Show No Favortism - James 2:1-13

Intro: The “Homeless Man” and the Church Searching for a Pastor...

James 2:1–4 CSB

1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 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?

Point #1: Christians are Called by God to Now Show Favoritism!

What is favoritism?

When we treat someone better than another person...

When we will do a favor for one person but not do it for another person.

James says we should not favor one person over another person, we should treat all people well...

We should treat all people well because they are made in the image of God...

All people made by God are important

All people made by God are special

All people make by God are loves by God

Did you see that part where James said, brothers and sisters?

James meant this for all Christians...

Did you see that part where James said, “as you hold onto faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?”

James meant this for all people who love and follow Jesus!

The way that someone dresses shouldn’t make if we are willing to be God’s friend.

What someone has or doesn’t have shouldn’t matter when we are trying to be friends with people.

WHO ARE WE FRIENDS WITH? (WE ARE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE)

5. Sometimes when we meet people at first we make judgments about them in our heart. Some times these thoughts are okay, but sometimes these thoughts are mean or disrespectful!

Leviticus 19:18 CSB

18 Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Matthew 18:21–22 CSB

21 Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.

Colossians 3:13 CSB

13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.

CONTINUING IN JAMES 2:5

James 2:5–7 CSB

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?

Point #2: Poor People Usually Love God, Rich People Sometimes Don’t!

The audience that James wrote to were having more issues with rich people then they were with poor people.

When these Christians were being nicer to the rich people and weren’t being nice to the poor people they were going against what God taught!

WHO ARE WE NICE TOO? (WE ARE NICE TO EVERYONE!)

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Continuing in James 2:8

James 2:8–11 CSB

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.

Point #3: We Fulfill God’s Commands When We Love Our Neighbors As Ourselves!

In the Jewish faith, the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) had 613 commands to keep.

One time a lawyer asked Jesus of all the commands, what is the most important?

Matthew 22:37–40 CSB

37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

WE LIVE A GOOD LIFE WITH GOD WHEN WE PUT GOD FIRST IN OUR LIVES!

WE LIVE A GOOD LIFE WITH GOD WHEN WE PUT OTHERS SECOND IN OUR LIVES!

WE LIVE A GOOD LIFE WITH GOD WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES THIRD!

CONTINUING IN JAMES 2:12

James 2:12–13 CSB

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.

Point #4: Speak and Acts Like We Know That We Belong to God!

Jack’s newspaper interview when he was 15?

I told the reporter that I had just become a Christian...

She asked me why God was important to me?

She asked me what is different about my life because I am a Christian?

I didn’t know how to answer...

LET ME ANSWER NOW!

We need to speak and act like we belong to Jesus...

We need to love what Jesus loves...

We need to hate what Jesus hates...

We need to be merciful to others because Jesus has given us mercy!