What specific, concrete step(s) did you take last week to put God’s word into practice?

DECEIVERS

James 1:26, 27  Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

“Those who consider themselves [spiritual] and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves and their [spirituality] is worthless.”

What’s your idea of a deeply spiritual person? Positively, what do they DO? Negatively, what do they AVOID?

“Those who consider themselves [spiritual] and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves and their [spirituality] is worthless.”

1 Peter 3:10--“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 1 Timothy 4:12--Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Proverbs 12:18--The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 18:21--The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after  orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27--Positive, genuine spirituality looks like caring for the vulnerable and truly needy in a society. The Old Testament lists Levites, widows, orphans, foreigners who chose to live in Israel and the poor. (Deut. 14:29, 16;11-14; Mal. 3:5) The New Testament lists widows, orphans and the poor/disabled. (I Tim. 5:9-16; James 1:27; Lk. 20:21; Rm. 15:26; Gal. 2:10)

WHO are today’s “widows” or “orphans” or “poor” or “foreigners” among us?

James 2:12-13  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.

WHO are today’s “widows” or “orphans” or “poor” or “foreigners” among us?

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after  orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 2 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?

What differences can and sometimes do divide us in the body of Christ? 1. There are always potentially deep differences in the body of Christ. What differences can and sometimes do divide us in the body of Christ?

1. There are always potentially deep differences in the body of Christ. 2. Differences aren’t the problem; judgmental discrimination…playing favorites…is.

God doesn’t play favorites 2 Chronicles 19:7--Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” Leviticus 19:15--“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Luke 20:21-- So the spies questioned him [Jesus]: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

God doesn’t play favorites Acts 10:34—“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” Ephesians 6:9—“And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

God doesn’t play favorites Timothy 5:21—“I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.”

James 2:5-7 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?

No Reserves No Retreats 1887-1913 No Regrets

Dr. Samuel Zwemer, Missionary to Muslims “By some, the victory has to be won over poverty…but Borden won the victory over an environment of wealth. He felt that life consisted not in ‘the abundance of things that a man possess,’ but in the abundance of things which possess the man.”

Isaiah 53:2, 3 “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.”

"In contrast to the often lecture-like character of the 'white' sermon, the 'black Christ' is preached with captivating passion and vividness. Anyone who has heard and understood the Negro spirituals knows about [this] strange mixture of reserved melancholy and eruptive joy"

The Azusa Street Revival of 1906

James 2:8-13 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….  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.

James 2:12, 13 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.