Practical Christianity - The Sin of Playing Favorites

Text: James 2:1-12

Theme: If God is ‘no respecter of persons’ then neither should His people be.

These verse speak to one of the most difficult tasks that the Bible gives the Christian and the church. That task is treating all individuals the same and not showing partiality in how we deal with or respond to those around us. In all honesty, it’s one of the reasons I’ve eschewed the word “Reverend.” Yes, it’s a word recognizing professional religious cleric that is meant to convey a certain amount of honor. But mostly it’s a word that was meant to differentiate between Christians — you have the laity and then you have the right reverend. It indicates a distinction in the church where the New Testament never recognized any distinction. In the New Testament James repeatedly uses the one word that is the primary identifyer in a New Testament congregation — brother. Sixteen times in fifteen verses, James refers to the recipients of his letter as brothers. And just to make sure he’s not misunderstood about the importance of women in the church, he uses the word sister sixteen times in fifteen verses.

One of the reasons the early church was so successful was this unheard of call of equality among the brethren. In Christ, the bond-slave had the same equality as the businessman. The Christian from Cappadocia had the same equality as the Christian from Crete. The Patrician worshiped next to the Plebeian. And most astonishing of all men and women worshiped together, not separately. This was something that could only have been accomplished by the grace of God.

In the secular world, rank and title and position and financial ability still determine your place in society. You’re $25,000 donation to the Republican party gets you a way better seat and significantly more access to a candidate than your $25 donation. We live in a culture where we naturally gravitate toward those who respond to us in a favorable way; or who have the most to offer us; or who show us favoritism. But, when we do, it can have devastating results.

ILLUS. When I was growing up, it was obvious that I was my grandma Margie’s favorite grandson. She did not try to hide it or disguise it. Now, when you’re the favorite, that’s great. But when you’re not, and it’s obvious that you’re not, the emotional hurt can be very deep.

In the Old Testament, we see a similar story. It’s the story of Jacob and his sons. It reveals the contention that was generated and tragic results when a parent favored one child over the others. In Genesis 37:3, we are told:

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. “(Genesis 37:3-4, NIV)

If you know the story of Joseph and his brothers, then you know that the favoritism bestowed on Joseph tore this family apart. The lesson for our families is obvious. But there is also a lesson for the church. That lesson is that in our evangelism to the lost, our ministry to the saved, and our fellowship among the brethren, we are not to play favorites.

Here then, is the lesson of James 2:1-12.

I. BELIEVERS SHOULD TREAT OTHERS AS EQUAL BEFORE THE LORD

“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” (James 2:1, ESV)

1. all of us are familiar with the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!”

a. some of you have maybe benefitted from that system of partiality

b. some of you have undoubtedly lost out because of that system

2. most of us are good at sizing up people — we are as sharp as Sherlock Holmes in spotting the telltale signs of prestige, and influence

a. it’s in our natures to attach ourselves to others who have the abilities to win friends and influence people

b. it starts on the play ground in Kindergarten and is fine-tuned in the Board Rooms of Fortune 500 companies

3. James is telling the church:

a. 1st, it is normal for the world and secular institutions to operate on that basis

b. 2nd, it is not normal for the church to operate on that basis

1) since rich and poor all equally partake of the grace of God, we should not make a man’s outward and worldly advantages or lack thereof a test of fellowship

c. Christian love shows no partiality, for it recognizes that Jesus died for each individual soul

1) each member of God’s church was purchased at incredible cost

A. IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR THE CHURCH TO SHOW PARTIALITY AMONG THE BRETHREN

ILLUS. Charles Finney was an evangelist and a social reformer of the early 19th century. One of his more notable crusades was to reform a practice in New England churches that he thought was abominable. He began a campaign against pew rents. As hard as it is for us to conceive, in Finney’s time, most churches had adopted the practice of renting pews to members through a pew tax. It was a way for churches to cover expenses. You just couldn’t walk into church and sit where you wanted, because most seats were reserved. The closer the pew was to the front of the church, the more it cost to sit there. So the wealthier you were, the closer you could sit to the front of the church. It had everything to do with social prominence and not spirituality. But this practice discriminated against the poor. Wealthier families could purchase the privilege to sit where they wanted. But, poor people usually wound up standing up at the back of the church or being force to sit in the balcony — where nobody could see you. (Out of sight out of mind). The system had the effect of making those more ‘significant’ folk, who could afford the best seats in the house, the most important in the congregation which gave them more say-so in the affairs of the church.

1. so much for the Bible’s teaching that God does not respect one person above another

“For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:2–4, ESV)

2. if God is no respecter of persons then neither should His church be a respecter of persons

3. in vv. 2-4 James paints a picture of an experience that he may have witnessed taking place in a church

ILLUS. A group of Christians have assembled for public worship. Two strangers come in. One is richly dressed. His apparel is described as splendid. On his finger is an ornate gold ring. It’s one word in the original language of the Bible and literally means golden-fingered. It speaks of the man who has the ‘Midas touch’. This is a man of wealth and social position. The second man, on the other hand, is poorly dressed. He is evidently a laboring man, because his cloths are worn and soiled. He is poor. He has no influence, and no social position in the community. What happens? The rich man is ushered to one of the best seats in the church (if it was a Baptist Church that means a pew in the back). He is told, ‘Sit here in this pew, it’s the most comfortable one in the building.’ He is fawned over and made to feel welcomed and accepted. The poor man is told to stand up at the back of the building and to remain inconspicuous. He is barely noticed.

4. what is the point of James’ example?

a. those who are guilty of such partiality have become self-appointed judges with evil thoughts v 4

b. by their actions they have said that the soul of the rich man is very valuable, but the soul of the poor man, is considered as being less valuable

1) treating others with this kind of partiality shows a superficiality in our faith

c. in essence, James is saying, You can’t tell a book by its cover — both are equally dear to God

ILLUS. One day last week in my devotional reading, the author was dealing with these very verses. He told the story of John Barrier, a 59 year old, prominent businessman who walked into his bank in Spokane, WA. He’d done business with the bank for 30 years. He’d made his money by refurbishing old buildings, and on this particular visit to the bank, he was wearing construction cloths and was dirty and sweaty. All he wanted to do was cash a $100 dollar check. After the teller counted out his money, Barrier asked her to validate his deposit slip so that he could save the 60 cents on his parking garage ticket. She refused telling Barrier that they only did so for their more ‘significant’ customers. Barrier says, “She looked at me in my dirty cloths and acted like I’d just crawled out from under a rock.” He told her that he was a substantial depositor, but still she refused to validate his ticket. He asked to see a manager, but he also refused. Barrier asked to see the manager above that manager demanding an apology, and vowed to withdraw his money if they did not apologize. They didn’t. After all, how much money could someone who looked like he did, have? The next day Barrier went back to the bank and withdrew his several millions of dollars.

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5, ESV)

5. it is unreasonable to judge fellow Christians by the adornment of their body and their stock portfolio – or lack thereof -- instead of the value of their soul

a. real Christianity means treating fellow believers as equal in the eyes of God

” ... do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” (Leviticus 19:15, NIV)

b. beside, says James, those same rich people you’re fawning over will not hesitate to drag you into court and sue your butt

“ ... Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?” (James 2:6, ESV)

6. it is sinful for the church to show partiality because it abandons the foundation of fellowship within the church

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:8–9, ESV)

a. can you get any planer than that?

7. not only is it unreasonable for the church to show partiality toward fellow believers . . .

B. IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR THE CHURCH TO SHOW PARTIALITY TOWARD THE UNSAVED

1. our partiality can also be a real turn-off to the lost who are seeking Christ through His church

ILLUS. Most of you are familiar with Mahatma Ghandi. He led India to independence from the British in the late 1940s. In his autobiography, Gandi writes of tragic incident. As a student, he was deeply interested in the Bible. He was deeply touched by reading the gospels, and he seriously considered converting to the Christian faith. He thought that Christianity seemed to offer the real solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. One Sunday he went to a nearby church to attend services. He decided to see the minister and ask for instruction in the way of salvation and enlightenment on Christian doctrines. But when he entered the sanctuary, the ushers refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go and worship with his ‘own people.’ Ghandi left and he never back. He wrote in his book, If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu.

2. prejudice has no place in the Body of Christ

a. God help the church, that through its attitudes and actions says, If you’re not like us, we don’t want you here!

II. GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS – NEITHER SHOULD WE BE

1. one of my favorite New Testament stories

a. it’s found in Acts 10 — the Apostle Peter has been invited by Cornelius, a Roman military officer, to come to his home and tell him about God

1) Peter goes and preaches the Gospel of salvation

b. Cornelius and all the members of his home are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit

c. upon seeing this, Peter makes one of the great understatements of the Scriptures

“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34–35, ESV)

2. the point of all that I am trying to say this evening is this:

a. 1st, we need to be very careful in how we relate to the lost person around us and the saved person next to us

b. 2nd, if we show partiality based on who people are or what they have to offer us, rather than on the basis that they are a soul that is precious in the sight of God, we are treading on dangerous spiritual ground

A. THERE ARE FOUR WAYS THAT WE CAN TREAT PEOPLE

1. 1st, we can idolize them

a. all of us have our idols

1) men or women who have done great things and are an example to us

b. the problem with idolizing people is that disappointment that results when we discover that they are human and have flaws and weaknesses

2. 2nd, we can demonize them

a. you can conclude that a certain individual, or race, or nationality, or ethnic group is responsible for your misfortunes and use them as a scapegoat

3. 3rd, you can utilize them

a. this is perhaps the great sin of Baptists

b. we tend to gage a member’s worth by their ability to work in the church and support it

1) certain people become important to us not because of who they are, but because of what they have to offer us

c. most nominating committees I know of get a gleam in their eye when they see someone between the ages of 35-55 join the church

1) if it’s a couple – a husband and wife – they absolutely drool

4. 4th, we can humanize them

a. here is perhaps the best option

b. here is what James urges us to do

James 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” NIV

1) we are to see all men, not in the light of what they have to offer us, but in the light of what we have to offer them

c. what do we have to offer them?

1) how about unqualified love?

2) how about the hand of fellowship and friendship?

3) how about the message of salvation and hope?

Paul says bluntly in Romans 2:11 God does not show favoritism. Do you?

Let me ask you tonight to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. Ask God to help you search your attitudes and see if you are showing partiality toward someone in our church because of who or what they are. And if you are, to repent of that attitude of partiality – it’s a sin.