Sermon Notes November 30, 2025

Posted on Nov 25, 2025 in Sermon Notes |

James 2:1-13—Playing Favorites                                     “James”

James 2:1-4, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

  1. “Prejudice” is _________________, meaning making an                   assessment ___________ you have any real basis for judgment.
  2. What is meant by “Evil Thoughts?” It’s evil because…    
a) …It ____________ people. 
    
b) … When we play favorites, when we ________________ ___ ,  we are setting ourselves up as the _________ in place of God.          
 
c) …IT IS based on evil _____________________.
 

James 2:5-7, “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of Him to whom you belong?”  

  1. The continued evils of favoritism… 
a) What we base our favoritism on is not only evil, but it’s not   _______________________________.  
 
b) If we don’t get favoritism out of the mix then we’re ______________ the entire vision of the church.

See James 2:8-13