(Read James 5:1-6)
At times I am overwhelmed with how much life costs. I want to host students and friends in my home, but it costs money to buy groceries. I know I’m called to share the Gospel with students in the Triad, but it costs money to put gas in my car so I can get to all the different campuses. I really enjoy buying gifts for people, especially when I see something that just really makes me think of someone in particular. But those gifts cost money. And then there are things that I “have” to have – water, shelter, clothing.
Many aspects of the Christian life are all about living in the midst of a dichotomy. That’s the whole essence of living in this world, but not belonging to this world. As an American Christian, our wealth (or perceived lack thereof) is an additional dichotomy in which we must live. I look at what others have – maybe it’s a certain car or house, or the newest tech gadget – and I feel poor. I feel like I’ve given up wealth in answering the Lord’s call to be a missionary (or a teacher in many of your cases). And then I feel a bit prideful – proud that I’m willing to give things up to follow the Lord.
However, the flip side of this dichotomy comes when I’m exposed to the billions of people in the world who live with much less than I do. I’ve been to areas of the third world where people have 2 outfits only. They wash the one they’re not wearing by hand and wear these outfits for many days in a row. I’ve seen people who don’t have a car or a house, and have never thought about any tech gadgets. Yet, often these very people are the most satisfied in their circumstances and life. Do they worry about money? I can’t say that for sure, but there is something about a lack of money that causes one to be more content with the things in life that will last beyond the moment.
James confronts the rich in these verses. And my gut reaction is to think that doesn’t apply to me. I’m not rich. Or am I?
He confronts businessmen and wealthy landowners. Maybe we can’t identify exactly with these roles, but we can identify with the behaviors of each that he calls out for judgment. James confronts the accumulation of materialistic wealth that he sees going on. He talks about how the wages of those who work the land are being withheld. And James calls out the self-indulgent actions of those to whom he’s writing – saving up gold and silver. James even opens this section by talking about the “miseries” that will come upon the wealthy who place their faith in their wealth.
And I think that is what it all boils down to – where are we placing our faith? In the light of the American dream, I am not rich. However, my wealth must come from knowing Christ and recognizing the riches of things that eternal – His Word and people’s souls.
Questions
In v.4, James mentions the “cries of the harvesters” who haven’t received their dues. Who have you cheated in order to fund your lifestyle?
Why do we tend to love money, regardless of how much, or little, we have?
One interpretation of “righteous person” in v.6 is those who are one of God’s forgiven people (i.e. believers). This train of thought led me to the focus on where we are placing our faith. Would you agree with this take on a “righteous person”? If not, what is your understanding of this verse?
Written by Michelle
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
I was probably seven or eight. I was singing with a children’s choir that met on Sunday evenings. The church’s adult choir met after the kids were done rehearsing. They needed some of the kids to turn pages for the instrumentalists accompanying the grown-up choir. I assured the choir directors that I had my parents’ permission and took my place beside the guitarist, ready to turn pages for him. That’s when my dad showed up. My dad would eventually become a beloved member of this adult choir, but on that night, they only knew him as Joy’s dad. I was there without his permission and he was not a happy man.
You see, turning pages and staying out past bedtime, that was my plan. My father’s plan was not the same. Twenty-some years later, I remember that night pretty clearly: his disappointment, my shame, the realization that I could not do what I wanted without consulting my parents.
Years spent in church and in Bible studies have taught us that we can’t be spiritual eight-year-olds. We cannot make our plans and then inform God. “Lord, I am going to be a missionary”, or “Lord, I am going to be a successful writer.” We get this, so James must be talking to other Christians in chapter 4, verses 13 through 17.
Not so fast.
James has been talking about humility, and these verses continue the discourse. Here, James is confronting the attitude his readers had about time. His readers owned their time. They were deciding where and how to spend it. They chose what important tasks would “make the cut” and which things they were simply too busy to do. Sound familiar yet? When we fill our days from 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM, we are being arrogant. When we squeeze in one more commitment, we make ourselves more important than we are. We believe the committee meeting can’t go on without us. The wedding shower won’t be as much fun if we don’t plan it. No one will tutor this child if we don’t. “Who do you think you are?” James interrupts, “You are a mist.”
The Bible frequently points out that man’s life is nothing without God (see Psalm 90). Instead of treating our days like they are ours to fill and spend, James tells us to humbly submit our time to God. Without Him holding us up, we blow away. He is our support and our substance. He gives us our days. It is pretty common in Christian circles to hear each day spoken of as a gift. “Thank you, Lord, for this day…” But I have to wonder if I would wake up with a groan if I really believed the day was a gift. Would I stand in the shower reciting my to-do list?
James wanted his readers to recognize God’s provision of their days, so that they would move from self-sufficiency to God-dependency. It is not enough for us to recognize our dependence on God’s will. James would also have his readers actively doing God’s will. This is the thrust of verse 17. You know you need God, you know what He wants, now go do it.
1. Can you think of a me where your “to do” list, and “the good you ought to do”
clearlydidn’tline up? Which one won the battle for your time?
2. How can you leave your heart open to God’s will for your life in regards to your time?
3. How does the reality that you are a mist change your way of thinking about your “to do” list?
You see, turning pages and staying out past bedtime, that was my plan. My father’s plan was not the same. Twenty-some years later, I remember that night pretty clearly: his disappointment, my shame, the realization that I could not do what I wanted without consulting my parents.
Years spent in church and in Bible studies have taught us that we can’t be spiritual eight-year-olds. We cannot make our plans and then inform God. “Lord, I am going to be a missionary”, or “Lord, I am going to be a successful writer.” We get this, so James must be talking to other Christians in chapter 4, verses 13 through 17.
Not so fast.
James has been talking about humility, and these verses continue the discourse. Here, James is confronting the attitude his readers had about time. His readers owned their time. They were deciding where and how to spend it. They chose what important tasks would “make the cut” and which things they were simply too busy to do. Sound familiar yet? When we fill our days from 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM, we are being arrogant. When we squeeze in one more commitment, we make ourselves more important than we are. We believe the committee meeting can’t go on without us. The wedding shower won’t be as much fun if we don’t plan it. No one will tutor this child if we don’t. “Who do you think you are?” James interrupts, “You are a mist.”
The Bible frequently points out that man’s life is nothing without God (see Psalm 90). Instead of treating our days like they are ours to fill and spend, James tells us to humbly submit our time to God. Without Him holding us up, we blow away. He is our support and our substance. He gives us our days. It is pretty common in Christian circles to hear each day spoken of as a gift. “Thank you, Lord, for this day…” But I have to wonder if I would wake up with a groan if I really believed the day was a gift. Would I stand in the shower reciting my to-do list?
James wanted his readers to recognize God’s provision of their days, so that they would move from self-sufficiency to God-dependency. It is not enough for us to recognize our dependence on God’s will. James would also have his readers actively doing God’s will. This is the thrust of verse 17. You know you need God, you know what He wants, now go do it.
1. Can you think of a me where your “to do” list, and “the good you ought to do”
clearlydidn’tline up? Which one won the battle for your time?
2. How can you leave your heart open to God’s will for your life in regards to your time?
3. How does the reality that you are a mist change your way of thinking about your “to do” list?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Week 9--Humbling Ourselves
Read James 4:4-12
Naboth had a vineyard. It was right next to King Ahab’s palace. One day King Ahab decided that he wanted a vegetable garden, and he didn’t have a good place for it, so he told Naboth that he would give him a really good price for his vineyard. God had told Naboth not to sell his vineyard to Ahab because Ahab was an evil king so he refused to sell it.
We know the rest of the story right? (Read 1 Kings 21 for a refresher). Ahab goes home and pouts about the vineyard until his wife Jezebel promises to get it for him. Jezebel sets up Naboth for a crime he didn’t commit and has him killed, then she goes back to Ahab and tells him to get out his garden hoe and start his precious garden. When Ahab is out looking over his new garden, Elijah shows up and tells him that God is going to have him and his family killed because of his actions.
And then, King Ahab, the one that Kings describes as the most evil man ever, humbled himself in the sight of the Lord. He turned his laughter to mourning and his joy to gloom and God saw and He changed his mind.
What we see in Ahab’s story and in our own lives, is that “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17). God responded to Ahab’s humility and spared him death-by-dogs, but He did carry out this punishment on the rest of Ahab’s family. We are spared punishment because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and all that is required of us is a turning. If we turn toward Him, He will come to us. If we humble ourselves, He will lift us out of our gloom and mourning.
James’s audience would recognize the language of verses 7-10 as a description of coming to the temple to offer a sacrifice. Coming near to God would be, literally, coming to the temple. There would be actual rites of hand-washing and purification required before fellowship with God could be restored.
When I compare what was required of a faithful servant of Yahweh in the Old Testament with what is required of believers on this side of the cross, I am humbled. Jesus truly did the work for us, all that is left for you and me to do is believe—and even our ability to do that is a gift from God! I would like to think that being part of this amazing fellowship with God and recognizing that none of it rests on me would cloak me in humility. I should be able to relate to others as one who has received much and who has been forgiven much. But I don’t.
Instead, I leave my posture of humility and go sit in judgment over others. James’s readers were guilty of the same thing. Instead of recognizing our lowly places beneath the true Judge, we set ourselves above the law and judge others; we say bad things about them and we think less of them.
James wants his readers (and us) to live in fellowship with God and with each other. The only way this radical community can exist is if we live humbly, submitting ourselves to God and to each other.
If God's grace is big enough to move Ahab to humility, I feel like we might have a shot.
1. What other people in the Bible have a story like Ahab’s, an account where their humility caused God to lift them up?
2. Can you think of any requirements of worshipers in the OT that really stand out? (Think of some of the wild things in Leviticus you’ve read). How does being free from those requirements inform your life as an NT believer?
3. The NIV translates verse 4:11 differently than other versions, using the word “slander.” How is slander different from speaking evil against someone? Why might that one word make a difference when studying this section?
Naboth had a vineyard. It was right next to King Ahab’s palace. One day King Ahab decided that he wanted a vegetable garden, and he didn’t have a good place for it, so he told Naboth that he would give him a really good price for his vineyard. God had told Naboth not to sell his vineyard to Ahab because Ahab was an evil king so he refused to sell it.
We know the rest of the story right? (Read 1 Kings 21 for a refresher). Ahab goes home and pouts about the vineyard until his wife Jezebel promises to get it for him. Jezebel sets up Naboth for a crime he didn’t commit and has him killed, then she goes back to Ahab and tells him to get out his garden hoe and start his precious garden. When Ahab is out looking over his new garden, Elijah shows up and tells him that God is going to have him and his family killed because of his actions.
And then, King Ahab, the one that Kings describes as the most evil man ever, humbled himself in the sight of the Lord. He turned his laughter to mourning and his joy to gloom and God saw and He changed his mind.
What we see in Ahab’s story and in our own lives, is that “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17). God responded to Ahab’s humility and spared him death-by-dogs, but He did carry out this punishment on the rest of Ahab’s family. We are spared punishment because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and all that is required of us is a turning. If we turn toward Him, He will come to us. If we humble ourselves, He will lift us out of our gloom and mourning.
James’s audience would recognize the language of verses 7-10 as a description of coming to the temple to offer a sacrifice. Coming near to God would be, literally, coming to the temple. There would be actual rites of hand-washing and purification required before fellowship with God could be restored.
When I compare what was required of a faithful servant of Yahweh in the Old Testament with what is required of believers on this side of the cross, I am humbled. Jesus truly did the work for us, all that is left for you and me to do is believe—and even our ability to do that is a gift from God! I would like to think that being part of this amazing fellowship with God and recognizing that none of it rests on me would cloak me in humility. I should be able to relate to others as one who has received much and who has been forgiven much. But I don’t.
Instead, I leave my posture of humility and go sit in judgment over others. James’s readers were guilty of the same thing. Instead of recognizing our lowly places beneath the true Judge, we set ourselves above the law and judge others; we say bad things about them and we think less of them.
James wants his readers (and us) to live in fellowship with God and with each other. The only way this radical community can exist is if we live humbly, submitting ourselves to God and to each other.
If God's grace is big enough to move Ahab to humility, I feel like we might have a shot.
1. What other people in the Bible have a story like Ahab’s, an account where their humility caused God to lift them up?
2. Can you think of any requirements of worshipers in the OT that really stand out? (Think of some of the wild things in Leviticus you’ve read). How does being free from those requirements inform your life as an NT believer?
3. The NIV translates verse 4:11 differently than other versions, using the word “slander.” How is slander different from speaking evil against someone? Why might that one word make a difference when studying this section?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Week 8 Two kinds of wisdom
A few weeks ago I had a little "situation" with a student and a parent. The student was saying one thing and I was saying another and the parent was upset and it was a big mess. I was so stressed out about this situation because I KNEW THAT I WAS RIGHT! And that was all I could think about, the fact that I was right and that he was wrong and how can I make this parent see my righteousness. It was after about three emails back and forth and many long conversations with my mother( as a sympathetic fellow teacher) and my husband, (the captive audience) that it hit me. My sole focus in trying to work this thing out was myself. And there's the rub.......
Read James 3:13-18
After James completes his first look at the dangers of the tongue he moves on, or I would say, builds on his argument through talking about two different kinds of wisdom. "worldly wisdom" and wisdom from heaven. Wisdom is the source we use to make decisions, both large and small in or daily lives. Some might think of it as reasoning, but we do it daily without even realizing that we are doing it. It becomes more evident of course when making bigger decisions like: how to take care of our money, or career choices, or how to be involved in ministry, but it's just as present in our daily attitudes and thoughts about smaller things like, how we spend a Friday evening, or whether or not there is time for the gym today. What I am trying to say is James 3:13-18 is actually a lesson on how to discern the will of God, and who doesn't want to take a minute to talk about that?
"Discerning God's will for your life" is one of those big Christian catch phrases we like to throw around but we don't often use it in the normal everyday living of life. You use it when you are graduating from college and you need to know what's next, or when you are assessing whether or not you are ready for the responsibility of a family. Every once in a while we will use it when trying to decide what ministry to be involved in at church. But it doesn't often get used when we are thinking about how we treat the people around us or our daily activities and how we spend our time.
When making those smaller decisions, do we consider them to be influenced at all by wisdom? The truth is they all are, the question is really what KIND of wisdom is motivating us? Let's break the two kinds down in a way that we teachers understand...
Take a second make yourself a little chart. (you thought I was going to do all the work for you...) Read through Verse 3:17 and write out the motivations of Heavenly wisdom. Now read through 3:14-15 and write out the motivations of Worldly wisdom.
Now outline the results of both kinds of wisdom. Worldly results 3:16 and 4:1-3. Heavenly results are 3:18.
Take a look are both lists.
On a daily basis how often are we motivated by the wisdom that comes from heaven? How about the latter?
When we think about the problems in our lives, how many of them are a result of following "worldly wisdom"? If we were to change our way of thinking about, look at them through the eyes of heavenly wisdom, would the situation look different?
Back to my situation with the parent. I realized that in my selfish ambition I had made the situation so much worse. If instead I had used Godly wisdom and submissively spoken to the parent admitting that I hadn't spent the time to explain what needed to be explained to their student this would never have been a problem in the first place. Also, in my selfishness I forgot that my motivation for teaching is not myself, it is actually the growth of my student, and by defending myself my student was not growing. Instead they felt uncared for and unimportant. When I stepped back and looked away from myself I saw clearly the wisdom I had used was not from heaven.
When our motivations are driven by envy and selfish ambition the result is always death. However, because there is a good work that God has planted in is there will be Godly wisdom motivating us towards deeds that are done by that wisdom and those deeds lead to, "a harvest of righteousness".
What does a harvest of righteousness look like in your life?
Read James 3:13-18
After James completes his first look at the dangers of the tongue he moves on, or I would say, builds on his argument through talking about two different kinds of wisdom. "worldly wisdom" and wisdom from heaven. Wisdom is the source we use to make decisions, both large and small in or daily lives. Some might think of it as reasoning, but we do it daily without even realizing that we are doing it. It becomes more evident of course when making bigger decisions like: how to take care of our money, or career choices, or how to be involved in ministry, but it's just as present in our daily attitudes and thoughts about smaller things like, how we spend a Friday evening, or whether or not there is time for the gym today. What I am trying to say is James 3:13-18 is actually a lesson on how to discern the will of God, and who doesn't want to take a minute to talk about that?
"Discerning God's will for your life" is one of those big Christian catch phrases we like to throw around but we don't often use it in the normal everyday living of life. You use it when you are graduating from college and you need to know what's next, or when you are assessing whether or not you are ready for the responsibility of a family. Every once in a while we will use it when trying to decide what ministry to be involved in at church. But it doesn't often get used when we are thinking about how we treat the people around us or our daily activities and how we spend our time.
When making those smaller decisions, do we consider them to be influenced at all by wisdom? The truth is they all are, the question is really what KIND of wisdom is motivating us? Let's break the two kinds down in a way that we teachers understand...
Take a second make yourself a little chart. (you thought I was going to do all the work for you...) Read through Verse 3:17 and write out the motivations of Heavenly wisdom. Now read through 3:14-15 and write out the motivations of Worldly wisdom.
Now outline the results of both kinds of wisdom. Worldly results 3:16 and 4:1-3. Heavenly results are 3:18.
Take a look are both lists.
On a daily basis how often are we motivated by the wisdom that comes from heaven? How about the latter?
When we think about the problems in our lives, how many of them are a result of following "worldly wisdom"? If we were to change our way of thinking about, look at them through the eyes of heavenly wisdom, would the situation look different?
Back to my situation with the parent. I realized that in my selfish ambition I had made the situation so much worse. If instead I had used Godly wisdom and submissively spoken to the parent admitting that I hadn't spent the time to explain what needed to be explained to their student this would never have been a problem in the first place. Also, in my selfishness I forgot that my motivation for teaching is not myself, it is actually the growth of my student, and by defending myself my student was not growing. Instead they felt uncared for and unimportant. When I stepped back and looked away from myself I saw clearly the wisdom I had used was not from heaven.
When our motivations are driven by envy and selfish ambition the result is always death. However, because there is a good work that God has planted in is there will be Godly wisdom motivating us towards deeds that are done by that wisdom and those deeds lead to, "a harvest of righteousness".
What does a harvest of righteousness look like in your life?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Week 7--A Restless Evil
Every morning in February my students read a passage about a famous African American as part of their morning work. The other day, as I was getting ready to go over the work with them, I said, “Take out your passages on Arthur Haley.” The students looked confused. I said, with much condescension, “Yes, Alex Haley. You read about him this morning. His name is at the top of the paper.” One bold soul said, “You said Arthur Haley.” My response was, “Well, I have Arthur Mitchell in my desk, I got confused.”
I didn’t laugh. I didn’t apologize. I defended myself and moved on. The reason why is simple: I needed to keep the upper hand in my classroom. If I admitted I was wrong, I might have lost control. At least, that’s what my pride tells me when I find myself in situations like these every day.
It’s easy for teachers to become proud. They are the center of attention. The expectation is that everyone will listen to them (and woe to those who don’t!). Ideally, teachers have all the answers—they have authority. What an ego trip!
And so James begins chapter 3, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
James recognized the dangerous way teachers dance with pride. His readers would want to be teachers—they were respected and admired—but James warns that teachers are subject to stricter judgment. As it should be. If I can get an attitude about Alex Haley, imagine the pride that would come with being an "expert" in the faith!
The opening verses of chapter three lay a foundation for one of James’s major themes: humility. We should be humble, because we all make mistakes. A lot of these mistakes are caused by a tiny part of our bodies, our tongues.
James goes on listing small things that have big influences, culminating in verse 8, when he calls the tongue “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” But we don’t even need to read as far as verse 8 to be overwhelmed—verse 2 does a fine job, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man…” All those in favor of giving up and being imperfect say “Aye.”
Why should we try to tame this uncontrollable little beast? The answer is in verses 11 and 12. Salt springs cannot produce fresh water; grapevines can’t bear figs—unless something miraculous happens, unless the One who created them steps in. Our tongues are restless evils, but sometimes, we say the right thing. When this happens, it is a tiny miracle, a reminder that we have Supernatural help dwelling inside us.
Questions:
Have you had a tiny miracle recently, wherein you were able to say the right thing at the right time? Describe.
Why is gossip such a common sin for women? What are some practical ways we can “tame our tongues” and avoid gossip?
In Matthew 15, Jesus says, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'” If our unclean talking comes from our unclean hearts, how can we clean them up?
I didn’t laugh. I didn’t apologize. I defended myself and moved on. The reason why is simple: I needed to keep the upper hand in my classroom. If I admitted I was wrong, I might have lost control. At least, that’s what my pride tells me when I find myself in situations like these every day.
It’s easy for teachers to become proud. They are the center of attention. The expectation is that everyone will listen to them (and woe to those who don’t!). Ideally, teachers have all the answers—they have authority. What an ego trip!
And so James begins chapter 3, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
James recognized the dangerous way teachers dance with pride. His readers would want to be teachers—they were respected and admired—but James warns that teachers are subject to stricter judgment. As it should be. If I can get an attitude about Alex Haley, imagine the pride that would come with being an "expert" in the faith!
The opening verses of chapter three lay a foundation for one of James’s major themes: humility. We should be humble, because we all make mistakes. A lot of these mistakes are caused by a tiny part of our bodies, our tongues.
James goes on listing small things that have big influences, culminating in verse 8, when he calls the tongue “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” But we don’t even need to read as far as verse 8 to be overwhelmed—verse 2 does a fine job, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man…” All those in favor of giving up and being imperfect say “Aye.”
Why should we try to tame this uncontrollable little beast? The answer is in verses 11 and 12. Salt springs cannot produce fresh water; grapevines can’t bear figs—unless something miraculous happens, unless the One who created them steps in. Our tongues are restless evils, but sometimes, we say the right thing. When this happens, it is a tiny miracle, a reminder that we have Supernatural help dwelling inside us.
Questions:
Have you had a tiny miracle recently, wherein you were able to say the right thing at the right time? Describe.
Why is gossip such a common sin for women? What are some practical ways we can “tame our tongues” and avoid gossip?
In Matthew 15, Jesus says, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'” If our unclean talking comes from our unclean hearts, how can we clean them up?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Week 6 - Working Out Your Faith
Read James 2:14-26
“Like rain on a cold window, these thoughts pattered against the hard surface of the incontrovertible truth, which was that he must die. I must die. It must end.”
Reading the words above, one might think they are a modern-day description of Jesus’ thoughts as He approached the end of His life. But one would be incorrect. These are the thoughts of Harry Potter near the end of his own 7-book story. And these few lines neither explain nor spoil the story. Few, if any, people would look at a few lines of a novel and claim to understand the whole story. Yet we do this quite often with Scripture, and today’s verses are probable victims of such reading.
It is easy to read this text as James saying that works are the essence of faith. Our desire for laws, rules, and checklists of how we should act would actually enjoy this call to action. If there is a specific way that a Christian acts, then we can know who the Christians are just by watching. And everyone else can know that we are Christians just by seeing us live out those expected actions. It’s so much easier to have a checklist of required works than to deal with heart change and the unquantifiable idea of a relationship with God.
We have to remember that James is the half-brother of Jesus. Everything James writes is influenced by living with His Savior, by seeing Jesus live out the faith & deeds conundrum in perfection. Being the practical man that he was, James is revealing the bare bones of the vine analogy in John 15. Jesus is the vine in which we, as believers, are to abide. When branches are living healthily with their vine, the branches produce fruit. James breaks down this flowery (pun intended) analogy.
Our belief must inform the way we live. A mental ascent to the story of Jesus will not produce works, just as a branch cut from one tree and glued onto another will not produce fruit. However, if we truly believe the Gospel, we must act out of that. We are compelled by God’s grace! The Word implanted in us will bloom into works that reveal our faith.
James is in no way disputing the truth that Paul sets forth in Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” James is offering a complement. Jesus’ sacrifice alone is the only basis for our justification. And that justification is demonstrated through our actions. Faith and works.
Questions:
- Do you tend to err more to the side of “I am saved by faith alone, no works are needed” or “My works demonstrate my faith – they are necessary” as you think of your spiritual life?
- In verse 16, James writes of someone who reacts to a cold, hungry person with the well-wish “Go in peace, be warmed and filled.” In what ways are we guilty of meeting the needs of others in this way rather than allowing our faith to bloom into works?
- Reflect on the fact that both Abraham, a religious ‘insider,’ and Rahab, an outsider, are said to be considered righteous by their works.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Week 5--Playing Favorites
Read James 2:1-13
When Katie, Michelle and I were discussing this passage, I was assigned the task of finding out what it meant to James’s readers. What we read as a scenario about a rich man and a poor man walking into a church might have meant something entirely different to the original audience.
It is helpful to know that James’s readers were, for the most part, peasants. If you were the eldest son of your family you might have owned a plot of land. All the other siblings would be involved in trade. As the poorest members of society, and as religious outcasts, it would be common for rich people to drag these believers into the secular courts.
So what is James’s sermon on favoritism all about? The two theories that prevail are:
1. This is an illustration about two men walking into a synagogue. Early church Jews hearing this letter from James would have been worshiping in a synagogue. The believers would have catered to the wealthy man because his money would help support their congregation.
2. The passage is a reference to a church court proceeding. Both men are believers; the other church members are to settle their dispute. By seating the wealthy man in the front and making the poor man sit on the floor, the people would have violated Jewish law and, without hearing a word, would have sided with the rich man.
Regardless of how you interpret the illustration, James strongly decries showing favoritism to the wealthy man. He states that favoritism is contrary to the guiding law of Christ’s kingdom, to love your neighbor as yourself (v. 8-9).
While preparing to write this, I’ve been thinking about favoritism and today’s Church. I don’t think we are as likely to make decisions about people based on wealth and poverty as James’s readers were, but we have other categories for people, don’t we? We’re more comfortable with people we perceive as being “just like us.” While I’m not saying friendship and comfort are bad things, I wonder if they ever become an impediment to ministry and if they ever oppose Christ’s command to love our neighbors.
So that we can keep tracking with James and his audience, though, let us consider an instance of outright favoritism. Think of a celebrity whom you really admire. Imagine that person walks into your church on Sunday morning. Through another door comes a family of refugees. It’s time for the greet-your-neighbor part of the service. Whose hand are you going to shake?
I know what I would do. I’d climb over three rows of people to shake hands with Bruce Springsteen. I would promise myself that I’d meet the refugees the next week. And I would go away feeling all right. After all, it’s not like I killed anyone.
James’s readers must have been a lot like me (perhaps all of us?), because after verse 9, he begins to talk about keeping the whole law. If we stumble at one point, for instance by showing preference to the Boss, we are guilty of breaking all of God’s law.
Because we are law-breakers, we are subject to judgment. James tells his readers to let the awareness of this coming judgment shape the way they speak and act. He does not tell them this to scare them into submission, but rather to point them toward freedom.
At the root of favoritism is the question, “What’s in it for me?” If we only see relationships in terms of what they can do for us, we will be mired in the present and judged in the future. On the other hand, if we are really living in Christ’s freedom, there is no need to play favorites. If we are confident in Christ’s acceptance and in His provision, we will be free to reach out to all kinds of people—not just the ones who can give us something in return.
1. I glossed over verses 5-7. Spend a few minutes pondering them, perhaps thinking of some present-day applications of them.
2. What are some categories we use to group people in our “assembly”? How have you seen these labels be detrimental to relationships and ministry?
3. Have you ever been on the wrong end of favoritism—the guy sitting on the ground? Describe the situation.
4. It would be nice to stitch “Mercy triumphs over judgment” on a pillow; doesn’t it sound nice? How would you relate it to the rest of this passage, or to the theme of favoritism in general?
When Katie, Michelle and I were discussing this passage, I was assigned the task of finding out what it meant to James’s readers. What we read as a scenario about a rich man and a poor man walking into a church might have meant something entirely different to the original audience.
It is helpful to know that James’s readers were, for the most part, peasants. If you were the eldest son of your family you might have owned a plot of land. All the other siblings would be involved in trade. As the poorest members of society, and as religious outcasts, it would be common for rich people to drag these believers into the secular courts.
So what is James’s sermon on favoritism all about? The two theories that prevail are:
1. This is an illustration about two men walking into a synagogue. Early church Jews hearing this letter from James would have been worshiping in a synagogue. The believers would have catered to the wealthy man because his money would help support their congregation.
2. The passage is a reference to a church court proceeding. Both men are believers; the other church members are to settle their dispute. By seating the wealthy man in the front and making the poor man sit on the floor, the people would have violated Jewish law and, without hearing a word, would have sided with the rich man.
Regardless of how you interpret the illustration, James strongly decries showing favoritism to the wealthy man. He states that favoritism is contrary to the guiding law of Christ’s kingdom, to love your neighbor as yourself (v. 8-9).
While preparing to write this, I’ve been thinking about favoritism and today’s Church. I don’t think we are as likely to make decisions about people based on wealth and poverty as James’s readers were, but we have other categories for people, don’t we? We’re more comfortable with people we perceive as being “just like us.” While I’m not saying friendship and comfort are bad things, I wonder if they ever become an impediment to ministry and if they ever oppose Christ’s command to love our neighbors.
So that we can keep tracking with James and his audience, though, let us consider an instance of outright favoritism. Think of a celebrity whom you really admire. Imagine that person walks into your church on Sunday morning. Through another door comes a family of refugees. It’s time for the greet-your-neighbor part of the service. Whose hand are you going to shake?
I know what I would do. I’d climb over three rows of people to shake hands with Bruce Springsteen. I would promise myself that I’d meet the refugees the next week. And I would go away feeling all right. After all, it’s not like I killed anyone.
James’s readers must have been a lot like me (perhaps all of us?), because after verse 9, he begins to talk about keeping the whole law. If we stumble at one point, for instance by showing preference to the Boss, we are guilty of breaking all of God’s law.
Because we are law-breakers, we are subject to judgment. James tells his readers to let the awareness of this coming judgment shape the way they speak and act. He does not tell them this to scare them into submission, but rather to point them toward freedom.
At the root of favoritism is the question, “What’s in it for me?” If we only see relationships in terms of what they can do for us, we will be mired in the present and judged in the future. On the other hand, if we are really living in Christ’s freedom, there is no need to play favorites. If we are confident in Christ’s acceptance and in His provision, we will be free to reach out to all kinds of people—not just the ones who can give us something in return.
1. I glossed over verses 5-7. Spend a few minutes pondering them, perhaps thinking of some present-day applications of them.
2. What are some categories we use to group people in our “assembly”? How have you seen these labels be detrimental to relationships and ministry?
3. Have you ever been on the wrong end of favoritism—the guy sitting on the ground? Describe the situation.
4. It would be nice to stitch “Mercy triumphs over judgment” on a pillow; doesn’t it sound nice? How would you relate it to the rest of this passage, or to the theme of favoritism in general?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
