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Keeping the Royal LawAs we continue our series of studies through the book of James, today we have come to another very practical portion of scripture, the fulfilling of the “Royal Law.” The Royal Law is the law of love and the law of Grace. Unlike regular laws, that place limits on things, don’t do this, drive this speed, keep these rules. The Royal law is different, instead of limiting it gives freedom and liberty. So lets look at our text as we consider “Keeping the Royal Law.” READ THE TEXT. JAMES 2:1-9 KEEPING THE ROYAL LAW. I heard about an African-American who tried to attend an all white church in the south. Sadly, the church would not even let him go to a service. The pastor told him, "You just need to pray about coming to our church." About three weeks later the pastor ran into him on the street, and asked him, "Did you talk to the Lord about trying to come our church?" The man said, "Oh Yes, and God told me”, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve been trying to get into that church for 20 years and I still can’t get in.”No body likes a loser. In our skit this morning, the people in the church thought Callie was a looser. People generally think little of losers, and place people into categories that label them one. Consider the recent quote from Ted Turner who is quoted as saying, “Christianity is for losers.” But there is an irony in that statement is - in a way, he is right. Christianity is for losers. Without Christ we were all losers in eternity. We came from a place called lost, everyone of us. True Christians recognize that we once were all losers in eternity but Christ alone makes us winners. That is realization we must come to, in order to keep the royal law, and that will effect the way we treat other people! Three simple yet profoundly important things we see in this text.
Verse one starts with a bang. “As believers in Jesus”, or “because you are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ”, “don’t show favoritism.” KJV say, “have not the respect of persons.” Don’t place one person above another based on exterior things such as social status, looks, wealth, or popularity. Don’t hold someone above another person because of what they look like, or because they have power. Don’t look down on someone because of what they smell like. Rather look to the Lord’s example, the scriptures says that “God is not a respecter of persons.” He does not show favoritism. We tend to judge people by exterior things, like achievements, appearance, ancestry, and affections. What folks have done, what they look like, who they are, and do they like what we like. Achievements, Appearances, Ancestry and Affection. But out text tell us that it is wrong, and ungodly to judge in that way. Col 3:11 ….There is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. But even the Apostles who had been judged by the religious leaders, they too had preconceived ideas of who should be honored. When Peter had his vision in Acts 10, he sees a sheet coming down from heaven with all types of unclean animals, pigs, and snakes, and things that were not lawful for a good Jewish man like Peter to eat. Then a voice from heaven says to him, “take and eat.” Peter tells the Lord, “Never, Lord” now there are two words that don’t go together. But when Peter ends up at the home of Cornelius, a Roman, he ties his vision to the fact that Jesus Christ died for all, not just for the Jew, not just for the righteous, but for all who would trust in him. Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. So as we begin this text today, we begin with a bang, “because you follow Jesus don’t discriminate.” Of course these scriptures would play a major roll in those who in this nation would champion the cause of removing slavery. Jesus spoke to the religious leaders about this, when he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor. Luke 14:8-11 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, `Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, `Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." The Apostle Paul tells us. Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Our text is clear, favoritism is ungodly, unreasonable, and unloving. James drives home his point with a very colorful example, which the kids acted out so well for us today. Two men come into the church, one looks like the Ritz, the other looks as if they have been dumpster diving. How do you treat them? How do you act toward them? Do you give honor to one based on how he looks? Do you dishonor one based on the exteriors? James calls it discrimination, and wrongful judgments. When Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes moved to Washington, D.C. he transferred his membership a Baptist church in the area. It was the custom for all new members to come to the front of the sanctuary at the close of the worship service. The first to be called that morning was Ah Sing, a Chinese laundryman who had moved from the West coast. He took his place at the far side of the church. As the dozen or so other people were called forward they stood at the opposite side of the church, leaving Ah Sing standing alone. But when Chief Justice Hughes was called, he took his place beside the laundryman. When the minister had welcomed the group into the church fellowship he turned to the congregation and said, "I do not want this congregation to miss this remarkable illustration of the fact that at the cross of Jesus Christ the ground is level." In God’s economy, honor comes not from the profession one works, but the profession of ones faith. So don’t show favoritism based upon money, power, or fame. Because true riches, riches that last- are those that have been stored up in heaven. The example of scripture is found in Mark 12, when Jesus was watching people giving to the Lord, he saw many wealthy people put in a great deal of money, and he saw a little old lady put in two small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Jesus does something that seems bizarre he calls his disciples and tells them. Mark 12:43-44…. "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on." She gave in faith, they gave out of their surplus, so the principle as applied to our text before us today is simply, that you don’t know by looking on the outside what that person is really like. You can not tell by outward appearances if someone is living for the Lord, or if they are just trying to make themselves look good. So don’t judge by these superficial things. If Bill Gates comes into our service, how do we act toward him. Or if a Wino drops by, what kind of honor will he get? The reality is too often Bill Gates gets the attention, but in God’s economy, they are both people whom Christ died for, so Jesus said. Matt 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. If you judge by outward appearances, that is what God will do to you. Don’t look at the funny haircut, don’t look at the baggy jeans, the tattoo, the out of style dress, the unclean hair. Don’t give privilege based upon how people look or what their worldly influence is. After all the bible says. Heb 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Just love one another, as the Lord has love you, not looking at the exteriors, not judging by showing favoritism of one over another just because of what they look like on the outside. But know this sometimes God sends strangers and it could be an angel and you don’t know it. Angel means messenger, so it could be that this stranger is a heavenly being, or it could be that he or she is someone the Lord has sent to give you a message from God. Like when Paul the apostle, was still Saul the persecutor of the church, he is traveling down the road to Damascus is blinded by the light of the glory of the Lord. Jesus speaks to him. “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” “Who are you Lord?” “I am Jesus!” He tells him to go to the city, and there he will be told what to do. A man named Ananias is there and the Lord calls him in a vision, and tells him to go to the village and give a message to Saul. Now to say the least Ananias was reluctant, he had heard about Saul, how he was at the persecution of Stephen, and had authority to haul Christians to Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin. But Ananias is God’s messenger, and he goes. Acts 9:17-18….. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. A stranger who was a messenger of the Lord. We may have some today. It could be a literal angel, or it could be someone with a message from the Lord and if you have judged them wrongly, according to exterior things, you will have missed what God is trying to do. Point two.
Who has God chosen? Who is God using? When James wrote his epistle, there was persecution coming upon the church, from the Jews, and the Romans, many of whom were wealthy, and exploited the Christians for their kind nature. These wealthy unbelievers were dragging the Christian before the magistrates and getting judgments that were outrageous and outlandish. Paul addressed the same issue. TURN TO 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31. Today there are many in the church who have great status in this life, but even as Paul said of the first century church, “not many are of this noble birth.” No, God has often used the lowly things to confound the wise. Because no matter what someone’s social status is, and God has many successful saints, but even they must humble themselves to receive the Lord. You must come off the throne of your own life and place Jesus on the throne. Jesus said. Matt 16:24 …. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. If you want to follow Jesus you must die to your self centered nature, and place him in the place of Lord / Master of your life. There is an ancient church in Jerusalem, called the church of the holy Sepulcher, many think it could be the very tomb where Jesus was laid. That is up for debate, but to enter the tomb that is in the basement, you must duck you head so that you are almost bowing down. And what a picture of coming to the Lord, we bow our hearts and humble ourselves before him and make him Lord. God has not chosen many who are influential in this world. Look at his choices for his ministers throughout scriptures, Moses, who was reluctant to serve, Jonah who ran away from his call, Jeremiah who preached for 30 years and never had a single convert. Peter who is always doing something spontaneous and seldom doing what the Lord desires. Even James our author, is the half brother of Jesus Christ, and he at one time did not even believe that Jesus was the Messiah. These are the men that God used in the past, not great in the eyes of the world, but hearts ready and willing to serve. To go where needed and do whatever they need to for the Lord. READ JOHN LYONS EDITORIAL. That brings us to our final point.
What is the royal law, Jesus gave it to us when he summed up what the Lord wants in the lives of his followers. Matt 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. We call it the golden rule, James calls it the royal law. Royal because it came from the one who was royalty, the king, the master. The law of love. 1 Peter 4:8-10 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. Above all, or literally “put this first in your life”, love, love each other, love each other deeply. Why? Because love covers sins, it leads to hospitality, and faithfulness of using the gifts that God has given you. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to show how we are to not show favoritism in dealing with others, and how we are to love our neighbors. You recall the story how a man was mugged on the road to Jericho and a Priest came by and walked around him, and a Levite did the same. But this Samaritan comes by and takes care of him and bandages his wounds, than takes him to an inn to heal and pays for his stay and even says he will come back to pay any extra costs. He is the one who loved his neighbor. In this parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus makes the mongrel a hero, and the religious Jewish leaders the mutts! See Samaritans were considered half breads, and hated by both Jews and the Arabs. So what does this great story teach us? Four lessons about loving under the "royal law" of Jesus. 1st. LOVE PEOPLE EVEN WHEN IT’S UNPOPULAR.This Samaritan helps a Jew, and the two wanted nothing to do with one another. Samaritans despised Jews as bigots; a little like if Louis Farrakhan decided to join the KKK! Daniel Lupton, in his book I Like Church But... tells the story of a formal church in a Midwestern college town. The people dressed elegantly and loved to sing the great hymns of the faith from their pipe organ. Their standards of appearance and formality were deeply ingrained in the culture of the church. Every September, the church’s attendance increased dramatically by an influx of college students. On one particular September Sunday morning, the sanctuary was almost completely filled. The ushers had to help people find what little seating remained available. 10 minutes after the service began, a freshman walked through the foyer. He was dressed in sandals, shorts and a T-shirt. As a startled usher handed him a bulletin, the strange visitor replied, "Thanks, Bro." As he pushed through the ushers and made his way down the center aisle during a hymn, people stared, but no one made an effort to scoot over and let him have a seat. Finally, he arrived at the front, still without a seat. So, he just sat down cross-legged, right there in the middle aisle by the first pew! Gasps were heard all over the sanctuary. The organist lost her place. The worship leader started the first verse all over again! About that time, Deacon Oakly, a senior church member began making his way down the aisle. Everyone thought, "Thank God, for Deacon Oakly, he’ll take care of this rude young man." The deacon was dressed in a beautiful navy blue suit and a colorful silk tie. He ambled down to the young man on his cane and to the shock of the congregation, he slowly lowered himself to the carpet beside the young visitor. Placing his cane across his lap, he extended a hand to the freshman and said, "I’m Deacon Oakly, welcome to our church." They sat there on the floor throughout the service. The point is, no matter how popular, love people anyway. Someone will always
disapprove - but God will always approve! He looks at your heart, while others
can only see through their prejudiced filters. Love people even when its
unpopular.
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(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
