Welcome to week 3 of this series on James! This series has already covered some incredible pieces of wisdom from this letter to the early church. This week we continue with our text from James 2:1-13.
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.”If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
There is a clear theme in this text: Do not show favoritism.
The favoritism James is speaking against is the kind of favoritism that treats well the people
who are rich and privileged and it treats poorly the people who are poor and less privileged.
Some people take this to the extreme by saying that God does not love wealthy people. While we can see that God clearly has a special care and concern for the poor and marginalized, there has also consistently been a need for people who can use their resources to help those in need. The problem with wealth comes when it is not shared, when it is hoarded rather than sacrificed.
Neither Jesus, nor James are inherently against the rich. Instead, God is against people who are selfish and prideful, whether they are rich or poor.
All people have resources, and all people are called to use them for the sake of others. But some people just have more resources than others. Regardless of how many resources a person has, every good thing is a gift from God and God’s gifts are meant to be shared.
Let's imagine together what it could mean for us to be a people who refuse to show favoritism in the way James warned against. Instead, let’s imagine what it could mean for us to be a people who reflect Jesus the Nazarene.
We can all agree that it is often easier to show love toward certain people over others. Those that are kind to us, that are attractive, that have resources and power, that are able to reciprocate.
But God's love is not limited in any way. God's love is abundant and for all people. So we should remember too that we are able to share God's love abundantly with the people in our circles of influence.
May we be people who are generous with the love of God that we receive.
May we be people know that we are loved to love, blessed to bless, served to serve.
Original sermon by Pastor Mario Flores
Blog adaptation by Allison Freytes
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