Sermon Tone Analysis

*Bias in the Body*

James 2:1-13

 

Introduction

 

Despite a stern ruling from a California judge that Paris Hilton would not be allowed any alternative jail methods or electronic monitoring, the socialite was "reassigned" May 31, 2007 to just that for an undisclosed "medical condition."

"I can't specifically talk about the medical situation other than to say that, yes, it played a part in this," said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore in front of a crowd of reporters.

According to a press release issued by Whitmore, the reassignment was made possible to the Community-Based Alternatives to Custody (CBAC) Program.

Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer sentenced Hilton in May of 2007 to 45 days in jail for violating probation on an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

Her sentence was later reduced to 23 days and she began serving her time June 3, 2007 at the Century Regional Detention Facility in suburban Los Angeles.

Hilton's conditions were already favorable in relation to the average inmate in the 2,200-person facility, as she was serving time in the "special needs" unit.

The unit contains 12 two-person cells reserved for celebrities and other high-profile inmates.

Harvey Levin, the managing editor at the Web site that broke the story, TMZ.com, told MSNBC that the site will be digging to find out what the medical condition is throughout the day.

Levin's initial speculation was that it was related to a psychological condition, a sentiment shared by CNN entertainment reporter Brooke Anderson.

"We got word that she had been crying a lot, saying that her 12-by-8-foot cell was very cold and very bright," Anderson told CNN. "She wasn't sleeping (and) she wasn't eating, and she did get a visit from her psychiatrist."

If the medical condition is related to a physical ailment, Anderson said that there were no indications of it at the MTV Movie Awards, just hours before she began serving her sentence.

Angered over Hilton's reassignment, MSNBC legal analyst Susan Filan stated, "Remember Dr. Jack Kevorkian?

He was practically dying in prison and he couldn't get out," Filan told MSNBC.

"He had cancer of every kind and organ, and heart failure ... this is baloney."

For the time being, it hasn't been determined what Hilton's exact medical condition is.

Nonetheless, Filan questions why it requires Hilton to return to her mansion because of it, rather than be treated at the jail's infirmary.

"These county jails and prisons are equipped to deal with people's medical conditions," Filan said.

"When you are incarcerated, sometimes you can even bring your prescription medicine with you.

You're reassigned to their doctors.

They assess you and dispense new medicines for you ... I think it's nothing other than special treatment."

Michael Musto, a reporter for the Village Voice, told MSNBC that Hilton "has a brilliant team of people behind her who made her into a victim and complained about whatever ailment it was, whether it was mental -- because she was visited by a shrink ... or the 400 people that got a staph infection before she got in there," Musto told MSNBC.

"Believe it or not, there are people with really serious medical ailments in prison -- people with AIDS and cancer and all kinds of things.

They are not pampered.

They are not given special treatment.

They are just told to stay in their cell."

·        We see favoritism in almost every area of this life

·        There are celebrities getting special treatment just because they are famous

·        Political leaders are giving special treatment to friends and financial supporters

·        Parents often give one child special treatment

·        We have laws in this country that say that it is unlawful to discriminate based on gender, age and race.

·        But at the same time we have special rules for particular ethnic or social groups (Homosexuals)

·        Favoritism is no less apparent in the church.

·        I have spent a lot of time in churches and have read enough situations about churches to know that the church is often very similar to the world in the way it treats people.

·        As James continues his letter and the issues of faith and works, he again maintains that true faith in God works itself out in how we relate to people and our relationship with the World.

·        In 2:1-13 he addresses the issue of showing favoritism to one person over another.

He states that not only is it inappropriate but sinful.

\\ James Identifies a Problem in the Church (2:1-4)

 

*2:1* My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

*2:2* For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, *2:3* do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”?

*2:4* If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?

 

·         Every church has its problems and James comes to the point quickly in identifying his reader’s situation.

·         Basically his statement in v. 1 is saying that Faith in Jesus Christ is incompatible with showing favoritism of one person over another.

·         Favoritism was not unusual then and this is no different now.

o        Appearance: how do they dress, what do they drive, where do they live.

Their hair, clothes, gender favoritism etc.

o        Achievements: How famous are they, what have they accomplished, their standing in the community, their role and how we regard its significance.

The person’s financial or business success.

o        Ancestry: who do they belong to, who are their parents or other relatives, the significance of their last name, heritage or cultural acceptability.

o        Patronage: political favoritism, willingness to give jobs to friends over other qualified applicants etc.

o        Personality: the favoritism of a person because their character and demeanor is particular appealing.

o        Parental:  parents sometimes show special treatment to particular children, also with Grandparents.

·         It is significant that James mentions Jesus in terms of his glory.

·         Jesus before his incarnation was in his full majesty but humbled himself in his earthy form.

·         He was rich but came as someone who was poor and was despised.

·         In a sense James is saying that what was done to Christ, the showing of favoritism is doing to others whom Christ loves and in effect are persecuting him over again.

·         Verse 2 describes the type of favoritism as based on appearance and achievements.

·         He uses an example but unlikely that it was hypothetical.

·         The church has show partiality to the person who wore the gold ring and fine clothes; symbols of wealth and accomplishment.

·         He is compared to the person who enters the church who is poor and is known as such by their dirty clothes.

·         From James’ example there is no indication as to the spiritual position of either person; they could be unbelievers exploring the church, they could be new believers.

But later in verse 5 He clarifies their spiritual position.

·         Verse 3 describes how they show favoritism.

o        They pay special attention to the rich person.

o        They offer the rich person the best seat in the house; they are given a place of honor and comfort.

o        The poor person is ordered to stand or sit on the floor and is ignored; they are given a position of submission or disgrace

·         Are their ways that you have seen favoritism in the church…in our church?

·         James then states that they have determined through their prejudice who is important and who is not according to their standards.

·         Their motives have caused they to have a worldly perspective on value and they have shown themselves to be same as the double minded man of 1:7.

·         They have wanted to appeal to the affluent and what they might provide rather than dependence upon God showing that their motives were for personal gain.

·         By judging the value of a person they have taken the role of God.

A Chicago bank once asked for a letter of recommendation on a young Bostonian being considered for employment.

The Boston investment house could not say enough about the young man.

His father, they wrote, was a Cabot; his mother was a Lowed.

Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstalls, Peabodys, and other of Boston’s first families.

His recommendation was given without hesitation.

Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was altogether inadequate.

It read: “We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes.

Just for work.”

\\ James Reveals the Inconsistency in the Church (2:5-7)

 

*2:5* Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

*2:6* But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?

*2:7* Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?

 

·        James sees how what they are claiming to believe and are doing are not lining up.

·        He reminds them of 1:9 and his discussion of how God has chosen the poor of this world to inherit great riches in Heaven.

·        He is clearly talking about the person of faith that does not prosper in this life because of their decision to follow Jesus.

·        They have given up this worlds ambitions in order to claim the riches that come from following God.

·        Verse 6 makes a clear distinction between the poor and the rich person.

While in verses 1-4 it was not clear as to the spiritual state of either person was, it is now clear.

·        The poor person in his filthy clothes is a believer visiting for the first time or new to the faith while the rich person is not a believer at all.

·        The church had decided to oppress a fellow believer in the faith in order to appeal to the kindness of the rich unbeliever.

o       They may be showing favoritism to avoid persecution

o       They may be showing favoritism in order to gain a benefactor that may support them.

·        Why do we show favoritism in the church today?

·        He reminds them that the very same person who they are giving honor to would not hesitate and has shown himself to be willing to oppress them.

·        They are trying to show respect and gain it from the one who would not and will not respect them.

·        They are inconsistent in that they are willing to oppress the poor believer in order to gain favor from the rich oppressor.

·        He finishes the revealing of their inconsistency by asking a question.