Godly Impartiality
John Barnett
James 2:1-13
During the fall of 1775, a man who appeared to be a typical American farmer attempted to book a room in Baltimore's most fashionable hotel. Concerned about the hotel's reputation, the manager refused to rent the room. The man left and took a room in another hotel.
Later, the manager learned he had refused a room to Thomas Jefferson, the Vice-president of the United States. Immediately he sent an invitation to Jefferson, asking him to return to his hotel as his guest. lefferson's response was simple and to the point.- "I value your good intentions highly, but if you have no place for an American farmer, you have no right giving hospitality to the Vicepresident of the United States." That is an example of social discrimination in America.
When Jesus came to live among men over nineteen hundred years ago, people did not recognize the One they met. Jesus is God, always was, and always will be. Yet it was God in the form of a man that was symbolically rejected by the innkeeper, and was later to be rejected, hated, and even crucified by His own people. That is an example of spiritual discrimination in the 1st century.
When Christianity burst into a corrupt world with a brilliantly new moral radiance.... The moral level of society was dismal, and sin prevailed in many forms.... Into this discouraged world came Christ and his Spirit-transformed disciples, filled with holy joy, motivated by a love which the pagans could not grasp, and proclaiming Good News-the message that God has provided a Saviour.... These Christians lived in tiny communities knit together in the power of the Holy Spirit, little colonies of heaven. They thought of themselves as pilgrims on their way to the celestial city, but they were very much concerned to manifest the love of Christ in all human relationships.
But they like us were not perfect. In our passage we study this morning we will find another test of spiritual maturity: A ...
John Barnett
James 2:1-13
During the fall of 1775, a man who appeared to be a typical American farmer attempted to book a room in Baltimore's most fashionable hotel. Concerned about the hotel's reputation, the manager refused to rent the room. The man left and took a room in another hotel.
Later, the manager learned he had refused a room to Thomas Jefferson, the Vice-president of the United States. Immediately he sent an invitation to Jefferson, asking him to return to his hotel as his guest. lefferson's response was simple and to the point.- "I value your good intentions highly, but if you have no place for an American farmer, you have no right giving hospitality to the Vicepresident of the United States." That is an example of social discrimination in America.
When Jesus came to live among men over nineteen hundred years ago, people did not recognize the One they met. Jesus is God, always was, and always will be. Yet it was God in the form of a man that was symbolically rejected by the innkeeper, and was later to be rejected, hated, and even crucified by His own people. That is an example of spiritual discrimination in the 1st century.
When Christianity burst into a corrupt world with a brilliantly new moral radiance.... The moral level of society was dismal, and sin prevailed in many forms.... Into this discouraged world came Christ and his Spirit-transformed disciples, filled with holy joy, motivated by a love which the pagans could not grasp, and proclaiming Good News-the message that God has provided a Saviour.... These Christians lived in tiny communities knit together in the power of the Holy Spirit, little colonies of heaven. They thought of themselves as pilgrims on their way to the celestial city, but they were very much concerned to manifest the love of Christ in all human relationships.
But they like us were not perfect. In our passage we study this morning we will find another test of spiritual maturity: A ...
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