Community Baptist Church Hastings

Rags to Riches 10/18/26
James 2:1-13

A. Show No Favoritism vv1-4 Act 10:34, Joh 7:24, Rom 2:11, 1Sam 16:7
1. The Command:
 favoritism is incompatible with faith in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ
2. An Example (v2 meeting = synagogue)
3. Are the rich bad? Mar 12:41-44, Mat 6:1-3
a. Many examples of the rich being the “bad guy”
b. Yet, many rich in the Bible are viewed favorably.
c. Why and how you do things is as important as what we do.
d. Ultimately, which do you love more? God or riches.
B. The Social Reasoning vv5-7 Gal 3:28, Mat 22:39
1. Worldly distinctions do not apply to believers
2. The rich (tend to) exploit the poor, don’t favor them, instead…
3. love your neighbor
C. The Moral Reasoning vv8-11 Lev 19:15
1. Favoritism is against God’s law, a sin
2. Any sin makes you a law breaker
a. World (and too many believers) rank sins, God does not
b. If you break one, you break ‘em all.
D. Application vv12-13 Mat 12:36, 2Cor 5:10, Mat 5:7
1. Live as the law instructs
 Do not show favoritism, it’s just judgment in disguise
2. Instead show mercy
 Just as God shows mercy to you, you should show mercy to others.