Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Switching Seats – Part 1



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

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