God's Regard for the Poor
Introduction:
1. James
urges Christians to pay special attention to God's favor in as much as it is
directed at the heart rather than the pocketbook.
a. Christians must pay special
attention to two things to escape favoritism.
b.
These two things are pointed out by three rhetorical questions addressing God's
regard for the poor.
2. Let us examine God's choices
through one's faith and love.
3. This
examination will teach us; one, the necessity of faith and two, the requirement
of love in regards to salvation.
I) Pay Special Attention to God's
Choice (v. 5)
A) God Choose the Poor
1. God choose the poor to be the
possessors of the blessings of his kingdom.
a. This choice by God is evident in the
fact that more poor people serve God than rich people.
b. Evidence of this choice is shown
further by the fact that the Gospel was prophesied to go to the poor and was
fulfilled.
(i)
Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound;
(ii)
Matt
11:5 - The blind receive their sight, and
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised
up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
2. Because of their faith.
a. Verse 5 does not assert that God
chose people because they are poor; but that the poor are more likely to rich
in faith.
(i) Poverty is not a blessing nor is
Wealth a sin.
(ii) Rich have a greater temptation.
b. Rich in faith speaks of the
character of the heart.
(i) A heart that is rich is one that is
fertile.
(ii) Fertile enough to allow the word of
God to be planted and watered so that God can give the increase ( 1 Cor 3:6)
3. Because of their love for God.
a. One cannot comment on the importance
of Love.
(i) It is the foundation of man's
salvation.
(ii) Love must be shown by action by both
God and man
b. God chose to show it by sacrificing
His Son and man shows it by obedience to God's commands.
(i) John 14:15
(ii) God recognizes that love puts one in
a proper relationship with the fath.
B) Man Must Choose the Poor
1. We cannot reverse God's favor.
a. The reasons for God's favor must
become out reasons to favor the poor.
(i) Since God has chosen the poor they
must be the focus of the church.
(ii) For the poor in the community must
be the object of benevolence, ministry, and evangelism if we are going to
follow God's example.
b. Reversing God's favor puts man in
opposition to God's will.
(i) The Christians to whom James wrote
were in this very position.
(ii) Their favor to the rich and contempt
for the poor is sinful.
(iii) These Christian fell from grace and
need to repent and so do those that operate against God.
2. We must choose according to faith
and love.
a. Since God observes the condition of
the heart then we must look through the outward into the inward.
(i) It is our responsibility to plant
the seed of God and water it.
(ii) To do this we must go out and find
people who want to hear the Gospel of Christ.
b. Faith and Love come by the word of
God.
(i) Romans 10:17
(ii) 1 John 2:5 - But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know that we are in him.
II) This is Why You Must Pay Special
Attention to Whom You Honor (v.6, 7)
A) Honoring the rich lacks good
judgment.
1. Rich are the one's seeking legal
action without precedent. (v. 6)
a. It is folly at the very foundation
to be so contradictory.
(i) The rich are the one's taking you to
court to take your money.
(ii) You are the one that are giving them
honor and respect simply because they are rich.
b. These Christians were approving of
the work of Satan.
(i) Oppression by the Jews in legal
matters was performed against the will of the defendants.
(ii) Acts 10:38 - How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:
who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil;
for God was with him.
(iii) The actions of these heartless rich
people were comparable to that of the devil himself.
2. Rich are the one's using their power
and influence to persecute you.
a. Acts 4:13 - Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge
of them, that they had been with Jesus.
(i) The perception of the rich men in
Jerusalem caused them to try and rule over the apostles.
(ii) They attempted to silence these so
called ignorant men through the oppressive nature of the Pharisee's law.
(iii) This law was designed to bring
prominence to the Pharisee and is in direct opposition to God, that is why
Christ pronounced woes and curses upon these sinful men.
B) Honoring the rich burdens you.
1. Favoring the rich prevents joy in
persecution.
a. Christians will be persecuted.
(i) This is a fact of life that must be
understood and accepted by Christians the world over.
(ii) This is why James sought to
encourage the brethren to count it all joy when persecution comes upon them
( James 1:2)
b. Courting the rich is tiresome and
expensive.
(i) The burden here is emotional in that
it creates tension and anger when the persecution continues.
(ii) The expense it takes to woo the rich
takes a toll on the pocketbook.
2. Actions put one at variance to the
will of God.
a. These Christians had burdened
themselves by their sin.
(i) The favoritism toward the rich
caused them to fall from grace.
(ii) Sin, therefore, was heaped upon them
as was the death to follow from an unrepentant heart.
b. God's justice requires punishment
for the guilty.
C) Honoring the rich speaks evil
against you.
1. Rich were slandering the name you
wear, Christian.
a. We must be aware of the contempt the
rich have for the badge we wear.
(i) God's name is excellent and worthy
of glory and praise.
(ii) To hear someone slander that name
should be like a curse about your mother.
b. Habitual slander
(i) The implication is that this
happened all the time.
(ii) It was public and the slanders had
no shame in doing so.
2. Rich were undermining the authority
of Christ.
a. What does it say about the person
who allows the badge they wear to be spat upon?
(i) Men have died and been beaten for
that name.
(ii) God's only Son was hung upon the
cross for that name.
b. Shame, Shame, Shame.
(i) Woes and curses should be pronounced
upon that individual who allows such slander to continue.
(ii) Not only does it besmirch their
Christianity but it smears mine and yours.
(iii) Allowing such slander ruins the
influence of Christians in their mission to seek and save the lost.
III) This is Why You Must Pay Special
Attention to Yourselves
A) You must have faith.
1. Shows the condition of the heart.
a. This is what God looks at.
b.
Mark 7:20-23 - And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil
things come from within, and defile the man.
c. This is what God honors.
d.
Psalm 84:11 - For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will
give grace and glory: no good thing
will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
2. Shows the life you are willing to
live.
a. A life reliant upon God's word.
b.
Psalm 56:4 - In God I will praise his word, in
God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
c. A life dependent upon God's justice.
d. Heb 2:2-4 - For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if
we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the
Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them
witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of
the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
B) You must have love.
1. Love means obedience.
a. We cannot say it enough.
b. If we love God then we will obey Him
( John 14:21)
2. Love that is given to all.
a. 2 Pet 3:9
b. John 3:16 - Beginning of the Plan of
Salvation
Conclusion:
1. Don't be
like these Christians; see the hearts of men and seek to teach them the love of
God.
2. Grow
your faith and love so that you will escape the traps that Satan has set for
you.
3. If faith
and love are not a part of your life then you need salvation.
Posted in: Book of James, Sermon Outlines