In our current text, James is addressing a particular problem that was very evident among the Christians: and that is favoring the rich over the poor.
It seems that the early church consisted primarily of the poor people, especially in Judea and Jerusalem, which are the people James is writing to.
The tendency was to elevate the rich and show them honor and in the process lower the poor.
This truth is very applicable to us:
~~We might say we're cool with everyone. But when I need to get out of my comfort zone and talk, serve and love people, we start having a problem with it.
~~Or our churches may look like refined beautified buildings where only a certain class of people can come.
We create a culture, that you need to drive a certain car or have a certain job to be here.
But where are all the poor? The needy? Those who can't provide for themselves? Are they welcomed here???
These people are not easy people.
~~Are there a certain kind of people we don't like? Perhaps we need to reassess that today.
The text has a simple structure which we will follow.
The Command: Don't show favoritism - v. 1
The Example: Rich vs Poor- v. 2-4
The Reasons: God chose the poor & the rich oppress - v.5-7
I. The Command: Don't show favoritism - v.1
James is telling us not to show favoritism as we are holding on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus.
Favoritism - as James defines it in v. 4 it is to be a judge with evil thoughts.
It is to judge corruptly based on personal benefit. You treat someone with honor simply because you can get something out of them, and treat others with disgrace because they are filthy and smelly.
Leviticus 19:15 "You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor."
Favoritism is partiality, where we treat people differently based on what they can do for you or who they are.
James it is treating the rich and wealthy better than the poor.
It is making a distinction between people by treating one person better than the other.
As you know that the great symbol of Justice is often depicted as a blindfolded lady holding the scales.
The idea is no matter what the person is, we treat them according to what happened, or what should be, not who they are.
In America and other countries the rich get away with things all the time. That is not how it should be with Christians.
And yet James beautifully points out that the one who is to truly be in honored above all is Jesus Christ our Lord who is glorious.
He is truly who revealed God to us.
As John 1:14 "The word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Richardson says "Jesus is the embodiment of the divine ruling and saving glory of GOD!"
Thus the the one who is truly glorious and beautiful is Jesus Himself. He is to be honored above all.
We cannot treat people differently based on their looks, clothing, wealth, position and language.
Does that mean we don't show honor to people at all? - of course not,
Paul says in Romans 13:7 "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed."
What is different here? - It is treating someone with respect because they have a high honor in the expanse of someone else.
To be biased in your judgement of someone or something.
That is precisely where James is going next, showing Favoritism in action.
II. The Example: Rich vs. Poor - v. 2-4
It doesn't seem that this was an actual situation, but rather a hypothetical scenario.
Notice how James describes them.
The first person is not just said to be wealthy but he is described to have a "gold ring and fine cloths". In other words this person appears to be rich and that means he has power in society. That means he can help me if I treat him right.
The second person is a poor person dressed in filth cloths. This person is often the one you have to provide for. The one you give bread and supplies to without expecting anything in return.
Now it says "you look with favor on the one wearing fine clothes"
BUT - Do we not see ourselves here???
When an important person comes to church, we flock to help and escort them, but when a simple folk comes in that we don't know, we are hesitant
If a person comes to church who smells really bad, where will you put him?
We an say well for the sake of other we have a spot for him outside, right????
What about a mother with loud kids, who can be distracting at times. Do we wish they went to the other service?
What about a business person who has a lot of people working for them, would we be willing to point out his or her sin?
What about a person of status, do we approach their ideas with reverence but treat other ideas as nothing?
Consider ourselves here: do we make distinctions among people? Do we become judges with evil thoughts?
If you remember when apostle Peter came to visit Antioch and had no problem eating with Gentiles, but as soon as the Jews came he starts to show partiality to them. To the point that Paul confronts Peter in front of them all and even writes this in his letter to the Galatians.
I will argue that All of us have favoritism in our hearts and need to fight against it.
Favoritism is a sister to racism. They help each other treat people wrongly!!!
the value of someone is based on selfish motives and desires.
We can subconsciously or consciously treat people differently and justify ourselves. But that is wrong! and we need to repent of that.
That is why in our church none of the pastors know how much anyone tithes, so that there would be any favoritism.
Or in counseling questions, family members of elders, we keep everyone in check the same way.
Would we rebuke someone even though they have huge family connection to people in our church??
The person might be in sin, and needs corrective discipline and it should not matter if they tithe a lot or have certain close family relationships to the people. They are under the word of God as everyone else.
James goes on to tell give us a few reasons why Favoritism is incompatible with our Faith.
He present a few arguments but we will focus on the first two.
III. The Reasons: God chose the poor & the rich oppress - v.5-7
Before James gives the reasons, he says "Listen brothers and sisters". Which is as if he is holding the readers face and says, "please listen to what I am about to say"
And he goes on ask three questions where the answer is "yes"
He says: Didn't God chose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?"
God is the one who holds the universe in his hands.
He is building his kingdom and notice his strategy: he does not chose the best of the world, the elites , the most successful people in the world. But on the opposite, he choses the poor of the world.
The people that cannot give back, those who are the lowest. They serve out of their poverty trusting that God will supply them.
1 Cor. 1:26-29 "Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world - what is viewed as nothing to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence"
Jesus came to preach the gospel to the outcasts of society:
His 12 disciple were made up of: fishermen, religious fanatics, a tax collector (who was lowest of low for Jews).
Jesus connected with the poor.
He healed the sick, lame, the unclean
He cared for those who were sent out of the city, the lepers and the possessed.
He came for the gentiles, the women, and others.
Does this mean that all the poor are chosen? - Of course not.
But the poor are those people that cannot give back.
The heart of the gospel is unmerited favor. Jesus does everything you simply receive by Faith!
When Jesus reclined at the table with Tax collectors and Sinners with his disciples, the Pharisees who were the righteous people asked his disciples "why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus overhears that and tells them:
It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matt. 9:12-13)
Where the Pharisees not sinners? - of course they were, but they didn't see themselves as sinners, why would they need a savior.
They didn't see themselves as sick, why would they need a physician.
In reality all of us are poor in our souls. We may have everything, yet, in reality, the most important thing and that is God we don't have. Thus we all are broke spiritually, which kills us in all way. Like a broken engine, that may look great but cannot run.
We look for things that fill that gap, the spiritual need. Yet, nothing can, because that gap is a billion miles long and only God can fill that with himself.
Can the rich become Christians, of course but it is very very hard for them.
Jesus himself says: "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:24)
WHY SO DIFFICULT? - because they are unable to let go of the physical things!!! In order to receive Jesus you have to let go of wealth. And if time happens for you to make a decision for Jesus you will.
Notice how James speaks about them in v. 6 and 7.
These rich people do a lot of wrong!!!
Don't the rich oppress you? or in other words exploit you?? -the rich were exploiting people who were unable to defend themselves like the widows and the orphans.
Don't they drag you to court? - the rich Jews were dragging the Christians to court. That is what Paul was doing when he was a Pharisee with power.
Don't they slander Jesus's name? - the Christians revere the name of Jesus yet the rich don't really care about Him.
James is telling the reader that favoritism does not make sense in our Christian faith.
The rich do all kids of evil to you and yet you give them the best place. But the poor whom God chose to be rich you give them the lowest seat.
The tendency of the world is to care for those who can benefit me.
It's all about me, me, me. But God does something opposite, he takes on a human flesh for us.
He experiences our brokenness for us.
He goes to the cross for us. Because he loves us.
It says that God loved us when we were sinners! Nothing good about us. Yet, he adopts us into his family.
Favoritism is contrary to that, to the heart of the gospel.
What gives us power to fight it is our souls is the gospel itself.
Realizing who we are, that we are in fact poor and needy.
That Jesus does not give up on us, when we sin and do foolish things. But forgives us and works with us. So should we.
~~Do we believe that we are poor before God, we need Him in all of our lives?
Sometime ago I had a conversation with a doctor about Christianity and he pointed out that Christians are weak people, always needy and crying about their problems. And I said, yes that is in fact true. We have those who cannot help themselves.
The church is a hospital of sick people that need help. And they realized that Jesus is the one that can give help to our hearts and to our lives. And so we praise him and cling to him.
We need God, and without him we are ruined. Our lives are broken, we sin, we do dumb foolish things, we need someone to take care of us.
We are sheep in need of a shepherd.
In conclusion:
Questions to think about:
Do you see yourself as a poor and sinful before God?
Come to him, simply as you are, for the forgiveness of sins. Believe and trust Him.
Is there anything in this world that prevents you from fully coming to Him for help? - let that go, and grab on to Jesus
Don't forget where God took you from, where he led you to.
We often forget how we were walking to destruction and it is Him who pulled us out and gave us a new life.
Are you battling favoritism?
You may say I don't have problems with favoritism but that is not true everyone has issues with favoritism, it is the matter how I am battling it.
When I see injustice, do I stand for what is right?
Do I care for the needy and the poor?
Do I speak for those who cannot speak?
Do I love those whom the world rejects?
Amen
