GRAB THE WORST SEAT IN THE HOUSE by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction:  Someone said: “We believe as much of the Bible as we practice.” Today, in our series on the Book of James, we will see how much of the Bible do we truly practice. Our message is titled “GRAB THE WORST SEAT IN THE HOUSE.”

James 2 (page #1850) 1 “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Overall Background:  So far, in chapter one, James focused on our personal life – our trials that we face, our decisions we have to make, our temptations that we need to avoid, our anger that hinders the righteousness of God and our response to the implanted Word of God. The attention was on SELF. This is where it begins. This is where the problem lies. However, God doesn’t stop there.

AFTER THE VERTICAL WORK, GOD BEGINS THE HORIZONTAL WORK IN OUR LIVES. HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE? James tells us 3 things against PARTIALITY, especially in the context of the assembly (synagogue) or church (ekklesia). If we can fix these things in this family, it will help in your own families:

I. PARTIALITY CONTRADICTS OUR FAITH.

Listen to what James says in chapter James 2:1 – “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.”

Background:  4 kinds of people in the Book of James (From Christopher James, A Theology of James): 1. Poor (Majority in the community); 2. Severely Poor (Those dependent on others for daily needs and sustenance); 3. Merchants (Those who are self-sufficient and have their own plans); 4. Wealthy Landowners (Those who exploited the poor). The church was composed of the first 3 groups. By the way, the “poor” was the common designation of those in exile in the Old Testament (Isaiah 26:6; 49:13; 51:21).

Let’s pause here & break down this verse into 4 parts: 1 My brethren, (he’s talking to fellow Christians. His tone is not one of condescension but love and compassion. Not only that – he is also reminding them that now that they are believers, they are all members of the family of God. He is about to address a family issue.)

do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, (several ways to say this – do not represent the Lord Jesus Christ, do not live the Christian life, do not claim to be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ)  

the Lord of glory, (It is a title – exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the LORD OF GLORY – He is heavenly and wonderful and awesome and glorious!!!)

with partiality (prosopoleimpsia – prosopon = face; lambano = receive; lit. “receiving the face” meaning accepting people based on external appearances – cost of their attire or the content of their wallet or their class in society). Same word is found 3 other times in Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; and Colossians 3:25.

Let me restate it – “Dear brothers and sisters, do not claim to be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious One, while at the same time judging people based on their external appearances” (For various options to “the Glorious One,” see Scot McKnight, “Poverty, Riches, and God’s Blessings” and his commentary on James).

On the surface, this seems just an ordinary statement, but it is deep. Keep in mind that we often mistakenly say that “Jesus set aside his glory when he came to this world. John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Even though Jesus took on flesh and bones and did not have a halo around his head, he was still full of glory. Even though he was poor (2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”), he did it for us. He was born in a borrowed manger, preached from borrowed boats, multiplied borrowed food, stayed in borrowed homes, rode on a borrowed donkey, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus borrowed everything though He owned everything to teach us humility and compassion to those less fortunate. Plus, he demonstrated that we are just passing through.

(Now before the crowd can say “Amen” and hurry past this point, James paints an all too real picture for his readers) 2 “For if there should come into your assembly…” Imagine yourselves time travelling back into the first century. It is Sunday morning and you are at the local church – people are making their way into the church. The ushers and greeters are standing at the front door welcoming the people and helping them find seats in the sanctuary/building. They are chatting, laughing, and fellowshipping with each other. They almost fail to notice someone standing in the corner. He is wearing an old threadbare shirt and old pair of pants with a few patches on them and old scuffed up pair of shoes.  He does not have any watch or jewelry on him. I bet he does not even have a dollar in his pocket. They look at him disdain. Then someone recognizes that fellow: “Oh, I know who that is. I can’t recall his name, but he lives down the street in that old house. He doesn’t have anything but he’s alright.” One of the ushers says: “Go on in and stand in the back.” Another one says: “He’s going to smudge up the wall with his dirty clothes. Don’t you lean up against the wall. Sit here on the floor by my feet.” The fella starts to make his way to where he is told to sit. Just then, someone else arrives at the church. He is a complete contrast to the poor man. Unlike him, this one is wearing a designer suit and expensive shoes. He has gold jewelry on his fingers and an expensive watch on his wrist. All the ushers know who he is. Frankly, they are shocked to see him at the church. They almost fall over themselves trying to shake his hand and welcome him. In fact, they push aside the poor man as they escort this man of affluence and opulence to the best seat in the house.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?  James says: 4 “have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Background: In essence, James is saying – only God is supposed to judge people. When you begin to judge others based on their outward appearances, are you not playing God? You claim to be worshipping the Lord of all glory but then you are pretending to lord over those who are lower than you in society. While God alone is a righteous judge, you have become judges with evil thoughts.

ON ONE HAND, YOU ARE SO SPIRITUALLY MINDED BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU ARE SO EARTHLY HATEFUL. YOU ARE CONTRADICTING YOUR FAITH.

For e.g. On one hand you are singing: AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME. But then we seemed to have change the words – I ONCE WAS BAD BUT NOW, I’VE FOUND I’M NOT AS BAD AS THEM.

By the way, as Aida Spencer says in her commentary – “James’s first concern is dignity afforded the poor in this religious setting, not simply physical need.”

Application: If James were to come to Clearview, what would he say about our church? Would he say: “You are trying to play God.” “Your worship does not match your actions.” “You are looking down on people of low means.” Yes, you help people, but you also look down on them.” In our Clearview Kindle Ministry, we are doing everything we can to demonstrate James 2.

Let me clarify:  I am not talking about people who just come to get some money and then we don’t see them until they need some more. They have no respect for the things of God or the church or the people of God. That is whole different issue. 

However, if you are genuinely seeking God – the doors and hearts of Clearview are always open.

“I pray that Clearview would always be a place where we care about the condition of your soul and not the content of your wallet.”

II. PARTIALITY IMITATES THE WORLD.

James 2 (page #1850) 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to berich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man.

Background: This raises a question – is this a reverse discrimination against the rich?  Is God against the rich? Not really. There were many wealthy people in the Old Testament and in the early church:

1. Joseph of Arimathea – a member of the Sanhedrin, the high Jewish Council, who gained Pilate’s approval to bury Jesus.
2. Nicodemus – a prominent and wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, who provided myrrh and aloes to bury Jesus.
3. Barnabas – a Levite of Cypria, who sold his real estate and gave the money to the apostles.
4. Ethiopian Eunuch – court official and treasurer of Queen Candace of Ethiopia.
5. Lydia, a seller of purple – the dye for purple was made from a juice found in minute quantities in shellfish. It took thousands of crustaceans to make a yard or two of purple cloth.

Bottom line: God is not against the RICH. Just being RICH does not make you a SINNER and just being POOR does not make you a SAINT. James is not talking about the rich in general but about the rich who are oppressive and condescending to those in the Diaspora. These are the Wealthy Landowners (Those who exploited the poor).

John 2      6 “…Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? The Roman nobility often persecuted the early Christians. James is reminding the Christians that they are copying the very people who are hateful to them. They were the upper crust of society. Someone said – “The upper crust is just a bunch of crumbs held together by their own dough.”

Let me clarify something: This is a congregation of rich people. If you want to see the poor, I can take you to the villages in the Yucatan Peninsula where they still did not have electricity. (TV, House, Car, Fridge, A/C, Cell Phone)

Application: When we judge others, we look like the world. “We oppress our weak and you oppress your weak.”

Do you think about others? People like to say, “I came up through some hard times.” If so, you should understand even more.

III. PARTIALITY IS A SIN.

James 2:8 (Page #1850) If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

Background: Royal Law – Supreme Law or Governing Law – Vertical and Horizontal Relationships. We find this in the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:18.

Matthew 22      35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Application: One of my prayers daily is “Lord, make me a more loving person.”

James 2:9 “but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

God calls partiality a sin. What do you call it?

• Do you say, “That’s just how I was raised.”
• Do you say, “That’s how it’s been and how it will always be.”
• Do you just try to laugh it off.
• Do you just act as if it is not a big deal.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. Meaning: This is a military imagery. The word for keep is “tereo” = guard, and the word for stumble is “ptaio” = fall. Imagine a fort being heavily guarded, except at one point. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 

“Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” You might be a great person everywhere else but if you have a problem here it will affect everywhere else.

Application: You might be the best dad but if you have a problem treating people, your children will remember.

James 2:12 “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.”

Why? Because your partiality could mean eternal damnation for someone. Let’s say that someone came sincerely seeking God to Clearview and you mistreated them. They never came back and they died without receiving Christ. God will require their blood from your hands.

For e.g. I grew up in a Christian home – a pastor’s home. I was not only in church all my life, but I was very active in church. By the time I was 9-10 years old, I was already playing musical instruments in the church. By the time I was 12-13 years old, I was also in charge of setting up the sound system in our church. My dad was a sought after evangelist and revival speaker and we heard the best messages. We had missionaries in and out of our homes. One missionary lived next door to us and would dine with us everyday – Dr. Fred Schelander, he was a scholar who translated the Bible into Marathi – the state language of Bombay. When I left home for college, I had all intentions to find a good church. It did not turn out that way. I did not have a car and no way to get around. I was hoping to catch a ride with some of the students, but some didn’t go to church and others did not have any room for me. Couple of times I was able to catch a ride with someone. In fact, I remember going to this church that was known for its preaching. I don’t remember the preaching neither do I remember anyone shaking my hand. I do remember people filing past me on their way to the local restaurants. As far as they were concerned, I did not exist. I was a teenager and it made a bad impression on my life.

Keep in mind – all this time I had God’s call on my life to be in the ministry. I did not want a thing to do with the ministry. In fact, I stopped going to church. If the church did not want me, I did not want the church. I built up a wall around me. No one was going to get through. If you don’t like me, no problem. I had my dreams and my ambitions and that’s all mattered. I even failed public speaking.

Then I met Nicole. One of her conditions for me to date her was that I had to meet her dad. Her dad was a missionary and a pastor. I thought to myself – I guess that’s that. I remember that day. I was so nervous. I walked in and there he was. Then he reached out and shook my hand. I can’t explain it but I sensed the touch of Christ in that handshake. That was turning point in my life. I’ve had many turning points in my life.

“If you see a turtle on a fencepost know that someone put him there.”

Final Axiom: James 2:13 “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

The world cries for justice but what we need is mercy.

While we were dead in trespasses and sins, Christ died for us.

Are you saved? How do you treat people?