First Baptist Church
August 16, 2026
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Exodus 20:4CSB

  • Wonderful Words Of Life

      • Psalm 148:1–5NKJV

  • "Christ Be Magnified"
  • "Turn Your Eyes"
  • Let My Words Be Few
  • Introduction
    Have you ever noticed how powerful words can be? They have the potential to build someone up or tear them down. A single word of encouragement can change the course of someone’s day—or even their life. But what happens when our words or actions are tainted by favoritism or judgment?
    Maybe you’ve experienced a moment when you were overlooked, dismissed, or judged based on outward appearances. Or perhaps you’ve been in a position where someone else was. Whether in school, at work, or even in church, it’s easy to fall into the trap of favoring those who seem to have more to offer, while neglecting or judging those who seem to have less.
    Today, as we continue our series Words Matter, we’re looking at a passage from James 2 that encourages us to rise above favoritism and embrace mercy. James, the brother of Jesus, challenges us to reflect God's heart by choosing mercy over judgment. His words remind us that God’s kingdom is built not on outward appearances or human preferences, but on grace, mercy, and love for all people—especially those often overlooked by society.
    James 2:1–17 CSB
    1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you? 8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

    The Power of Mercy Over Favoritism

    James 2:1–4 CSB
    1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
    James begins by addressing an issue that was common in the early church: showing favoritism based on outward appearance, particularly wealth.
    A gold-fingered and brilliantly clothed man comes into the meeting place, here designated as a synagogue which emphasizes the Jewish character of both the epistle and this scene. A poor man in dirty clothes also enters. The word shabby (rypara, “dirty” or “vile”) is found only here and in Revelation 22:11. (Cf. the word ryparian, “moral filth,” which James used in 1:21.) Special attention (lit., “to gaze upon”) and preferential seating is given to the rich man, and standing room only or an inferior seat on the floor (lit., “under my footstool”) is afforded the poor man.
    He paints a vivid picture of how the wealthy and the poor might be treated differently when they enter a gathering. The wealthy are given the best seats, while the poor are pushed aside.
    This might seem extreme, but it’s not far from how we sometimes treat people based on what we see on the surface. Whether in our churches, workplaces, or social settings, it’s easy to favor those who seem successful or influential, while ignoring or undervaluing those who don’t.
    One old comic strip character noted that a stranger came to his church the previous Sunday. No one paid him any mind until the offering plate was passed. The stranger put a large bill in the plate. After church, said the character, everybody “howdydood him to death.”
    But James reminds us that this type of favoritism is more than just unfair—it contradicts the very nature of God. When we favor one person over another based on appearance, we are judging them with a limited, human perspective, rather than reflecting the mercy of God.
    In contrast, Jesus constantly broke down social barriers. He shared meals with outcasts, touched the untouchable, and called sinners into His presence. Jesus' life exemplifies mercy. In Mark 2:17
    Mark 2:17 CSB
    17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
    This is the heart of God—a heart of mercy that triumphs over judgment.

    God’s Heart: Mercy for the Marginalized

    James 2:5–7 CSB
    5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?
    James goes on to remind us of a profound truth: God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit His kingdom. This turns the world’s value system upside down. The very people society overlooks are often the ones God exalts.
    We see this pattern throughout Scripture. God chose David, the youngest and least impressive of Jesse’s sons, to be king. He chose Mary, a humble young woman, to be the mother of the Savior. Again and again, God chooses those whom the world would consider unworthy or insignificant. His mercy lifts up the lowly, and His love knows no bounds.
    So, what does this mean for us? It means that we need to change the way we see people. We need to look beyond outward appearances and see the value that God has placed in every human being. We need to honor and uplift those whom the world often overlooks, knowing that in God’s kingdom, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last…
    Knowing that, as James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
    We reflect God’s love when we care impartially for others… And this becomes especially poignant when we care for those who can offer nothing in return.

    Faith and Works: Living Out God’s Love

    James 2:14–17 CSB
    14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
    James doesn’t stop at addressing the issue of favoritism; he takes it a step further by showing us what true faith looks like in action. He asks a challenging question: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
    Well, what do you think? Can you see someone’s faith apart from the accompanying action?
    In this case, it’s not enough to say we love others; we must show it through our actions. If we claim to have faith, but our actions don’t reflect God’s love, then our faith is dead. James gives a practical example: Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
    The Most Useless Man in Church: Attends every service, but never serves. Knows all the answers, but helps no one. Criticizes everything but builds nothing. Talks about the workd, but does none of it. Sees every need but meets none of it. Being present is not the same as being productive for the Kingdom/\.”
    This is a powerful reminder that our faith must be lived out in tangible ways. It’s not just about what we believe, but about how we treat others—especially those who are in need. God calls us to be people of action, people who demonstrate our faith through our love and service to others… As 1 John 3:16
    1 John 3:16 CSB
    16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
    Conclusion
    As we conclude, let’s take a moment to reflect on what we’ve heard. James has given us a clear warning against favoritism and a clear call to action. We are not to judge others based on outward appearances, but to see them as God sees them—with love, compassion, and respect. We are to honor and uplift the poor and lowly, knowing that in God’s kingdom, they are rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.
    Remember this church, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
    As we go into this week, I encourage you to look for opportunities to put this message into practice. Who in your life might need to experience God’s love through you? How can you serve those whom society often overlooks? Remember, faith without works is dead—so let’s be doers of the word, and not just hearers.
    Let’s pray together, asking God to help us see others through His eyes, to love without favoritism, and to live out our faith through actions that reflect His love. This is how we point a weary world to Jesus.
    Let’s pray together.
    “Lord, help us to embody your mercy and love. As we come before You, remind us that You see beyond appearances, showing mercy over judgment. Help us reflect that same mercy in our relationships, serving others without favoritism, and loving as You have loved us.”

      • James 2:1–17CSB

      • James 2:1–4CSB

      • Mark 2:17CSB

      • James 2:5–7CSB

      • James 2:14–17CSB

      • 1 John 3:16CSB

First Baptist Church
office@fbcsimsboro.org
318-247-6504
http://www.fbcsimsboro.org
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