A. All of us have FAVORITES.
1. We have a favorite ICE-CREAM, a favorite type of MUSIC, a favorite SPORT, and so on.
2. Sometimes we even show FAVORITES when it comes to people.
a. We have our circle of FRIENDS that we prefer being with over other people.
b. A PARENT may say to a child, “I wish you were more like your brother Robert.”
ILLUSTRATION:
Whether it is TRUE or just PERCEIVED as FAVORITISM, we often find families at odds with one another over how children or grandchildren are TREATED. If you do something for one, then you better do it for all or someone is going to get their feelings hurt.
c. The church is another place where FAVORITISM is often shown.
ILLUSTRATION:
Obviously in the church there are certain people that we RELATE to more than others. Some people are EASIER to TALK to. You can JOKE around with them and they don’t get ANGRY. Some people are more HELPFUL than others, and we naturally tend to DRAW CLOSER to those who are HARD WORKERS. We are all different PEOPLE, with different PERSONALITIES, but
with one single PURPOSE.
While we are pursuing that purpose of SHARING the gospel and BUILDING a church, we will always tend to get closer to people who THINK LIKE WE DO and who have an AGREEABLE PERSONALITY. After all, nobody likes to hang out with NEGATIVE people and people who get on your NERVES. Yet, even that creates the GROUNDWORK for FAVORITISM.
B. God knew of our POTENTIAL for playing FAVORITES and so he included a PRIME EXAMPLE of FAVORITISM in the Bible so that through this EXAMPLE we could learn that FAVORITISM can be the cause of a lot of SUFFERING and PAIN that could last for a LIFETIME.
ILLUSTRATION:
In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi, the CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER of India and one who paved way for India’s INDEPENDENCE before he was ASSASSINATED, wrote that during his days as a student he read the Gospels from the Christian Bible seriously and had considered CONVERTING to Christianity. He believed that in the TEACHINGS of Jesus he could find the
SOLUTION to the CASTE SYSTEM that was DIVIDING the people of India.
One Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby CHURCH and talk to the MINISTER about becoming a Christian. When he entered the SANCTUARY, however, the USHER refused to give
him a SEAT and suggested that he go back and WORSHIP with his own people of the HINDU faith.
Gandhi left the church that morning, DISAPPOINTED and DISILLUSIONED at what he had EXPERIENCED. He finally concluded that Christianity was not a RELIGION that he could AGREE with because Christians were not truly PEACEFUL people. He decided never to return to a Christian church again. “If Christians have CASTE differences and play FAVORITISM”, he wrote, “Then I might as well remain a Hindu.”
COMMENT:
Favoritism in the church is HARMFUL, it’s UNGODLY, and it can have dire ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES. As with Gandhi, there are some people who may be HURT and never ENTER the CHURCH again. FAVORITISM can cause them to LOSE their very SOUL.
MESSAGE:
I. A PRINCIPLE TO REMEMBER- 2:1 (READ)
A. James addresses the readers as “my brothers,” reminding us that the PROBLEM he is about to
DISCUSS is a FAMILY CONCERN.
1. Whenever he uses that TERM he is ready to point out something that needs to be CHANGED in
their lives.
a. The word “FAVORITISM” means “to receive one’s face” or to judge a person at face value.
b. One of the greatest problems that mankind has is JUDGING others at FIRST SIGHT without really even KNOWING the person. That’s not the way it is with God.
2. 1 Samuel 16:7b- “The Lord does not look at the things that man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
B. There are a number of ways in which FAVORITISM shows up in the church today.
1. We can FAVOR people based on their GIFTS and ABILITIES.
COMMENT:
Who is the most important, the ELDER or the PREACHER? The YOUTH MINISTER or the WORSHIP MINISTER? The SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER or the STUDENT? The NURSERY WORKER or the GREETER at the Welcome Center? The truth is that one is not BETTER than the other, they are just utilizing different gifts.
2. We can show FAVORITISM on the basis of PERSONALITY.
COMMENT:
A person may be SHY, and we JUDGE him or her as being STUCK-UP or ARROGANT. A person may JOKE a lot and we JUDGE him or her as being SHALLOW. A person may be SMART and we JUDGE him or her as a “KNOW-IT-ALL.”
3. We can show FAVORITISM based on LOOKS.
COMMENT:
Whether a person is HOMELY or GOOD LOOKING, FAT or THIN, TALL or SHORT, WHITE or BLACK or BROWN, are often FACTORS determining our ASSOCIATION with that individual.
4. We can FAVOR people on the basis of ECONOMIC STANDING.
COMMENT:
We look at the quality of their CLOTHES, and we form our OPINIONS. We see what they DRIVE or where they LIVE, and we immediately place them in a POSITION either ABOVE or BELOW ourselves. God is not impressed with what we HAVE, but with WHO we are in Him.
C. Notice again that James begins this discussion by saying, “As BELIEVERS in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, . . . don’t show FAVORITISM.”
1. What James is telling us here is not to PROFESS faith in Christ and at the same time be a SPIRITUAL SNOB. Don’t join some little CLIQUE in the church and EXCLUDE others.
2. Every BELIEVER in the church are PART of the BODY of Christ. Those on whom God has CHOSEN to bestow His GRACE, we should be very CAREFUL about AVOIDING.
II. A PROBLEM TO REMEDY- 2:2-4 (READ)
A. Just in case his readers don’t understand what he means by “not showing favoritism” James
illustrates the PROBLEM.
1. The first guest is obviously very wealthy. He comes into the ASSEMBLY wearing GOLD
RINGS and NICE CLOTHES.
COMMENT:
Because of his PROMINENCE, the rich man has special ATTENTION showered on him as
he is directed to the BEST SEAT in the house.
2. The second man is identified as a “poor man in shabby clothes.”
COMMENT:
As he enters the assembly, he is TREATED rudely by being told to find some place to
STAND or to SIT on the FLOOR.
Do understand that there is nothing wrong with EXTENDING a WARM WELCOME to the RICH visitor. The SIN was in treating the POOR visitor DIFFERENTLY—with less DIGNITY.
B. James makes it very clear as to how God views such FAVORITISM: “Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”- v. 4.
1. In the COURTS of ancient Israel, those coming before the judge as DEFENDANTS must be
DRESSED the SAME so that no FAVORITISM can occur.
ILLUSTRATION:
This is how their mandate read: “Two adversaries appearing before the court must not appear in different clothing. If one of them is clothed ‘with precious garments’, and the other is clothed with ‘vile raiment’, then the judge must say to the honorable person, either clothe him as thou art, while thou contendest with him, or be clothed as he is, that ye may be alike, or on an equal foot.’’
2. If the JUDGE was IMPARTIAL he shouldn’t be SWAYED either way by how the DEFENDANTS were DRESSED, but this MANDATE was added to insure that the JUDGE would
not show FAVORITISM based upon APPEARANCE.
a. Judging by APPEARANCE is EVIL.
b. It’s WRONG for this to happen in the JUSTICE SYSTEM, and it’s even WORSE when it happens in the House of God.
ILLUSTRATION:
(NOT SURE OF THE SOURCE:) A story was told of a young man named Bill, but his friends called him “NUBS” because he lost his right THUMB in a GANG FIGHT. He had SCRAGGLY hair, an EARRING in each ear, and had gang related TATTOOS up and down both ARMS. A compassionate JUDGE with a reputation of trying to REFORM kids who get caught up in GANG ACTIVITY, gave Bill the OPTION of attending COLLEGE or SPENDING TIME
in JAIL?he OPTED for COLLEGE.
During his second semester of college, Bill decided to attend an EASTER SERVICE at a church just a couple of blocks down from the UNIVERSITY?a very wealthy, conservative group. Being so close to CAMPUS this church was trying to develop a MINISTRY to the STUDENTS, but really didn’t know how to GO ABOUT it. Although they had a few COLLEGE STUDENTS going there, no one had ever ATTENDED any of their SERVICES quite like Bill. He WALKED in wearing a METALLICA T-Shirt, JEANS with HOLES in the REAR, and no SHOES.
ILLUSTRATION (cont):
The SERVICE had already begun and the PREACHER was in the middle of his EASTER SERMON, when Bill started down the AISLE looking for a place to SIT. The AUDITORIUM was completely packed and he couldn’t find a SEAT. By now people were looking a bit UNCOMFORTABLE, but no one said anything. Bill got closer and closer to the FRONT and when he realized there were no SEATS, he just SQUATTED down right on the FLOOR just a few feet from the PULPIT. By now the people are really UPTIGHT, and the TENSION in the AIR is THICK.
About this time, the MINISTER realizes that from way in the back of the AUDITORIUM, a long-time DEACON of that congregation slowly makes his way toward the front. Now this DEACON is in his late SEVENTIES, has SILVER-GRAY HAIR, and nicely dressed in a THREE-PIECE SUIT. He’s a GODLY MAN?very DIGNIFIED and WELL-RESPECTED. He walks with a CANE and as he starts MAKING his way toward the YOUNG MAN, many of the members are saying to themselves, “You really can’t BLAME him for what he’s going to do. We can’t have somebody DRESSED like that college kid sitting on the FLOOR making a SPECTACLE of himself, and especially on EASTER”
The MINISTER pauses as the DEACON gets closer to the STUDENT. The auditorium is utterly SILENT except for the CLICKING of the man’s CANE. All eyes are FOCUSED on him. Stooping down, the DEACON whispers to the young man. The STUDENT slowly rises to his FEET. Everyone felt bad, but they knew it was best that he LEAVE. But then they WATCH as Bill carefully helps the old DEACON lower himself to the FLOOR, where they both SIT together and WORSHIP God.
III. A PERSPECTIVE TO ADOPT- 2:5-11
COMMENT:
Beginning in verse five, James invites believers to adopt a new perspective. He does so by
presenting two reasons why FAVORITISM is WRONG.
A. It is INCONSISTENT with God’s METHODS- vv. 5-7 (READ)
1. It’s a historical fact that most of the early church were made up of people the world wouldn’t have.
a. The church is often made up of BROKEN people—people with SIN PROBLEMS, PHYSICAL PROBLEMS, FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS.
b. Yet, God has a PURPOSE for CHOOSING people that the world SHUNS.
2. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (READ and COMMENT)
a. The truth of Scripture is that the ones the WORLD is slow to EMBRACE, God has always
EMBRACED first.
b. He has chosen the SHY and the OUTGOING…the INTELLIGENT and the MENTALLY DEFICIENT…the ATHLETE and the QUADRIPLEGIC…the WEALTHY and the POOR
.
COMMENT:
None of us BELONG to God because of who we are—because we’re SPECIAL. We are in God SURROUNDED by His family this morning IN SPITE of everything about us. God’s method of CHOOSING has always been GRACE, and not on anything we ARE, HAVE or ever WILL HAVE.
When I choose to LOOK DOWN ON anybody, it stands as a direct AFFRONT to the GRACE of God.
B. It VIOLATES the very CORE of the WORD of God- vv. 8-11 (READ)
1. None of this is new.
a. James is quoting the “COMMAND given to Moses” in Leviticus 19:18.
b. It’s the same “COMMAND that Jesus described as the great commandment”- Mat. 22:37ff.
c. It’s the same COMMAND echoed by Paul when he listed several of the 10 commandments and then said, “they are all summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor, as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law”- Romans 13:8ff.
2. Unconditional love is different because it is not dependent on the LOVABILITY of the person or
any obvious FEATURES that would naturally DRAW us to them.
ILLUSTRATION:
The honest truth is, there are some people who are HARD to LOVE. Sometimes I am hard to LOVE, and so are you. But the ROYAL LAW says, “I LOVE YOU ANYWAY.” And if we show FAVORITISM for any reason—putting one person above the other—we VIOLATE the ROYAL LAW that fulfills all other LAWS, and, thus, are GUILTY of BREAKING them all.
IV. A PRACTICE TO IMPLEMENT- 2:12-13 (READ)
A. There are two things that we need to PRACTICE:
1. We need to SPEAK words that BUILD others UP.
a. Ephesians 4:29- “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is
helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
COMMENT:
We have the POTENTIAL to have a profound EFFECT on those around us by what we SAY. Even the simplest statements can convey powerful messages: “You’re doing a good job.” “I’m proud of you.” “Keep up the good work.” “You’re in my prayers.”
b. These kinds of PHRASES can be LIFE CHANGING words of ENCOURAGEMENT.
2. We need to TREAT people RIGHT.
a. Golden Rule- “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”- Matthew 7:12.
b. We are to TREAT people the way we want to be TREATED.
COMMENT:
We don’t want to be OSTRACIZED. We don’t want to be MADE FUN OF. We don’t want to be GOSSIPED about. We don’t want to be JUDGED by where we PURCHASE our CLOTHES, or the kind of WORK we do, or by the WAY we LOOK. So, let’s not TREAT other people that way.
Widen your CIRCLE of FRIENDS. Go out of your way to HELP someone in NEED. Reach out to VISITORS who come to this church and make them feel genuinely WELCOMED.
B. Again James said that “we are going to be JUDGED by how we SPEAK to and about people and
how we TREAT people.”
COMMENT:
If we don’t want to be JUDGED without MERCY, then let’s be MERCIFUL to others in our SPEECH and ACTIONS.
CONCLUSION:
A. I want Garfield Christian Church to be known in this neighborhood as a WELCOMING CHURCH—a CHURCH where everyone is LOVED and VALUED equally.
1. If you search GOOGLE for “BOOKS ON CHURCH GROWTH”, you will find DOZENS of TITLES
listed.
a. Each author will give his or her take on what a church must DO to be a GROWING CHURCH.
COMMENT:
Included in that list will be the latest EVANGELISM METHODS and TOOLS, the need for STRONG LEADERSHIP, PRACTICAL PREACHING and EDUCATION PROGRAMS, RELEVANT WORSHIP, a VERSATILE MUSIC MINISTRY, and so on.
And all of these are great and needed to help a CHURCH GROW, but in the end none of them will help the church GROW if the development and strengthening of RELATIONSHIPS is not the DRIVING FORCE behind each of them.
b. I believe CHURCHES that are OPEN, WELCOMING, and CARING . . . GROW—those that are not . . . DIE.
2. So, brothers and sisters, let’s take an HONEST and, possibly, PAINFUL look at ourselves collectively as a CONGREGATION and personally as INDIVIDUALS to determine what we need to do DIFFERENTLY to ATTRACT our neighbors—those who live up and down these streets—to the Christ that we SERVE.
