Matthew 23:6-10 “They
love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the
synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men,
‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your
Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on
earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not
be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.”
Just the past Sunday, Pastor
Kyle continued in the “Passion” sermon series and preached how we tend to have
a special location and seat in the church Sanctuary to sit each week for the
Sunday Worship service. So, he had everyone get up and switch seats on the
opposite side of the center isle and sit next to someone that we didn’t know
for the entire sermon; for the people are the church, not the building that
they congregate in. He stated that, in general, it is never comfortable to
switch seats because you move to place that you are unfamiliar with and can
develop pharisaical tendencies in our Christian walk. The same was true in
Jesus’ time. We look negatively upon the Pharisees in that day, but they were
the pastors and religious leaders of that age in history. The teachings of the
first century Pharisees was largely right, but their actions were largely
wrong. How did people believing that they were working for God and with God get
so far off track from God’s perfect Word, Will and Way?
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in
your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall
talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie
down, and when you rise up.”
Pastor Kyle says that if we
are honest, looking spiritually powerful and prestigious matters to our ego;
it’s just our fallen human pride nature. Rank has privilege, so we desire a
high ranking position in life. Worship helps and shepherding tools, pious
identifiers and spiritual badges of authority can gain attention and look
spiritually significant, but may not see God in them, just religious traditions
due to the inward desire to look biblically knowledgeable. Like those Pharisees
of old, we tend to lose sight that we are a part of something bigger and there
are bigger things for those on mission in God’s bigger picture. All of us our
called by our Lord God to be good stewards of the gospel and teachers of the
Scriptures with the light of truth which has been revealed to us and that we
have been given. Desire the Word of God in everything that you do. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Acts 20:35 “I have
shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.
And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’”
Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on "Switching Seats" in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment