2019-04-14 James 2:1-4 SHOW NO PARTIALITY (1): GOD COMMANDS IT

SHOW NO PARTIALITY (1): GOD COMMANDS IT (James 2:1-4) April 14, 2019 Read James 2:1-4 – Our subject is prejudice – something none of us have, yet the world is full of it. Truth is – we all have it. It may be racial, financial, lifestyle, political, or moral, but we all have it. We have dress codes, ethics codes, success codes, religious codes, secret codes and zip codes that define us and who we will accept. We’re biased, and God wants to love it out of us. This is not to suggest that we should enable self-destructive behavior, condone immorality, refuse legitimate authority, tolerate theological heresy or permit lawlessness.. Discrimination based on wrong actions is legitimate. But we are not to judge people on appearance alone. Or on their past. Or ability. We are to treat all people with the respect due them as fellow-sinners, made in the image of God and well-intentioned until they prove otherwise by their actions. This is especially true in a community of believers. We’ve got our standards and God help you if you don’t measure up. Like the family that moved from KT to VA. The daughter was dismayed at being called a redneck one day. Grandma said, “No, Honey, we’re not rednecks; we’re hillbillies.” That’s cutting the line pretty fine, and we could easily be guilty of such partiality. Thus, this series “Play No Favorites” from Jas 3. We will see that God Commands It (1-4); God Exemplifies It (5-7) and God Judges It (9-13). So, let’s put our excuses aside and see what God has to say on this subject. I. The Exhortation Simple command, right? “Show no partiality.” Don’t go there. But since we all do at times, let’s dig a little deeper, asking Who? What? And Why? A. Who? – Notice that Jas instruction is addressed to “My brothers.” Here’s a way for true believers to distinguish themselves from the world. “Show no partiality.” None. Nada. Zilch. Don’t favor the rich, the poor, the beautiful, the influential, or those with the right ethnic backgrounds. No partiality. It’s a kingdom principle. You are kingdom people. So live like it. Partiality’s in our DNA. We all favor our own kind. Those of us in the middle are uncomfortable among the homeless, but we feel equally at a loss at a society party. We favor those who are like us – ethnically, economically, 1 politically, religiously and socially. We gravitate to those who are “like” us. We are ever conscious of status and rank. But Jas invokes his brothers – fellow believers to be consciously unconscious – intentionally impartial. Charles Swindoll was stationed as a Marine on Okinawa with a general who had front row seats for his entourage during chapel services. He’d march in 5 minutes early and occupy his place. One Easter morning, the chapel many were stuck outside in the overflow. The chaplain, a strong, courageous believer, he ordered the ushers, “Bring ‘em down front.” Which they did. And that’s how a private ended up in the general’s seat – a serious breach of protocol. When the general arrived to standing room only, he was put out. Shortly, the chaplain was shipped off the island. He paid a price for being impartial in the face of a world that condones partiality. So the Who of impartiality is simple, us – believers – kingdom people. However the rest of the world is mistreating, abusing, mocking, ignoring those who are different, we must step into the breach. That is our calling. “Show no partiality.” B. What? So what is partiality? The word (προσωπολημψίαις) is derived from two Greek words – face and receive – thus “to receive the face” – or lift up the face. What a great way to put it! You see a person’s outward appearance (their “face”), and you receive that image as if it’s the real thing. To “receive the face” is to make judgments and distinctions based on external considerations –appearance, social status or race. It is to judge others purely at a superficial level, without consideration of the person’s true merits, abilities or character. This verb and its noun form are found only in Xn writings, indicating that the concept of impartiality was foreign to ancient cultures. They had no word for it. Today, we have the word, but do we have the reality? To be impartial is to see people with blinders on – giving no personal preference. Certainly we are to respect and honor parents and elders. Heb 13:17 advises: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” We are to recognize roles and functions – but that is different from favoring someone because of some outward characteristic – to “receive the face.” The early church struggled with this issue. It was growing fast and included both Palestinian Jews and Hellenists, Greek-speaking Jews. In distributions to widows, the Hellenists felt preference was being given to locals so they brought the problem to the apostles. Their solution? Acts 6:3 “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote 2 ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.” Notice the names – all Greek! The apostles empowered the neglected to ensure justice. To be impartial is to treat others as you would want to be treated – with fairness, dignity, and recognition. R. C. Sproul, in In Search of Dignity, was researching management-labor relations when he encountered the phrase, “dropping his head” – as in, “The supervisor drops his head when I walk by.” The phrase puzzled him until one day he was observing non-verbal communication in a hospital between doctors, nurses and staff. Nurses perked up when a doctor entered. Top of the food chain. Then came a man pushing a cart of soiled laundry -- lowest caste of the hospital, a housekeeper. He was cheerful and open as he approached one of the nurses, anticipating a greeting. But just then, the nurse tilted her head forward and stared at the floor as she walked by briskly. The man’s face lost its cheer, and he slowed as he continued on his way. Sproul saw what “dropping the head” meant -- a refusal to acknowledge the other person. It made the other person invisible, of no account. The way of the world, Beloved. Not the way of Christ. We are to be different – acknowledging others, valuing others, treating them with respect. Whether called “receiving the face”, or “dropping the head,” partiality is not to known among us. Let’s admit, we have a ways to go, right? We tend toward our little cliques; limit our contacts, even at church, to those who are most like us rather than making sure that all are welcome – especially those who have no one to talk to, who are uncomfortable in their neglect. We can work on this, Beloved, right here, right now. “Show no partiality.” C. Why? James knows. “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” Why show no partiality? Because it gives glory to your Lord -- shows Him off for the amazing, loving God that He is. When we play favorites, we take the glory. We determine who is worthy and who is not, assuming glory we were never intended to have. And God says this about that: Isa 48:11: “My glory I will not give to another.” We’d better think twice before we touch the glory, right? The main way God reveals Himself to a lost world is thru the inexplicable love Xns have for one another. Jn 13:34-35: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you 3 have love for one another.” Extraordinary! The world issues our grade card! Pass or fail determined by – do you love one another – not just some – all. In Ephesians 3 Paul speaks of the mystery of the church – hidden in past ages, but now revealed. What is the mystery? Eph 3:6: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Jew and Gentile together was unheard of the ancient world. They defined prejudice. But with Jesus it all changes: Eph 2:14: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” He made peace between parties who have nothing in common – except they love Jesus. And guess why He did that? Back to Eph 3:10: “so that through the church the manifold [many-colored; multi-faceted,] wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities [angels] in the heavenly places.” So get the picture. God displays His magnificent wisdom to the whole universe – angels and people alike – by Xns loving each other despite all our differences, flaws and idiosyncrasies. Amazing! When we get it right the angels are sitting back and saying, “Wow – look at that. Look at John being impartial to that other rascal down there. I never thought I’d see the day. Isn’t God something?” If that doesn’t motivate you – you’re hopeless! Stop showing partiality and you’ll bring glory to God. Small price to pay, wouldn’t you say? We can’t be like the poor lady from across the tracks who wanted to join a fashionable church. Pastor said, “Don’t be too hasty. Go read your Bible for a week and come back if you still want to join.” Next week she was back so he said, “One more suggestion. Go home, pray every day and ask the Lord if He wants you to join us.” Six months passed before he met her one day in the street. He asked what she’d decided. She replied, “I did what you asked. I went home, prayed and one day the Lord said, ‘Don’t worry about not getting into that church. I’ve been trying to get into it myself for the past 20 years.’” The moral: take God’s glory by showing partiality, and pretty soon you’ll find the glory has departed! Better to pay the price to show it off! II. The Example 2 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.” James illustrates. Two men come into your assembly – your “synagogue.” This tells us this book was written early and to Jewish converts -- meeting in Jewish synagogues, as early Jewish Xns did – meeting on Sunday while the Jews met on Saturday. It was 4 not long before offended Jews stopped this practice, and early Xns often met in homes (or in hidden places like the catacombs in Rome) – but kept the term “synagogue” to mean meeting until “church” became the predominant term. So 2 men enter. The first is χρυσοδακτύλιος – literally gold-fingered. Rich people of that day wore numerous rings as marks of wealth and social status. The Roman statesman, Seneca, wrote: “We adorn our fingers with rings and we distribute gems over every joint.” “Fine” clothing – “radiating light, bright”, like the robe given Jesus to make fun (Lu 23:11). The ring and robe were worn to attract attention: “Give way. Someone important has arrived.” Some in Jas’ audience were doing exactly that – giving preferential treatment to Goldfinger! – taking him right to the front – best seat in the house – strictly based on appearance. Xn or not, the point is the same. It’s favoritism. Meanwhile, a poor man enters – clothed in the best from “good will” – dirty and smelly – a hobo. He stands out for his poverty like the other guy stood out for his riches. But this one gets shabby treatment just like his shabby clothing. He’s told, “Stand in back where no one will notice – or sit here on the floor. No seat for you.” Totally different treatment. Now note – the problem isn’t that one guy is rich and one poor. Both ought to be welcome. The sin is not theirs, but that of the shortsighted usher who has discriminated based on outward appearance. Probably justified himself: “If I put that ragged, smelly guy up front, those people will leave.” And he may be right. Let’s face it; if it were us, he might be right! It’s a nice rationalization, isn’t it? But God isn’t impressed with our categories. He’s looking for those who will love anyone with equal fervor, regardless of rank, status or ability to help or impress. In the mid-1960’s, Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana, had a new 300-person auditorium. A couple of hippies came one Sunday, got saved and began inviting friends. They came came in jeans, tee shirts and dirty feet that sometimes soiled the new carpet and padded pews. Some members put up a sign: “No Bare Feet in Church.” Incensed, Smith tore it down, leading to a pivotal board meeting. Smith told the elders if the church was going to turn away the hippies to protect the carpet, they would be better off ripping out the carpet and replacing the pews with folding chairs. A heated discussion followed – but Smith won the day – better, Jesus won. A few people left, but this was the genesis of the Jesus movement that spread around the world. Because one man refused to show partiality. Don’t we want that to be us? Conc – Let’s give Jas a concluding thought. I’m sure his usher thought he’d done good. Put the rich guy front and center. It’ll attract others, show the 5 church to best advantage. But isolate the guy who’s an embarrassment. Do not kick him out – just keep him where any damage would be minimized. All-inall a good morning’s work, right? “Okay, so I was played favorites, but it was well-intentioned, and, if it was wrong, it was only a one-time thing.” But Jas doesn’t let him get by with that. The problem isn’t just a momentary poor decision. V. 4: “have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” It’s a heart problem; the problem Jas is addressing would have existed even if these two guys had never come in at all. Jas is saying, “Your outward actions are just a reflection of “distinctions” – categories – that already exist in your evil thoughts. You are prejudiced. Those two men coming in only reflected what you already are in your heart. The only way you’ll overcome this is with a change of heart.” To some degree, it’s a change of heart we all need. So how do we get a changed heart? Repentance. Agreeing that God is right and we are wrong. Asking His forgiveness and His help to love the unlovely and to stop making judgments based on outward appearances only. Evil actions come from a rebellious heart. Prejudice begins inside, but soon works its way out. In 1952 a probation officer in NYC tried to find an organization to assist in the adoption of a 12-year-old boy. No major church denomination would help. The officer said later, “His case had been reported to me because he had been truant. I tried for a year to find an agency that would care for this needy youngster. Neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish institutions would take him because he came from a denomination they did not recognize. I could do nothing constructive to help him.” What if things had been different? What if one of those churches had been truly impartial? Would it have mattered? We’ll never know for sure, but it’s at least possible that the future of Lee Harvey Oswald, and of American history, would have been changed had someone simply done what Jas urges – “Show no partiality.” Let’s pray. 6