“Faith That Works: Making A Good Showing”
James 2:1-13
Suppose you agreed to make some visits on new residents in the South Haven area. You are given two names and addresses, but have time to make only one visit. You discover that the one address is in a very ritzy subdivision, the family is wealthy and has a fine reputation. The other address leads you to a small, poorly - kept, run-down trailer, with no yard - and the people are unemployed, the husband is ill and the wife is pregnant. With time for just one visit, which family would you go to see? In all honesty, to which one would you give your best shot? Why?
James raises just such an issue; and it hits at the very core of who we are as individuals and as a church. James commands us to be partial to mercy. Listen to verse 1 again: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” Or as the RSV translates it, show no partiality. Let’s examine the issues James raises.
In verses 2-4 James accuses the young church of DISCRIMINATION. He accuses them of being PARTIAL IN THEIR WORSHIP. Visitors would frequent their services of worship. Since the meeting houses were most often crowded, seating was a problem. Apparently a pecking order had been established. People of honor and prominence - of wealth - sat on the chairs and stools. So whenever a rich person came, he was given a seat, even if someone else of lesser standing had to give one up. If, however, a poor person arrived at the same time, he or she was simply told to squeeze, sit, or squat wherever possible; maybe even stand for the service.
Let’s suppose again. You arrive for worship just as the service is starting. There are two seats left, across the aisle from each other. One is by an acquaintance of yours - a well-dressed older woman, with a beautiful dress and expensive sweater. The other is by a young man, a stranger - with long, scraggly, greasy hair and ear rings, wearing blue jeans and tattoos emblazoned on arms and neck. Where would you sit? Why?
Both persons have come to “check out” the church. Both are worthy of the same reception; both are possible converts to Christ. To treat them differently is to entertain evil - literally wicked - thoughts. In reality, it’s practicing snobbery. According to Webster, snobbery is “setting too much store by rank, wealth, and social eminence.” It is to discriminate, to be prejudiced.
But let’s go beyond the immediate context. We can all too easily be PARTIAL IN OUR ATTITUDE. There’s a concept called first among equals. George Orwell, in his novel Animal Farm wrote: “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” Most of us say our theology holds that all people are equal in God’s sight. But do we not then proceed to establish first among equals?
For example, if a friend makes a mistake or commits a sin we forgive him or her easily; but if someone we dislike makes the same mistake or commits the same sin, we suddenly find it unbearable and inexcusable! And how do we respond to the handicapped or emotionally disabled? How do we respond to persons who dress a cut or two below or above our style? Isn’t one of the first questions we ask of a visitor or new acquaintance about their background - to be sure they come from good stock? Don’t we make an initial judgment when we hear where someone is employed? What is your reaction to a person who is divorced, remarried, or single? What do you feel when this new person in your life mentions she has Aids? What if he is unemployed and therefore not really a potential giver? Have you ever found yourself thinking, “We can’t afford to take in too many like that; we just don’t get much from them. They end up costing us.” James writes that anytime we shrink away from someone because they are not like us or are not what we prefer, we betray ourselves and our calling. Perhaps we, too, are guilty of discrimination.
To be sure we understand his point, James proceeds to point out that we also tend to make a DISTINCTION. There are at least two distinctions in our partiality. First he indicates we create a CLASS DISTINCTION. In verse 5 James says God has chosen the poor of the world to receive His special favor. Therefore, if we are rejecting or ignoring them, we are really rejecting and ignoring God. God, after all, embraces them; how can we not do so? EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH IS A MEMBER BY GOD’S CHOICE. We are members by His choice - not ours! How then can we ever reject anyone? James drives home the point by saying God invests the poor with worth. They are rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom!
Then, in verses 6-7, James mentions that it is the rich who have been the heavy oppressors. So why should the church favor them? They were known for mistreating Jews, dragging them into courts, and controlling the courts. They even ridiculed the Christian community. The rich were the bosses who controlled the game of life. James asks if the church of Christ can approve such abuse of power. The church must be wary of falling into the trap and allowing such dominant, prejudicial control in her affairs. To curry favor with the rich and powerful is to oppress the poor and weak. To curry favor soon leads to being subject to them and dependent on them. The church is to be subject only to Christ.
Yet James point is that both have the love of God! To honor either the rich or poor because of their status is wrong. Such preferential treatment only serves to set up class distinctions - which are unacceptable to God. Dividing may be the way of the world but it is not to be the way of the church. The world may fawn upon the rich and frown upon the poor, or sometimes fawn upon the poor and frown upon the rich, but it is not to be so in the church. Whenever we embrace someone or reject someone because of their position or background, we have opposed the God who shows no partiality. Class distinctions are not to be a part of the church.
A second distinction James points out is a CLARIFYING DISTINCTION. To discriminate, to make distinctions, is to sin. In verse 8-11 James reminds us that to break just one part of the law is to be guilty before God. If our love has any motive other than Christ’s love for us - if there is any hint of loving for favor - we sin. And sin is sin! ONE SIN BREAKS THE WHOLE LAW. To keep 99 out of 100 laws is not good enough; a just judge would never cancel a murder conviction because the condemned had no other record. If we strike a pane of glass in just one place, it doesn’t matter that there are many places left untouched - the window is still shattered. We don’t have to touch an electrical wire at 1,000 points to be shocked; one point will do the job! Assume a ship is anchored at port with an anchor that has 613 links in its chain, representing the 613 commands in the Mosaic Law. If only one link breaks, the ship will be set adrift, so the 612 links that did hold count for nothing. Or consider this scenario - you fall over a cliff onto a ledge, and a chain is thrown down to you so you can be pulled up. How many links of that chain must break before you would plummet to your death? (1) So if we fail in one point of the law, we’ve blown it all! If we show partiality, we have broken the law of God.
Now let’s suppose again. The worship service is over. Fours rows in front of you is your good friend, who you haven’t seen for a few weeks, smiling at you and waiting for you to come and chat. Right behind you is a visitor, of a different nationality from you, whose two small children bothered you throughout the whole service. With whom will you chat and spend some time? Why?
Now James is ready to drive home his solution. He really wants us to be partial with DISCRETION. James offers a command, not a multiple choice! Verses 12-13: stated very succinctly his principle is BE PARTIAL ONLY TO JESUS. We are to spend our time, energy, life loving Him. Why? Verse 12: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom...” We will be judged, by the Almighty God who judges the heart, not the appearance. God is no respecter of persons. But He has given us his Son and implanted His Word and Spirit within our hearts so we are freed to love. That’s why Paul could write, in Romans 13:8: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law.” When we show favor to Christ, when we are partial to Him, we end up loving others with His unconditional love.
And LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW. And never forget, verse 13, “…judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Jesus Christ never holds forth conditions; He did not save us, and does not love us, because of our clothing styles, our income brackets, our skin color, our bloodlines, or our religious or denominational backgrounds. He loves us because He loves us! Period! Ask yourself this question: DOES EVERYONE RECEIVE FROM ME THE SAME UNCONDITIONAL LOVE I RECEIVE FROM GOD?
We are reminded this morning that God has chosen quite a crew to be His people. Rich and poor; Republicans, Democrats, and Independents; rock music lovers and classical music lovers; tall, dark and handsome as well as short, shot, and shapeless; all sizes, shapes, and colors; different styles of dress and worship; but all precious in His sight! Are they precious in ours? Making a good showing is not a matter of class or standing or accomplishment; making a good showing has to do with showing partiality to Jesus Christ through showing mercy to all we meet.
Pastor Jud Wilhite shared the story of a church member named Cody Huff. (2) Before Cody became a member at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, he was sleeping in an open field next to the church. But at one time Cody was making loads of money as a famous bass pro fisherman who had even been featured on ESPN. Yet he couldn't overcome his problem with drugs. He began a crack addiction that led him to smoke up $600,000 worth of savings, his house, his Harley, his new boat. He smoked away everything he had and ended up homeless. A man who had eaten at fine restaurants and interacted with celebrities had bottomed out and was now homeless. But God would turn his life around—and it all started with the kindness of a church volunteer. Some people from the church's homeless ministry were handing out sandwiches in the park where Cody slept, and they told him he could get a shower at Central Christian Church. The last place Cody wanted to go was a church, but he hadn't bathed in so long that even other homeless men couldn't stand his smell anymore.
Cody explained what happened next: “I walked into the church, and this lady named Michelle, who knew me from the homeless ministry, said, "Good morning, Cody. How are you?" Then she looked at me, and she said, "Cody, you need a hug." And I said, "Honey, you don't want to touch me because I haven't had a shower in 3 months." If Michelle heard me, she didn't seem to care. She walked up, and she looked in my eyes, and she gave me a big hug and told me that Jesus loved me. In that split second, I was somebody. She even remembered my name. That was the point where I knew that God was alive in this world.”
Over the next several weeks, Cody's life began to be restored. He gave his life to Christ. He started leading a Bible study in the park for other homeless people. "That was over 3 years ago," Jud says. "Now he's married, and he and his wife serve faithfully in our homeless ministry every weekend. He has his own business. From ashes, God has raised him up to use him as an instrument." But his involvement in ministry all started with the warm embrace from one of the church's greeters, who made a good showing.
When we have loved the least of these, we have loved Christ. May we make a good showing through a partial, merciful faith.
(1) From Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, edited by Michael P. Green, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI 49516, © 1989 by Michael P. Green, 432
(2) From Preaching Today, Copyright © 2014 by the author of Christianity Today/ PreachingToday.com. (www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2012/january/6010212.html)
