Today we continue our series through the month of September on the New Testament book of James. This biblical letter is attributed to James who was the brother of Jesus. Many scholars today think that James the brother of Jesus did write part of this letter as a sermon but then someone later added to it to make it a letter to a wider audience.
This letter is addressed to Jewish Christians living as tiny minorities within larger populations. The writer makes the case that Christians need to treat others differently than the way people treat one another in the culture surrounding the faith community.
Last week we read guidance from James that we must be quick to listen and slow to speak. I’ve had several people comment to me that the passage last week really spoke to them. It seems that we live in a culture where we tend to speak quickly before we appropriately listen.
Today we turn to the second chapter of James. We will hear about favoritism, mercy, and judgment.
Read James 2:1-17
James says in verse 13 that mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
My wife Kathryn told me this week that she passed a church in York County advertising the title of the upcoming sermon. The sermon title was “Admonish one another.” Her response to the sermon title was, “Don’t we do that enough already? Do we really need more admonishment in our society?
The preacher of that church, I assume, was sharing a sermon from Colossians 3. Which is actually the scripture we used in our wedding. And the words “admonish one another” is a part of the text.
However, I’m pretty sure that these three words were not why we chose it as a mission statement for our marriage. Although I have done some dumb stuff in my life so being called out is necessary at times.
But I’m pretty sure we chose this text from Colossians because of the rest of the scripture like showing compassion and kindness and humility and patience and forgiveness and letting the peace of Christ rule in your heart. For us, in our marriage, I think these other acts are more important to us that admonishing one another. As James says in his letter, mercy triumphs over judgment.
A few weeks ago I attended two Pride events in Rock Hill. Pride weekend is set aside as a celebration and affirmation of the LGBTQ community. A few weeks ago was the first Pride weekend ever held in Rock Hill and York County to my knowledge. I had never been to a Pride weekend before.
I found out about it because I have become friends with the person who organized it. She is a business owner in Rock Hill. There was a parade on Thursday evening and then a festival on Saturday as well as some other events that did not interest me. I attended the parade and the festival.
Before attending the parade I thought a lot about what I should wear. Should I wear clothing that identified me as a clergyperson or should I just dress normally? I was not wearing a costume.
I decided against wearing a clergy collar and a stole. I just wanted to blend in with the crowd and take it all in. So I arrived in downtown Rock Hill with about 100 or so other folks. Many were dressed quite colorfully. I was dressed pretty bland.
But then I began to see some folks that I knew. People who I know from various aspects of my life in York County. And then through them I was introduced to others. We walked a few blocks and I enjoyed some conversations with some old and new friends along the way.
After the parade, I was walking back to my car and passed a downtown restaurant. I saw through the window a woman that I recognized and her husband. She used to work here at Allison Creek.
I went in and sat down with them and ending up talking with them for quite a while. The husband whom I did not know shared with me his struggles. He grew up Southern Baptist in South Carolina and knew what he had been taught about marriage.
But he was really struggling between what he had been raised to believe and what he was coming to accept. He said he had a hard time attending church anymore because of the judgment that he felt coming from church people toward people in the LGBTQ community. I thanked them for their honesty and willingness to struggle.
They showed me a social media post about a church service that was happening on Saturday morning in downtown Rock Hill. The woman was quite upset about it. The church service was being held as a protest to the upcoming Pride festival. I decided to attend the service.
I went to the service or rally at the amphitheater in downtown Rock Hill. I sat to the side. I saw someone there attending the rally whom I grew up with in Columbia. We attended the same church. I had a huge crush on her sister. This person is one of the sweetest people I knew.
I listened as one speaker at the rally shared about how she was experiencing same gender attraction but that she was praying for Jesus to heal her. I listened as a group of young men shared their testimony. These men had come in from out of town to preach on the corner of the street at the Pride festival.
I left from the rally and went over to the festival. It was a very festive occasion. It was held in the area that is now called Knowledge Park. Long time residents know it as the area next to the old Bleachery.
There were lots and lots of people. I saw several people that I know. There were lots of booths and tailgate tents. Several from local and regional businesses. A couple of churches were represented.
I kind of took it all in. The street preachers from the morning’s rally were there. They had speakers set up in one corner of the display tents and they shared lots of words about Jesus and God.
In front of the street preachers were some people trying to block them off. They were from a church in Charlotte that advertises itself as a gay friendly church.
In front of one of the stores I listened to music being performed by a woman playing guitar. She was quite good. I had met her at the parade where she shared with me that she had been a youth leader and musician in a couple of churches.
As I was leaving I waved at her. I didn’t want to make a big deal about me being there. But then the performer announced over her speaker. “Hey everyone. This is Pastor Sam. He’s here with us today. He’s not against us.” So much for not being seen.
But then before I left two women approached me separately. They were each women who grew up here in Allison Creek. They were very excited to see me there. It meant a lot to them that Allison Creek’s pastor came.
James says mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment. I have a friend who tells me that when he gets to the gates of heaven that if Saint Peter tells him that he was too inclusive in who he welcomed into his church and into a relationship with Jesus Christ, that this is a risk that he is willing to take. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
In the people I met at the Pride weekend I learned two things that they desire. I heard from people that they want to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ as their savior and that they want to find a group of Christians who are willing to invite them in.
So are we that body? When we say, “All are welcome” do we mean everyone? Or do we have our favorites of who we welcome in?
To quote James, do you in your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?
As we struggle over the question of who is welcomed in, may be remember the words of James when he says, mercy triumphs over judgment. AMEN.
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-Given: Sept. 5, 2021 at Allison Creek Presbyterian (York, SC)