Be "Doers of the Word" - Show no favouritism ...
Notes
Transcript
The perfect law of freedom
The perfect law of freedom
Last week ...
We all seek love, and peace, and forgiveness in this life!
But, what is that?
What is the “freedom” we seek
A “freedom” at all costs … personal freedom, that is, to live however we want to?
It seems to me, to understand what “freedom” is, we need to be reminded what bondage is!
“Bondage” as in, the bondage of sin!
Paul, perhaps, explains it best in words:
16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over,
But, what does that even all mean!
Let’s be practical, we say.
Give me something I can “DO”
Of course, that is what this letter that James wrote, is all about!
It is a practical guide to living the church life! The Christian life! The life of a true disciple of Jesus, life!
(O it is much more!
But, since you ask for guidelines of living a good life, (like the rich young man - “what shall I do to be saved?” - listen up, loved ones!
James is about to expand on where we left of last time, last Sunday, and give us another “way to peace and love.”
Another clause, we might say, in the “perfect law of freedom”. A way to live, no less, that will offer true world peace and everlasting love!
Perhaps, we might start with a prayer … the Lord’s prayer, and then be surprised
that in this prayer that Jesus taught us
all is contained that will secure peace and love in the world!
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
How shall we live?
“Be forgiving, like Jesus is forgiving!
We should be less angry all the time!
and learn to forgive!
19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
With other words, even as you know your own inclination to be self-righteous,
be forgiving, forgive those who trespass against us!
And now, James takes it a step further:
Who are we to forgive?
1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
!
Show no favouritism! (or, “partiality”) when you are moved to forgiveness
Let’s narrow it down a bit
Let me ask you:
Has someone in church wronged you in some way?
Or, perhaps, you just don’t like someone. Someone in church?
Perhaps, someone here, this morning?
I say “in church” purposefully,
because this letter we are dealing with (this letter of James)
is a letter written to church members … believers!
We can see that in the greeting of this letter:
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings.
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Here, at once, we see that James is writing to believers! (“My brothers and sisters”)
And we see her, also at once, that believers may expect to be tested!
And they are expected to pass the test!
Were you tested again this past week, by that someone, who you don’t like?
How did you go with the test?
26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
You know what you should have done, don’t you: You should have “loved your neighbour!”
But how did you go?
James does not pull his punches:
8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
No! says James: … “you are not to be guilty of this - showing favouritism to some, while you despise others!
1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice how the words “as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ,”
is very much another way of saying what we find in 1: 2, 3
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And we know all about that testing, don’t we?
It is not easy to overlook the transgressions of some against us!
Illustration
I have told you before of my late older brother, who was a severe Epilepsy sufferer
to the point that he was mentally unstable, prone to fits of anger, sometimes even cruelly so!
a “problem child” in many ways, to my parents - and a spiteful brother, to me!
It was hard to forgive him, for many personal injuries, mentally and physical ...
We were sometimes even afraid of him - so we learned to despise him …
He would get into fights, and would often arrive home bruised and bleeding ...
My siblings and I used to be embarrassed by him.
People laughed behind his back, saying mean things about him, mocking him for the fits that he would have ...
One day, after my mother had passed away
and my father pretty much was left to look after my brother, and us ...
my father was invited to attend a work function,
a gala dinner at a fancy restaurant, and family members could attend!
When the time came for us to get dressed for the dinner,
I noticed that my brother, too, was putting aside his suit
patiently waiting for his turn to take a shower, so he could get dressed for the party!
(I was quite shocked! I just took for granted my father would not take my older brother along,
embarrassed, in advance, on his behalf,
for the possibility that my brother would have an epileptic seizure in the restaurant
to our shame and embarrassment.
All-together un-diplomatically, to my everlasting shame,
as I saw my brother’s intention of coming along to this party,
I asked my dad whether he was really considering taking Boet along.
And there then my father taught me this great lesson of love,
which clearly, I was lacking:
“Boet, is my child as you are my child,” he said. “If he may not go, then I won’t go,” he said
We all went in the end, and had a wonderful evening together!
But that lesson stayed with me!
And perhaps, I only really understood it, when I reflected on this passage:
1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
James explains it by means of a little skit, we might say!
2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in,
3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,”
4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
(Call on Josh and James to come up in illustration …)
After the illustration, ask:
“Now … Be truthful: as you sit here - if you had the power to exclude someone from our church, who would you choose?
And, if they came, anyway,
Who would you place in James’ chair?
And who would you rather they grovelled on the floor … or better still, wish they didn’t come to church?
James sure is an uncomfortable book, isn’t it!
You see, loved ones, living the Christian life, means to be better than ourselves,
our old selves.
It calls for a life of humility, remembering that we have been given much, even though we did not deserve it!
I offer you one more example!
Imagine you have been caught out in some heinous crime!
You have been arrested, dragged to the court, where a jury of your peers have found you guilty
and you are subsequently sentenced to life in prison!
After several years of forced labour, prison food, which consists of watery rice and stale bread, black, weak coffee, once a week - no sugar
one morning, out of the blue
a stranger turns up and says: I have negotiated your release from jail!
Tomorrow morning, they authorities will set you free!
You will again be able to walk out into freedom, into nature, or go to the beach, whenever you want to ...
Eat in the best restaurants, or enjoy your favourite foods, whenever you want to!
And you go: Thank you so much! How did you do it!
And the stranger says:
I agreed to sit in jail for the rest of my life, for you - in your place!
All I ask, is that you never again commit a crime, ever again, please?
That you will be kind to others!
What would you do?
Would you not go out and enjoy life - and try really hard to repay the stranger - by doing what he asked you to do ...
(“Love your neighbour as yourself”)
Or would you step out of jail, enjoy your freedom for a few days
and then step right back into a life of crime ...
only to be arrested again!
You see, Brother … Sister … you are the person sentenced to a life in prison, a life in sin and suffering, due to your rebellion against the law of God:
You and I all to often do not love our neighbour as ourselves. We gossip, slander, belittle them
We lie about them … and too them
and the result is - we are sentenced to a life of slavery to sin - the prison of our evil desires!
We have no hope ...
Until a stranger comes. A stranger who owes us nothing … who does not ask, what crime did you commit....
MMMM I see, no I have come to save only those prisoners with petty crimes ...
No, when Jesus comes, and finds us in jail, with our guilt and regret
He comes and takes our place in jail, without showing favour to anyone. He does not pass us by because our sin is too big!
Jesus, carried our punishment, and, having done so, set us free
and having set us free, called on us to love God
and to love one another - truly love one another
love one another, we who are believers in the saving love of Jesus!
The Church!
Not only those who may benefit us in some way. Not only those who suck up to us!
but all, who believe in Jesus, and realise that, they, too, have been set free in Jesus’ love!
and therefore care for us, as we care for them - our brothers and sisters in the Lord, no less!
Loved ones, if we cannot love one another in church, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, of the Lord!
How can we be a blessing to the world, who are out to get us, who already hates us?
And yet, we are called to be a blessing even to them
speaking to them the good news that Jesus’s death on the Cross is the pardon for their sin, too
if only they will believe it!
Who would you rather did not come to church?
Who would you treat more graciously, simply because they are to your benefit!
And, who do you love more than you love Jesus
Jesus, who paid your penalty?
Who do you prefer to offer the grand seat?
Your boyfriend or girlfriend, perhaps, or, your child
your desire to be powerful, influential, rich?
And Jesus? Would you rather he stayed out of your life?
O, He is good to forgive me and have me set free, but now, Jesus, just stay out of my life?
Conclusion
Here is a summary of the last two week’s sermons:
James is saying: “If you claim to be a Christian, you will live the Christian life.
And it will be visible!
(You will be doers of the word, not just hearers!
As a Christian
be quick to listen to the life giving word of God
be slow to speak, words that are murderous and judgmental!
be slow to anger, doing deeds of anger and selfishness and hate ...
And, as doers of the word,
show no favouritism! Love one another as equally forgiven ones, set free by the perfect law of freedom.
Walk like Jesus did! That is the way, the truth and the life!
8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.
And then, a thought to carry along with us this coming week:
12 Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Is that practical enough for you yet, loved ones?
It does leave one rather uncomfortable, doesn’t it?
Well, that’s James for you!
And he is only getting started ...
But, here is the good news!
even now, you need not feel hopeless, or lost ...
For you would not feel uncomfortable,
but for the fact that You have not been forgotten by the Stranger,
who did come to pay your penalty, and died, so that you could be free!
Shall we join hands this week (proverbially speaking, especially in this time of Covit makes any physical contact difficult.
But while we can not hug one another just yet
Jesus came, and showing no favouritism, opened his arms - and hugged us
and declares
“Now go into the world, and show Christian love, God’s love (God, whom you love)
show His love - to each other, to a broken world
Many still languish in jail
because they do not yet know the freedom that has been secured for them!
Go out and show them what that freedom looks like, loved ones!
Amen!