Many of our churches ignore our tendencies towards partiality, justify our favoritism, and excuse our cliquish exclusivity, labeling it 'fellowship.' But what if this is an afront to God, who, after all, "shows no partiality" (Rom. 2:11)? What if communities filled with partiality actually betray their professed faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory?

In week 4 of our summer series, James: Faith At Work, we sit with James 2:1-13 and the uncomfortable mirror it holds up to the church. This teaching begins by drawing our attention to the Greek word for partiality in verse 1, which carries the idea of "receiving the face" - judging a person by their visible surface, social status, usefulness, wealth, poverty, polish, burden, or perceived return. But faith is supposed to retrain our sight so that we no longer see the other person--rich or poor--as a category to manage, a resource to exploit, or an inconvenience to avoid. Faith at work sees beyond mere appearance, beyond the sur-face, and recognizes the face of the other as a summons to love.

This message walks verse by verse through James' warning against favoritism, the royal law to "love your neighbor as yourself," and the law of liberty that frees us from the old economy of fear, status, and self-protection, and arrives at the fundamental Gospel truth that mercy triumphs over judgement. Lest we mistakenly think mercy is mere sentiment, we are reminded that mercy is love becoming visible, love made manifestly present, in the face of suffering--like Jesus, who was the vehicle of God's mercy.

Questions for Reflection:

• Whose presence makes me feel important, and whose presence makes me feel burdened? Why?
• Do I see by the worldly facade, or by the divine Glory?
• Has the mercy I have received become visible over judgment?
• How am I responding to the faith at work within me?

Scripture References: James 2:1-13, Psalm 25:1-10, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 22:34-40, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Voices/Quotes: Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity; Douglas J. Moo, TNTC James; Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on James; Google DeepMind, "A Pragmatic View of AI Personhood"

From the series James: Faith at Work
Sermon Notes & Liturgy

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