Psalm 136:1-26 ESV

(1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

(2) Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

(3) Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(4) to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(5) to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(6) to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(7) to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(8) the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(9) the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(10) to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(11) and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(12) with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(13) to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(14) and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(15) but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(16) to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(17) to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(18) and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(19) Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(20) and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(21) and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(22) a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.

(23) It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(24) and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;

(25) he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.

(26) Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

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[00:00] So yeah, we're gonna read
[00:02] What is on 136? I think and we're just gonna do responsive reading anybody want to take the lead on the responsive reading
[00:08] Mike I see you being volunteered
[00:13] So you're gonna read the letters in white
[00:25] We'll read the letters in yellow or gold or whatever that is and it's just a whole chapter
[00:30] It just basically talks about the steadfast love God stud steadfast love endures forever
[00:35] Well, you'll get used to that phrase by the end of this chapter. All right, cuz he uses it a lot. So Mike
[00:41] Give thanks to the Lord for he's good for steadfast love endures forever
[00:46] Give thanks to the God of God for his steadfast love endures forever
[00:53] Give thanks to the Lord of lords for steadfast love endures forever
[00:57] Him who alone does great wonders for his steadfast love endures forever
[01:03] To him who by understanding made the heavens for steadfast love
[01:09] To him who spread out the earth above the waters for his steadfast love endures forever
[01:16] To him who made the great lights for a steadfast love endures forever
[01:23] The Sun to rule over the day for his steadfast love endures forever
[01:28] The moon and stars to rule over the night for a steadfast love endures forever
[01:35] To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt for his steadfast love endures forever
[01:41] And brought Israel out from among them for a steadfast love endures forever
[01:48] With a strong hand and an outstretched arm for his steadfast love endures forever
[01:54] The head who divided the Red Sea into two for a steadfast love endures forever and
[02:01] Made Israel pass through the midst of it for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:07] But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:15] To him who led his people through the wilderness for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:21] The him who struck down great kings for his steadfast love endures forever and
[02:28] Killed mighty kings for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:32] Silent King of
[02:36] Armorites for his steadfast love endures forever an
[02:41] Odd king of Mashan for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:45] He gave their land as a heritage for his steadfast love endures for us a
[02:51] Heritage to Israel his servant for his steadfast love endures forever
[02:56] It is he who remembered us in our lowest state for his steadfast love endures forever
[03:03] And rescued us from our foes for his steadfast love endures forever
[03:11] And gives us food to all flesh for a steadfast love
[03:15] Give thanks to the God of heaven for his steadfast love
[03:20] Amen now interesting isn't that passage where he talks about his creation his
[03:28] Steadfast love that endures forever the killing of the firstborn the killing of kings
[03:34] But yet because of his steadfast love endures forever. I just find that passage that chapter fascinating
[03:40] because
[03:42] Of maybe the contrast of things that we would expect to see
[03:45] his steadfast love in
[03:48] Creation the Sun the stars the moon and say Wow for his steadfast love but then we see things that we may not expect
[03:54] Right the things that God does is because his indoor his his steadfast love endures forever even things that were like well
[04:02] When he when God does them it's it for different reasons than what we were doing for anyway, amen anyway
[04:10] So today, um
[04:11] We're gonna do something a little different. I'm gonna guess some of you if not, most of you won't be fans, but it's okay
[04:16] Going outside our comfort zone right and our normal traditions is can be a good thing. All right, so we're gonna do that a little bit today
[04:24] You know I
[04:31] We've been obviously we did a little bit of this one first started and then we got away from it and just went fully
[04:37] You know just preaching preaching and it's great, you know, if you know me at all, you know, I believe that we are to preach the word
[04:43] Paul tells them preach the word and so we want to be that kind of church and today we'll do a little bit of that
[04:48] but really
[04:49] What we're gonna do is I mean, we're gonna go through this passage
[04:53] Alright, we're in James chapter 2 1 through 13 James after 2 1 through 13 and then I'm gonna ask some questions
[05:00] And that you guys are gonna break off into little groups and you're gonna answer those questions based on scriptural answers
[05:07] All right, so it's funny because when I tell people about small group stuff
[05:11] Ram and I, you know, he comes from a church plan Philly
[05:13] That's where they came from and you know
[05:15] they they had small groups and they started their church and homes and they moved to a building and they kind of the opposite of
[05:19] Us and then but they still had small groups and man if you ever you want to know somebody's disdain for
[05:25] Small group settings and the answers that come from there sometimes that's not fully the thing don't there's no
[05:34] He has a disdain for the answers that are sometimes given in small groups. No, not the small group itself
[05:39] Is that when people go well, I think right
[05:44] Right, we don't care what you think, okay
[05:48] We care what you think if it's based on scripture
[05:51] Right and a lot of times that we don't get that and you know people I get it
[05:55] Some people are thinking they think it's scripture when it's really just their social media theology that they got and so they sometimes
[06:01] Mistake that but you know, anyway, we're gonna be in little groups. These are pretty relatively easy questions
[06:07] I'm not trying to trick anybody or and if you don't know and we come back to it, that's okay
[06:11] I'll get I have the answers
[06:12] It's not like I'm waiting to hear what the answers are and I need you know
[06:15] We I put the time in I could preach a sermon on this passage with no problem here today, but
[06:20] Why do that when we can have more fun gathering together? So what the way it's gonna work is
[06:25] What's that?
[06:27] No, no, here's the key the key is just to make sure it's you know
[06:37] It had scriptural backing if it didn't answer now, you know
[06:40] Some of these like one of the questions I already give it to you an advance just so that you can be thinking
[06:44] We're talking about this this passage is talking about partiality
[06:47] Right and it was interesting cuz I like when I first read it and I read it over and that's what I try to do
[06:52] It's just read it over a bunch of times and I think all of us do that who speak, you know
[06:56] Just try to read it and pray over it. I was like really, you know
[06:59] It's really impressive for them
[07:03] Yes
[07:04] Cuz you know you're like, you know if you understand the time frame that it was in when it was written who he's writing to
[07:09] You're like, okay that that makes sense. But for us really partially, but as you read the entire passage, you're like, oh, yeah
[07:15] Yeah, okay. Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah, we really probably need this
[07:20] At least a lot, you know all of us in some form which the word of God never returned void
[07:24] And so we know that to be the case anyway
[07:26] but then I thought man some of these some of these things in here would be better suited for
[07:32] You to come up with on your own like to think about this then me just saying well, you know
[07:38] Here's what this means or here's what he's trying to say. So
[07:40] Anyway, we'll give it a shot and the ways I'm not assigning groups
[07:44] You guys are just gonna kind of gather and how many we have here. We got six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirty
[07:49] Twenty one twenty two so groups of you know, six or seven or whatever something like that, you know
[07:56] Preferably
[07:58] Preferably, you know you kind of get outside your comfort zone
[08:01] I'm not gonna make anybody move from one area to that but you know if you kind of like, you know
[08:06] Like a whole family here probably not the best probably gonna have to split up a little bit
[08:08] Right Benny Benny loves that. He loves this idea. He's already so excited. I could tell oh you have a name
[08:15] Anyway, it really doesn't matter. However, you divide up. It's you know, we're we just want to go through this passage
[08:33] looking at what God's saying see what you guys think about some things and then
[08:37] You know and I'll kind of interject as we yeah, we're straight. Yeah, if it's wrong
[08:42] I have full confidence that you guys are straight me out. So it's good
[08:46] All right, so let's read we're in we're just gonna take this in two sections really we're gonna start with one through seven
[08:51] And then we'll do eight through thirteen
[08:53] So, let me read actually let's pray for now let's read all right, um, yeah, okay anyway my brothers
[09:02] Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory
[09:08] For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man and shabby clothes also comes in
[09:15] and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say you sit here in a good place while you say
[09:20] It's the poor man. You stand over there or sit down at my feet
[09:23] Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and because judges with evil thoughts?
[09:27] Listen, my beloved brothers has not got chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
[09:36] Which he has promised to those who love him
[09:38] But you have dishonored the poor man and not the rich ones who oppose you who oppress you and the ones who drag you into
[09:45] Court are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
[09:51] My very fascinating passage. All right, the more you read it, you know when you first to me when I first read it again
[09:56] I'm just like, you know, but the more you dig into it, you're like, okay
[10:00] A lot of stuff there. And so right off the bat, I
[10:05] Got some questions for you. And so you may want to write these down
[10:07] You might want to write them on your phone or if you can remember I can give them to you again when you get your
[10:11] Groups, okay, if you need the first one is based on this first verse. What is partiality?
[10:17] Okay, what is partiality?
[10:19] Kind of give us a definition that then
[10:22] Right. Why does James because look at what it says my brother show no partiality as you hold the faith
[10:28] why does James mention faith in Jesus after partiality and
[10:33] Use the term Lord of glory
[10:35] And what do you think and in this case think about your faith?
[10:39] Can I think about like what that means think about who the Lord of glory is right? That's kind of the hand like it
[10:45] I'm not trying to trick you. I know that you're saying well, it's kind of deep. No, it's not it really is
[10:48] Okay, so don't you don't worry about going too deep here. All right, these the reason why he can write to these people
[10:54] All right, those who are scattered about
[10:56] Scattered and say, you know, think about your faith that you hold the faith
[11:02] Right in our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory
[11:05] Right he can and they'll know what that means is cuz we like we should know what that means
[11:10] Right without and so just think of those three things just kind of gather however, you feel comfortable gathering, you know again
[11:17] I'm not gonna I prefer if it was like one whole family don't gather like that
[11:20] But if that's what you want to do, I'm not gonna say otherwise. All right, let's do this. I gotta be honest
[11:25] I love it here some of the conversations. That's fun. Huh? Good stuff
[11:29] Like yeah, love it. All right. Let's talk about the first question
[11:34] Easiest one probably what is what's a definition or whatever of partiality?
[11:40] Yeah favoritism good anybody else come up with anything else
[11:44] Okay, yeah picking somebody based on their appearance, right
[11:49] Yeah, okay. Yeah, baby. Yeah. All right
[11:53] Basically given special treatment to something some kind of person or group right based on something that shouldn't probably matter
[12:00] Okay, maybe they're money. Maybe it looks maybe you know, they're standing their hair or lack thereof
[12:06] Yeah, they always want I mean, I love Chris both because he's like my he's like he's a little bit older than me
[12:12] Not much but a little than me and he has so much nicer hair than I do
[12:15] You know, so I hold him up here where everybody else all you other poor guys
[12:19] You're down here
[12:21] All right, good no good. Um, so right off the bat he says show no favoritism as
[12:29] You hold the faith right in our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory
[12:35] Why is he why is he reminding them and why is he saying hey don't show favoritism as?
[12:40] You know as you hold on to your faith, so he's speaking to obviously people we know this other believers
[12:46] Why why is he why is he bringing that into it? Why not? Just say
[12:50] show no partiality show no favoritism because
[12:53] Not showing favoritism. That's just a good thing in general, but ultimately it should be an outgrowth
[12:58] Good. All right. Excellent. Yes. What else?
[13:02] Good one
[13:05] Is that we're basically what everybody came up with I mean, maybe it's everybody came with it, right
[13:10] I
[13:12] Got that but they had a lot to say
[13:20] As we're holding our faith we should be
[13:33] treating people in a way that Jesus
[13:36] How to treat people and be reminded that we were all in the barriers and therefore our
[13:41] Distinction should be based on worldly factors. I said we should look at everybody
[13:47] Amen good both. Yeah, you guys have anything different with that basically
[13:52] Okay, yeah faith in Christ right and the idea of this is our faith
[13:59] Well, we understand our faith in Christ that comes with responsibilities, right? We live our faith, right?
[14:05] We act out our faith. We speak our faith
[14:07] That's what partiality doesn't fit into that right when that's what you guys are saying
[14:11] like there's no place for favoritism when we're living our faith in Christ Jesus, but then he says
[14:15] Our Lord, it says our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. Why is he reminding us or telling us about the Lord of glory?
[14:24] That's just seems weird, right? Cuz he doesn't do that in other sections of
[14:28] Jane but here he does and he's reminding us. Anybody know why why you think that is?
[14:33] I don't know what I'm gonna say this out loud. This is how I wrote it. But I had a lot of answers coming in as well.
[14:45] The old Paul judgment and his glory isn't based on how we judge. Okay, good. Yeah, good
[14:50] What else
[14:54] Okay, you didn't get that fine. That's fine. That's fine. That's that's no big deal
[14:58] I know you guys have some good discussion. I felt like there was really good discussion over here
[15:01] I couldn't hear what you guys saying but I was here
[15:03] Read that yeah
[15:20] This verse contains a very strong affirmation of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
[15:25] It may be translated in our Lord Jesus Christ of glory the use of the title Lord and the association of our Lord
[15:33] But the glory of God the Shekinah made clear James's witness to the Lord's deity
[15:38] Furthermore the reference to respect of person persons indicates that all earthly distinctions disappear in the presence of Christ
[15:47] Yes, love that love that all of it is true the deity
[15:51] Reminding them who they're serving who their faith is in
[15:55] Right who our faith is in the Lord of glory, but also that last part is literally, I mean, that's spot-on
[16:02] right, I mean
[16:05] we should not care as
[16:07] Those who are serving the Lord of glory and reminding of who he is
[16:12] And all of us now that are in faith in him. We should not care what a person looks like
[16:17] We should not care what a person how much in person money how much?
[16:21] Money they have how what job status they have none of that
[16:24] What should matter is that they are also partakers in the Lord of glory, right?
[16:29] When we start making any man or woman's outward appearance or their, you know worldly possessions
[16:37] the measure kind of of
[16:40] Our respect maybe to them. That's a problem
[16:45] right because the Lord of glory right is the one above all and
[16:50] Everybody below him which is all of us in our faith are not here
[16:54] And so we look at everybody understanding or look at really speaking to Christians to Christians, right?
[17:01] Not that we should do that with anyway, but Christians of Christians, right?
[17:04] We don't want to we don't want to look at people and face our respect on them based on anything other than their faith
[17:10] in Christ the Lord of glory, you know, so
[17:13] That's right and you think about the sheet even TV shows, right? I mean
[17:19] Kardashians or whatever, you know, these are people who I have lots of money and have done nothing really to accomplish nothing
[17:25] But they have a lot of money a lot of fame and people are zoned in because of that reason
[17:30] You know, so yeah great great answers. Okay, so say where you are
[17:33] I'm gonna read we're gonna keep going verse 2 says this he gives an example, right?
[17:37] So he's talking about show no favoritism now
[17:39] Here's what that looks like for you guys because this is what you're doing
[17:42] He says for if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing
[17:47] Also comes in and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say you sit here in a good place
[17:51] Well, you say to a poor man you stand over there or sit down at my feet
[17:53] Have you not then made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
[17:59] Right on that he's just basically just using some imagery an example of this rich man having you know
[18:06] Cuz back then they would be at fine gold and earrings and all this stuff the clothes, you know would be set apart
[18:12] But then he talks about shabby clothes
[18:14] He's really he's really talking about when he's talking about poor is like beggar status
[18:18] Okay, like really like rough shape and then he shows like how they're doing how they're giving respect to the rich man and
[18:25] putting down the poor man
[18:28] But look what he says in verse 4. This is really what I want to get to here
[18:31] Have you not then made the distinctions among yourselves and become judge with evil thoughts?
[18:38] All right
[18:41] He's saying that those right that these people have become judges with evil thoughts and I want you to think about that
[18:46] This work evil in there
[18:49] Wicked terrible bio
[18:53] All right
[18:55] I'm saying that's where I was like when I really kept reading that and that just kept sticking because there's been times
[19:00] You know that there's people you know, and and and he's saying hey be careful
[19:05] Be careful, right that that these evil thoughts are evident
[19:11] In their life by their partiality that they're showing
[19:14] Right their evil thoughts are evident by their partiality that they're showing to people or you know
[19:21] To the rich people in this case. So here's the questions. Okay. Here's the question you guys discuss
[19:26] What are some forms of partiality in the church today? It could be our church
[19:31] It could be the Big C church right overall. We've all been part of churches. Let me give you an example real quick
[19:36] I was part of a church loved the church. It was a church. I came, you know back to God in and convict
[19:41] You know
[19:41] We were God used the church and speaks preaching to bring me back from wandering for years and brought me back and set me on a different
[19:48] Path right so I have a love for this church
[19:50] But as I was there longer and they got bigger and bigger
[19:53] It would seen a pride had set in and some things were going a little crazy at this church
[19:58] Okay, but one of the things they did was invite all the big givers
[20:02] the big givers
[20:04] To a dinner. All right
[20:06] special invitation super nice card
[20:09] That's a problem. Okay, that's a problem
[20:12] They recognize that problem because then people the big givers like what are you doing? It ended up? What's that?
[20:18] My mother the reason why I know is because my mother law
[20:26] You know, she had her husband died and she had gotten some insurance money and you know after it was settled
[20:32] She wanted to give the rest of it to the church not and she was a widow and she had not a lot of money
[20:36] But she wanted to give this, you know
[20:37] She was the church and had to play a big role in her and Laurie's dad's
[20:41] Lies and played a huge role. So she gave it and so then she was on the big giver list and so they invited her
[20:46] All right. Um, and that's how we found out about it, you know, and she thought it was terrible and she didn't
[20:51] People know so anyway, that's that's what I'm talking about. That's just one example. Maybe you have an example
[20:59] Maybe you've been shown partiality. Maybe you've been on the outer, you know, the opposite end
[21:03] You've seen it and then you've been left out, you know
[21:06] So I want those two things one
[21:09] What forms of partiality in the church today? What are there?
[21:12] Have you seen a witness that you know, we want to be specific because it's not always rich for that case
[21:16] It's kind of was right, but it's not always that other area
[21:19] So what are those other areas and then have you experienced partiality in the church yourself?
[21:26] And if you have kind of give a little bit, you know, maybe it's only one person in your group and then why is partiality
[21:31] So evil in God's sight why is partially so evil? I mean it's he's talking about like
[21:36] You become judges with evil thoughts and he uses that word evil and that's not by accident
[21:40] Right. That is a very strong word in this New Testament's evil, right and you're thinking again, you know wicked terrible vile
[21:48] Right. So he has real problem here with this. Okay. So what why is God like, you know, really saying hey, what's going on?
[21:55] This is not right. Okay. Alright, go ahead discuss if you need more help with the questions. I'll be glad to repeat them or whatever
[22:01] All right, let's bring it back if you didn't finish that's okay. Well, we'll get the rest of them
[22:08] Or if you have thoughts and you didn't get to share your thoughts answer share them here
[22:22] What are forms what are some forms that you've seen and you know forms of partiality that we see in the church today anybody
[22:29] You know, that's more of a subjective answer kind of thing, you know, so, oh, you know, what are you what are your thoughts there?
[22:36] Okay
[22:40] We said extroverted people are
[22:42] Yes
[22:49] And then we have people who are successful with this brother also
[22:52] Yes, that's I've seen that actually I didn't even think of that one. That's a good one. Yeah
[22:58] Yeah, wow, yeah, those are great those are two ones I'm not great in the or you know
[23:07] I mean great answers, but yeah and all too common, right?
[23:10] How do you think and and I'm not gonna get a long discussion about this
[23:14] But I will definitely ask you more about it if you give an answer that you know, I'm not sure
[23:18] How do you think we do as a church as far as partiality?
[23:20] You think we're you know in any in any of those forms that maybe some of you come up with and what you've heard
[23:26] Or what he's speaking here of do you think that we seem to be doing we're not
[23:30] You know, I we all kind of look the same
[23:44] Why cuz we're a white church is that why it was that what you mean by that we're a white church is that what you mean by that
[23:49] Yeah, like there's not a huge economical right difference in between right, right
[23:59] Right
[24:14] I think
[24:16] To the extrovert introvert thing there's roles for both and what we do right because everybody has to do something
[24:28] So introvert can be a great cook where the extrovert is green people that are speaking
[24:32] Right, like so there's just different roles for everybody to be involved in and thank you
[24:37] I think one of the things that that said was that some have
[24:40] the answer for the question of partiality was there's some churches that play
[24:44] Well, I mean again and I just speak into that these two groups Jamie, I've asked Jamie about this
[25:04] But it's because been doing it for so long and he said you have two separate churches and that's what you have to understand
[25:09] You know, yes, it's one church to come together
[25:11] But on Sundays your two separate churches the fact he said that you're teaching the same thing and trying to go through is great
[25:17] He said they don't do that anymore. They just saw their leaders just decide what they're gonna teach and that's it and
[25:21] And he said that might be a mistake to be honest
[25:24] He said because we don't know whatever their people are learning and teach, you know, that kind of thing. He said so
[25:27] But you know back to that idea that yes, we are two different groups and as such, you know
[25:34] Yeah, they have obviously closeness but they get together all the time. We have a closer till we get together
[25:38] so I don't think that's necessarily bad thing, but yeah anyway great answers anybody else that wanted to talk about the real I wanted to
[25:44] get to like
[25:45] Experience it like did you have you experienced it yourself?
[25:48] And if you have just I'd be interested in hearing how you know, I mean I've seen it
[25:54] I don't feel like I've experienced it unless it was because sometimes you don't know your experience it
[25:59] I'm more of the extrovert as he was talking about
[26:01] So I've always kind of people have put me in a role because I'm an extrovert. And so maybe that's
[26:06] Right. That's that's the thing and you're like, you know, and so people put you in a role though
[26:11] Maybe the role is because you know, whatever they've seen something in you
[26:14] They think that you'd be good at this role. Whereas another person doesn't want anything to do with that role
[26:18] You know, I don't know, you know, so maybe I maybe I have I just don't know anybody else
[26:31] Which is one of the reasons that we left our church that I had brought up in was
[26:36] Prejudice
[26:39] We had right across the street. We had a group of homeless people that lived in the woods and
[26:44] They would come
[26:47] Occasionally would try to come to church and we have people to ask
[26:51] Yeah, that's a severe case of marshality, right? Yeah
[26:58] Yeah, God, I mean and that's gets me to my next question, right wise person is so evil in God's sight
[27:04] I mean you can almost just see it but that right that becomes very obvious because but does anybody have more of a specific answer?
[27:11] That's okay
[27:13] They kind of
[27:22] I got because they were
[27:24] I know they just kind of went down upon anybody whether you know, they already went to church or not
[27:32] They were like, you know, they're minister everybody, but I don't know it was just
[27:36] Just put a bad face in my mouth which is how they just perceived everybody and how they were just you know
[27:44] Just holding themselves really high. I would like to have a soul right? So
[27:49] Yeah, and that makes you and partially I was gonna make the person not when you know
[27:53] It's there and exists and you're not part of this in group or these in people is gonna make you feel certain kind of way
[27:57] Which then brings me again to this question
[27:59] Why is partiality so evil in God's light? Like why is he saying these you know, this this is evil thoughts
[28:06] And when you're being partial to some
[28:10] You're putting yourself above
[28:17] Yeah
[28:25] Yes, yes, I wrote that down partiality shows of selfishness right because that's basic
[28:36] Right, it's gonna what can I get from this? Right? No disunity. I put verse
[28:41] Right. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, if you understood the big picture, especially who you are in Christ Jesus
[28:47] That's what brings us back to verse 1 then right?
[28:50] Why am I gonna show partiality then because I'm nobody except what why am Christ, right?
[28:56] But I put down verse 1st, Samuel 16 7 remember he's looking for a king
[29:00] Samuel's looking for a king and he thinks you know
[29:03] He found him and God's I know that your problem and people he goes he wrote, right?
[29:08] the Lord does not see as man sees man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the
[29:12] The heart right God looks at the heart. That's what we should be trying to see in people not their outward, you know
[29:19] Successes or money or whatever that whatever the whatever the case may be great answer by the way, but go ahead
[29:26] somebody
[29:28] That's a great answer it's command
[29:35] All right, I love it sometimes it's just simple God sent it do it or don't do it right simple as that
[29:44] That's great. I love it. All right. Let's keep going and I by the way, I told I told Christine
[29:49] I texted Christina and said hey the kids need to come down. Just let them down. We're just having discussion
[29:53] So there she's not trapped up there with them in case anybody cares. All right, um
[29:56] He goes listen, my beloved brothers has not got chosen
[30:00] This is verse 5 through 7 not chosen the poor in the world
[30:02] To be be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to love them
[30:07] But you have dishonored his poor man. He gives the example and I can read that again because really we're gonna spend it mostly
[30:11] I'm 5
[30:13] He said the poor are chosen to be rich in faith
[30:17] That's your question, what does he mean?
[30:23] Well, what does what is James trying to say that God has chosen think about that statement, right?
[30:29] He's a listen my beloved brothers, right again
[30:32] He wants he wants them to know that he loves them. He cares for them and he says then has not God chosen
[30:38] Those chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
[30:44] Which he has promised to those who love him
[30:47] The poor he has chosen to pour the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
[30:52] What's that mean? He has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
[30:58] So go ahead talk about that one. That's it. That's an interesting one. We really think about he has chosen
[31:02] I need those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
[31:09] All right. What's that mean? All right. Let's bring this in. Let's bring this in
[31:15] What do you got
[31:17] Say the poor are chosen to be rich. Right basically in faith
[31:21] What's going on there? Anybody?
[31:24] Yeah, he's definitely using there's lots of there's lots of sermon on the Mount
[31:42] You know, basically passages here that he's he's gaining from not only that also in other parts of Matthew
[31:48] But you know, he he talks about
[31:50] This because you mentioned it
[31:53] Let me see. Do I have it here? Yeah. Yeah Matthew 11, right?
[31:56] And he says this in chapter 4 or verse 5
[32:00] He says the blind received their sight and the lame walk lepers all cleanse and the deaf here and and the dead are raised up
[32:06] And the poor have good news preached to him
[32:09] All right, the good news of the gospel of being preached the poor
[32:12] All right, interesting. Go ahead. What else you got?
[32:15] Yeah
[32:18] Yeah, so like the people
[32:20] Said rich in this instance, right? They think they have everything before people don't so like they don't have
[32:26] Mmm, that's a good one
[32:31] Right
[32:33] Dad you're basically theologian. I wrote down a quote from F. D. Meyer. He's a he's a theologian, right great theologian of the gospel
[32:57] He says this
[33:00] He said
[33:02] The rich man, oh he goes therefore
[33:05] They are chosen to be rich in faith because the poor of this world simply have more opportunities to trust God
[33:10] Therefore they may be far more rich in faith than the rich man. The rich man may trust him the poor man must
[33:17] Trust him. The poor man has no fortress in which to hide except the two strong arms of God
[33:23] You wrote that bad long time ago
[33:27] That was great. Yes. It's excellent. What else anything else?
[33:31] I
[33:42] Wrote down another room from Meyer. He just said there is nothing that men dread more than poverty
[33:47] They will break every commandment right rather than before but it is God's chosen lot
[33:52] He had one opportunity only of living our life and he chose to be born of parents to poor
[33:57] To present more than two doves as a presentation in the temple
[34:00] Right. That's the lot. He chose to be born in one time and he chose to be born poor
[34:05] He has an affinity a love for the poor
[34:09] Right. I mean and so when we think about that
[34:14] That's not the world and right Chris you say like a lot of this stuff is a worldly view the worldview is kind of we don't
[34:20] Really they don't pay attention to world. You think politics you think almost anything. Everything's about right who has the money
[34:26] right and
[34:27] And I think I heard you say the guy likes to turn things upside down, right?
[34:31] He puts things just turns it around so it's complete opposite of what the world says
[34:35] And so Jesus is hanging if you watch Jesus wife. He's hanging with who all the rich people. No
[34:42] He's hanging out with the poor people the ones who are not just
[34:46] poor in spirit, but also just literally physically poor and calling them to repentance also and
[34:52] It is if you go in church history back into church history, right?
[34:56] Comparatively speaking and
[34:59] This goes a little chat with saying poor men and women jet are more receptive to the gospel
[35:04] Than rich men because rich people think they have it all right? And so he's saying he's chosen, right?
[35:10] The poor of this world the poor of this world
[35:14] To be rich in faith and we see that right? Awesome. All right, let's keep going real quick. We're almost done
[35:22] He says this in verse 8 if you really fulfill the royal law according to Scripture
[35:26] What's the royal law that's here?
[35:28] You shall love your neighbor as yourself you are doing well
[35:30] But if you show partiality you're committing sin and are convicted by the laws transgressors
[35:34] Grand gestures for whoever keeps the whole law but fails at one point has become guilty of all of it for he said for he
[35:40] Who said do not commit adultery all said do not murder if you do not commit adultery
[35:43] But do murder you have become a trans repressor of the law
[35:46] So speak and act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty
[35:51] Let's stop right there because I use verse 13 kind of and so on although it kind of goes but okay
[35:56] So there's a lot there basically what James is doing
[35:59] He knows what the answer is gonna be to some of these things that he's saying
[36:01] Hey, don't don't show partiality to rich people right and what James is gonna do is he's heading off a question
[36:06] He's heading off what they're not a question of basically what they're gonna say you're gonna say
[36:10] Oh, I'm just loving the rich man because he's my neighbor, right?
[36:13] And so James you guys before you say that right? Let me show you what what what you're saying
[36:18] You're saying oh you're loving him because your neighbor
[36:20] But then you're showing disdain for the poor and you're setting the rich up above him guess what?
[36:25] You've basically broken the whole law anyway by claiming that you're following the law
[36:29] All right, make sense kind of speaking fast, but I want to make sure I get that right
[36:33] So he's saying listen, you know, you're showing partiality
[36:36] You are committing sin and are convicted by the laws transgressor and then he goes into an example of you know
[36:41] Adultery murder because it's so ridiculous. All right, you can't say I committed one and I'm good
[36:46] Even though I did the other right and he wants to make it kind of like this is such a ridiculous statement that you're about
[36:51] To tell me that oh, okay
[36:53] You're friends with the rich because you love them and you're trying to love your neighbor as Christ has said in the royal law
[36:59] And he's gone really that's what that's that's your that's what you're coming up with
[37:03] and so
[37:09] And I think it's easy, let's stay let's stay let's I want to hear it right from you guys right now
[37:13] I got into your groups
[37:14] Why is he using this commandment that Jesus said is the greatest commandment because they all kind of fall in line with this one
[37:21] Love your neighbor, right?
[37:23] And you guys know that I'm not you know, the whole man
[37:26] Why is he using this though in and I've given you some of the answer to talk about partiality
[37:32] Why do you think?
[37:35] I
[37:37] Want to say you know, you think okay our church I think we do fairly well, we don't you know, I wouldn't say well
[38:04] even in outside of our church in our own lives, we do this right we and we use
[38:09] Commandments as Brooks just said kind of sometimes, you know to say to justify
[38:14] Although we would never say it and maybe we don't even know that we do justifying sin in our life
[38:18] Just like they're doing they're justifying
[38:21] Right, they're justifying their sin by using a commandment that got the Christ gave. It's like that's terrible, right?
[38:29] But that's what they're doing. And so we want to be very alert to that
[38:34] Like when we say oh, you know, like we go back to loving your neighbor, right?
[38:37] Well, I hang out with all my unsafe friends. Yeah, I go to bars. I get trashed
[38:41] I get drunk, you know because I'm just loving them as you know, if this Christ told me to love them
[38:44] Christ hung out with sinners to call them to repentance. He didn't become a sinner or act like the sinner
[38:50] Right and I see that's a big one even in the church, right?
[38:53] We have unsafe friends and if you were to say that hey, you have a lot of unsafe friends and you really you know
[38:57] You're kind of acting like you're unsafe friends
[39:00] I'm just loving them, right? They're my neighbor, right? I don't want to be judged. You can't judge. I want judge
[39:04] I'm just okay, but why are you living like that?
[39:07] Right, you're using a command of God to justify your sin
[39:13] Right. That's a great evil. It goes with this whole idea of evil. And so that's what they were doing. That's what we do sometimes I
[39:20] Say man, be careful of that
[39:23] Right, and that's why we pray
[39:25] Search me Oh God
[39:28] Because sometimes we don't like we don't really know
[39:30] we think we're doing a good thing that we kind of search me Oh God and know my heart and then
[39:33] convict me of that heart
[39:36] Right know my heart and convict me of what I where I'm where I'm wrong where I'm sinning
[39:41] Because I want to live the life for you in verse 1 in my faith for the Lord of Glory
[39:48] All right. Lastly, it says this
[39:51] So speak and act as those who are to be judged under law of Liberty
[39:56] We talked about the what the law of Liberty is anybody remember what that is. We talked about it. I think two weeks ago
[40:00] The law of Liberty is just why?
[40:03] Remember I
[40:07] Think it was in verse 1 verse 12. Maybe I don't remember
[40:09] But it's in chapter 1. I mean chapter 1 verse 12
[40:12] Law of Liberty is just another name for why the gospel right the gospel
[40:19] What Christ did right and when we put our faith in him, we are now under the law of Liberty
[40:24] Anybody know what Liberty means? Maybe we don't know maybe we need to define that because our country sure does. What's the freedom? Yes, well freedom
[40:30] And it's not a heavy law, right? Cuz what did Jesus say come to me? Why all who are weary and what?
[40:37] Yeah, every lady every burden and I will give you rest. Why can he give you rest because his burden is not hard
[40:45] It's not strong
[40:47] and so he says listen, right speak and
[40:51] Act or all this partiality that you see that you're doing and wrong rather speak and act
[40:58] Based on your life being under the law of Liberty
[41:02] Right under the gospel under the freedom of the gospel to live for Christ and then he wraps it up and he says this
[41:10] And I love this and I really if I thought about doing it if I was teaching this I was just gonna teach on this
[41:16] But for judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy mercy
[41:21] triumphs over
[41:24] Judgment, let's see. What's he saying there?
[41:27] What do you think it seems harder than it is?
[41:30] Pretty simple for judgment is without mercy and it goes with verse 12 - it goes all together
[41:36] So speak and act as those who are judged under the law of Liberty for judgment is without mercy to one who has shown
[41:41] No mercy and mercy triumph over judgment
[41:45] anybody
[41:47] Right and because ultimately right
[42:00] What he's saying is this if you're under the law of Liberty, you're gonna show mercy because you truly are gonna understand all the mercy
[42:09] And let's talk about mercy. We don't even know what that is. It's real quick. Anybody idea what mercy is
[42:14] Now
[42:16] Especially in this case is what?
[42:18] Death right judgment eternal judgment
[42:21] Thank God who is rich in mercy. I pass out mercy on us
[42:25] And so he's saying listen if you are under the law of Liberty
[42:30] Then is automatic that you should be showing mercy and if you're not
[42:34] Well, then you can then that that probably means you're not that under the law of Liberty
[42:39] And so then judgment is coming because here's the deal. Here's a secret, right? It's not really a secret
[42:45] Is that all of us are either children of wrath or children of mercy?
[42:51] all of us and what I mean by that is all of us all of our sin is going to be judged and it is gonna be
[42:59] either found to be
[43:01] Forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ or it's gonna be judged and we're gonna be cast into hell with our sin
[43:07] It's all gonna be judged and it's all gonna be paid for it's gonna either be paid for Christ, right or paid in hell for eternity
[43:14] And so when he says for judgment is without mercy to one who has shown their mercy
[43:18] He's saying listen, some of you right are saying you're under the law of Liberty, but you're not and you're now gonna pay a price
[43:24] right
[43:26] Because now judgment is coming and there will be no mercy in that judgment
[43:31] Right, and then he says mercy triumphs over judge judgment. What he's saying is again
[43:36] Right God who is rich in mercy?
[43:40] Wants to give you mercy therefore and has given you those of you who are truly under the law of Liberty
[43:46] Thus we give mercy to others
[43:49] Meaning we don't show partiality right? There's no mercy in that
[43:54] right
[43:57] Brooks read in Matthew, right the command by Jesus
[44:06] Go ahead. Do you remember do you remember what you said?
[44:09] Yeah
[44:12] Blessed are the merciful for they shall reserve mercy blessed are the porn spirit, right?
[44:19] I mean, this is who we are meant to be in Christ under the law of Liberty
[44:24] And I always think about my favorite kind of genre movies revenge movies. Love it. Right? I mean love it, right?
[44:30] You killed John Wick's dog. You deserve job. Okay
[44:34] All right, you kill a little puppy that his dead wife gave him you deserve to die. Okay, everybody right no mercy
[44:40] That's fun to watch
[44:43] But that's not God's law. That's not how God operates. We need to be careful that right because man
[44:48] sometimes our partiality is just trying to wanted get somebody who's done something to us in our church or
[44:55] even outside another believer and
[44:59] Mercy should shine through on our lives and it's hard in this world because that goes against again. That's the upside-down world, right?
[45:07] The world says no somebody did something to get you. Oh, okay get yours, right and God says no
[45:13] I'll take care of that. All right, you keep living for the Lord of glory
[45:17] Anyway, I appreciate you guys participating. I hope I hope this was fun. I hope that it was useful
[45:23] I hope that as you leave here today that there's no extra things that you can think about
[45:27] And I know we kind of went quick
[45:29] And if there's something at the end there if there's something that you need that you didn't get enough in front
[45:33] Please please text me. All right. Let's have a chat about it
[45:35] But you know, I have four pages of notes and you know, I didn't read four pages of notes. So so I will I'll take you
[45:41] back
[45:42] It might be a week later, but I will text you back. Okay. All right. Let's pray father
[45:47] Thank you
[45:50] For the Lord of glory
[45:52] Thank you for your son Jesus Christ. Thank you
[45:55] for mercy
[45:57] Thank you that
[45:59] We who are great sinners and deserve nothing but judgment and death and suffering
[46:07] I've been given a great gift
[46:12] In Jesus Christ when we think about Easter coming up and we we pray Lord that our minds would be focused
[46:20] On your great love on
[46:27] Christ on his suffering on
[46:29] His shed blood on his broken body on his resurrection
[46:35] And as such that we would be people who are
[46:39] Impartial to others and
[46:43] Merciful to all
[46:46] Or let us be that the let us be let us be that kind of people as individuals and collectively as a church Lord
[46:55] Merciful to all for you are merciful to us Lord. We love you. We truly love you Lord
[47:02] we're so thankful for all that you do all that you are all that you are
[47:06] Pouring out on us the grace that we have today and the future grace we have tomorrow in Jesus name. We pray. Amen