Momentum – Part 6 – Which Lens?
Passage:
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 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, 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,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 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? But you have dishonored the poor man. (James 2:1-6)
Prayer:
Intro:
In chapter 1 – James focused on viewing God and our vertical relationship to him in a proper lens –
- our Trials are not interruptions or detours – but they are instances God is using to transform us to be like him –
- Last time when we were together – Pastor Jim walked us through the mirror of Scripture – that when we come to it – we should not only be a people who hear it and listen to it but we need to be a people that obey it – live it out – let it change us.
as we step into chapter 2 of James. We see James change gears
- The main theme of chapter 2 is more horizontal. It is heavily focused on how we interact with and view each other.
The first thing that James deals with how view each other is the sin of partiality – or the sin of favoritism.
He says, My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 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, 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,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
The word partiality – or favoritism – depending on the version you are reading – in the text translates to “respecter of persons” meaning – making judgments about people based off outward appearances.
- this can refer to elevating people higher than everyone else – or diminishing or pushing people to the margins
But James says when it comes to the church – when it comes to the family of God – to this group of people who are meant to the be the light of the world the salt of the earth – the people who bring the good news of Jesus to the world-
- there should be no distinctions
- there should be no hierarchy of people we treat better – or we treat worse.
- the reality is – we should be so focused on Jesus – that there is no room on the pedastal –
- and so focused on being the light and sharing his love with people – that there is no margin to push people into –
- 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? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
- In James specific context – he says that the poor that you sideline – are they not the ones that God has come to save
- and that’s not saying he didn’t come for the rich too – we all know that he did –
- But he is saying – these people that you reject – these people that you hold prejudice against – these are the people that Jesus came to save –
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. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 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. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- He says – all of us are going to stand before a holy God one day