Thursday, February 5, 2009

Seven woes to the modern Scribes and Pharisees

The words of Jesus still live on:
"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you--but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi for you have one teacher, and you all are brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors (teachers) for you have one instructor (teacher), the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make one single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." Matthew 23:1-15
I read this in my daily devotion today. As I read it I realized this is still a relevant message for todays modern church. It transcends history. Why because for the most part there are those who still do as this scripture says in the modern church. They sit in pulpits (Moses' seat) and lay burdens on people. They are not serving, but wanting to be served. They do things to be acknowleged by the public. They dress up in their expensive Armani suits and drive their expensive cars. They have special parking spots in the parking lot. They have the front row seats in most churches. They love to be called apostles, prophets, evangelist, teachers and pastors, his holiness or father.
They love to go overseas and make disciples while their neighbors are perishing. Then come back and proclaim it to all the world on tv.
According to the scripture above we are to be humble. We are all brothers and therefore equal. Only one can be called our father and that is God! No man should ever be called father when it comes to the church. We have ONE!!! No one is to be called rabbi, pastor, teacher because we have ONE!! JESUS !!! We must take heed of these warnings from Jesus. Because as is the case of todays modern church we have fallen back into the Pharisees way of ministry. Whoever is the greatest will be the least. Jesus chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. Jesus was and is the only perfect example of a true humble servant. And He said, "Follow Me."
So my question is this are you following a mere man or are you following The MAN? Christ Jesus!

5 comments:

Like a Mustard Seed said...

Steve! You can't go around suggesting that there are people today who are just like the Pharisees! Jesus called them sons of hell! I mean, how judgemental it that?

Wait... now that I think about it, there are a lot of people who act just like the Pharisees....

Crud....

Steven O. said...

Congratulations! You just gave me a good laugh! Something I've been lacking for a while...

nimayo said...

I am bout to travel over sea for a mission trip and am growing more concerned that I do not make the american dream there dream or my dream but that they may recieve Gods dream for them. I read the woe about the traveling over land and sea and pray that I am not making them worse off than before they met me.

Steven O. said...

Nimayo,
I feel that by the way of your concern that your heart is in the right place. Meaning that it sounds like you really have a heart for the work of Christ.
Just be ready to hear the Holy Spirit and be lead by Him as you minister. Just remember that we are about The Kingdoom of God. And that is Faith,hope and love.
Which is the greatest? LOVE!
So you show those people the love of Christ and don't be concerned about an agenda. God will work it all out for you. Just proclaim the word. And be ready to be a good listener.
I will pray that the Lord will give you the wisdom you need to fulfill your ministry in Jesus name.
Thank you, for visiting,
Steven Owen

blesseddaughter said...

hi Steve,

I think you are throwing away the baby with the bath water.
I think you are talking about religious people , the hypocrites, the pharisees as you explained it..

to be a teacher, apostle.... that's good for the body of Christ needs it to edify itselves

it is just sad that people are ordained a position in church or call themselves such but they don't show people their way to liberty, the kingdom of God , they are full of despise and self righteous,
it is the heart of a humanbeing that is the problem, not the five fold ministry.

and in the ministry it is that people proclaim liberty for others and never themselves and with that they become hypocrites.

liberty my brother is cutting yourself off of your past with the declaration of your mouth in Jesus' , if you disallow your situation God disallows it
and let nothing stand in your way
to walk in it.

be blessed