What did Jesus say to the church leaders?
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
We continue on with this part of focusing on the church by looking at how God views our ministry of witness to the world. Jesus, the Messiah, the hope of the world, had a message to give to the leaders of the synagogues during his ministry. It wasn't just to the scribes and Pharisees but to all of the church leadership. In Matthew 23: Jesus pronounced 7 WOES against the Pharisees who were the leadership at that time that begins to give shape to what God's desires are for the church to be. By looking at these "WOES" from God's point of view we can begin to see a striking difference in God's view of the body of Christ on earth.
1. Jesus said they shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces, not letting in those who are trying to get in. The question is in what ways are we shutting the kingdom of heaven away from those who so desperately seeking after it? It seems like wherever we go the church has a different set of unspoken rules to abide by. There seem to be different groups within our churches who tend to develop limited access within their circles which shuts most others away from their activities. This creates various clubs with in an organization of believers instead of a family in Christ who is unified in the spirit of God. We need to include as many as we can into our circle of fellowship instead of excluding some who may question our philosophy.
2. Jesus talked about these people who travel far and wide to try to convert others to a philosophy of faith that shuts down unity in the body as creating attitudes that are twice as bad as their own. We must look very closely at what it is we are teaching people today. Are we teaching people about the message of the good news, or are they being taught a doctrine and a philosophy of division? Our loyalty and our witness should be a reflection of the light of God shining through us to others, and not that of man-made doctrine or creed that divides us against one another.
3. Jesus called these people blind guides who are more interested in their temporary role in leading man then they are in any kind of spiritual devotion. We have watched our nation build itself up on an idea of material gain, and the concepts of our need to have more entertainment and services provided for our comfort as we attend church services. It is brought in to the worship of God a more seeker sensitive concept worship that includes any and all of the ideas that can be used from this world to draw people. We must ask ourselves do we have a club, organization, or a spiritual body of believers?
4. Jesus also pointed out concerning their tithes and offerings help people tend to give their money to the Temple, or the church coffer yet neglect their own poor family members such as parents. For many today the appearance of good in one's life is all that is necessary to trick people into supporting a cause or a lifestyle. It is popular today to do good works in a community in a general sense, but never get to the point of doing any real good for those who suffer within the very body of Christ we worship with every Sunday.
5. During Jesus's ministry he emphasized the difference between following religious rules, and yet neglecting spiritual rules like mercy, justice, and compassion. Instead of supporting ministry in a community many today are promoting ownership, and naming rights to label a work done in the name of Jesus but never with the spirit of Jesus. The true intent of one's heart will show forth the fruit of the spirit in supporting and strengthening efforts which are already underway. We should not be competing against one another in any ministry or in any attempt to witness to this world. The Holy Spirit has been given the task of drawing people unto God, and our ministry is to serve and minister to those who are drawn by God's spirit to his word.
6. Jesus also said that those people may well look spiritual on the outside, they may have their religious clothing and rituals, but on the inside there filled with greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy, and wickedness; in other words they are filled with the dead rotten bones. True life in the spirit brings forth spiritual fruit, and real-life.
7. Finally Jesus said to these people that in many ways they reject and kill God's messengers. It is obvious to us who the people are that hate God, but many times we invite the enemy in by teaching the doctrine or the philosophy that literally kills God's message in the church. When we become unwilling to open our hearts to be convicted by the word of God we are for the most part doing the enemies work for him. These are only a few ways that Jesus has shown us a tremendous difference between the family that God desires us to be to one another and the developed organizations we have adopted today that we call the church. We are going to continue comparing some of these reasons that we meet as a church to the necessity of meeting his spiritual family. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
We continue on with this part of focusing on the church by looking at how God views our ministry of witness to the world. Jesus, the Messiah, the hope of the world, had a message to give to the leaders of the synagogues during his ministry. It wasn't just to the scribes and Pharisees but to all of the church leadership. In Matthew 23: Jesus pronounced 7 WOES against the Pharisees who were the leadership at that time that begins to give shape to what God's desires are for the church to be. By looking at these "WOES" from God's point of view we can begin to see a striking difference in God's view of the body of Christ on earth.
1. Jesus said they shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces, not letting in those who are trying to get in. The question is in what ways are we shutting the kingdom of heaven away from those who so desperately seeking after it? It seems like wherever we go the church has a different set of unspoken rules to abide by. There seem to be different groups within our churches who tend to develop limited access within their circles which shuts most others away from their activities. This creates various clubs with in an organization of believers instead of a family in Christ who is unified in the spirit of God. We need to include as many as we can into our circle of fellowship instead of excluding some who may question our philosophy.
2. Jesus talked about these people who travel far and wide to try to convert others to a philosophy of faith that shuts down unity in the body as creating attitudes that are twice as bad as their own. We must look very closely at what it is we are teaching people today. Are we teaching people about the message of the good news, or are they being taught a doctrine and a philosophy of division? Our loyalty and our witness should be a reflection of the light of God shining through us to others, and not that of man-made doctrine or creed that divides us against one another.
3. Jesus called these people blind guides who are more interested in their temporary role in leading man then they are in any kind of spiritual devotion. We have watched our nation build itself up on an idea of material gain, and the concepts of our need to have more entertainment and services provided for our comfort as we attend church services. It is brought in to the worship of God a more seeker sensitive concept worship that includes any and all of the ideas that can be used from this world to draw people. We must ask ourselves do we have a club, organization, or a spiritual body of believers?
4. Jesus also pointed out concerning their tithes and offerings help people tend to give their money to the Temple, or the church coffer yet neglect their own poor family members such as parents. For many today the appearance of good in one's life is all that is necessary to trick people into supporting a cause or a lifestyle. It is popular today to do good works in a community in a general sense, but never get to the point of doing any real good for those who suffer within the very body of Christ we worship with every Sunday.
5. During Jesus's ministry he emphasized the difference between following religious rules, and yet neglecting spiritual rules like mercy, justice, and compassion. Instead of supporting ministry in a community many today are promoting ownership, and naming rights to label a work done in the name of Jesus but never with the spirit of Jesus. The true intent of one's heart will show forth the fruit of the spirit in supporting and strengthening efforts which are already underway. We should not be competing against one another in any ministry or in any attempt to witness to this world. The Holy Spirit has been given the task of drawing people unto God, and our ministry is to serve and minister to those who are drawn by God's spirit to his word.
6. Jesus also said that those people may well look spiritual on the outside, they may have their religious clothing and rituals, but on the inside there filled with greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy, and wickedness; in other words they are filled with the dead rotten bones. True life in the spirit brings forth spiritual fruit, and real-life.
7. Finally Jesus said to these people that in many ways they reject and kill God's messengers. It is obvious to us who the people are that hate God, but many times we invite the enemy in by teaching the doctrine or the philosophy that literally kills God's message in the church. When we become unwilling to open our hearts to be convicted by the word of God we are for the most part doing the enemies work for him. These are only a few ways that Jesus has shown us a tremendous difference between the family that God desires us to be to one another and the developed organizations we have adopted today that we call the church. We are going to continue comparing some of these reasons that we meet as a church to the necessity of meeting his spiritual family. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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