Awesome if you got your bottles turn with main to the book of
James. And going to rate from James Chapter. One James
Chapter. One so last week personnel crates from James
Chapter 3 regarding the tongue and before that, I preach from
the back end of James Chapter 2 talking about our faith that
works, but now I want to jump back a little bit further back
to James Chapter. One verse 27, James 127. I'm going to read
from verse verse 27 through Chapter 2 verse nine and it says
this pure and Undefiled religion before God and the father is
this. The visit orphans and widows in their trouble and they
keep oneself unspotted from the world. My brethren do not hold
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. the Lord of glory with
partiality for this should come into your assembly. A man with
gold rings and find apparel and there should also come in a poor
man and filthy clothes and you pay attention to the one wearing
the fine clothes and say to him use it here in a good place and
say to the poor man, you stand there or sit here at my foot
store have you not showing partiality among yourselves and
become judges with evil thoughts? Listen my beloved
brethren? Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in
faith and heirs of the Kingdom? Which he promised to those who
love him, but you have dishonored the poor man do not
the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts do they not
do they not bless. Fiend that Noble name by? Which you would
called if you really fulfill. the Royal law, according to the
scripture you shall love. Your neighbor as yourself. You do
well. But if you show partiality you commit sin and convicted by
the law is transgresses. Let's pray father. I thank you for
your word. I just ask and pray. Lord God that you help us to be
Kingdom People. Truly representative of you Lord God.
I thank you and praise you for that Lord in Jesus name Amen.
For those of you that becoming the last few weeks. You would
know that we've been doing a series on the book of James and
we're calling it life lessons now. James is interesting. James
is probably the most simple practical letter in the entire
New Testament. It's written by James, who is actually the
brother of Jesus not James and John but actually James the
brother of Jesus and he was the founder and leader of the early
church in Jerusalem and that early church was initially
comprised of People who grew up in the Jewish faith.
So that would Jewish converts who converted to Christianity
and so that is primary primarily his sphere of influence. We know
that he probably wrote. This letter to those types of People
'cause. It says in James Chapter. One verse one that he
is writing to the 12 tribes scattered abroad amongst the
nations and so that is another reference to the fact that these
are People who actually grew up as Jews now. These are the
People that is running through then there probably People have
memorized much of the Old Testament that People who would
have studied and own their word.
Yeah, it's interesting to me that these are the People that
he writes. Actually, the most practical letter in the New
Testament. You would think that if he's writing to People who
are so well versed in God's word that he would write something
really, really super complex really something that really got
their juices flowing intellectually there really
stimulated them, but that's not actually what he wrote to them,
he wrote to them. The most simple letter in the New
Testament? Why do you think that is well I think it's because
it's not that no matter how much you know, or how long you've
been walking with the Lord.
Living it out is another story that actually there are
challenges that all of us face are as challenges that every
single one of us experience that living the Christian life is
different from just actually knowing about it and so that's
why these series is called life lessons 'cause. There's a number
of practical applications that we can actually apply to our
lives. No matter how much sure you are no matter how long we've
been in the Lord. Sometimes we have to be reminded about what
it actually means to live. The Christian life and so today. I
want to talk to you about one of
these topics. And the topic. I want to talk to you is actually
about the topic of favoritism favoritism that literally that
these People have allowed the Kingdom of the world to come
into the coming to the local church and values of the world
is actually come into it. That's why he says in James Chapter.
One verse 27. He says pure and Undefiled Religion. Before God
and the father is this to visit orphans and widows in the
trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Says writing to mature People and he saying to them. We didn't
keep ourselves unspotted from the world and then you realize
as you go through the letter of James. He's actually telling
them. Hey guys, you've actually allowed yourselves to be spotted
from the world, you actually allowed the values of the world.
To actually come into the local church and that's not how it's
supposed to be the local church is an embassy of the Kingdom of
God and So what that means is everything that happens out
there doesn't necessarily happen in here that we are actually
different from the world.
We're supposed to be culturally culturally relevant with
supposed to reach the World, but make no mistake, the values of
the world are not supposed to infect us that we are an embassy
of the Kingdom of God and one of the ways that he is saying that
they've allowed themselves to be spotted from spotted by the
world is the way that they actually treat People the way
they treated people in these churches that is writing to was
the white People will actually treated out there in the world
and he's saying that is not how it's supposed to be and he's
actually talking about
favoritism. The People when they came in, they were traded,
according to their social status, but who knows are in
Christ. That's not how it's supposed to be that's why the
Bible says let the poor say. I am rich. the Bible says the
gospels. Good news to the poor, then no matter how you were
treated out there no matter what your station of life is when you
come into this place. It's actually different People, the
way People treated out there is not the way that they should be
treated in the House of God and he is saying that the People are
treated the same way in the churches that is writing too.
And he's talking about the issue of favoritism and so to counter
to counter that to be like the antidote to that. He gives them
a number of different behaviors that are truly representative of
the Kingdom of God and so today. I just want to basically talk to
you about three ways that were supposed to treat People.
Three ways that he actually tells us here is that different
from the world. There, how we're actually supposed to treat every
single person that comes into this place whether you be rich
whether you beep or whether you be in a family whether you been
single whether you got challenges or whether whether
you don't. The reality is that we are supposed to treat People
differently from the way that the world does and so I want to
talk to you about the three ways that were supposed to treat
People as outlined in this passage of Scripture, the 1st
way that we're supposed to treat
People. Is with the quality or quality James Chapter 2 verses
one or 4 says my brethren? Do not hold the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ and Lord of God with partiality partiality is
the opposite of equality for eventually come into your
assembly and man with gold rings and fine apparel and they should
also come in a poor man and filthy clothes. You pay
attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him use
it here in a good place and save the poor man, you stand there or
sit here at my foot store have you not showing partiality
amongst yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
We should be impartial with everybody and we should treat
everybody equally now. The word equality is actually been has
been hijacked by the world and the word equality in the world
basically says that everyone should be the same.
But that's not actually what this is saying. This is actually
saying that when People come here. We should treat People the
same. And that's what true equality? Is it's not about
turning you into something that you're actually not or turning
you into something that God did not intend that's not what's
wrong quality is true equality? Is the way that we actually
treat People. That's what it's actually saying People, citing
we've been what kind of church
is Kings. You know is it like a white People churches at a
middle class church. You know is at an older People church. You
know you got 2 tongue and pastors is at an Islander
church? What is it you know what kind of People you know what
kind of People are you Richard?
Also will People.
It doesn't matter.
Oh, case, whatever your nationality, whatever your
background. Whatever you're bringing you know what you don't
even have to be graduated high school to come here either.
It doesn't matter. We just for people in this place. I'm in God
wants us to trade everybody the same. That's why 11 we have
People here of different sites. Show economic backgrounds
sitting to other People that are sitting next to People that are
completely different but that's how it should be in the Kingdom
of God. I'm in that is how we supposed to treat People we're
supposed to treat people with the quality and what happens out
there is not how things are supposed to be done in here
there's a church that I know that a number of years ago that.
I'm trying to reach the business
community. And So what they tried to do was in order to
reach the business community thought, What's their lifestyle
like? What are they used to you know you know they used to like
Qantas clubs and vergent lounges and that sort of thing and So
what they did at their church was on the Sunday they created a
cordoned off area called a business lounge at their church
and so I think you had to hit a certain level of social economic
status. To actually enter that you know, and so you could come
in here, you know it's it's a business lounge and that's for
you. And con it didn't work, you know, and the reason why
it didn't work is because for a number of reasons. Kind of
disenfranchise a lot of people in your church as well. And
that sort of thing, but also one of the reasons why didn't
think it worked is because I don't think is Kingdom.
We put down our totals at the door when we come here a
fellowship and worship the Lord
Amen. That's how it's supposed
to be. Doesn't matter where you from? It doesn't matter your
upbringing? It doesn't matter your heritage? It doesn't
matter. Some of the challenges your brain in life. You are
welcome in your father's house.
I'm in. You know if you have family gatherings. I love it.
You know got extended family and when I catch up with my extended
family, you know all the titles are gone. It's only sometimes
years later that I find out how successful some of my extended
family are. It's only later that I realized some of things that
they do. But when we're together. There's nothing like
that were not sitting around talking around how good we are,
we getting our business cards out because we're family and
regardless of what they're doing summer gone through some good
times. Some of them going through some great success. Some
People going through some tough
times. It doesn't actually matter 'cause when you come
together as family, you will family, you put those things
aside and the Kingdom of God. We have the same heavenly father
and then we are all family and so when we come into this place
we treat all people with the quality we treat all People.
Actually, the same. That's why sometimes you know, I don't know
what People do and I don't know always where they come from and
to be honest. It doesn't really matter to Maine 'cause? What
really matters to me is the fact that we've all got the same
heavenly father and what we
treat. All People equally and we trade all people with the same
amount of respect and love. A man that is what true Kingdom is
supposed to be that no matter what you like out there that
when you come into this place. That's why I think if anyone
comes to our church trying to throw their weight around about
all the success. They're not going to get very far with me. I
mean, I'm not impressed. With that stuff, I'll be honest with
you because that's not what this
is about. This is about all of us, we are family. Amen and we
trade all People equally and that's what we're supposed to do
the next thing that next thing that says they were supposed to
treat People Susan James Chapter 2 verse 6.
He says, but you have dishonored
the poor man. Give Dishonored
The Pullman. So what that means is that the way we're supposed
to treat People is actually with
honor. With Honor Rymans Trout Romans Chapter 12 verse 10
written through an entire church. Postle Paul says honor
one another above yourselves. So he's actually speaking to the
whole church and he sank to every single one of us honor one
another. Every single one of us
honor. Each other now? How do we honor? Well, the script is
pretty clear that honor basically means respect then it
means recognition? Then we trade everybody actually with respect.
And I think that's one of the great actual keys to actually
reaching People. Because there's a lot of People that in the
certain stations of life are and what they're doing that, they
actually don't receive any respect in what they're doing.
But I can come to the House of God and regardless of who they
are what they do every single person can receive a measure of
respect and can be honoured every single one of us actually
thrives on honor on being on it. That's why the command. There is
to honor one another above yourselves. That's why probably
one of the keys to being Kingdom is we have to get rid of that
whole Ozzy notion of pulling
People down. You know the Australian culture is awesome,
there's so many godly things about it, but I think some of
our dishonor is actually not of the Kingdom that when People
come to this place. We actually need to lift them up. When
People come to this place. We need to actually be people of
honor. Now this was a difficult thing for me because I grew up
in a culture. I grew up in a very oddly sporting culture. So
I played a lot of support from the age of 8:00 or 9:00 and that
sort of thing and sports. I really loved was actually
cricket and so I remember.
You're just taught from an early age to sledge just like what you
don't remember being 9 years of age, sledging my opponents.
Remember one time mom and dad actually pick me up from cricket
and told me off when I got in the car. 'cause I could hear
him, he was fielding they could hear me sledging the batsman.
Well saw was fielding and that's just kind of the culture. I grew
up in that CLZ culture. You know, we think equality is
actually pulling everyone down.
It's not it's lifting everyone
up. And so and so I had actually that took me along time to
change. So instead of pulling People down. All the time I had
to learn to try and build up with my words, but that's
actually part of the Kingdom of God. Ortografia weeks ago that
did a job when I was itinerant. I did some feeling work. I'm
doing delivery driving and so in a really gave me a great empathy
for people in those jobs. You know, and so and you see them
You know they come with shop they come in and out.
And and I realize mean they've got a tight schedule. You know
they've got to be across everything and doesn't take long
for it doesn't take much for them to knock him off their
schedule. But one of the things I wasn't used to and I realized
I had a bit of a sheltered upbringing. But one of the
things I wasn't used to was the way People would treat me when I
would come and deliver to them.
And I would comment or deliver them like on what adknowledge
main you know they can't tell me off for that's what that speak
speak harshly to me and I wasn't actually to be honest. I
actually wasn't used to that and I realized there are many pit
now, all work is honorable all work all employment is all
society needs. All of it, but who knows that there are some
occupations that People don't receive a level of Honor and
respect. So where are they going to get it?
From us.
There's a lot of People that have enough People telling them
off, and put him down. All the time when I come here would I
need to be bashing People around when it would be lifted him up.
Training everybody with honor and respect. I want it to be
that you want the kind of chance when People are just
leaving fuel good yes.
What do? But I want the car to church with People just keep
getting banged on their head all the time they get that out
in the world. He's a lifter of my head. He says here that were
supposed to honor one another. We want to have. We want People
to have the strength and the joy. They need to leave this
place they might have come here empty. But when they go. They
are filled and fuel to be the victorious Christians in God's
court, it'll be.
And one otherwise we do that is not just
continually bashing him.
Butt lifting.
And honoring and respecting.
You know when you honor People and major dine always focus on
the bad they are.
It was we stop focusing on the good.
Everybody is very self aware of their areas of failure.
And the devil is very good at condemnation forever, reminding
us of our filings. Where do we need to go to be reminded of the
goodness of God? Where do we need to go to be reminded that
God loves us that God actually wants us to be honored. It's in
actually in the House of God Amen and when People come into
this place regardless of how they treated out there,
regardless of what is going on in their life when they come to
their House of God, it needs to be applied with a lifted and a
place where they on it. That's why I love our church.
'Cause y'all hang around you all love eating that's why we've got
put in Tongan pastors in here because you know, we just feel
there's a real good cultural fit and you can hang around and you
can just chat and you can talk and you can have the rich man
sitting next to the poor man and neither of them even know that
each one is one of those things and we can talk and we can lift
up and we can encourage not just from the pulpit by interaction
with you, my dream in my desire and I see it coming to pass more
and more is that when People interact with the Kings person
there talking to the most
positive life. Speaking People on the entire gold
cuts without when they bump into you they walk away.
Feeling that there's been lifted that there been
encouraged that have been strengthened to they've been
honored and empowered to live. The Christian life that
God has for them a man that's good preacher no man.
If I say so myself.
Sometimes just gotta only yourself now actually that's not
true. The Scripture says you're not to honor yourself, so yeah,
so I need you to do it OK.
You know. Order the story better gone I'm Tony Campollo.
Tony campollo famous preacher in
sociologist and. Who's preaching Hawaiian staying in a particular
hotel for a week and then we go down into the restaurant to have
dinner in. And you notice that the restaurant. There is a
group of ladies there that were there at the same time
every night and found out that they were now working girls.
And prostitutes and
And found out that one of them was having a birthday
the next day.
So he talked to the other girls and still listen.
Let's throw a party.
Let's get her a cake. So I kinda
next tiny broader cake. I bought some presents brought some
decorations and they threw that girl a birthday party.
It completely broker.
She never had a birthday party in her life.
Always used.
Always downtrodden. Always considered less than but
someone from the Kingdom had to come and just honor.
Didn't say Hey listen if you stop doing what you do and
then I'll throw you a party.
All it in spite.
And because of that it was a touching moment life changing
moment for that person. Kingdom People honor one another lift up
doesn't matter how you're treated out there when you come
here, you're not treated like
that. When you come here we lift
you up? We encourage leanna I
meant. And that's true Kingdom.
The next thing the next why.
That was supposed to honor. Susan James chapter
two verse site.
Says if you're really fulfill the Royal law, according to
the scripture you shall love. Your neighbor as yourself,
you do well.
So he saying right there? How is
supposed to treat People? The 3rd wise, we're supposed to
trade him with love. Spice to trading with love.
So when I come into this place.
And I can interact with Kingdom People we want People to go
away. Not feeling downtrodden.
We want People to walk away feeling the love of their
heavenly Father Amen. 'Cause we are his representatives that's
where we are, we want People to experience the love of God.
And as a youth pastor we used to run a lunchtime program in
schools and and the whole objective was basically just
basically an infomercial. There was no discipleship. It was an
infomercial for our youth group were basically just trying to
get kids from the school into our youth ministry remember one
particular school that we were in we would go in there every
week and there was a particular young girl, she was in United.
That would go there every single which you wouldn't miss it. and
I would occasionally catch up with the chaplain and I would
say to him? Is there any kids here they come in here that are
interested in coming to our youth group and he would tell
me. And fill me in on where they're at, and I remember this
group was not very spiritual at all. You know, we basically and
it was good. It was in the days before risk assessments, and
workplace health and safety and So what we just bribe kids that
we would just bring big boxes of chocolate even ones with nuts in
it. This is back in 2000. Praise God and so we would do that, and
they would come and we would have just do games the whole
time. You know give away prizes, which is just like food and we
would just do an infomercial about our youth group and I do a
2 minute. God talk basically to get them used to hearing about
God when they came to our youth ministry and so I was talking to
the Chapel, one day. This particular school and I was
talking about this particular young girl and I said she came
to the lunchtime program that program is called inferno. She
kind of the lunchtime program
every week didn't miss. And I said to him, I said, I listen do
you think she's going to want to come to our youth group? She she
comes to infer night every week? Do you think she wants to come
to youth? And he said to me now, she can't who parents white
letter. I said aw and he said, Yeah, now his parents her
parents are forbidden hurting companies. They're dead set
against are so dark I and he goes, but she said. To me, she
will never miss the lunch time
group. And I said, are awesome and I thought our 'cause you
know, we give away free food. We have games. You know, I said why
is it that she likes come into our lunchtime group is that our
program. And he goes no no no she said. It's the only place in
her world where she feels loved.
Now you gotta understand this is ministering to state school.
Male youth pastor is not going in there, physically
hugging students and telling him he loves them.
So that's nothing inappropriate tabling whi is she feeling that
way. Cause she's getting in contact with Kingdom People.
And we're lifting her up are
encouraging everybody. And she goes and so one place in the
whole that half an hour once a
week. Was the only place where she actually felt love?
And that's actually Kingdom.
When I come to the House of God.
We don't want People feeling
condemnation. People already feel bad enough as it is.
We want People to know that they've got a heavenly father
that loves them. And the best way for that to be expressed is
actually through us as well, I'm
in. The true Kingdom is actually no matter who you are, we trade,
everybody equally with honor and
with love. Now the scriptures actually pretty clear too. That
Love is not just the way we love People also includes practical
assistance. And so the Bible says in one John Chapter 3 verse
17. John says whoever has this world goods and sees his
brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him. How does
the love of God abide in him?
So he's actually saying if we
truly love People. It's more than just words.
We actually have to love him
with deeds as well. Make their
practical maids. That's why a community care, I'm is so
important. 'Cause if we want our
congregations. So actually model
that. That has a church. We need to be willing to do what we're
requiring our congregation to do
as well. You had mentioned here in a couple of weeks ago that.
Judaism financial challenges and that sort of thing that.
The ought to consider the future of our Community Care AM.
And in thinking about and praying about it deeply. I
thought you know, I want we have to.
Wake Christian.
What Kingdom? That means we have to have a facility.
To actually make the practical needs of our community.
And not just put on things that
make People better. But to actually make them where they're
at. 'Cause that's who we are.
Some of you assign man with my station in life right now. I
can't physically get out and do as much of that sort of thing as
I would like. But the awesome thing is that if you partner
with us as a community Care arm, you were actually participating
in that as well.
The Bible says if you give a you know if your honor, a profit
give him a cup of water, you actually receive a prophets will
reward you partner in what
they're doing. And maybe you're right here in your stage in
phase of life. It's I'm in my ability to make the practical
needs of our community is
actually quite limited. But that's why we have Kings
community care. 'Cause if you're unable to physically do it all
by yourself, we can partner with
this ministry. And being example of Gods Love Grace and favor to
this community, I meant.
Because God has commanded us to actually love People.
And if we actually look at the context of the scripture in
James. He's actually telling us very specifically was supposed
to love the poor.
I got convicted a number of years ago and looked at you know
in my budgeting and I would give away a certain percentage of my
income every year. Then then I'll really got convicted about
it 'cause I realized of the percentage. I gave and that part
of it wasn't actually giving anything at all, so actually
meeting the needs of the poor.
And God really spoke to me says Ben you know it's good to
partner with these ministries and it's important that you
bring it over to the House of
God. But beyond all of that.
He said, You supposed to meet the needs of the ball and so
that was the time we started upping are giving to some
ministries that actually meeting the needs of the poor and and
that's why we partner with Kings Community Care as well.
Because that's one of the wise that we can practically do that
I mean. The values out there are not supposed to come in here.
The values out there or not. We are an embassy. It's different
in here where culturally connected an we culturally
relevant. But the values of different why cause we represent
the Kingdom. And he is speaking to these People these mature
People. And he signed to them.
You gotta keep yourself unspotted from the world.
Are you saying that? In all their learning.
In all their educating.
In all their maturity.
They've inadvertently allowed.
Fighters of the world to come
in. And he says you gotta run
spot yourself. Soldier few weeks ago about the story about Jesus
washes disciples feet.
He came in. Sign him down and going to wash their feet.
And so as he went around washing their feet, though
very uncomfortable 'cause that's the job of a servant.
And he came in, he did that and we bring in a pita.
Plato said everything is said what everyone else was thinking.
He says Lord. You don't watch in my feet.
And Jesus said to Peter Peter if you don't let me wash your feet.
You've got no part with me.
And then paid acidic Highlord will wash my whole body as well.
And Jesus said. Oh.
He said one thing you like he says he who's had. He said he
said. What a bath is already
cleaned. But you just need your
fate washed. Prophetically, speaking all of us through
Christ acclaim. But we're still walking through a dirty world.
And occasionally we can inadvertently find ourselves
like this church spotted up by the things we're walking through
spotted up by the world.
And occasionally, he will get us
to sit down. And so I let me
watch that off you. And if we have spiritual pride or
spiritual religion. Well, so no no no no you're not larger not
on it. This is if you don't let me do that, you got no
part with me.
He knows that we still walking through a dirty world.
And occasionally we can allow it
to affect us. But he is so good.
And he's so powerful.
He can wash all that away I'm
in. And so today, we're going to
do something super different. We're actually going to do a
little bit of a whole ceremony is the wrong word. But I guess
an activity. And in just a moment that guys are going to
come out and. We're actually going to wash their hands.
As a symbolic act.
Sign we run spotting ourselves.
From the world. And So what we're going to do in just a
moment they'll be bisons up here
and they'll be tails. And you just depends on the bison.
Try hand on the town and then my wife insisted we
have hand sanitizer.
And so we have an sent it to
other that you can actually. They put on your hands.
And So what we're going to do.
Is one encourage you to?
Lawn up down the middle.
And then fan out once these balls around and come across,
and do that and go back to your
seat. Now, for those of you that are platinum frequent
Flyers.
We don't have a special lawn for you.
Well, you can come to the head of the lawn and watch
everyone else.
You want along up like everyone else wherever lawns up, I'm in.
For those of you that aren't used to fly on airplanes.
There's along for you anyway.
It doesn't matter. We're all
saying Lord. Help keep us.
Unspotted from the world I
meant. But before we do that.