The Book of James Chapter 2:1-13

Partiality James 2:1-13

James 2: [1] My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. [2] For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; [3] And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

Joel Engel, a Los Angeles based writer, who writes frequently for the New York Times, tells of an experience he once had aboard a Los Angeles bus:

• Considering the large crowd inside, the lack of voices startled me; only a rustle of newspapers and the groaning diesel engine broke the silence. Several well dressed men stood in the aisle, so I assumed all seats were taken. But, as I moved to the rear, I spotted an empty aisle seat on a double bench, and wondered, to myself, why it was unoccupied.

• The young man next to the window was breathing heavily, his face was covered with what appeared to be fibroid tumors. His long, filthy, matted hair, and tattered clothing also made him unappealing. He was obviously homeless, and it was easy to guess why. He sat with shoulders hunched and eyes fixed through the window.

• Nearly paralyzed by pity, I gave silent thanks that my young daughter wasn't with me, asking her inevitable questions about him in a none-too-discreet voice. But, it was because of her that I finally sat down. The kind of man I wanted my daughters' father to be sits in a bus next to someone whose only crime is extreme ugliness. I can't pretend that I relaxed. My left shoulder and arm scrunched involuntarily. He continued to stare out the window without acknowledging my presence.

• The bus made one more stop before entering the freeway. Several people boarded. An elderly woman walked toward the rear. I waited for anyone else to offer her a seat. None did, so I stood and motioned to her. Suddenly I heard, "No, I don't want to sit there, next to him," she said with no concern for who might hear.

We can't believe that this would happen in this great country of ours

But, what if I told you, that it not only happens in our country, but, also, in a lot of our churches

James is writing to the church and warns of respecting of persons.

Respect of persons means to show favoritism

People are Judged based on class, ethnicity, nationality, and religious background. (Jew/Gentile; slave/free; rich/poor; Grk/barbarian)

Today’s modern church is a place where discrimination, favoritism & prejudice have become common-place.

People discriminate on the basis of appearance, ancestry, age, achievement or affluence

Partiality and prejudice is a sin. If you discriminate based on race, face OR place you are in sin

James writes of a church, where a worship service is in progress, all of the sudden, in walks two men: one rich, and the other poor. The rich is decked out with the finest clothing, and a gold ring on every finger. The poor man walks in, maybe a beggar, who’s best is the "vile raiment" or filthy clothing that he has on.

The rich man is respected and given a good seat But the poor is told to go and stand or sit on the floor

If you give preferential treatment to the rich man, and let him have the best seat in the house, and put the poor man in the worst place, are you not showing favoritism and partiality?

Many treat a well dressed impressive-looking person better than someone who looks poor.

We do this because we would rather identify with successful people rather than apparent failures.

People often make appearance more important than character.

Are you impressed by status, wealth, or fame? Are you partial to the “have’s” while ignoring the “have not’s?”

• Ronald Reagan and his wife were late for church and upon their arrival an usher told 2 college students to get up and move and the President and wife were seated. After the service the Pastor apologized to the 2 college students and professed this would never happen again!

You see the church has forgot some things:

1) We have forgotten The Glorious Character of the LORD 1-3

“My brethren”….. James is writing to the church

“Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons”

Don’t hold the faith of Jesus the LORD of glory & be partial

“How can you say you are a Christian while you are partial?” Something needs to change

1. Incompatible with who Jesus is

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”

The outward appearance of Jesus was nothing special.

Is 53:2 there is no beauty that we should desire him

Jesus was homeless “the birds have nests, the foxes have holes but the son of man hath not where to lay his head”

But on the inside Jesus is the Glory of GOD.

Mt 17:2 he was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as light

On the Mt of Transfiguration Jesus shone from the inside out as bright as the sun

Being partial is not who Jesus is

The saved man has the glory of God inside him “we have this treasure in earthen vessels”

B. Inconsistent with what Jesus demonstrated

Mt 22:16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men

Acts 10:34 God is no respecter of persons

Jesus made no difference between wealthy or poor.

He treated the virtuous woman the same as the prostitute

He treated the Jewish leader the same as the common man

He was not impressed with riches or social status.

Jesus looked upon the heart

He saw the poor widow give 2 mites and said she gave more than all of the rest

To hold partiality in our heart is inconsistent with the glorious character of the Lord

James 2: [4] Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

2) We have forgotten The Gracious Calling of the Church Vs 4

What is a judge in court made his ruling based on a person’s appearance?

Is he just or unjust? We are to go

When you treat a person less than they ought to be treated based on appearance we do the same

Luke 14:21 We are to Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind…….. and yet there is room

· A man took a small, struggling church, and began to visit and hand out information about the church, trying to build it up. He went into local clubs, public houses, homeless shelters, etc. When the church members heard of this, they gave him an ultimatum: either he stopped doing this kind of thing, or he would have to leave the church. Their reason was, "We don't want you going into places like that. The next thing you know is that some of those people will start coming to our church, and we don't want them worshipping with us." As a result of his conviction, he honored God, and left the church.

· Moody placed a sign over the door of his church in Chicago that read: "Ever welcome to this house of God are the strangers, and the poor.

· Lady sent to the uptown, highbrow church (all she had was gunny sack dress) BUT had the power of God The church crushed her spirit but she kept coming

There is no inequality with Jesus Mt 20:1-12 the parable of the laborers “thou hast made them equal with us”

Whether you are saved early in life or at the end of life you still get the same heaven

God has no 2^nd class citizens. He died for all

James 2: [5] Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? [6] But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? [7] Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

3) We have forgotten the Gentle Compassion of the Father Vs 5-7

God has a special heart for the poor Poor means to crouch under or to cower with fear. It suggests humility

Pr 14:20

[20]The poor is hated even of his own neighbor; but the rich hath many friends

Ecc 9:16

[16]the poor mans wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard

1 Sam 2:8

[8] He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory

Job 36: 15

[15]He delivereth the poor in his affliction

Ps 41:1

[1] Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble

A. Position

“chosen” God takes nobodies and makes them somebodies

God takes the weak and makes them witnesses

God takes the despised and makes them disciples

1 Cor 1: 26-27

[26] For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

“rich in faith” Men trust in riches, riches can be a curse as they can keep you from God

the poor not blinded by material things

“heirs of the kingdom” I don’t have many earthly assets here BUT I am rich

• 2 little girls had 5 pennies and to compare they both counted them out
• The first said 1,2,3,4,5 pennies the second said 1,2,3,4,5…..10 pennies
• How did you get 10 out of 5 “My daddy will give me 5 more when I get home”

B. Persecution by the Rich

Many of the rich despised the poor

The rich oppress the poor YET the church favored the rich who were oppressing others

Those we spurn are the ones God has chosen(5) and those we favor are the godless whom God rejects(6,7)

He said in Mt19:24 it is easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom

James 2: [8] If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: [9] But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. [10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
[11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. [12] So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. [13] For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

4) We have forgotten the Great Commandment of the Law 8-11

We must obey the royal law “love your neighbor as yourself”

We should not ignore the rich, then we are withholding our love BUT we shouldn’t favor them

Matt 22:37-40

[37] Jesus said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

All the law is obeyed by LOVE

The 1^st tablet is LOVE God and the 2^nd tables is LOVE your neighbor

· Dt 25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

· People borrowed oxen and took them back to owner hungry

·

In fact James says if you LOVE your neighbor you show the LOVE of God

Matt 25:40

[40] Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

If you violate this royal law by partiality and prejudice then you are breaking all the law

· The law of God isn't like an examination paper where only six out of ten questions must be answered. It is like a pane of glass, just one crack and the whole pane is broken.

12-13 If you show love and mercy then when you are judged you will have love and mercy

If you show no mercy you will get no mercy

Concl: People on subway and a man jumped on with children who were going wild

Finally a man grew irritated and lost his patience and demanded “do something with your kids”

The man said “we just got back from hospital and my wife, their Mother died

They don’t know how to act and I don’t know what to do

· When the saintly old Puritan theologian Thomas Hooker lay on his deathbed in 1647, a dear friend said to him, "Brother, you are going to receive the reward for your labors," to which Hooker replied, "Brother, I am going to receive mercy, because I've tried to show mercy!"

Hey, do we reflect Jesus with our words and our actions?

LORD, we fail to show love and mercy. LORD, we have become partial. Help us to truly LOVE others for who they are NOT for what they have or do

Help us to make folks feel accepted, loved of God

Help us make sure that the ground is level at the foot of the cross

Illustration

· A woman asked “honey, did you notice Mrs. So & So’s New Dress?” “NO”, said her husband. “Her New Hat? No Her New Purse?” “No”. “Then why do you even bother to go to church you never get anything out of it.”