월드미션프론티어

The story is told about a man who was up on the roof of his house repairing the t.v. antenna. It was a windy day so, he asked his son to tie the long rope to a secure pole. The boy did as his father asked and threw the rope up to his dad. The father tied the rope around his waist and walked across the top of the roof. What he did not know was that his son had tied the rope to the bumper of his mom's car. The mom, not realizing what was going on, got in her car and started to backed out. Fortunately, the mother stopped before the father fell off the roof. Not necessarily Kodak moments but imagine the facial expressions on the peoples.

The face expression is the mirror to our emotions and heart.

James 2:1 (NIV)

1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

The phrase, (NIV) "show favoritism" or (NRSV) "act of favoritism" and (NASV) says "an attitude of personal favoritism"

In Greek actually it is one word (Face). It is word that means an expression of our face. If I were to translate this I would say; ?my brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't reject people by your expression of your face.?

By means of facial expression the church rejected certain visitors. It was non-verbal non-acceptance. Have you ever gone somewhere you knew you weren't wanted? Nobody said a word to you that you weren't wanted. You could tell by the expression on their faces that you were out of place.

That's the way some people feel when they come to church. The sign outside may say, "Everybody welcome," but the facial expressions inside say "Only our kind of people admitted."

We are talking about something more than simple courtesy. James says, it goes to the heart of our faith in Jesus Christ.

James 2:1-4 (NIV)

1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby 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? In today's Political correct world, it seems incredible that anyone would ever act in this way.

BUT they do. But many do in churches today.

In today's scripture two men comes into the meeting. One man wears a gold ring, a sign of both wealth and position, and fine clothes He is greeted with special attention and given a good seat (the Greek can also mean, "have a seat, please" rather invitational.

While one man with shabby clothes comes to a meeting.

(The expression filthy or shabby clothes do not necessarily mean that the man's clothes needed cleaning, but more importantly his status in life. Was rejected by the church.

We would like to think that the illustration is overdrawn, but when we look into our own heart, we find that we often do make these artificial class distinctions among ourselves, and thus become judges with evil thoughts.2:4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Remember I said that face is an expression of our heart.

The phrase, "discriminated (diakrin ) among yourselves" points not only to division in the church but to division in the heart; and it can be translated, "divided within yourselves."

Spiritually I believe it speaks to us about priorities in our own life. James was not only talking about issues and the matter of our attitudes toward the wealthy or the poor but rather what filled our heart and the repetition I receive from entertaining certain guests.

If I only drive certain cars or have more money I would be complete but knowing that all these cannot and will not satisfy you but you continually pursue it bringing divisions in your heart.

We are a nation of debt. An average Americans have $10,000 credit card debt.

Crown ministry said we pay more in interest than we do for the kingdom of God.

We buy expensive cars we cannot afford, live in expensive homes we cannot afford. To live in status quo.

Did you know: If you didn't have your credit card payment of $218 a month, and you instead invested that money for 25 years you would be millionaire.