James 2:1-12

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?

The first thing that comes to mind is the Mafia.  They wear suits that cost as much as some cars, yet their hearts are full of murder and crime.  Man looks at what a man is wearing.   God looks at the heart of the man.  1 Samuel 16:7 
 
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?

The last two years financially have been the poorest of my life.  Yet God has used his church to bless me in ways I cannot count and spiritually I've been the richest in my life because I've fallen into His word.

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.

We are no longer under Old Testament law.  However Jesus summed up the law in Matthew 22:37-40. ³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  If a person truly loves God and his neighbor as Jesus says we won't have a problem.  Again, we are no longer under compulsion to follow the "law" and therefore can not "break" it.  However we can break God's heart.  Which do you think is worse?

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.

Mercy folks.  It is lacking in our society.  I'm trying to teach it to my kids.  We do not need to respond with anything other than mercy.  If you think it's hard you have the wrong focus.  Focus on God and his mercy.  Focus on Christ and the grace he lavished upon us.  Read Ephesians 1:3-14.  Still finding it hard to forgive and give mercy to others?  Read it again.  If you still find it hard remember that God will forgive you only to the level that you forgive others. The Lord's prayer says "for give us our trespasses and we forgive others who trespass against us."

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.