Introduction:

Good morning church, It’s a blessing to see all of you.

As we all know we are going through the book of James under the theme “Faith in action”

Last Sunday we have meditate together James 2:1-7, on Favouritism or Partiality.

Today we shall continue our study from James 2:8-13,

Before we enter to our text, let me remind you the purpose of writing this letter.

James wrote this letter to a believers in exile. They have been forced to leave their homes and settle among strangers. As followers of Jesus, they do not find their lives to be easy. Instead, they find themselves facing a variety of trials and these tempt them to doubt God’s faithfulness and ability to continue to bless them.

James wrote this letter to remind them of who God is and how He can enable them to rejoice when they encounter these trials because they test their trust in Him. And a trust that has been tested or purified leads in the end to one being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.(1:2-4)”

In chapter 2 James has been dealing with behaviour towards our fellow men. He is condemning attitudes and behaviour based on worldly standards. In the first part of chapter 2 James tackles favouritism. Now he examines this behaviour in direct relationship to God’s law.

James 2:8-13.

• Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
• But if you favour some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

1. For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
2. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
3. So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
4. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

I would like to entitle my sermon as “Believers daily lifestyle”  Under these topic I would like to give 4 vital Believers daily lifestyle to all of you.

I know many of us are conscious with our health, If you want to stay healthy and fit, you need to eat right kind of diet and exercise daily. In the same way James is offering us this morning four daily lifestyle which will help us to live out our purpose for God’s glory.

First lifestyle

1.  Love your neighbour as you love yourself (8-9)

• Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
• But if you favour some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

James is saying obeying royal law, i.e. loving your neighbour as yourself is good,

We know this is second greatest commandment given by Christ. “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”

Verse 9 reminds us, our last Sunday sermon that is, if we show favouritism or partiality it is sin and breaking the law.

Every one of us should be very careful with sin of favouritism, James reminds us that instead we should love our neighbour as ourselves.

Who are our neighbours?

Our neighbours are people who are around us, it can be family members, friends, coworkers, house neighbours, people whom you encounter in daily basis.

All people whom you meet in your life is your neighbour.

Loving our neighbour can be in many different ways, I will like to give few ways.

Loving your neighbour means.

1. Loving them as Christ love us. (love one another as i have love you) 1.Showing grace as christ shown His grace to us.
2. Acting with compassion
3. Looking out for wellbeing, Philippians 2:4 it says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 4.Serving the people around you. 5.Speaking kindly to your neighbour 6.Sharing in joys and sorrow. (Romans 12:15). “rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn”

7.Means forgiving them, 8.Showing no partiality,

• Most importantly pointing them to our Redeemer, introducing to our Lord Jesus, and giving them a living hope.
• Sharing your life story, sharing your identity in Christ, Hope in Christ
• Inviting friends and neighbour to the church, the list can still go on and on…

Illustration:

It was in my 8 standard one of my neighbour invite me for a bible study which was conducted by evangelical union, My life was completely change as I start journeying with these beautiful godly friends. I was just one time invitation that change my life.

Within no time we form a small group in our own school, and start inviting students for prayer meeting and bible study.

Our number grew bigger and bigger, many young students join us, many received Christ as their Lord and saviour.

I believe this is the true example of loving our neighbour.

Just because of one friend invitation, my life was change, in the same manner we keep inviting friends over and over again, we continue doing this great work through out our high school days.

Church the greatest gift you can ever give to someone is leading your family or friends, neighbours, coworkers to Christ.

Showing them life meaning, life purpose and life destiny.

Application:

Are we loving our neighbours? How are we loving our neighbours? When was the last time you loved your neighbour?

Church lets make use of every moment to love our neighbour.

We know, practically loving our neighbour is not an easy steps,

But lets ask Holy Spirit to help us, so that God will change our heart and We can practically apply in our daily life.

Second lifestyle

2.      Repenting our sins daily (10-11),

1. For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
2. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

If we have committed sin, small sin or big sin, it is Sin before God. This two verse remind me of mankind wickedness and sinful heart and our continual needs of repentance for our daily sins.

Church in some way or the other way we all have committed sins, we have broken the law.

We have deceive ourselves, we have sin against God, we have broke God’s heart.

All of us are equally guilty of sin, none are perfect. All of us are fully depending on God’s grace and mercy.

Romans 3:23.“All have sin and fall short of the glory of God”

Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Genesis 6:5.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Seeing our heart conditioned we should repent our sins to God daily.

we have broken the law of God, -We have committed sin We desperately need God’s forgiveness all the time.

As one of the pastor of this church, I am not only telling you to repent but all pastors and leaders of this church should be the chief repenters.

A.W Pink says

“The christian who has stopped repenting has stooped growing”

Illustration: Church

We dispose Kitchen trash on a daily basis, right, What, if, we don’t throw the trash for a week or a month, someone like to try that, the whole room will stink and the stinking smell will make all of us sick right,

In the same way, we should repent our sin on daily basis,

Remember church Sin is like a cancer, it can destroy us and make our life miserable.

Let us repent our sins and wash with the blood of Christ daily.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

Application:

Are you repenting your sin on daily basis?

Isaac watts a hymn writer and Church minister says

“There is no repentance in the grave” Third lifestyle

3.      Be careful how you live, U will give your life account someday. (12).

12 So whatever you SAY or whatever you DO, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

Be careful with your words you will give account someday. Proverbs 18:21

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. (let us use wisely)

Matthew 12:36

But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Colossians 4:6.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Be careful of whatever you DO you will give account someday. 1 Cor. 15:58.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

You will be judge by law of liberty, which is the law of Christ.

John MacArthur

“The gospel is the law of liberty because it frees those who place their faith in Jesus Christ from bondage, judgement, and punishment of sin and brings them ultimately to eternal freedom and glory”

In Romans 6:6-11, Apostle Paul clearly remind, How God will judge all of us.

• God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”

• To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honour and immortality,

he will give eternal life.

• But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
• There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
• but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Illustration:

Apostle Paul after serving God his entire life just before he was beheaded by Romans soldier, he said to his spiritual son Timothy in 2 Tim.4:7-8.

• I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
• Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Application:

Church Our life is short on this earth, we are closer to death everyday. Are you ready to meet our Lord Jesus?

If you happen to die today, and if you are going to stand before our living God to give your life account, How will your story look like?

What have you done for the Lord so far? 2x Finally here is our fourth lifestyle-

4.      Be Merciful to all people. (13).

13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

Church being merciful to all people should be our character.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaims, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt.5:7).

The good news for every child of God in Christ is that God’s mercy toward us will triumph over His judgment of us (Romans 8:1). Our sins may argue against us, but Christ is our loving Advocate who argues for us and prevents us from receiving the judgment we deserve. We, in turn, should display God’s type of mercy toward others.

Ephesian 2

1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

• But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

We are saved because of God’s mercy

Titus 3:5

• He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

1Peter 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Application:

Church lets be merciful to all people around us as our heavenly Father has shown mercy unto you.

Conclusion:

Church we have meditate together 4 very vital points under the topic

“Believers daily lifestyle” the first lifestyle is

1. Love your neighbour as you love yourself.

Remember God love us with His unconditional love and send His only Son Jesus to die for our sin, and bible says if we confess our sin and place our faith in Christ Jesus, He will forgive all our sins and give us eternal life.

Church we have received Christ love in our heart,

This is the best time for us to share Christ love to our neighbour. Love your neighbours.

2.        Repenting our sins daily.

Remember church Sin is like a cancer, it can destroy us and make our life miserable.

Let us repent our sins and wash with the blood of Christ daily.

3.        Be careful how you live, you will give your life account someday.

Our life is very short, we are closer to death each day, let us make use of every opportunity to serve our living God,

One day He will reward us for all the good works we have done.

4.        Be merciful to all people around you.

Finally, let us be merciful to all people around us, God has shown abundant mercy in our life, its time for us to show God mercy to all people around us.

Let us be a channel of blessing to all people.

Final prayer.

Thank you everyone for your kind attention. God Bless You