Reflections From Sunday

Yesterday was a great day @GFchurch We are walking through a series in the book of James called, "James:: The Essentials" and I really enjoying walking through this series with the church. This week was part7 of the series and we covered verses 1-13 of chapter 2.

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

2 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,

3 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,"

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

5 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?

6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well.

9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

11 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.

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Things to think about::

* It's a heart issue (verses 1-7)
* It's the law of the King (verse 8)(you shall love your neighbor as yourself)
-reference the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20
-the first 4 directed towards God
-the remaining 6 directed towards our fellow man
-reference the fact that they were spoken by Jesus in Matthew 22: 34-40

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

-also, reference Romans 13:8-10

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

* It's the law of liberty (verses 9-13)
-The Gospel saves
-reference John 8: 31-36

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

How amazing is it that Christ came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. He is the one who brings about fulfillment and gives us life. Thank you Jesus for showing mercy. Thank you that mercy triumphs over judgment. Teach us to look at those around us with an attitude of mercy. May we not show partiality which cares (1) more about outward appearance than the heart (2) gives us a misunderstanding of who is important and blessed in the sight of God (which is all of us) (3) gives us a selfish streak in our lives. The question here is, "how partial are we really"? When we begin to live the Royal Law or the Law of the King keeping in mind the Law of Liberty which brings about mercy and triumphs over judgment, it causes us to look at those around us differently. Remember we too deserve judgment but He gives us liberty. May we seek the heart of others, the goodness of others, and show mercy towards others. We LOVE because HE first loved us.



I am already looking forward to walking through James 2:14-26 this coming Sunday.

Things coming up this month::
February 20 Men's Breakfast @8am @GFchurch
February 28 101 Class/ Membership @4pm @GFchurch

ConnectGroup schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
Wednite (youth) @ 7pm @ The Snow's
SunMorn @ 915am @ GFchurch

.. I love our church
.. I love our team
.. I love our people
.. I love our community
.. I love what He is doing in us
.. I love what He is doing through us
.. I love that He is not done with us

There are some awesome things coming up in the life of Gateway Fellowship.
.. new ConnectGroup video studies by Zach Snow
.. new Creative Arts stuff being led by Scott Finch
.. new way to stay connected with GFchurch Facebook Page