Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
James 2:1-13 (NRSV) 1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
As a Pastor, I determined early in my ministry that there was one thing I would never do–check to see what the individual giving was in my church. Why? Because I did not want anyone in the church to be able to accuse me of treating someone differently because of how much or how little a person gave.
Favoritism is the preferential treatment to one person perhaps because of their position in the community, their wealth, or even the color of their skin. There is nothing inherently wrong with treating someone well because of these things. The error comes in treating someone else poorly who is not wealthy, or dressed properly, or looks different than those around them.
James quickly takes to task those who engage in this type of behavior, particularly if they are Christ followers. I love verse 5 where James points out that God Himself has chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom of God. Remember, not just acknowleging the poor but honoring those in poverty is one of the ways Jesus turned the apple cart upside down. Until Jesus came, the prevailing thought was that the poor were being punished and the rich were being rewarded.
The law of grace revealed to us that God is no respecter of person, influenced by neither background nor social standing. (Acts 10:34) Thus, if we pay respect to some over others, then we are breaking the law of grace. For intentional disciples who are seeking holiness, it is essential for us to see people through the eyes of Jesus. How do we, as humans, accomplish this monumental feat? We pray continually that God allows us to see others through His eyes until we can!
One of the most beautiful things I ever witnessed was at a Wednesday night prayer meeting. When the altar call was made, a small, greasy, smelly man walked down the aisle and was immediately embraced by the woman giving the call. His face glowed as though he was being embraced by God himself. From that moment I prayed that I could hold a man like him in just that same way.
A few years ago I was working in a soup kitchen. It was a steamy, hot, rainy day and an African-American made it up the stairs and sat down at the table. I walked over to him and said, “You look like you need a hug,” and with no more words I reached down and held him in my arms. He started crying and said, “You’re holding me???” I replied, “Why not? Aren’t we brothers and sisters in Christ?”
James finishes by saying if we fail to show mercy to others, then we will not receive mercy ourselves. I think of the hymn At Calvary that says,
- Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.- Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.
- Refrain:
- By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary. - Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary! - Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!
Pardon–forgiveness, clemency, mercy. There is nothing like mercy, being spared the judgment we deserve because of the free gift of salvation. Today we can choose to show our neighbor the same love and forgiveness and mercy that God has shown us. Choose love, even if it is not easy–especially if it is not easy. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, there are so many opportunities in our society and in our culture to choose to show love. I pray today that each one of us would see people through Your eyes of grace and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Be Doers of the Word
James 1:19-27 (NRSV) 19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself ) unstained by the world.
Tonight I watched the final two sermons I delivered at 16th Section UMC. I am always in awe when I witness my sermons, because each time I see myself preach I see God in action. Why God would use a short, fat, old(er) woman to deliver His word is beyond me, but I know that He did. And now I continue in His ministry as I share God’s Word through this blog.
Our last study dealt with wisdom, and today we will look at the wisdom of not just hearing the word, but doing it.
James begins by giving us one of the best pieces of advice in the Word–that we should be slow to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Why? Because anger born within us does not produce the righteousness of God. But what about righteous anger, you might ask. Let me assure you that most of our anger has nothing to do with righteousness, but instead it is a result of pride. Yes, pride produces anger, and if pride produces anger, there is no way that it also produces righteousness. So James tells us to welcome with meekness the Word that is implanted in our hearts, for it is the Word that has the power to save.
James goes on to talk about the primary theme of his letter, and that is to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
When I was young I got the idea that I could play a tape recorder while I slept and that what I heard would be implanted within me and therefore I would not have to study. Can I tell you that method of learning never worked, not even one time. The only way I learned was to read the material not once, not twice, but three times, making notes and paying close attention in class.
But James says even spending hours and hours learning is not enough if we do not transfer that learning into doing. Think about it–how much has ever been accomplished just by reading or listening and then going about your business as if nothing has changed. James mentions seeing one’s reflection in a mirror but then walking away and immediately forgetting one’s own image.
In today’s society, we cannot imagine forgetting our own image. We see ourselves reflected in store windows, in the mirrors in our homes, and of course, the ever-present cellphones. But in James’ time, mirrors were scarce and they did not provide an altogether accurate reflection. James is telling the readers that if God’s Word merely read and then forgotten, much like our reflection in a pond, then it is useless.
You see, the Law came to man from without, from Moses, and it served to inform us of our duty. But the Word was engrafted into us by the Holy Spirit, from within, to teach us how to do the Word. The Word was never meant simply to be heard, but to be acted upon.
James tells us near the end of this passage that if we say we are righteous, then we must learn to bridle our tongues. We all know that horses have great power, yet they can be controlled by a small bit within their mouths. The bridle is attached to the bit, giving direction to this massive animal with just a light touch. When we become doers of the Word, we, too, can be directed with just a light touch upon our hearts, forbidding us from taking the wrong path into anger or gossip.
James finishes this section by telling us what is required of those who consider themselves to be religious. We are to care for the widows and orphans, and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. In order to accomplish these things, we must learn to do the Word, not just hear the Word. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, today may we become transformed to the point of ACTION by the hearing of Your holy Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Every Good and Perfect Gift Comes from Above
James 1:12-18 (NRSV) Trial and Temptation
12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
Our Scripture begins with a blessing, which immediately reminds us of the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. Did you know when we are blessed that means we are sanctified, and being sanctified means that we are set apart, not from God, but for God. When we can live through or suffer through temptation, then we are promised the crown of life.
Sometimes, though, confusion sets in and we believe we have been tempted by God. Yet James speaks clearly when he says that God cannot be tempted by evil, and therefore He will tempt no one. But what about the Lord’s prayer, when we say, “Lead us not into temptation”?
Do you remember taking your children grocery shopping, and you had learned better than to lead them down the candy aisle? When we ask God not to lead us into temptation, it is like saying, “Father, please do not lead me down the candy aisle today.”
As we mature, we begin to realize that it is not God who tempts us, but instead it is our own desire. Once we give in to our desire, then sinning is not far behind. Do you get it? Sin begins as a thought, and as we mull that thought over and over in our minds, desire is born, and once born unless we turn completely away, then sin takes over and leads us from righteousness and into death.
But here is the good part! Every, and I mean EVERY perfect gift is from the Father. Is that the most wonderful thing you have ever heard? He does not change, he does not alter His character, and He does not rewrite His holy Word. God’s purpose, His only purpose, is to give us new life through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Today is the day the Lord has made. Believe it, live in it, and receive His perfect gifts today. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In grace,
Pastor Carol
Father God, today help us to understand that You want only our good, and may we be transformed by Your Word, Your love, and Your precious Son. Amen.
Praying in Faith
James 1:5-8 (NRSV) 5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; 7 , 8 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
The first scriptures in James dealt with keeping our joy, even in unpleasant circumstances. Today we look at James’ advice to the Jewish Christians on obtaining wisdom.
Wisdom was vitally important in Judaism. The Proverbs were the embodiment of Wisdom, Solomon received the greatest wisdom of all mankind, and finally Jesus revealed to the world the wisdom of treating others the way we all want to be treated. (Matt. 7:12).
The irony is that many times those who do not possess wisdom are unaware of the absence of this much needed quality. The saying, “you don’t know what you don’t know,” provides the groundwork needed to help us to understand why some can go through their entire lifetimes without seeking after or finding wisdom.
You see, wisdom does not exist in isolation, for it is the compilation of knowledge, experience, and reasoning. The foundation for wisdom crumbles beneath the weight of the lack of any of these three parts. It is similar to a three legged stool that will collapse if one of the legs is missing.
James says we should not only pray for wisdom, but we should pray with faith. He goes further to use the analogy of a double minded man being unstable in all of his ways, and he warns that doubting causes us to be tossed in the sea by the wind and the waves. The people to whom Jesus and James spoke understood what it meant to be tossed by the seas.
Can we understand today that the seas of doubt and fear can overwhelm us unless we allow wisdom to provide us with stability needed to stay afloat in today’s world? Can we allow our faith to be strengthened so that we have the confidence to approach God’s throne in prayer? I maintain we can do all of these things, not on our own, but through the Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)
In Jesus’ name,
Pastor Carol
Father God, we come today in faith, asking that you would increase our wisdom, eliminate our doubt, and help us to be the Christ-followers you intend us to be. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Consider it all Joy
James 1:1-3 (NRSV) 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Faith and Wisdom
2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
Today I am returning to the original format of this blog, where instead of looking at random verses, we read through an entire book. I will tell you that the Gospel of John is my go to book, but in the 21st Century few books can provide as much guidance for daily living as the book of James.
Traditional thinking is that James the Just wrote this letter, and because it was addressed to the Jewish people (the twelve tribes) it is probably an early letter in the life of the Christian church before the Gentiles became an active part of the church. But the letter is vital to each of us today as we seek out the best way to live out our Christian faith.
James was the half-brother of Jesus, and it is interesting that he did not come to believe in Jesus as the Savior until Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection. It is also interesting that the great reformer, Martin Luther, said the book had no more substance than straw. Why would Luther be so harsh? Because at first glimpse James seemed to be promoting salvation through works rather than grace, and Luther was all about grace. But I contend that if we look deeper, we will see that James had a wonderful understanding of grace. So let’s dig in!
James’ letter begins with encouraging the believer that when trials come we are to think of them as something that can produce joy. Why? Because trials reveal the strength of our faith. Jesus himself said in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble. When trouble comes, we must not just rely on the faith we have, but allow our faith to grow and flourish and when we react to trouble in this way then we will experience joy.
Joy is a wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, and it is so much different than happiness. You see, happiness is dependent upon circumstances and circumstances change. But joy is that life-giving quality that literally bubbles up inside of us and the more joy we have, the more we receive, and the more we receive the more we can share our joy with others!
James goes on to say that when our faith is tested, if we can face these trials with joy, then this testing produces endurance. Think for a moment of how vital endurance is in our lives. Some Bible translations use the word “patience” rather than endurance. The meaning is the same–we are not advised to bury our head in the sand and retreat from our troubles by going into LaLa Land, but instead we are told to access the same stamina that would help us win a race. When we respond to trials with faith, joy and endurance, then we will become mature, or complete, Christians.
In faith and grace,
Pastor Carol
Father God, you alone can provide us with the faith and endurance we need to withstand the trials of dailing living and let joy reign supreme. May each one of us look to You, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, to live our lives as intentional disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Seeking Holiness 