Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
A wealthy man boarded an airplane one afternoon, hoping to be home in time for supper. The stewardess looked at his ticket and showed him to the first class cabin, but to his surprise, there was a man sitting in his seat. He looked at his seat number, and then glanced again at the person, but he was definitely in the wrong spot. The first impression that he had of this stranger was that he didn’t look like he belonged on the plane at all. His clothes were torn and one of his shoes was ripped down the side. It didn’t look like he could afford a meal much less a first class plane ticket. He quickly told the person to get out of his seat, and he was quickly escorted off of the plane.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Although this happens on a regular basis out in the world, it’s not supposed to be happening within the church. Jesus taught not to judge by appearance, but yet in the early church this is exactly what was going on. They treated wealthy people better than the poor. Maybe you can remember watching an old movie and seeing rich people sitting in box seats, or a special pew in the front of the church that was reserved just for them. But in the far back, you saw the poor and destitute, gazing from afar off and treated like dirt. I wonder if a wealthy man had to change places with the poor, how they would appreciate that treatment. If you are really going to keep the royal commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, then you really need to put yourself into their shoes for a while. Wouldn’t it be something for a rich man to give up his seat to the poorest wretch in the church.
James 2:1-9 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 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? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
The church is not a football game, where if you pay more money, you get better seats. It’s not like an airplane where everybody’s seated according to class. Jesus fed thousands, and they all shared the exact same seat. All of them sat on the ground. The church is supposed to be a place of equality, but more often than not, the poor are hated by his own neighbors.
Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
Think of the inheritance that Moses could have received if he had just stayed in Egypt. He could have had earthly treasures beyond imagination, but he walked away from it all, and became poor, living as a shepherd in a tent in the desert. God was the treasure that He wanted. When we are content with the simple things in life, we can refocus our attention on the things of God, and will find much more time to seek Him without distractions. Instead of seeking to be rich in worldly treasures, we must seek to become rich in spiritual ones. You truly need to become poor, in order to become rich. Moses did this, and so did the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. The Lord left the glory of paradise to preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom to this sinful world. He looked like everybody else, and couldn’t even be identified in the garden, until Judas gave Him a kiss.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
The Apostles left their Earthly jobs to devote their lives to the preaching of the Gospel. They became poor to make other men rich in spiritual things, and were blessed because of it.
Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
The Apostle Paul was doing the same thing.
2 Corinthians 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
The reason why so many people will be unfruitful at the judgement is because they are so engrossed with the things of this Earth that they do not have time to disciple others. They have no fruit because their time is spent on attaining the things of this world.
Mark 4:18-19 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
In order to bring forth fruit unto life eternal, it requires devoting yourself to the things of God. To become a laborer for the Lord, one must learn to be content with your daily food, and the clothes on your back. One must be satisfied wherever you are at, so instead of wasting your time on the irrelevant things of this world, it can be used to further the things of God’s Kingdom.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Treating the rich better than the poor is a sin. Remember that it is the poor who are rich in faith. In the church there is supposed to be an equality. As the poor increase the faith of the rich, the rich can help the temporal needs of the poor. Every low valley must be raised up, and the high hills must be brought down. It’s the great leveling of church equality.
2 Corinthians 8:14-15 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
God doesn’t judge somebody by their clothes or the brand of their shoes that they wear. He judges the heart. It’s time for the church to rise up and help the poor. Hopefully then, when you look into their eyes and recognize your own spiritual poverty, you can receive the true riches of Christ. It’s only money, and it’s time to do good things with what God has given you. Maybe you will fulfill the Royal law by showing somebody the love of Christ, and graciously extending to them your….
…..First Class Seat
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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