Introduction
	1.  Have you ever known a teacher’s pet?  a “brown-noser” at work?
	2.  Favoritism can cause trouble
		a.  Humerous Tom Smothers say “Mom always liked you 
		b.  Story of Joseph is not so humerous
			1)  Father clearly favored him 
			2)  Later, when Simeon was held hostage
	3.  There is one place where favoritism does not exist -- The Church
	4.  TEXT:  James 2:1-13
	6.  A REAL Christians REAL Faith will not discriminate	---Reasons

I.  DISCRIMINATION IS EVIL (4)
	A.  Text clearly calls in evil (4)  and calls it sin (9)
	B.  What was happening
		1.  Christians were making distinctions among themselves
			a.  Because someone had his father’s wife?
			b.  They were granting special priviledges for the rich
			c.  Humiliating poor - Make a floor mat out of them!
			f.  They were basing distinctions on externals
			(v. 1)  “Personal Favoritism”  lit...“to receive the face”
		2.  The rich were:  (6-7)
			a.  Oppressing them
			b.  Dragging them to court-Could lawfully grab a 
			      debtor of the street
			c.  Blaspheme God
		3.  Text say they became judges with evil motives.  How?
			a.  -Maybe to brown nose, get rich to ease up
			     -Maybe it was to make them look better
			b.  In any case, the motive stemmed from selfishness
			c.  judging the poor to be unfit for fellowship
			      -I Cor 11:22 - Shaming those who had nothing in 
				 	- Drinking damnation to themselves
			        -I Cor 1:26-31 - God chosen the the despised
	C.  ILL:  Quote - “Being poor is a problem, but being rich, or 
	      brown-nosing is not the answer
	D.  Let’s ask ourselves these questions while thinking of this principle:
		1.  Who do I greet in the assembly?
		2.  Who do I have over for dinner?
		3.  Who do I talk to at work?
		4.  TEENS:  Who do I talk to at school?  Eat lunch with?

II.  DISCRIMINATION DISREGARDS GOD’S CHOICE
	A.  To dishonor poor person is to dishonor one God has chosen (5)
	B.  Consider these other scriptures:
		1.  Lk 4:18 - In Nazareth “He anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor”
		2.  Mt 11:5 - “The poor have the Gospel preached to them”
		3.  Lk 6:20 - “Blessed are you who are poor”
		4.  I Cor 1:26 - God chose the poor, weak  NOT THE NOBLE
	C.  ILL:  Story behind Lincoln’s face on the penny:
		1.  A Russion came to the U.S.  (David Brenner)
		2.  Became a famous sculpter
		3.  Impressed by Lincolns saying - “The Lord must love poor 
		     people, He has made so many of them”
		4.  So impressed that he pur Lincoln’s face on the penny.  
		      Reasons he said:
			a.  It was the most lowly of coins
			b.  There are so many pennies
			c.  Would be more of them in pockets of the poor
		5.  When you see a penny, remember there are more poor 
		     than rich in the world
	D.  The next time you ignore a “common person” in favor of a 
	   popular, richer, more educated, better dressed person, consider this
		1.  IS this someone whom Jesus died for on the cross for
		2.  How will your choice affect your standing with God?
		    -Matthew 25:31ff - Was hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, prison
		    -This is specifically talking about the brethren
		3.  Anyone a stranger, WHEN are you going to visit them?

III.  DISCRIMINATION IS INCONSISTENT
	A.  Context - Doers of the word & Faith without works is dead
	B.  Law Breaking/ Inconsistency (8-11)
		1.  They may have been trying to justify themselves:
			a.  Law say love neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18)
			b.  May have said with rich “See we are loving our neighbor”
		2.  Inconsistency obey one command to exclusion of another
			a.  Lev. 19:15 - No partiality 
			b.  James’ Illustration in verse 11
				1)  Used because it is clear
				2)  Not adultery, but murder, a law breaker
			c.  If you love rich, popular, talented, etc. but not 
			     the poor, you are a law breaker
	C.  ILL:  (Example of inconsistency) Grandpa came to live at home.  
		- Billy wanted to know why --  “Because we love Grandpa and 
		   want to take care of him.” 
		-  Dinner, Grandpa had trouble feeding self, dribbled a lot
		-  Mother got disgusted & sat him by himself at another table
		-  Grandpa dropped bowl and it broke.  Sigh and gave him wooden bowl
		-  That night, Billy on porch carving block of wood,  “What are you making”
		-  “A wooden bowl for Mommy and Daddy when they get old”	
		-  Grandpa at table with them next time.  Realized words inconsistent 
	D.  Do you love your neighbor as yourself, or are you a law-breaker?
		1.  Real Test, what reaction when meet someone not 
		     intelligent, missing teeth etc.
		2.  Meet well dressed, well educated, intelligent, etc.
		3.  Which one do you invite to church?  OVER TO DINNER?


IV.  DISCRIMINATION DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ALL AS SINNERS
	A.  Law of Liberty (Freedom)  (v.12-13)  a New Covenant, sets us 
	      free  (Why?  Rom 3:23)
	B.  Real Faith says “I am no less a sinner than anyone else”
		1.  Redeemed by His blood (explain redeem)
		2.  Are we to reject the one that Christ bought with his blood?
	C.  ILL:  “To foreigners, All Americans are Yankees, Southerners say Yankees are from 
	       the North, Northerners say New Englanders are Yankees, New Englanders say 
	       Vermonters are Yankees, Vermonters say those who eat Pie for breakfast are 
	       Yankees”
		1.  Isn’t interesting how things change due to perspective
		2.  The right perspective recognizes all as sinners
		3.  Difference is that I am a forgiven sinner
	D.  We are forgiven and redeemed whether rich, poor, white, black, 
		1.  What people think if someone walked in and we said
			a.  Meet Joe, he’s an ex-con, here’s Sue, she was a
prostitute, There’s Blair, she’s been raising 2 wonderful children on her own,
There’s Lamont and Juana first black family in town, Here’s Jarred, he’s
mentally retarded but is very active in ministry
			b.  It would say that we are a BODY, redeemed, one 
			     in Jesus, reformed sinners.
			c.  Does not matter 
				What your past is like
				What your social status is like
				What the color of your skin is
				How smart you are, (spirituality is not being 
			    	able to grapple theology)
				How old you are
				Whether Man or Woman
				ALL ARE EQUALY HEIRS AND EQUALLY 
				     IMPORTANT  
	Read Gal. 3:26-29 - All one in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion
1.  Do not show an attitude of personal favoritism (receive the face)
2.  Because it is Evil/  Disregards God’s Choice/  Is Inconsistent/  Does not
acknowledge all as sinners in the same boat
3.  Evaluate you actions
	a.  At work, school, in the neighborhood
	b.  AT CHURCH
	c.  Who do you talk to, spend time with, have over for dinner, etc.