A church with no class

What a awesome time we had in worship today. Today's message was entitled, "A church with no class" from James 2:5-7. In the eyes of the world, most of us would be considered second class citizens for various reason; some for being overweight, others for being too short, too tall, too dark or too light. Some of us don’t live in the right areas, drive the right cars, wear the right clothes. You may not work the right kind of job; make the right amount of money even attend the right church. Yes the world has broken us into classes based on external things.

Sadly I must report to you today that the world is not the only place where we have separated people into classes based on external circumstances. It’s done even in the church house, the house of God. & we do it not because God said so, but we do it based on what standards the world has set for us.

By definition the word class means category, classification, denomination, division, genre, group or statue. There is first class; this means the A-one people, the excellent people, the champions. Then by the world standards there is a class above that, the High class, these are the elite, the superior. Above that the world has an upper class, the aristocratic, the blue blood, the well-bred. Then there is everybody else, the second class. God does not want us to put people in boxes, by class & in this text James tells us why.

God is instructing us in this text to look at all people as one class of people. You are no better than your neighbor regardless of where you live, work or what you drive. Your soul need saving just as much as the drunk on the street, the prostitute walking the street, the man sleeping on the street. The truth of the matter is each of us is a beggar trying to tell another beggar where to find bread. In God’s eyes we are all in the same class.

A few weeks ago we had a softball game, Brother Floyd though that the team I was on was winning because we had one more adult than his team. Well brother Gerald finally joined his team, brother Floyd stated now it’s even. He thought by having brother Gerald on his team the playing field was level.

Spiritually speaking, God’s grace levels the playing field for everybody rich or poor. How? James says God’s grace make the poor man rich because he inherits the kingdom of God which is rich. How do I know, because my bible says the earth is the Lord’s & the fullness there of. The bible says the cattle on a thousand hills belong to the Lord. & now matter how poor I may seem to the world, as long as I got Jesus I am rich. The song writer says, "My father is rich in houses & land, He hold the wealth of the world in His hands, rubies, & diamonds, silver & gold...Is there anybody here that is a child of the king?

Another way the grace of God levels the spiritual playing field is that it makes the rich man poor. You see you can’t buy grace. I don’t care how much money you have, I don’t care what you have been able to buy up to this point, you can’t buy God’s grace.

I knew you wouldn't believe me so I ask a sorcerer to come & testify…(Acts 8) I tried to buy grace. But Peter told me money can’t buy the gift of God. God views all of us in the same class. I got bible on that, 1st Samuel 2:7, “The Lord maketh poor, & maketh rich, He bringeth low, & lifeth up.”

Just in case you didn’t know it, it is possible to be rich in this life & poor in the world to come...come here Rich man & tell them your story. Then again it’s possible to be poor in both this world & the world to come it all depends on how you respond the God’s call to salvation. You see God did not promise His kingdom to the rich, or the poor but to those rich in faith.

To the world you maybe second class. The world may tell you to go to the back of the bus. But in God you are important. The world may not show you equal treatment, but God will, you see Jesus leveled the field of salvation at the cross. (The thief on the cross). Is your church a a church with no class?