Missional Living Has No Place For Personal Favoritism!

"My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

      If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:1-13

Showing Personal Favoritism In 

Christian Living Shows:

1.  You Have Evil Motives

More often than not our motivation of showing preferential treatment for one person over another person is simply for personal gain.  We exalt one person and belittle another because the one we are exalting we feel can help us in some way.  THIS IS A WRONG MOTIVE IN ALL THINGS BUT ESPECIALLY FOR MISSIONAL LIVING!

2.  You Have Dishonored The Poor Whom God Has Chosen To Bless

Did you catch this point in the Bible verse above?  God has chosen the poor, the outcast, or the lonely to bless them!  We we choose to exclude them or down play their participation we are dishonoring them and thereby dishonoring God.  

3. You Have Sinned And Broken The Law of Love

James, the writer of this book, doesn't hesitate in the least to call the attitude of personal favoritism SIN!  When you value one person above another; when you minister to one person above another IT IS A SIN!

4.  You Deserve To Be Judged Without Mercy

This Bible verse is very clear what a person who shows personal favoritism, especially in the church and in missional living deserves!  They deserved to be judged without shown mercy.

NOW THAT'S WHAT IS DESERVED BUT NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THEY'LL GET!  The Bible also says in 1 John 1:9,

"If we confess our sins He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

Sincere repentance and confession from this sin of personal favoritism will bring about God's forgiveness.  

When it comes to living a powerful Missional Life there is absolutely no room for personal favoritism.  Just like the picture above says we need to be going out and sharing the Gospel with those that others have given up on!  Other people may have given up on them but God still loves them and Christ still died for them.  

One last thought to remember!  The truth is that we all were once people that have been given up on.  If it wasn't for Christ's death, burial and resurrection none of us would be saved from our sins.  But praise be to God our Father that He does love us and through Christ provided away for our sins to be removed.

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3 Parts To The Great Commission As A Sandwhich

Now that's an interesting title for a blog! What on earth would I mean by, "The Great Commission As A Sandwich"?  It is just a visual way for you to comprehend all of the components that make up the commission Jesus gave us before He ascended back into Heaven.  

Every good sandwich consists of three parts.  

1. First, you have the top piece of the bread, 
2. then you have the bottom piece of bread 
3. and finally you have the meat in the center.  

The two ends of the bread hold the meat together and thereby makes a perfectly formed meal.  The Great Commission if found in Matthew 28:18-20.

THE TOP PIECE OF THE BREAD FOR THE GREAT COMMISSION!

"All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me ..."

The top piece of The Great Commission Sandwich is CHRIST'S AUTHORITY! How much authority does Christ have?  All authority!  Where does Christ have authority? Everywhere, in both Heaven and earth.

This is important to understand because Jesus is about to give out some orders or commands that He expects his disciples to follow and he wanted us to know that He really does have the authority to issue out those commands.  In other words, it is as if Jesus is saying to us, 

"Listen up and pay careful attention because I am about to give you some orders to obey while I am away and by the way I do have the authority to give you these commands, so you better obey them."

Jesus does have the authority to command us to do whatever he choses, so this Great Commission is not a option - it's a command!

THE BOTTOM PIECE OF THE BREAD FOR THE GREAT COMMISSION!

"... and low I am with you always, even to the ends of the age."

The bottom piece of The Great Commission Sandwich is Christ's continual PRESENCE!  As Christ is sending us out on this mission he is wanting to reassure us that we will not be going at it alone! Christ is wanting to remind us that His presence through the working of the Holy Spirit will be our consistent companion for His power and presence, even in the midst of the most adverse situations.  He reminds us of his presence to reassure us that we can do this mission because He is with us do ing it through us. 

THE MEAT OF THE GREAT COMMISSION!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

There are 3 parts to the meat section of The Great Commission Sandwich;

1. Make Disciples Of Christ:  We are to go share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and lead others to faith in Christ so they too can become His faithful disciples also.  Making more disciples is the command. The other two parts are to support this primary activity.  You are not being obedient to the Great Commission if you are not sharing Jesus with others and how they too can be saved. 

2.  Baptize Them:  This is peoples way for people to publicly declare their allegiance to Christ.  They may not be mature followers of Christ when they are baptized but the are sure they want to follow Christ.

3.  Teach Them To Obey Christ's Command:  Teaching people to know what Christ commanded isn't enough. We must teach them to obey Christ. The Bible says that to obey is better than sacrifice. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only.  Obedience is the proof of true discipleship. Jesus said, "why do you call me Lord but do what I say?"  To claim to be a disciple of Christ but not to obey Him is an oxymoron! 

SO, LET'S GO PUT THE GREAT COMMISSION SANDWICH TOGETHER AND GO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION.

7 STEPS TO AN ANXIOUS FREE LIFE: As Prescribed By Hudson Taylor

“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine.  It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient.” – Hudson Taylor

From this statement of Hudson Taylor, the great missionary from England to China, we learn the 7 steps to an anxious free life.

STEP #1:  Believe That Worry Free Life Is Possible!

“I am no longer anxious about anything ..."

STEP #2:  Trust That God Is In Control!

" ... as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, ..."

STEP #3:  Make Your Heart's Desires Match That Of God's Will!

" ... and His will is mine ..."

STEP #4: Place No Conditions On Your Obedience To God!

" ... It makes no matter where He places me, or how ..."

STEP #5: Understand Your Position To That Of Christ!

" ... That is rather for Him to consider than for me ..."

STEP #6: Recognize Every Good Gift Come From Christ!

"... for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace ..."

STEP #7: Accept God's Grace During Difficult Times!

 " ... and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient ..."

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