Then about 5 minutes before service started, he slowly pushed his cart up to the front door of the church. He dug around in it for a minute, then proceeded to walk in the church and sit down quietly on the back row. You could’ve heard a pin drop. Of course, nobody recognized who it was. The only thing they saw was a bum sitting on the back row. And the smell! It was awful. Finally, one of the ushers got up and told the man he would have to leave. So he did. He got up, walked out the front door, around the side of the building and into his private office door. Then, when it was time to preach, he walked out of his office, into the sanctuary and took his place behind the pulpit. And there, still dressed in the clothes of a homeless man, he preached on this passage. What an illustration of how we treat people! Do you think they got it? In our passage this morning, James gives us the second test of our faith. Remember that last week, he gave us the Bible test to see if our faith is real. This morning we’re going to be taking the preference test to see if our faith is real. This test is all about how we treat people. In the verse we just read, James tells his readers that it is not possible to combine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ with glorying in the status of people. As a Christian, you’re only glory is Christ. You can’t glorify Christ and people at the same time. And by the way—people includes yourself. When we glory in the status of people, we forget how far we all fall short of the glory of God. The only thing any of us have a right to glory in is the righteousness of Christ. That righteousness that, by His grace and mercy, God credits to us when He saves us. We forget that, when we don’t treat people right. This morning I want each of us to take inventory of the way we treat people—ourselves included. And when we do, I want us to make sure that the only Person we glory in is the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to do that, we’re going to look at four things to consider in the way we treat people. The first consideration is that we should treat people in light of man’s motives. Look with me in verses 2-4:
JAMES 2:2-4
Treat people in light of man’s motives. That interim pastor that I told you about really just acted out the illustration that James uses here. That’s one of the reasons I’m convinced Pastor James of the First Church of Jerusalem is recording parts of his sermons in this letter. Because of his great illustrations. It makes it easy to grasp the concept when he gives us such an exaggerated example, doesn’t it? If a rich guy in an Armani suit comes walking in the church door, how do you treat him? Especially when he’s followed by a skater kid coming in that looks like he lost a fight with a nail gun? He took all the color out of his clothes and put it in his hair. Do you treat the two of them the same? Does the one get the handshakes and the attention while the other is left to find his own way to a seat? That’s a very vivid illustration that gets the point across. We have to really work to shut the illustration off there, but we do. Because we forget that it is exactly that—an illustration. An illustration of a deeper and fuller truth. It’s obvious that we shouldn’t treat people differently just because they can’t afford top-of-the-line clothes. That’s obvious—but what is the point of the illustration? James gives us such a simple illustration to point out WHY we treat people differently. He wants to show us our motives behind why we treat people differently. We treat people differently because of what verse 4 says. Because we like to set ourselves up as judge and jury. Think about what it means to show partiality. In order to show partiality, first you have to determine a difference between the people in question. Then you have to make a judgment as to which person is better than the other one. Almost inevitably, you will choose the one who is most like you. Unless you don’t like yourself and then you’ll choose the one who is most different than you. But in all cases, when you are judging partiality between two people, who are you setting up as the standard? Who are you measuring the other people in the room against? Yourself. Whenever we show partiality in the way we treat people, we are doing it out of a selfish motive. In James’ illustration, why do you think they gave the rich man the preferred seat? Because of what they could get out of him. Because of the potential for personal benefit. James warns us about extending preferential treatment to a person who can “do something for us.” Who can benefit us. The fact is, man’s motives are selfish. Our natural way of treating people is to give preference to those who will benefit us or will make us look good. Sometimes we show preference to people of high standing for the benefit of what they can do for us. But sometimes we show preference to people of lower standing for the benefit of how good they make us look when we stand next to them. If left unchecked, your motives behind how you treat people will always be rooted in selfishness. You need to be aware of that and treat people accordingly. Ask yourself—why do I treat this person kindly? Is it so I can get something in return? Why do I treat this person poorly? Is it to make me look better? Do you think it makes you look better when you make them look bad or treat them badly? Discover and uncover your motives behind the way you treat people. And treat them right in light of your motives. Not only should we treat others in light of man’s motives. We should treat them in light of God’s purposes. Look at verses 5-7:
JAMES 2:5-7
Treat others in light of God’s purposes. James’ words here are almost a quote of the first Beatitude that Jesus opened His Sermon on the Mount with in Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Poor of the world—rich in faith. Poor in spirit—heirs of the kingdom. Does that mean that we have to sell everything and go live in a cave somewhere like the monks used to do? No, that misses the point. The point is that God has a purpose in the way He treats people. Unfortunately, so does man in his natural state. How many times have you heard the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves?” Most of us have heard it many times. As a matter of fact, most people think that is a quote from the Bible. That’s sad on a couple of counts. First, it’s sad because people aren’t familiar enough with the actual text of the Bible to recognize what’s in it and what’s not. But that’s the least sad part. Because the Bible has a lot of phrases in it that we might not immediately recognize—even if we read it everyday. The really sad part is, not only are those specific words not in the Bible—the phrase itself is completely contrary to the entire message of the Bible. God isn’t a big-fella that gives us a boost as we are pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. God takes people who are completely incapable of anything good in His eyes and makes them His children. He takes people who have no claim to anything of His and adopts us as His heirs. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Why would God treat us that way? Why does God exalt the humble and humble the exalted? Why does He show Himself strong in our weakness? What is His purpose in it all? Ephesians 1:5-6 tells us: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” It is all to the praise of the glory of His grace. God treats people the way He does in order that we might exalt Him above all. Above all circumstances. Above all trials. Above all tests. Paul did that. And he wrote about it in Philippians 4:12-13: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” But that’s God’s purpose—what’s man’s purpose? God’s purpose is that He will be exalted. Apart from Him, our purpose is that we will be exalted. It goes back to our innate selfishness. Verse 6 says, “ye have despised the poor.” Why do we look down on those who have less than we do? Why do we focus on the flaws of those around us? Why do we gossip about people who are having troubles? Why do we highlight negative things about each other? Why do we cut and bite and tear at each other? Because we’re trying to exalt ourselves. An easy way to look tall is to squash everybody around you. Think about the conversations you’ve had this past week. Did you spend more words exalting God or yourself? God is not exalted by words that despise. Words that oppress. Words that exalt you. Words that show partiality. If you’re called by the name of Christ, don’t you think He’s the one who ought to be exalted by the way you treat others—not you? If you don’t, verse 7 compares that to blasphemy. Don’t blaspheme the name of Jesus. Treat others in light of God’s purpose of exalting Himself instead of yourself. Treat others in light of God’s purpose and in light of Jesus’ commandments. Look at verses 8-11:
JAMES 2:8-11
Treat others in light of Jesus’ commandments. Once again, James goes back to the words of Jesus. In Matthew 22, Jesus was confronted by a lawyer who was spurred on by the Pharisees. Verses 34-40 tell of the incident: “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Of course the Pharisees were once again trying to trap Jesus. But in just those few sentences, Jesus summed up the 10 commandments. The first four commandments deal with the way we are supposed to love God. The next six deal with the way we are supposed to love each other. But not only did Jesus’ two commandments perfectly sum up the 10 commandments, they perfectly summed up the whole Old Testament. They completely summed up the law and the prophets. In other words, all that God had revealed in His Word up till that time was summed up in those two commandments. Everything that God reveals of Himself deals with how we are to treat Him and how we are to treat others. When we treat others the wrong way, it violates God’s Word. And not just part of God’s Word. It violates every bit of God’s Word. In some of His last words to His disciples before He was betrayed, Jesus told them in John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” That is what James calls the royal law according to the Scripture. And when we violate that law, we violate Scripture. And when we violate Scripture, we violate the very Words of God. So, is it really that big of a deal when we show preference to people? Is it really that big of a deal when we treat people unfairly? I mean, what’s the harm in passing a little story? What’s the harm in only talking to people I like? What’s the harm in ignoring difficult people? Or people who are different? Or people who are weird? What’s the harm in criticizing other people? What’s the harm in putting them down? What’s the harm in making myself look good? Bragging on myself? Because those are all examples of respecting persons. Showing partiality. Setting yourself up as judge and jury as to who is worthy and who is not worthy. Do you think that is loving? Do you think that is following Jesus’ commandment to love one another? Of course not. And if it isn’t following His commandment—it’s breaking His commandment. And verse 10 says that if you break just one commandment, you’ve broken every bit of the law. Now put that into perspective like James does in verse 11. If you don’t treat someone right, on a spiritual level, you’re just as guilty before God as if you had committed adultery. If you mistreat someone with your words or your actions, you’re just as guilty before God as if you had even committed murder. Of course, each one of those “big sins” has way more temporal consequences. Or do they? Maybe they’re more obvious—destroyed lives, broken homes. But can’t that be the result when we don’t treat people right? Think back to James rich man and poor man that walked into the Jerusalem church. Do you think the poor man’s going to come back? Do you think he’s going to be pointed to Christ? What about the rich man? Do you think he’s going to be pointed to Christ? Or since everybody else is focused on his wealth, don’t you think he will too? Treating others the right way is serious business. Serious enough that Jesus listed it as only one of two commandments. Serious enough that He reiterated it by telling us it was His only new commandment. Treat others in light of Jesus’ commandments. Treat others in light of man’s motives, in light of God’s purposes, and in light of Jesus’ commandments. But we can sum it all up the way James did in verses 12-13. We need to treat others in light of God’s mercy. Look at verses 12-13:
JAMES 2:12-13
Treat others in light of God’s mercy. If you are here this morning and you are saved, what did you do to deserve to be saved? Who were you that God called you out and drew you to Himself in salvation? What did you do for God to give you grace? In John 3 Jesus was talking to a man named Nicodemus. And Jesus told him a curious thing. He told him that no one could see the kingdom of God unless he was born again. Do you think Jesus used those words because they were easy to understand? No—He used them because they perfectly described salvation. Do you remember all the preparation you had to make before your mom and dad would choose to have you? Do you remember all the cleaning up you had to do and all the good works you had to pile up before you were allowed to be born? Of course not—there was nothing you could say, do, or be that would make you worthy of being born the first time. Just like there is nothing you can say, do, or be that will make you worthy of being born again. Christian—remember that the next time you want to treat someone else poorly. As you are ready to snub someone because “you don’t like them” think about this: while they were yet a sinner, Christ died for them. Just like He did for me. By the same token, if someone offends you and treats you wrong—their righteousness is as filthy rags. Just like yours is. Jesus willingly shed His blood for them just like He did for you. And just like He did for me. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Deuteronomy 10:17 says, “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” And that God who is no respecter of persons, out of His infinite love and mercy, gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. I am every bit as undeserving of that gift as you are. As the most offensive person you know is. And Jesus poured out His blood for them as much as He did for you. And as much as He did for me. That’s how we are to treat others. Treat others in light of God’s mercy. Understand that without God’s gift of salvation, you are every bit as offensive in God’s eyes as that lost skater kid. As that lost homeless man. As that prostitute. As the person who sits across the aisle from you that you haven’t spoken to in who knows how long. Remember this is a test of faith. And this is the test. Question one: when you see a Christian, do you see their faults and shortcomings? Or do you see the blood of Jesus? Question two: when you see a lost person, do you see their sinfulness and their behavior? Or do you see someone that Jesus loved enough to die for? How do you answer those questions? How do you see Christians? How do you see lost people? As we pray, I want you to allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Be honest with Him about the way you treat people. Does the evidence show that you’re a Christian by the way you treat people? If not, allow the Lord to deal with you today.
