United in Christ

My daughter is tormenting us. Our house is filled with hand-me-downs Knick knacks. Cindy’s grandparents, my grandparents, her parents, my parent’s stuff is much of the décor. Neither of the kids and their spouses want any of it, except Brittni has said that there is something she wants because she knows it is worth something. The problem is, we don’t know what it is.

Many people bring items to appraisal shows thinking they are worthless — something they found in the attic. Then the expert says: “This piece is worth $100,000.” Suddenly the owner treats it very differently. The value was always there — they just didn’t know it.

Many people walk through life thinking they are worthless because they compare themselves financially or socially. But when they discover Jesus, they discover their true value.

Christ levels the playing field. We are all equal in Christ and that is the theme that we are going to consider today from our study on the Letter of James.

Our Value is Found in Christ Alone

Let’s let James introduce the theme for today…

James 1:9–11 NIV

Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

This passage challenged me this week because at first glance it seemed that James was setting up a conflict between rich and poor and that seemed way too narrow for me. Certainly, there are godly men and women in each category. David Green is the owner of Hobby Lobby who I’ve heard loves Jesus and does a lot of good with his money. There are lots of rich people (most Americans by other world standards) who genuinely love Jesus, so we have to go deeper to understand the point James is making.

I think the common thread is understanding that bank accounts don’t matter when it comes to God’s opinion of you. The poor need to realize that they are elevated in Christ. The rich should not glory in their bank accounts because, like the desert morning flowers, the riches are only temporary.

The real issue is loyalty. The world offers lots of temptations for loyalty – wealth, influence, attractiveness, and pleasure are a few examples. Christians evaluate people from heaven’s perspective, not the world’s scorecard. What are we loyal to? What causes us to tip the scales?

James is teaching us something simple but powerful: when our value comes from Christ instead of status, we treat people differently.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

We gather together as a fairly diverse people. We have come from different places. We have different colored skins, and some speak different languages. We have different types of jobs and live in different neighborhoods, but we are all united together in Christ.

Whether we like to admit it or not though, our unity can be challenged. Things like worship styles – hymns or choruses have divided churches. Denominations and descriptions like traditional and contemporary have divided churches as well. Challenges that we experience today are similar to what the church in Jerusalem experienced during James’ leadership and he took the time to address it through the anointing of Holy Spirit.

Don’t Play Favorites

When people measure their worth by money or status, favoritism is inevitable. But when our worth comes from Christ, favoritism has no place in the church.

James 2:1–4 NIV

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old 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?

I remember reaching my first duty station outside San Antonio. We were all E-4’s (specialists) – Neal, Pruitt, Chrisman, and me – and we walked into the commander’s office, rendered the salute, and stood at attention. The commander put us at ease and turned to Pruitt and said, “I see that you have a Baylor ring. What year?” The rest of us knew right then that Pruitt had it made. And he did.

Baylor, A&M, UT…you’ve probably all seen the connections. Now, I’m not against fraternity, but it (as well as other groups) can lead to favoritism. Christianity cannot be that way. It’s not about the clothes we wear, the car we drive, or the home in which we live.

It’s not about the size of our bank accounts...

James 2:5–7 NIV

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: 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 dishonored 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 blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

James reminds them that loyalty to God makes the poor rich and keeps the rich in the faith. Faith is the true treasure. Sadly, in the early church in Jerusalem, the rich were exploiting the poor. The were dragging the poor into court. James sums it up to say, “abuse of Christians is abuse also of the name they bear”[1]

Unless things changed this would not allow the believers to practice the heart of Jesus’ teaching. James continues calling out favoritism in chapter 2 and adds…

Don’t Condemn Others

When we forget how much mercy we have received, we become experts at judging others. It is so easy to develop a self-righteous attitude! But we should remember; Christ has freed us through His mercies, and it is best to operate in mercy.

James 2:8–11 NIV

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, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

I watched the popular singer Jelly Roll reception speech to the Grand Ole Opry. If you don’t know his story the short version is that he was a troubled teen and eventually imprisoned for a felony offense as a young adult. In prison he developed a passion for country music and, after his release from prison, become a surprise success with his dark past and body covered in tattoos, and a voice that has a powerful blend of soulful, raw, and gravelly tones. The good news is that his daughter, by this time a teenager, encouraged him to attend church where he was saved. Since that time, he has been vocal about what Jesus did for him.

I mention his speech because in it he alludes to a lot of criticism he received after winning a Grammy. Apparently, many Christians complained about things they felt were wrong with his lifestyle. I get it. I’ve said things that were critical about lifestyles. We all have judged (in the wrong spirit) celebrities, officials, and even people in our lives. The church should never forget: every one of us is a trophy of God’s mercy.

James gives a really good reminder in verses 12-13.

James 2:12–13 NIV

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.

I think we would all agree that we want to be judged mercifully when it is our turn, don’t we? In the same spirit, James adds this in chapter 4…

James 4:11–12 NIV

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

As Christians, our relationships are important! “We love God by being humble before him; we love our neighbor by refusing to speak evil. To speak evil can take many forms. We may speak the truth about a person and still be unkind, or we may spread gossip that others have no business knowing. We may be questioning someone’s authority or nullifying their good work by backbiting. Obviously, this hurts the harmony among believers.”[2]

Don’t Allow Pride to Make You Arrogant

In the next passage, James points out that we get ourselves into problems when we don’t include God in our plans. And when we forget that our lives belong to God, we begin to live as if we are in control.

James 4:13–17 NIV

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Verse 17 is a powerful verse to remember because it sums up the entire ethical problem in the whole book of James. He may be telling these merchants that they know what they should do—that is, honor God in their business practices. If they ignore that, they sin. In a broader sense, James adds these words as an admonition for all his readers to do what he has written: it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. They have been told, so they have no excuse.[3]

James closes with a powerful reminder: “If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin.”

Living Like People Who Know Their Worth

Once we know the truth, we are responsible to live it. So, what does that look like for us this week?

1. Remember where your value comes from

If you measure your life by money, status, or success, you will always feel like you’re either too small or too proud. But when you remember that Jesus died for you, your value is settled. You don’t have to prove it. You don’t have to compete for it. You simply live from it.

2. Treat people the way Jesus treated you

James says favoritism and judgment have no place among believers. So, this week ask yourself:

· Who do I tend to overlook?

· Who do I tend to judge?

· Who needs mercy from me the way I have received mercy from Christ?

Because the church should be the one place where everyone stands on level ground at the foot of the cross.

3. Put God in charge of your plans

James reminds us that life is a mist. The question is not just “What are my plans?”The question is: “Lord, what do You want to do with the life You’ve given me?” When we remember that our value is in Christ, we begin to live differently. We become people who:

· show no favoritism

· extend real mercy

· and walk in humble dependence on God

Imagine what the church would look like if we truly believed this. A place where:

· the rich and the poor stand side by side

· the broken are welcomed with mercy

· and every person knows they matter because of Jesus.

Because at the end of the day… our worth is not determined by what we own, where we came from, or what we have done. Our worth is determined by the One who died for us. And when we remember that truth, we will stand tall together in Christ.

[1]George M. Stulac, James, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1993), Jas 2:1–7.

[2]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 1087.

[3]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 1088–1089.