October 26
Mark 12:28-34; Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:35-37; Matthew 22:41-46; Luke 20:41-44; Mark 12:38-40; Matthew 23:1-12; Luke 20:45-47; Matthew 23:13-39; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4
Our Pastor, Lloyd Pulley, once said the term “celebrity pastor” should be an oxymoron. Those in faith, in positions of leadership, should draw people, their eyes and hearts, onto Jesus, not themselves. Sadly, such is often not the case. Many desire mega-churches, filling the pews, wanting their names to be recognized. Many may not start out this way, but in climbing the ladder of worldly success, even in religious circles, they take their eyes off the one and compromise their message to entertain and satisfy the many. Jesus was not fooled by them in His day, neither should we be fooled by them now.
When Jesus was questioned about what the greatest commandment was, we read His answer in Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”” Jesus simplified the commandments, but did not lessen them. The religious establishment did just the opposite. They added layers onto them making them more complex. Entire volumes created just for the Sabbath. As Jesus begins to detail the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, the Scribes and Pharisees, He mentions that they do sit in Moses’ seat (Exodus 18:13), and as such, they do dispense both advice and judgments, but we read how they do so without love or consideration in Matthew 23:3-4, “Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” This breaks “loving your neighbors as yourself,” the 2nd commandment quoted by Jesus. He goes on in 23:5-7, “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.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.’” Elevating themselves, drawing attention away from God and onto themselves, broke Jesus’ first commandment mentioned to “love God with all your heart, soul, and mind”.
Before going to the woes levied against the hypocritical leaders of His day, we would all do well to check our own motives and grasp His words in Matthew 23: 11-12, “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” It is never about us, but about Him. It is never about the size of a ministry, the number of people following you, the number of likes you might get if on social media. Reach one person for Jesus today. Keep your eyes open for another opportunity tomorrow. Whether a ministry is borne out of your actions or not, whether you reach only one person or many, do it all unto the Lord as His servant.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: