Sermon Outline James 2

B1 James 2:1-9 Unbiased: rich VS poor

C1 The Glory. James 2:1 is literally: James 2:1 WEL My brothers, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glory, with partiality.

D1 The Glory refers to the Shekinah Glory of God.

D2 Verses:

E1 Romans 9:4 WPNT ...the Israelites. To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises.

E2 2 Corinthians 4:6 WPNT because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness is He who shined in our hearts to give the light that comes from the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

E3 Hebrews 1:3 WPNT who being the projection of His glory and the very image of His essence, and sustaining all things by the expression of His[S]  own power, when He had by Himself provided purification for our sins He sat down on the highest Majesty’s right.

D3 Commentaries:

E1 Robertson’s Word Pictures: The Lord of Glory (tēs doxēs). Simply “the Glory.” No word for “Lord” (kuriou) in the Greek text. Tēs doxēs clearly in apposition with tou kuriou Iēsou Christou. James thus terms “our Lord Jesus Christ” the Shekinah Glory of God.

E2 Cambridge Greek:  In the LXX. δόξα is used of the Shekinah or glorious manifestation of Jehovah in the tabernacle, e.g. καὶ δόξης Κυρίου ἐπλήσθη ἡ σκηνή, Exo 40:35—a signification closely connected with the use of the word by St John. (Exodus 40:35 Brenton  And Moses was not able to enter into the tabernacle of testimony, because the cloud overshadowed it, and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the Lord).

D4 For all the ultimate riches of Messiah, He choose to be poor for our sakes. 2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

D5 We are to treat all people the same, especially believers. 1 Timothy 5:21 WEB I command you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

C2 James 2:8 NRSV  You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

D1 If I am partial, bias, etc., then I break God’s law.

D2 Leviticus 19:33-34 GW  "Never mistreat a foreigner living in your land.  34 Foreigners living among you will be like your own people. Love them as you love yourself, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

D3 Ezekiel 47:22-23 GNB  it is to be your permanent possession. The foreigners who are living among you and who have had children born here are also to receive their share of the land when you divide it. They are to be treated like full Israelite citizens and are to draw lots for shares of the land along with the tribes of Israel.  23 All foreign residents will receive their share with the people of the tribe among whom they are living. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken.

C2 Comment: Injustice (one gets different treatment, then another) is a sin (a transgression).

D1 The Lord Jesus experienced it: Matthew 26:59-61 WEB Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death;  and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward,  and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

D2 The people of Israel did it in Jeremiah’s life: Jeremiah 6:13 WEB For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

D3 Cheat people (especially foreigners, etc.): Proverbs 11:1 GNB  The LORD hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights.

D4 Liars (especially to foreigners, etc.): Proverbs 12:22 GNB  The LORD hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.

D5 God hates it and will condemn those who do: Deuteronomy 16:18-20 GNB  "Appoint judges and other officials in every town that the LORD your God gives you. These men are to judge the people impartially.  19 They are not to be unjust or show partiality in their judgments; and they are not to accept bribes, for gifts blind the eyes even of wise and honest men, and cause them to give wrong decisions.  20 Always be fair and just, so that you will occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you and so that you will continue to live there.

D6 We must not do this.

B2 James 2:10-13 Keeping the Law (the Law of Moses)

C1 Breaking of one point of the law makes one guilty. A person could keep the Ten Commandments perfectly except lied just one time in their life, but this makes them guilty.

C2 The 10 Commandments are a summary of God’s Law. Each of the 10 are a set with many subsets. The 9th commandment—You must not bear false witness—includes every type of lie. It includes deception, deceiving weights, half truths, white lies, lying before a judge, hypocrisy, etc.

C3 People can break God’s law in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

C4 If we only break God’s law 5 times a day, it will be 1,825 violations a year. Over 10 years, it amounts to 18,250. There will be 91,250 violations of God’s law over 50 years. Breaking laws must be punished.

C5 Law that sets us free is the Gospel.

C6 The importance of mercy. Mercy is showing kindness when no kindness is deserved. Do you know anyone who is not kind? Today there are too many. If someone’s life is not in kindness, they will receive no mercy from God.

B3 James  2:14-17 What we say is not good enough. What we do shows the truth of what we say. It's the fruit stupid.

C1 Comment: Faith alone does not save = a belief in the truth, but it has no change in life or actions.

C2 There is a difference between what one says, writes, preaches, publishes, etc.. and what they do, support, think.

C3 There is a difference between what one does publically and does privately.

C4 Works do not save or forgive sins. There is no balance of doing more good than evil.

C5 Works show one’s beliefs.

C6 Then James gives 2 examples.

C7 This is not the social gospel, that is, social justice.

D1 God demands and acts by justice, not social justice.

D2 People love the man Jesus who healed all, feed all, and helped all.

D3 People hate the God Jesus who shined the light and exposed their evil.

B4 James 2:18-25 Faith, that is, believing something in and of itself will not save.

C1 The devils (demons) believe, but what they do shows their evil heart.

C2 A person's life will show more of what they are, then what they say they believe.

C3 Two examples: Abraham and Rehab

B5 Applications

C1 Be the same in public as you are in private.

C2 Without the Gospel of Messiah Jesus all will go to hell.

C3 Works do not save, they show the change, the trust, the repentance.

C4 Imitate those who lived a godly life before us as Abraham and Rehab.