8“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. 9And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. 10And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you must be a servant. 12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 13“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. 15“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! (Matthew 23:8-15 NLT)
I examine scriptures of this nature and I shudder. These are the words of Jesus the Christ speaking into the leadership of the church. We have a tendency to glance over some of the harsh words that Jesus spoke in favor of His more, shall we say, easily digestible sentiments – but if I, or any person claiming salvation in the name of Jesus, passes over teachings such as this we, like the Pharisees of old, will experience the same judgement. I can not claim to know the heart of any person, including the hearts of those who claim to be pastors, leaders or teachers; but I do know this: We have but one true teacher and that is Jesus Christ who leads by the Power of Holy Spirit in us and in His churches. We have but one father and that is our Creator God who we have the privilege of knowing because of the sacrifice He made through the Christ on the cross. And I know this: If in the church we as pastors, teachers, and leaders preach His Word in the effort to lead people to build bigger churches, or put more money in our pockets, or gain more respect or power for ourselves in our positions or for any other reason than to express the message of salvation and hope to this dying world– then we will face judgement and go to hell, along with the people who have been misled by us.
I examine scriptures of this nature and I shudder. These are the words of Jesus the Christ speaking into the leadership of the church. We have a tendency to glance over some of the harsh words that Jesus spoke in favor of His more, shall we say, easily digestible sentiments – but if I, or any person claiming salvation in the name of Jesus, passes over teachings such as this we, like the Pharisees of old, will experience the same judgement. I can not claim to know the heart of any person, including the hearts of those who claim to be pastors, leaders or teachers; but I do know this: We have but one true teacher and that is Jesus Christ who leads by the Power of Holy Spirit in us and in His churches. We have but one father and that is our Creator God who we have the privilege of knowing because of the sacrifice He made through the Christ on the cross. And I know this: If in the church we as pastors, teachers, and leaders preach His Word in the effort to lead people to build bigger churches, or put more money in our pockets, or gain more respect or power for ourselves in our positions or for any other reason than to express the message of salvation and hope to this dying world– then we will face judgement and go to hell, along with the people who have been misled by us.
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