James: Religion that Works
“The Best Way to Live”
March 5, 2006
Introduction: All of us are looking for the best and most satisfying way to live our lives. As humans we naturally seek out what gives us the best feeling and the most satisfying experience in our lives. People search their entire lives to try and find the answer to life’s meaning and purpose.
James gives us a great model of how we as Christians should live our lives so that we are living the best life possible. Today we want to look at two practical things we can do to live the kind of life that God desires for us.
I. We must see people the way God sees people.
The Christians that James is writing to have been going through some incredible trials. One constant that has held them together has been their coming together for worship and their life as the body of Christ. However, there appears to be some internal conflicts that James needs to address.
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 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? 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. 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?” James 2:1-7 (NIV)
The common struggle that the church was dealing with was one of giving preference to individuals at the expense of others. The interesting thing is that they were not discriminating over race or national background, but over financial standing. It seems that preference was being given to those who were rich.
Christians must see others with a God-view.
Man has a very narrow view of what is right and good. We see external matters, but God looks deeper.
When Samuel was told of God to go to the house of Jesse to find Israel’s new king, he had a very similar struggle.
"Greetings," he replied, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice." He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, "Certainly, here in the Lord’s presence is his anointed king." But the Lord told Samuel, "Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks into the heart." 1 Samuel 16:5-7 (God’s Word)
We must begin to see people the way God sees them. God is not a respecter of persons. He is the God of all mankind.
The Old Testament is filled with descriptions of how God views man:
God, your God, is the God of all gods, he’s the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn’t play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing. You must treat foreigners with the same loving care-- remember, you were once foreigners in Egypt.” Deut. 10:17-19 (The Message)
God is a lover of mankind.
God calls us to treat others with justice and equality regardless of position or status.
"Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land. You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:18-20 (New Living Translation)
Unfortunately one of the most difficult places to find equality in people is in the American church. We tend to be a fragmented body not only along race or ethnic lines, but also along social and economic lines. It grieves the heart of God.
Donald McGavern notes how this type of status life has impacted the mission influence of the western church.
“Missions from the wealthy west usually overlook the Bible at this point. Missionaries customarily place a high value on the educated, the wealthy, the cultured—in a word, the middle and upper classes. If we want to truly see as many lives as possible saved, we must focus on the masses by the strategy of winning the winnable.”
Application: How are you doing at seeing others as God sees them? Are some people a little more equal in your eyes than others? We must begin to se people the way God sees people.
II. We must love people the way God loves people.
All through scripture, followers of God are instructed that their love for God is demonstrated in their love for others. By loving others we don’t win God’s love; we simply are putting into action what we say we believe in our hearts.
“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. 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!” James 2:8-13 (NIV)
The horizontal relationship with others is a reflection of the vertical relationship with God.
This church does an amazing job of loving others. We really believe the second half of our mission statement about expressing Gods love to others. Just this week a family that is fairly new to our church told me how they felt warmly greeted and accepted the first time they ever came. We need to continue in loving others so that it reflects the heart of God.
The Old Testament law was one that strongly emphasized the need to demonstrate love toward others.
“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” ’Do not go about spreading slander among your people." ’Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. “‘Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 19:15-18 (NIV)
There is a direct correlation between how we treat our neighbors and how we view God. We are to treat our neighbors with love simply because God is love. It is the best way to love.
In the passage we looked at last week and the one today, James shows the danger of anger in our lives contrasted to the joy of love in our lives.
Love wins!!
Jesus said that the second greatest commandment was to love our neighbors.
“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
James points out that if we try to keep everything else that God has told us and we miss this part, we are guilty of missing it all.
“And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." So if you murder someone, you have broken the entire law, even if you do not commit adultery. So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free.” James 2:10-12 (NLT)
When we love our neighbor, we reflect the love of God in our lives.
How to love your neighbor:
1) Love mercifully.
“For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God’s mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.” James 2:13 (NLT)
2) Love practically.
“Jesus traveled through all the cities and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And wherever he went, he healed people of every sort of disease and illness. He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:35-36 (NLT)
Jesus dealt with the dirt of people’s lives.
3) Love continually.
People may not accept your love. They may not receive Christ as a result of your touch in their lives. But God has called us to continue to love people so that they can see his love in us.
“Love will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 13:8 (New Living Translation)
Conclusion: How are you doing in viewing others as God does? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone so that others may experience the love of God? Are you doing all you can to love as God loves you?
The Best way to live is to see others as God sees them and to love as God loves. Love wins!!
