Weekly Sermon

James 2:5-7 reads, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  But ye have despised the poor.  Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”

Having declared a prohibitive caution against the practice of showing partiality in James 2:1, and having delivered a forceful confrontation against the problem of showing partiality in verses 2-4, James presents a challenging consideration of the contradictions in showing partiality against the poor in favor of the rich in verses 5-7.  Grammatically, these three verses encompass five separate statements.  First, there is the imperative call to attentive consideration – “Hearken, my beloved brethren.”  Second, there is the rhetorical question concerning God’s dealings with the poor – “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”  Third, there is the reproving declaration of their dealings with the poor in direct contrast to that of God – “But ye have despised the poor.”  Finally, there are the two rhetorical questions concerning the oppression of the rich against them as believers and the blasphemy of the rich against their Savior’s name – “Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”

Meditations in Ezekiel

1.  The Requirement for a Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:1-2 – “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

2.  The Reality of the Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:2 – “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

Ezekiel 33:7 – “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”

Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Weekly Sermon

James 2:1 reads, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” 

James 2:1 opens the sixth paragraph of this epistle with a direct and distinct prohibition against showing “respect of persons.”  As such, this prohibition establishes the contextual setting for the rest of the paragraph.  Grammatically, this verse presents a Biblical imperative for our daily Christian walk.  Furthermore, this Biblical imperative can be divided grammatically into four parts.  First, there is the direct address of loving concern for our daily Christian walk – “My brethren.”  Second, there is the main clause of spiritual caution for our daily Christian walk – “Have not the faith.”  Third, there is the prepositional phrase concerning the established center for our daily Christian walk – “Of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”  Finally, there is the prepositional phrase concerning the forbidden characteristic in our daily Christian walk – “With respect of persons.”  In this first part of the message, we shall consider the first two of these truths.

Proverbs for Life

Proverbs 21:1 – “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

The Wisdom or Foolishness of the Ruler
The Success or Destruction of the Ruler
The Favor or Wrath of the Ruler

Meditations in Exodus

In Exodus 3:9-10 the Lord God revealed His purpose to Moses, saying, “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.  Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

In Exodus 3:7-8 the Lord God had revealed that He knows the sorrows of His people and that He is moved to deliver His people from their sorrows.  As He continued His message unto Moses from “the burning bush,” He further revealed unto Moses His purpose and plan for the deliverance of His people.  Indeed, the Lord God expressed His call upon Moses to send Moses as His instrument of deliverance.  Even so, we find so often that when the Lord our God moves on behalf of His people, He does so by calling and sending a man through whom He might accomplish His work.

Meditations in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 26:1-2 reads, “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.”

In Jeremiah 26:2 the Lord our God instructed His prophet Jeremiah to stand up, speak forth, and diminish not.  Jeremiah the prophet was called of the Lord to proclaim the message of God’s own Word unto God’s own people.  Involved in the Lord’s call upon him, Jeremiah was specifically forbidden to diminish even a single word from the Lord God’s message unto His people.  In like manner, we who possess any God-given responsibility to proclaim the message of God’s Word unto others must not shun to declare unto them “all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27)  We must not keep back from them anything that would be spiritually profitable to them. (See Acts 20:20)  Even so, we must proclaim all the truth of God’s Holy Word; for “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) 

Yet what is involved in declaring all the counsel of God’s Word and in not diminishing a word thereof?  Jeremiah 26 provides a four-fold answer.

Meditations in Jeremiah

This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:  
            Woe Be unto the Pastors that Destroy and Scatter – Jeremiah 23:1-2

In Jeremiah 23:3-4 the Lord gave promise to the children of Israel, saying, “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.  And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.”

In Jeremiah 23:1-2 the Lord had pronounced his judgment of woe against the ungodly pastors of His people, saying, “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.  Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.”  Then in Jeremiah 23:3-4 the Lord promised His people that He would gather them from their scattering and that He would set godly pastors over them.  Even so, in Jeremiah 23:4 we are introduced to our Lord God’s description of a godly pastor.  Furthermore, within the context of Jeremiah 23:9-40, wherein our Lord expanded and explained His condemnation of the ungodly pastors, He provided two additional descriptions of a godly pastor.  So then, let us consider these three characteristics of godly pastors who are approved by the Lord our God.

Meditations in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 23:1-2 pronounces the woe of our Lord’s judgment against ungodly pastors, saying, “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.  Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.”

However, in a present society that is focused upon and driven by emotionalism, many will interpret this passage within that societal context.  Many will view the condemned scattering of the sheep by these pastors as their manner in hurting the feelings of the sheep.  Many will view the condemned driving away of the sheep by these pastors as their manner of rudeness toward the sheep.  Many will view the condemned lack of visiting the sheep by these pastors as their manner in neglecting to visit the sheep in order to comfort and appease their hurt feelings and emotional burdens.

However, such a perspective of Jeremiah 23:1-2 would not be accurate within the context of Jeremiah 23 itself.  Even so, Jeremiah 23:3-8 reveals our Lord’s promise and prophesy unto Israel to provide them with godly shepherds and to raise up the Messiah who will rule for their sake over the earth as “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”  Then in Jeremiah 22:9-40 the chapter returns to the subject of condemnation against the ungodly pastors (for Israel – ungodly prophets and priests).  Herein we find our Lord’s definition concerning their ungodly practice of scattering, driving away, and not visiting the sheep.  Furthermore, herein we find our Lord’s fierce wrath against them for this ungodly shepherding.

Meditations in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 22:13-14 reads, “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.”

The Biblical principle of these verses is true in any situation.  The “woe” of our Lord God’s fierce wrath and judgment is upon any individual who (1) builds up his own situation by unrighteousness, (2) uses another’s service without paying wages, and (3) builds up how own situation for self glory.  In the immediate context of Jeremiah 22, these verses had direct application to the case of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah. (See Jeremiah 22:15-19)  At that time King Jehoiakim sought to build up his own situation with the motive of covetousness and through the manner of oppression. (See Jeremiah 22:17)  Therefore, the Lord pronounced the woe of judgment upon him, wherein he would lose absolutely everything that he sought to build up for himself. (See Jeremiah 22:18-19) 

However, as I meditated upon these verses, a different application of the Biblical principle was brought to mind.  This application concerns pastor’s who seek to build up their own situation in the ministry for their own glory.  As a pastor (or any other form of leader in the ministry), are you seeking to build up your ministry situation by the carnal methods of the flesh, rather than by the divine power of the Holy Spirit?  If so, then our Lord God’s woe is pronounced against you.  As a pastor (or any other form of leader in the ministry), are you using your neighbor’s service for the Lord “without wages” by stealing sheep from another’s ministry?  If so, then our Lord God’s woe is pronounced against you.  As a pastor (or any other form of leader in the ministry), are you building up a ministry with the selfish motive of covetousness, for your own glory, rather than for the Lord’s glory?  If so, then our Lord God’s woe is pronounced against you. 

At the approach of the new year, such questions may be quite appropriate for each pastor (or other form of leader in the ministry) to consider.  My fellow laborers in the ministry, let us examine ourselves.

Posted in Meditations in Jeremiah,