"No Favorites"
James 2:1-13
OPEN: So today we are going to continue our expository study through the book of James and this morning we are starting into chapter two of this marvelous book. This morning Pastor James -- the pastor of the church in Jerusalem - wants to talk to us about the issue of favoritism in the church. James wants to address a particular problem he apparently has in his church. (ill of always wanting to get back to the first century church -- I sometimes wonder if people really know what they are requesting -- once you get beyond the first couple of weeks, the early church had as many problems in it as the modern church does) Being the Church has never been an easy thing. That's because we are all in the process of being changed -- changed from what we were to what Jesus wants us to become.
Context: Now as we start we want to remind ourselves of the context of what James has been saying. The last two verses of James 1 set the stage for this main point first with a word about worthless religion; (a faith that doesn't work) then with a word about true religion. He's trying to show his congregation how faith works in real life. So first he gives a picture of a worthless faith -- a faith that doesn't work: - If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. If you can't control your tongue -- the way you talk to others -- your kind of faith is useless -- it doesn't work -- you'll never change your world, if you don't learn how to control your tongue. -- if you use profanity -- if you slander people -- if you gossip -- your faith is worthless.
So then he contrasts that with a faith that God blesses: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Faith that works has two aspects to it: There is an internal personal aspect of purity. Keeping one's self from being polluted and corrupted by the world in which we live. Don't be stained by the world -- you have to live in a very determined way if you are going to be unpolluted. And then there is an external aspect of focusing on others. There is a commitment to serving others. -- the church is to be recognized by it's commitment to serving others. - this is what God wants from the Church, right? No matter what your experience has been in Church -- this is what God says he wants the Church to be about. So what else is there to talk about?
Now when we come to chapter two -- he wants to address the specifics of this issue in his congregation.
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. (James 2:1)
I kind of think the issue James is address in his church is that there was only the pretense of caring for others. I think the people cared for others -- but they cared more for a certain kind of "others" The -- "others" who had money. That's the issue he wants to address.
Don't show favoritism (respector of persons) - don't assume that one person is more important than another -- don't treat people differently. I like the way he qualifies this teaching (as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ) - very important - if you are a believer that in heaven there is this person in heaven who dwells in unapproachable light. If you know anything of his holiness and justice and wisdom and omnipotence and omniscience and omnipresent -- the fact that he does not change -- if you anything of his eternality -- his sovereignty - His love, His grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, His goodness and the fact that his eye is always upon you and he promises to never leave or forsake you or abandon you. That each loves each one of us as if there were only one of us -- we would be awe -- then you should not show favoritism in people. - there is not different levels of people -- there is God and there are people -- that's it - as believers there should not be any distinction among ourselves.
The word translated "favoritism" comes from two words--"to receive" and "face." "To receive by face" is to evaluate a person on the basis of surface characteristics. James warns, "Don't just look at a person's face, or outward appearance. Don't be biased in your judgment by clothing, wealth, or position!" Ill of young man who walked into a church (It took me a long while to get him there -- arrived early- first one in the sanctuary -- felt very nervous -- and usher walked up to him and said we don't wear hats here -- he got embarrassed and walked out of the church. The message he heard: "You're not one of us"
The reason is simple: such favoritism obviously runs counter to the character of Christ. Though He was "glorious" He humbled Himself to identify with the poor and the oppressed to whom He promised the kingdom. His mission was announced at the beginning of His ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed." (Luke 4:18). Prejudice based on physical appearance, social status or race is inconsistent with faith in the One who came to break down the barriers of nationality, race, sexism and religion.
God is no respecter of people
- The Lord is only asking us to take on an attitude that He himself holds. God is absolutely and totally impartial in dealing with people. And in that way He is utterly unlike us. We are very partial. We tend to put everyone in some kind of category, higher or lower than other people. It has to do with their looks. It has to do with their wardrobe. It has to do with the kind of car they drive, the kind of house they live in, sometimes it has to do with their race, sometimes with their social status, sometimes outward characteristics of personality. All of those things with God are non-issues. They are of no significance at all. They mean absolutely nothing to Him. A person's education, a person's economic status, a person's looks, a person's wardrobe, a person's social relationship, a person's job, a person's fame, prestige, a person's earthly honor, all of those collectively and individually mean absolutely nothing to God. They are non issues. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. (Acts 10:34-35)
Look Beyond the Superficial:
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. (James 2:2) - Now to illustrate what he is talking about he gives his people a little illustration -- he tells them a story. Now the story has two primary players involved in it. There is a rich man and a poor man. The Bible doesn't really give us their names but I'm going to name them anyway. I'm going to call the rich man, Mr. Gold Finger. And I'm going to call the poor man Mr. Stinky.
So let's put a picture of both of these guys up on the screen.
The guy on the left is Mr. Gold Finger -- and the guy on the right is Mr. Stinky. Both of them walk in on a Sunday morning - they come into this Christian gathering ("meeting" is literally synagogue). One is lavishly attired in elegant clothes and fine jewelry. The other is poorly clad in "shabby clothes." The contrast in the clothing spotlights the fact that they were using the inaccurate measure of outward appearance to determine personal worth in this assembly. Now what happens is that there is a quick appraisal by some of the people in this church and they are really impressed with one visitor and nor so impressed with the other. The first guy is obviously a person who's got some wealth. How do we know -- he wears it -- it other words he wants people to know he's got the goods. He's got a shiny gold ring on his finger and he's got fine clothes. (he's fine!) The text actually says he is gold-fingered. Implying I think that he has more than one gold ring -- he's probably got them on all of his fingers. The most ostentatious people in the ancient world would wear rings on every finger. We have sources that tell us there were ring rental businesses where they would go and they could rent rings. It was a way of showing off your economic status. He also has fine apparel -- the word "fine" is lampros -- it means bright or shiney -- sparkling perhaps with ornamentation on it. He glitters. Everybody else is wearing their normal drab stuff and here comes a guy with gold all over his fingers in some flashy loud ornamentation in his clothing.
Now the issue is not really what the guy is wearing -- Maybe he doesn't know what you wear to church -- Maybe this is what he wears in his circles -- If a guy does come in dressed like that - You don't stop him at the door and throw a pile of sackcloth on him, you let him in. There's no problem with that. The man is welcome, he's an unbeliever. He needs to hear the gospel. He's not condemned for his dress. That's not the issue here. This is not a section of Scripture teaching about dress. The sin has nothing to do with that. So it's fine for that man to come.
Then comes another man. This is a poor man, Mr. Stinky. tokos means he's so poor he has to beg. This is a beggar. Undoubtedly he only owned one robe. - a beggar with one robe is not a good thing. This guy is at the lowest level of social strata. Shabby means filthy, smelly, dirty - any of those terms. He's a common guy with this filthy thing that's the only piece of clothing he owns. He sleeps in it, he sweats in it, he works in it, he lives in it. He's Mr. Stinky. He's a derelict from off the streets. Again, there is no sin here because of what he's wearing. He's not condemned for not dressing up. Nobody stops him at the door and says go home and get a tie or you can't be here. Nobody does that. They didn't throw sackcloth on the rich man and they don't throw some special robe on this guy. The issue really isn't what they are wearing -- they issue is how others respond to them.
You say, "Where's the issue?" Verse 3 - If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? So there's this usher who quickly assesses the situation and the rich man was offered a choice seat. The Jewish practice was to put the important people closest to the sacred scrolls. The poor man is rudely told, "Stand there," or as Phillips paraphrases, "if you must sit, sit on the floor." Mr.Gold Finger really attracts everybody's attention. Wow, they're all sitting and saying, "Look at this guy, whoa-wee, look at this guy. Fine clothing, dripping with gold." Somebody rushes over and says, "O Sir, sit here in a good place." Somebody leans over in the pew and says to the person sitting next to him, "This guy could make a big big difference in the budget. This is the kind of guy we need in this place. Boy, maybe we can get something from him. That preacher -- he keeps bringing all those poor people in here -- we need some people who can fill up the plates for us." So the usher says, "Here, sit in a good place, comfortable, prominent place of honor." A little social climbing here. A little hoping for his favor. A little desire to get under his influence, get a little of his money. By the way, in the synagogues and assembly halls of that day there were very few benches. Sometimes there would be benches around the outside wall and maybe a couple of benches in the front and everybody else sat cross-legged on the floor. So to put this man in an elevated seat was something special because most people, as I said, just stood. Everyone else would just sit cross- legged on the floor.
But now we get to the ugly part of this whole deal - Verse 3, "You say to the poor guy, Stand there or sit here under my footstool." In other words, I don't really care where you go, fella, but please get where you're going to be, will you? Sit there or sit beside my footstool. Just get out of my way." Now why would you do that to a guy just because he had shabby clothes? Because there's something built into our falleness that's partial to people who look nice, smell nice, and are dripping with gold. Are you not discriminating among yourselves -- are you not judging with evil thoughts? What's the answer to that? Yes. Yes you are.
What's evil about it?
You are determining in your mind who is special and who is not. God isn't like that. It is serious sin because...look what he says at the end of verse 4..."You have become judges with evil thoughts." What are the evil thoughts? "Mr. Gold Finger can do something for me. I can benefit from him." "But Mr. Stinky -- what can he do for me? I have to invest in him -- he can't help me at all."
So let me ask you a question: Would you speak differently if some famous person walked in than you would somebody who is sitting in the pew? If a famous actor walked into our service would you try to get an autograph after the service? (Please sign my Bible!) would you flock around them? - there are certain people in this world that no matter where they go they will get a certain amount of respect from people. - there are certain people in this world that no matter where they go they will be rejected by the world. - that's the way things happen in the world -- we are not going to change that - what's not OK is when they come to the church and they get the same thing
- if some famous person came in and sat down next to you during worship -- would you be distracted? Would you be sitting there thinking, "Oh my gosh, the hunk of the month was sitting right next to me in worship -- I can't wait to call and tell Aunt Martha." - let's take it to the next level: What if while the famous person was sitting next to you -- somehow God showed up and occupied the front of the room -- would that person still hold the same amount of attraction for you at that point? If the glorious Lord Jesus showed up would you then really be distracted by some famous person?
- if a famous person walks in -- so what? The Lord is my shepherd, right - I shall not want. It is he that makes me lie down in green pastures. It is he that leads me beside the quiet waters. It is he that restores my soul. It is he that guides me in paths of righteousness. -- What's the hunk of the month going to do for you? You want something from them? An autograph? I'd rather have my name written in the Lamb's book of life than someone write their name on a piece of paper for me.
- sometimes the church feels like high school - with it's little cliques (the popular kids -- the geeks -- the jocks) This isn't 13th grade -- a continuation of what you experienced in high school. Nor is it a community club for a certain kind of people. - when we come in the door -- we should come in with the attitude that we are looking to show mercy and grace and service to someone -- to everyone.
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:5)
how did He receive us? Without respect of persons," right? The gospel is the great equalizer. It takes the poor man and exalts him to heavenly riches. It takes the rich man and strips him of all the uselessness of earthly riches. The body of Jesus Christ is going to be made up of mostly common folks and a few uncommon ones. It's inconsistent to grace to spotlight anyone either in name or preference in the church. In God's sight we all come as beggars -- but he welcomes each of as celebrities. He treats people with absolute equality based simply and only on the internal condition of the soul, not on the external circumstances. God doesn't care one bit what you look like. He doesn't care how you dress. He doesn't care how much money you have or don't have. He doesn't care about your education and where you went to school. He doesn't care about your social standing. He doesn't care about your prestige. He doesn't care about your race. He doesn't care about any of that, that's all absolutely inconsequential. He is indifferent to all of that. And when the church is anything less than indifferent to that it ceases to be like God.
If You're Going to Pick a Favorite -- Pick Mr. Stinky.
If you are going to play favorites: Focus on the poor. Notice what James says next. There are two primary concepts: Pay attention to how Heaven responds to the poor. Pay attention to how the rich respond to the poor. Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Notice is says "Listen" KJV says "Harken" - It means "pay attention -- tune in -- don't let this go by without catching what I'm saying" When you look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, His primary ministry was among what segment of people? The poor. Without question the great bulk of His ministry was to poor people, people who had little or no resources, humanly speaking. What poor? Those that are poor in this world, or literally those who are poor in the eyes of the world...the ones the world thinks are the poor, the ones who are the down and outers, if you will, the ones who are without.
There are so many verses in Scripture that says this that I really don't have time to go over all of them:
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. (Ps. 82:3)
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. (Prov. 21:13)
If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure. (Prov. 29:14)
He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. "Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 22:16)
When you treat a poor man with disregard, when you are unfaithful to meet a poor man's need, you mock the poor man's maker. You offend the poor man's maker. And the poor man's maker is God.
God wasn't forced to settle for the poor; He deliberately chose them. When God chose the nation Israel, He chose them because they were the least of all people. In a very real sense, they were the most desperate group of all. They are special objects of His love. Jesus Christ was rich, but the Lord of Glory became poor for our sake. He came down to earth and took our alien nature, our sin and our curse upon Himself. He extended the grace of God by choosing us. All who are in Christ are there as a result of God's loving choice. Thank God He doesn't just choose the tall, dark and handsome. He also chooses the short and shapeless. He calls us into fellowship and invests us with worth. He calls us to be rich in faith and joint heirs with Christ in his kingdom. In Luke 19 verse 8, Zacchaeus when he was converted, that man who was the chief of all tax collectors and he was rich, it says in verse 2. When he was converted to Christ it says, "Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the...what?...poor." Why? Because all of a sudden the heart of God was controlling Zacchaeus. "And if I've taken anything from anybody by false accusation, I give him back four fold. And Jesus said, This day is salvation come to this house." How do you know that's true salvation? Because you see the heart of God, the attitude of God. The attitude of God is to help the people who are poor, downcast. That's just so evident through the ministry of Jesus. His particular concern was for people who had little. A heart that truly belongs to Jesus will reflect these same priorities.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4: 18-19)
Then he says, "Pay attention to how the rich respond to the poor. "Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
He says, "Why would you be partial to the rich? Do not rich men," verse 6, "oppress you and drag you before the judgment seat." That's civil court. And history will tell you that the rich have oppressed the poor. The word exploit is the word tyrannize. You think Mr. Gold Finger is going to be your friend? He'll be your friend right up to the point where he feels your stick fingers on his money -- then his attitude towards you is going to change big time. Why would you pander to them?
Ill of group of people in first church who has a back yard picnic and invites me to it. During the course of the picnic it becomes evident that they have an agenda and they've arranged this little group to present some of their ideas. Every church has it's little groups within it I guess - and it didn't take a rocket scientist to see which group this was. This was the money group -- a factory owner, a guy who owned a Cadillac dealership -- the more "well-to-do" group in the church. And they wanted to talk to me about the kind of people we were attracting to the church. "These new people that are coming to the church aren't the kind of people we relate to. We don't have anything in common with them." "Oh, you mean the poor -- down outers that are coming to Christ and experiencing freedom in the Lord?" "Yes we understand they need Jesus - we don't really relate to these people -- we don't have anything in common with them - don't we need people who can help with finances?" I said we have those people already, right? "Who are they?" "Well that's you. God has blessed you financially so that you can help fund the ministry so we can reach the poor." Well, that didn't go over very well as you might imagine. Later that week I was called to visit one of the wealthy elderly ladies in the church to have tea. We sat in her very finely decorated parlor and she took me through a whole list of things she didn't like in the church. I tried to help her understand why we were making some of the changes and the importance of seeing the lost in the city saved. And that rather than complain, we ought to be celebrating and thanking God for what he was doing. Her response? "Yes but those people won't pay the bills will they?" It grew very quiet for a minute. And I responded by saying, "That's sounds a little like blackmail." The temperature dropped a few degrees in the room. Finally she responded by apologizing. What happened? I'd like to say that group of people came around and caught a vision for reaching the poor of the city. But they didn't -- they left the church. They took their gold and went somewhere else. I guess they found another place where there were "people they could relate to." But you know what? God still blessed that ministry. It wasn't always easy- the financial demands stretched our faith constantly. But the church grew and many people came to know the Lord. Almost all who were poor but became rich through the faith in Jesus Christ.
Playing Favorites in Church is as great of a sin as adultery and murder in God's eyes.
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. God Shows No Favoritism When It Come To Judging Sin
Be Absolutely Sure You Extend Grace To Everyone
-- Without Playing Favorites. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
CLOSE: Years ago a young soloist named Charlotte Elliott thrilled a London audience with her musical skills. After the concert a young preacher named Cesar Malan made his way through the admiring crowd and when he gained her attention said, "Young lady, when you were singing, I thought how tremendously the cause of Christ would be benefited if you would dedicate yourself and your talents to the Lord. But, you are just as much a sinner as the worst drunkard in the street, or any harlot on Scarlet Street. But", he added, "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, will cleanse you from all sin if you will come to Him." Shocked, she said, "You are very insulting, sir," and started to walk away. He said, "Lady, I did not mean any offense, but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict you." That night she could not sleep. At two o'clock in the morning Charlotte Elliott knelt at the side of her bed and received Christ as Savior. While sitting there she wrote these favorite words: Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me,And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come!
So to close today I just want to reintroduce myself to you. You guys call me Pastor Tim -- but in reality my actual name is Mr. Stinky. That's the way Jesus found me a poor dirty beggar in shabby cloths, but in his great mercy he made me rich and gave me an inheritance that can never spoil or fade kept in heaven for me. What he did for me -- he will do for you -- He'll receive you just as you -- if you will only answer His call and come.
