The Rich Keep Getting Richer! Series

The Rich Keep Getting Richer! Oct. 23, 2011

James 2:1-5-My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,

and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”

have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

A woman came running out of her house with a robe on and curlers in her hair and green cleansing mud on her face, yelling at the garbage truck driver, she yelled, “Is It to late for the garbage?” He said, “No, get on in!”

Verse 1 tells us because we belong to Jesus and we have no business showing favoritism!

What is the cornerstone of the gospel? John 3:16

You have no business in mistreating people, because God loves people!

Think of a person that is rude, mean, hateful in your life, now think of Jesus dying on the cross for their sins!

God loves them as much as He loves the kind, wonderful you!

God loves mean people, God loves despicable people, God loves hatful people!

How do I know that?

Romans 5:8-But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Tim. 1:15-This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

You don’t have a option, if you want to follow God then you have to treat people like God treats people!

Christian love does not mean that I must like a person and agree with that person on everything. It does mean treating others as God has treated me.

May this be our motto:

Help Me To Live For Others That I Might Live Like Thee.

James gives an example of how we can show favoritism, when someone comes into church and they exude wealth, they show it by the clothes they were, by the car they drive, some people show their wealth by the house they live in.

I’ve known people that dressed poorly, drove old beat up cars and lived in a old shack, but had plenty of money!

So we shouldn’t so show favoritism because the person who has all the things, may not be rich, just may owe a lot of people, and the ones who may dress poor may be rich!

But either way God loves them both and gave His Son for them!

The reason we treat rich people different is we think they are going to help us in some way, maybe not now, but maybe later.

1 Cor. 12:12-For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

Paul tells us that all parts are important to the body for it to function well.

You may spend a lot of time and money for make up for your face because that’s what people see, and they might not ever see the bottom of your feet, but you will spare no expense in relieving the pain in your feet…new shoes, insoles, feet massage.

If you stub your big toe, the rest of the body gets involved…Your hands will go strait to it to rub it, your mouth will speak words for it!

That’s the way a functional body works.

Verse 5-Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

God loves poor people enough to choose them for the kingdom, kingdom blessing are available to everyone!

You see that in the beatitudes…

Matt. 5:3-10-“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.