No Favorites in the Kingdom of God

https://youtu.be/kAWeHo8E70E

Establish a Need

It’s common in our world to honor those who have a better education, a more prestigious position in society, or a noble profession. In contrast, for example, the poor of Seattle, who live on the streets, under bridges, in alleyways, and even in abandoned cars, are looked down upon, as if they are sub-human.

Why are we so prone to view people with more as being better, well-deserving people, and those with less, as inferior human beings, who are unworthy of respect, dignity, and even love?

Personal Story

I met a woman named Michele a number of years ago who lived a humble life. She didn’t have many possessions. She was left by her husband to fend for herself and her daughter, whom she loved dearly. She lived in a modest home, held down a mediocre job, and didn’t have the abundance of things that many of us have in this room. Still, she committed her life to Jesus Christ, to live for His glory, and to raise her daughter with the knowledge that she was loved beyond comparison.

One day, she invited me over for dinner. I was a single man then and not sure what to expect. We spent the evening talking about life, struggles, and faith in Jesus. After a few hours, I left, but before I left, she thanked me for my kindness.

Weeks later, I was reading in my Bible and crossed this passage in (NIV), “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?’”

It brought me to tears, as I read these words, “8 Oct 90, Michele to Ron :).” I remember thinking many times that evening about how sorry I had felt for her situation. How challlenging it must be to walk in her shoes. YET, she was walking by faith each day; not noticed by many; but loved others greatly.

James 2:1-13

Prior to , he states in , that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

2 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 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? 5 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? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

(ESV) “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 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? 5 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? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

2 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 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? 5 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? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

8 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. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Prayer

How did Jesus view the outcasts of society?

Jesus viewed “the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics...” () as people in need of God’s special attention.

James, a half brother of Jesus, had walked with Jesus; had witnessed Jesus interact with people; and no doubt, something inside of him resonated with the way that Jesus treated people.

Jesus didn’t shy away from people because of their condition

If He would have, He would have also shyed away from our sin-stained lives and we would be in a mess right now

Instead, we read at the end of , these words, “and He healed them.”

: “Jesus stretched out His hand and touched [the leper]”

Q: Does Jesus care about the outcast?

: the paralytic is healed; a girl is restored to life; a woman subject to bleeding for 12 years is healed; 2 blind men’s eyes were opened; a mute man is healed and given the ability to speak again

Q: I wonder, does Jesus care about teh outcasts?

: “Jesus touched [Peter’s mother-in-law’s] hand, and the fever left her...”

: the paralytic is healed; a girl is restored to life; a woman subject to bleeding for 12 years is healed; 2 blind men’s eyes were opened; a mute man is healed and given the ability to speak again

A Cananite woman’s daughter healed from a severely oppressive demon

A son who was epileptic/demon-possessed was healed

Q: I wonder still more, does Jesus care about the outcast?

A son who was epileptic/demon-possessed was healed

Mat

Jesus viewed children as a blessing and warned people about causing them to sin; v.10 Jesus warns not to despise children

Jesus welcomed children to come to Him and warned those who would hinder them from doing so

(or, Jesus saw people in need of healing)

Jesus touched the eyes of 2 men who were blind and restored their sight

Jesus healed the blind and the lame in the temple

Jesus honored a woman in her effort to honor Him

Q: Does Jesus care abut the outcast?

It begs the question, how is their sin different from ours?

For those who think better of themselves than others less fortunate, one must ask, where does this idea come from?

Some of those who call themselves Christian, many who are of the prosperity gospel mindset, are convinced that if you have possessions, then you are blessed by God—the more you have, the more blessed you are by God—and that if you are poor, and have few or no possessions, then God is not looking favorably on you, but is this true?

When we first got to JBLM, we had to wait for 4 months for our HHGs—transportation coding error. During this time, we began to realize that our stuff didn’t make us better or worse off than not having it at all. We had our health, our family together, money for food, and roof over our head. We were blessed . . . anyway.

says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

So, since we have all sinned, and are justified by grace as a gift from God, then how ought we to treat others, less fortunate than ourselves?

(Jesus saw people in need of salvation)

(Jesus saw people in need of victory)

(Jesus saw people oppressed by man; the law; the religious leaders; the rules of man; by their own sins;

Jesus viewed people (; ; —Jesus touched all 3.

informs us that all who call on the name of Jesus as Savior, are also indebted to Jesus and all who have committed their lives to Jesus are children of God

“And we know that for those that love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

So, it makes no difference whether a person is rich or poor, for Jesus has allowed them to be this way for a reason—perhaps, only known to Him

So, it makes no differece whether a person is rich or poor, for Jesus has allowed them to be this way for a reason—perhaps, only known to Him

So, let’s look at this from another angle, the person who is rich has struggles, while at the same time, the person who is poor ALSO has struggles—they are just different struggles.

The rich person may struggle with relying on their own resources and sin against God by not walking by faith, but only by sight; the poor person may struggle against God by complaining that they do not have all the things others have, and sin against God by not being content with what they have and with God’s provisions for them.

informs us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, . . . nothing!

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscutible His ways!”

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone amoung you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment...”

Consider this: All that you have or don’t have, has been granted to you by God Himself, and this, for a purpose—that He would be glorified throgh your life and your circumstances

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

So, how should we treat one another? Should we treat others better if their financial staus is good and the poor person worse becuse their financial port folio is not as robust as the rich man’s?

May this never be true of any of us!

“Therfore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother [or sister].”

Point 3

So, where are you?

Do you find yourself looking down on others because of what they do not have or maybe, what they DO have that you don’t?

Envy is a real problem for some of us—we want what others have so we can be cool like them; we buy things so that we can impress others; we talk, we act, we attend the same activities, just so we will be liked or be in the “in crowd,” but it’s all fake, isn’t it? Because, it’s not who we really are, is it?

How are you going to respond?

The Psalmist says in 139:14, that you are fearfully and wonderfully made—you’re an original, don’t settle for unoriginal by trying to copy someone else. You’re too awesome for that!

Closing Prayer