Have you ever sat through a sermon, nodding along to the message, only to wonder later if the preacher truly lives by those very same words? Today's episode takes a hard look at the disconnect between preaching and practice, focusing sharply on the kind of hypocrisy Jesus Himself called out in Matthew 23. We wrestle with the uncomfortable truth about religious leaders who impose heavy burdens while failing to lend a supporting hand, and we share personal encounters that shed light on the dangers of placing appearance over action.
Navigating the landscape of spiritual leadership, we recognize the pitfalls that come with honorific titles and the allure of authority. With Jesus as our guide, we remind ourselves of the beauty in humility and servant leadership. Our conversation dives into the complexities of church hierarchies, legalism, and the importance of heart-filled worship, bolstered by tales of those who were marginalized by the rigid application of man-made rules. We confront the need for authenticity, challenging both leaders and congregants alike to embody the love and mercy that Jesus exemplified.
As we close, we offer a prayer not just for those weighed down by the heavy yoke of religious expectations but also for the discernment in choosing leaders who will shepherd with gentleness and wisdom. This episode is more than a mere discussion; it's a heartfelt invitation to those seeking solace and a fresh perspective on what it means to walk alongside Christ. Join us as we unearth what true discipleship looks like in a world still grappling with the age-old issues of hypocrisy and legalism.
Have you ever sat through a sermon, nodding along to the message, only to wonder later if the preacher truly lives by those very same words? Today's episode takes a hard look at the disconnect between preaching and practice, focusing sharply on the kind of hypocrisy Jesus Himself called out in Matthew 23. We wrestle with the uncomfortable truth about religious leaders who impose heavy burdens while failing to lend a supporting hand, and we share personal encounters that shed light on the dangers of placing appearance over action.
Navigating the landscape of spiritual leadership, we recognize the pitfalls that come with honorific titles and the allure of authority. With Jesus as our guide, we remind ourselves of the beauty in humility and servant leadership. Our conversation dives into the complexities of church hierarchies, legalism, and the importance of heart-filled worship, bolstered by tales of those who were marginalized by the rigid application of man-made rules. We confront the need for authenticity, challenging both leaders and congregants alike to embody the love and mercy that Jesus exemplified.
As we close, we offer a prayer not just for those weighed down by the heavy yoke of religious expectations but also for the discernment in choosing leaders who will shepherd with gentleness and wisdom. This episode is more than a mere discussion; it's a heartfelt invitation to those seeking solace and a fresh perspective on what it means to walk alongside Christ. Join us as we unearth what true discipleship looks like in a world still grappling with the age-old issues of hypocrisy and legalism.
The following resource is brought to you by Real Life Community Church in Richmond, Kentucky. We hope you're both challenged and encouraged by this message from Pastor Chris May.
Speaker 2:Turn with me to Matthew, chapter 23, starting at verse 1. Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples the scribes and the Pharisees, sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe what they tell you, but not the works they do, for they preach but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on people's shoulders, but they in themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fingers long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called Rabbi by others.
Speaker 2:But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one father who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Let's pray. So, dear Lord, we just ask your Holy Spirit come saturate this place, come cover our pastor as he brings this word to us. Lord, god, open and humble our hearts to receive the word that you have sent for us today that we may learn and grow and become closer in our walk with you and in our presentation of you to others in our community. We just ask this in your name, amen.
Speaker 3:We're in the next chapter, the book of Matthew. I tuned in this week to. I like to listen, you know, to different pastors and get their approaches on different texts, and I tuned into a pastor I'd never listened to before. He was really good and he started his sermon by saying turn to Matthew 23. In our 23rd year, I'm not the only one who's taken a few years to get through the text.
Speaker 3:Chapter 23 of the book of Matthew records Jesus very last discourse before his crucifixion. It's his last public discourse. The entire chapter is about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees of Israel. Now we have seen throughout the last special well, through the book of Matthew, but especially throughout the last two chapters, jesus has gone over and over, head to head with these guys and he silenced them. But now, man, this comes to a head Jesus pulls no punches. You know, many of us like the cute and cuddly, friendly Jesus and that's all you hear some preachers preach about, and we should preach about, the Jesus full of grace, the Jesus who loves us more than we could ever imagine. But how many know we need to know the same Jesus who, out of love, preaches hard truths? We can. You know there are some churches who all you hear is, you know, fire and brimstone kind of thing, and then other ones again. You hear nothing but grace. We need a balance. Preachers are called to preach the whole council of God. That's why I love preaching through books of the Bible. In chapter 23, jesus just lays it all out and he's he's not just talking to Pharisees, but he. They are present in this audience, but Jesus is talking to crowds of Jewish people who esteem the Pharisees and who, as it were, blindly follow them. Now, as we think about this text, jesus makes it clear that these leaders are leading the people astray. Matter of fact, in in later on in chapter 23, I'll hit this next week but Jesus says that these leaders are making their converts twice as much children of hell as they are Meek and mild. Jesus, right, but the text today is as relevant to us in 2024, which is tomorrow, right, not incredible. It's as relevant to us today as it was to the people in the first century, this original audience.
Speaker 3:How many know that false teachers and false prophets in hypocritical leaders are everywhere? Everywhere there are a dime, a dozen, and you know, we know this. We know that there are certainly false teachers in other religions. You know. You think of the, the false prophecies of Islam who reject Jesus is the incarnate son of God. You think of Christian cults who talk about, yeah, biblical values and, and you know, biblical ethics, but they reject the eternal nature of Jesus. Think of the, the false prophets of Buddhism and Baha'ism and Hinduism. Think of even faithful Jews who deny the Messiah. But then let's just talk about the evangelical church for a minute. How many know we've got some false prophets, some hypocritical leaders within the church today. Are you with me Now?
Speaker 3:Many of these types of preachers, these hypocritical leaders, like it's obvious, right, like we can call them out. For instance, we have these liberal, liberal theologians today who reject the authority of Scripture. They, they reject that the Scripture is unchanging, that it is God breathed. They, they try to explain in natural terms the miracles recorded in Scriptures. Those are liberal theologians and their false prophets and hypocrites. You have pastors who seem to love God, but they've been. How many pastors have been exposed for pervasive and ongoing sins? We see that and we go oh, that guy's a hypocrite. We have pastors and full denominations now who claim to love Jesus, but they're they're accepting and watch this, even promoting abominable lifestyles. And we look at them. They claim to love Jesus but we say no way. They're hypocrites and it's obvious. But you know, not all hypocritical leaders are so easy to spot.
Speaker 3:When Jesus speaks to this for these first century Jews, about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, he's calling out a particular type of hypocrisy. In Jesus day. The word, the Greek word for hypocrite, was used in the Greco-Roman world for actors who would be on a stage and they would portray some other person or profession and they would wear a mask, and so that mask was to help them get into the character and to hide who they really were. And this is analogous to the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus day. Yes, they rejected Jesus as the Messiah and so clearly we would look at them and go, oh, false prophets, hypocritical leaders. But you know what? Many of their followers blindly followed them. I mean, they're these people love God. And they saw the Pharisees and they thought man, these are our people, these are our leaders, we're just, we're going to follow them.
Speaker 3:And here's why Because the Pharisees actually strive to practice what they claim to believe. I mean, they were all about good works, they were all about following the Old Testament law. So the issue here is not that the Pharisees are necessarily preaching one thing but then going out and living secret life of promiscuity and embezzlement and those kinds of things. You know what the issue is? Their good works are a mask. They look like they're playing. You know that they're true and real, but that mask is hiding the wickedness of their own hearts. And you know the most tragic part of Matthew, chapter 23? It seems to me that not only are these leaders fooling the crowds, but they're actually fooling themselves. The reason I say that is we'll see this next week.
Speaker 3:Two times Jesus refers to them as blind or blind guides. It's the blind leading the blind. They are blind to the wickedness of their own heart because they see their own self-righteousness and they boast and say see, we're right with God, we love God. Look at us, look at us, look at us. But Jesus calls them out, he exposes their hypocrisy. And so today we have, you know, famous preachers who are hypocrites and they are leading people astray.
Speaker 3:But I'll tell you this, many this is true for many of those quote unquote leaders and preachers. Their hypocrisy, like the Pharisees, it's not so easy to spot. For example, there are many preachers who claim to believe in the authority of Scripture. They teach from the Bible. They appear to live godly, holy lives and they in some ways, many ways, they do. They preach Jesus even as being the only way to salvation. But you know what? At closer look, at a closer look. If you just really pay attention, you might just see that what they're preaching and even the way they're living, that it's a mask to hide the wickedness of their own hearts. Only God knows their hearts. But just give you an example.
Speaker 3:Just last week I heard a well-known preacher On television. He is a funny guy. He has crowds of Christians who come out to sing. He's eloquent. He talks about Jesus a lot, but man not. All he talks about is money. I heard a clip a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 3:God's honest truth. He's on the television with a bunch of other pastors raising money, and here's what he says. God told him, supposedly, that Jesus is ready to come back, but he can't. And here's why? Because his people aren't giving like they are supposed to. And this is a pastor who some of you have listened to and affirmed.
Speaker 3:He talks about Jesus, he preaches from the Bible. Look a little closer. I don't know his heart, but I'll tell you what he said. That's a false prophet right there Kidding me. And then he says hey, call this number and people go crazy.
Speaker 3:I mean they're clapping. You know there's audience people that are clapping. Imagine me going. I mean telling you today, listen, our budget's a little down Jesus would return, but he can't, because real life is you don't just. You know, if you just give a little more, I mean try it this morning, but you know I don't know. But in all seriousness, you get what I'm saying. Somebody can live, you know, moral, a moral life, and they can talk about Jesus, but yet their hearts can be so far from God.
Speaker 3:And these prosperity preachers, in my estimation, they are taking many people with them. They are leading many of them astray because they're teaching them to love God and money. And Jesus says you can't do it. And because of television and podcast and YouTube videos, unsuspecting Christians are listening to and believing these preachers not just those, but many other false teachers, because they seem okay and these kind of naive Christians, maybe newer believers. They don't recognize the red flags of hypocrisy. And so in chapter 23, jesus is warning the crowds about following these scribes and Pharisees. And we'll see next week that six times Jesus speaks directly to the Pharisees and six times he calls them hypocrites, hypocrites. And so let's look at verses one through three.
Speaker 3:Jesus says to the crowds and the disciples, the scribes and Pharisees sit at Moses' seat, and here's what he says to them. This is curious. So do and observe what they tell you, but not the works they do, for they preach but do not practice. These scribes and Pharisees, they are in an authentic position of authority and they have practiced faithfully the necessary task of reading and explaining the law of Moses, the Old Testament law, to God's people, and so this is a good thing. And so hence Jesus encourages the people. He says listen in as much as they've taught the scriptures faithfully, listen to them and obey what they've said, because they're teaching the Word of God. But throughout the years, the Pharisees we've talked about this before They've added their own burdensome laws and traditions to God's Word, and now, clearly, they've rejected Jesus.
Speaker 3:So is Jesus saying listen to everything they say? No, he's saying they sit on the, the seat of Moses in the synagogue when they're teaching the Bible. Listen to that, obey that, obey the scriptures. In other words, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. You know, there's some great preachers I mean I've, whom I've learned a lot from who have fallen and I don't. I don't listen to them anymore. But just because they've fallen doesn't mean that they had nothing good to say. There's some helpful things. And so don't, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. And so Jesus admonishes the crowd Listen, follow their faithful teachings when they're teaching the scriptures. But then he adds don't do the works they do because they preach and do not practice. Now this is.
Speaker 3:I had to think through this a little while. Because in the Sermon on the Mount, jesus reveals that the scribes and Pharisees pray, they fast, they give to the needy and I just told you the Pharisees man. They love the law and they strive to obey the law. So why does Jesus say well, listen to what they teach, but don't do what they do? Think about that. See the Pharisees. Here's the problem. They were doing much of the many of the right things, but for the wrong reasons. Look at me. God cares about the heart even more than he does the action. The actions are important, don't get me wrong. Those actions are to be birthed out of a right heart, with God.
Speaker 3:Do you remember in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus says he says your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? And the people are hearing this and are going oh my gosh, oh my goodness. I mean these people. They strive to keep the law. They do it way better than us. Jesus says no, you've got to be better than that, you've got to be more righteous than that. What's he mean? Well, he tells us. He says You've heard it said do not murder. Well, the Pharisees aren't out killing people on the side. And he says oh, good job. But he said you know what, if you have bitterness against somebody, if you hate your brother, you're guilty of breaking the law. And the Pharisees could be mean, unforgiving.
Speaker 3:Then Jesus goes on to say you know, you've heard it said do not commit adultery. And to be sure, the Pharisees were not out sleeping around. Jesus says oh, I'm glad you don't sleep around, but you know what, if you look at a woman lustfully, you're guilty of adultery. How you doing? See, the problem with the Pharisees. This is why Jesus said listen to what they say, but don't do. What they do is because their works were not about God, they were about themselves.
Speaker 3:These were not humble, god fearing leaders. These were were men who were hypocrites. They were wearing a mask which hid the wickedness of their hearts. God is not looking for a people who will just obey externally. He is looking for a people who would pressure him and love him from the depths of their hearts. And so these, these leaders, these hypocritical leaders, I'll tell you again, they're not always so easy to spot.
Speaker 3:So this one, I want to help us. How in the world, how in the world do we, we spot these leaders? I mean think, because Jesus says don't follow them, don't emulate them. Think about how sad that is. Imagine if Jesus spoke to you today. Or imagine if he just walked in the room. It'd be pretty cool. But this wouldn't be cool if he did this. Imagine he walks in and goes hey, hey, hey, you're pastor. He's a faithful expositor of scripture. Listen and obey what he preaches. Do not emulate him. Would you want to continue to go to the church? No, remember Paul. He said follow me or imitate me as I imitate Christ. There's no leader that is perfect. Don't misunderstand me, but I hope, oh, my prayer is God. Don't let me just preach, but let me live this out, because this church, we do life together and, though I stumble, I want to generally be able to say follow me as I follow Jesus.
Speaker 3:You know, I worked with a pastor once who was one of the best preachers I've ever heard. I mean he could preach circles around anybody. I knew he was a man who preached all the right things. He taught about loving God and loving people. But I quickly realized. I quickly realized and by the way he he wasn't out getting drunk, he wasn't out sleeping around Pretty legalistic as a matter of fact. But I realized that the more that I got to know him that he was not somebody worth emulating Because he looked good on the outside, to the crowds. But as you got to know him, you realized I'm not mentioning his name, I worked for several pastors before coming here. But I'll tell you this I realized this is a man who liked the Pharisees. He's good on the outside but he literally hated people. He was mean and cold, crushing to me and my wife and to everyone who would dare question him. I had to get out of there that we taught the right things. I could not do. I didn't want to become what he was. Sad, isn't it? So how do we recognize these leaders Try to move to this very quickly.
Speaker 3:Number one hypocritical leaders. They burden their people. Their leadership is crushing. You could say Matthew 23, verse four. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and they lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves aren't willing to move them with a finger. Now, there's two ways that hypocritical leaders burden their people. One is this they leave the heavy lifting to others.
Speaker 3:Now, I'm sorry animal lovers, but this idea of tying up heavy burdens alludes to the inhumane practice of the first century, and it still goes on today in other parts of the world. But the men would load their animals, you know, a camel or a mule, with all their luggage or whatever they were transporting. They would overload those animals and they would walk beside the animal and carry nothing, and they would watch the camel struggle and if that camel dares stop or stumble, they whip the animal. Come on, it's your job, carry this. But they themselves were not willing to lift a finger. It's cruel, isn't it? But do you know? That's what the Pharisees were doing, as a matter of fact later what? We'll see this again next week.
Speaker 3:But in verse 23 of chapter 23, jesus says to the scribe. She says woe to you, you hypocrites, for you tithe mint and deal and cumin and you've neglected the way to your manners of the law, justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. So listen, tithing is important for the Pharisees and so they're tithing, even off their spices, which tells me, man, how many love hot sauce in here. Every bottle of hot sauce that you buy, I expect you to bring 10% of the bottle. And just, you know, here's a mug right here that Bud got me that says be careful or you will end up in my sermon. I don't know where he's at, that's funny, but I was told there was a gift for me on the pulpit. But yeah, just come up here and pour it in the mug and we'll be all right.
Speaker 3:They were doing these minute things, tithing spices, and Jesus says do that, that's fine. But he said you know what You're so worried about these little things? But you are, you are neglecting the way to your parts of the law, namely justice and mercy. And Jesus point is that these leaders, they're telling their people because much of the Old Testament law is about helping people and being a good neighbor and standing up against tyrants and helping those you know who are, who are burdened and marginalized in their culture and society. And so they're. They're telling that that's hard work. It's hard work to to to be the good Samaritan. Is it not To sacrifice your time and your money to help those who are in need? And so the Pharisees are going oh, you do these things and they're tithing their spices, but they're not willing to lift one finger to help light the burden of their people. And so they're. Just the people are loaded down. You have pastors who tell you to give, to lower your standard of living, to give sacrificially, ask you, are they doing that? Hypocritical leaders burden their people by leaving the heavy lifting to them. But they do this another way too. They impose on their people extra biblical commands about every denomination Well, not really a lot of denominations are guilty of doing this.
Speaker 3:The Old Testament law was hard enough to follow. We've talked about this 613 commands. But in addition to that, throughout the years, the rabbis with, with good intention to kind of safeguard the law and and and help people really live it out, they they added many, many rules that maybe started out as suggestions but became obligations. So like I mean some. I don't have time to get into it. But just I mean crazy, crazy complicated rules that just unnecessarily burdened the people and it made them their souls weary. I mean they had no joy of the Lord, because they're always wondering, man, what else do I need to do? What else do I need to do to please God? Now let me just give you some examples of how this happens today.
Speaker 3:How many know Bible reading is? It's a difficult. It's a difficult discipline in and of itself. Anybody struggle with doing that faithfully. I do. But you have these pastors all over, especially again in this area, who not only tell you to read the Bible, but here's what they say you better only read the King James.
Speaker 3:By the way, the King James is a translation of a translation. Did you know that? And I'm not against it. I grew up on it, I love it. It's poetic, it's the word of God. This right here, the ESV that we use, the NASB is that what you have with you? The CSB? These go back to the original manuscripts and they're actually, if you you can look this up, they're actually more faithful to the original manuscripts than the King James or the new King James. Now you have new King James. King James, god bless you, that's what you want to read. Nothing wrong with that. It's the word of God.
Speaker 3:But I had my dad. My stepdad was newly saved and he went to his church and he went to a Sunday school class and he brought his Bible, which is more than I can say for most people in the church. Most of them know you bring a Bible. He brings his Bible and he sits down and I don't know if he was asked to read a scripture or what, but someone in the class Mr Spiritual wasn't the teacher, but Mr Spiritual notices that he has the NIV and he looks at my dad and he chastises him in front of a whole group of people. I'm trying to be a Christian, but I wanted to go see that guy. My dad never went back to that Sunday school class. How dare you? How dare you Tell somebody who's reading God's word and hungry for the word, oh, you have to read this one version Now. There are loose translations that are not at all accurate. But generally speaking, if you have an NIV in this room and that's what you want to read, god bless you. I'm proud of you for reading the Bible. Let me give you another one.
Speaker 3:What about the preachers who demand you, ladies, wear skirts to the floor and long sleeves. Now, I believe in monesty and I think we ought to have, you know, some standards, but oh my goodness, this is ridiculous and this is, in many churches, connected to your salvation. By the way, I just two nights ago heard a video of a lady giving a testimony who came out of this hyper fundamentalist holiness movement and she was told you skirt to the floor, no makeup, long hair, all of this stuff, and if that's your conviction, god bless you, but don't put it on other people. Here's what happened to her. I mean, she strived to follow all the weighty, burdensome rules, but one day she was worshiping God and I guess she was at the front, she had a long sleeve shirt, but when she lifted her hand God forbid her elbow popped out and her pastored chastise her and said how dare you? You are calling men in the church to stumble. Now, if my wife's elbow causes you to stumble, there might be something wrong with you, not her. I'm just saying come for counseling.
Speaker 3:I could give, I could give many other examples, but even I love our denomination, but we have extra biblical rules that are put on us and it's burdensome. Hate it, hate legalism, hate it. And that's what the Pharisees were doing. It was hypocritical. But Jesus, hallelujah, aren't you glad that he doesn't put unnecessary burdens on you? He said in Matthew 11, 28,. He's talking to the crowds who have been burdened by the Pharisees. He said hey, come to me, all you who are burdened and heavy laden by all of these commands. He said I'll give you rest for your souls. I'm gentle and lowly at heart. You grew up under that garbage. Listen, there is freedom in Jesus today, hallelujah.
Speaker 3:Second red flag of hypocrisy amongst leaders is self-glorification. Verses five through seven. I'll just read these kind of one at a time. Again, pharisees doing the right things, but for their own reasons. If you look closely, what Jesus is revealing is that they are not about the glory of God. They're walking in godliness for their own glory. First off, what we see in verse five is that they want the applause of men. Verse five they do all their deeds to be seen by others. Man, jesus will read your mail. You might be able to fool some people, but you can't fool God, he says. They make their phylacteries broad in their fringes long. So just real, quickly.
Speaker 3:Phylacteries, not a word we use every day, but they were small leather cases that Jewish men would wear. They had scriptures within them on parchment paper, and the reason they wore these was in this attempt to literally obey the admonition found in Deuteronomy 11, which says you shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be frontlets between your eyes. So they would wear these boxes on their left arm and their head during morning service. The Pharisees wanted these. You know that the boxes are normally pretty small. The Pharisees wanted, like you know look at all the scripture I have on my head they wanted to be seen and they wanted to draw attention to their own piety. I didn't want you to miss that little box. If you were sitting far away, right, it's like, hey, look at me. You know it's like if Hunter's standing in front of them. They want it to be big enough where they where you can see, you know, then, the corners of their garments. This was very common and, matter of fact, nothing wrong with this. Jesus wore these that they were tassels that were there to remind people to obey the word of God. Old Testament talks a lot about this. But what Jesus says is they wanted their tassels to be extra long Again. You see what's going on here. They're doing the right things, but it's not for the glory of God. It's like, hey, look at my tassel, I'm going to start wearing those, but then Dina would make a whole new calendar, wouldn't she?
Speaker 3:In Matthew 6, jesus warns the people of practicing spiritual dissemblance, like the Pharisees. He said they pray, but when they do, they want to stand on the street corner. They want to use these big words, they want you to hear them. They're not praying in the secret place. Don't do in public what you're not willing to do in private. He says they fast, but when they do, what do they do? They disfigure their faces and they so you'll know their great sacrifice. Oh, what's wrong? Well, I'm just fasting for Jesus. I'm just fasting. It's like you've gone 20 minutes without a meal and you might feel like you're, you know, like dying of hunger, I don't know. But and then then he says they give to the needy, but when they do, they sound an alarm. You know anybody like this. I don't want to say anything, but I just. This person was in need and thank God I was there. I love on Facebook.
Speaker 3:When people start start this, I'm humbled. And then they talk about whatever accolade they just got or they say you know, I just want to give glory to God. And then they tell you about the great things they've done. And maybe, maybe I've probably done that in the past. Let me just be careful. But could it be that that we do those things for our own glory? I'll tell you one thing I used to do in the beginning. You know, sometimes we would have many, many baptisms in one Sunday and I would get on and I would fool myself and I would. I would want people to see the great things God is doing. But when I tested my heart I realized I want you to see the great things this church is doing, not above this. They want to be seen, they want the applause of men, but but they also they seek honor and prestige.
Speaker 3:Verse six they love the place of honor at the feast and the best in the seats in the synagogue. You ever know a pastor like this? I mean they, they. They walk in, they expect the red carpet to be rolled out. True story my pastor in Lexington was with another pastor and they went to subway of all places. And when they they walked to the counter, there was a you know a special that was promoted on the wall and about, you know, a small discount, you know, with certain sandwiches. And so this other pastor not my pastor, but the other one he orders a sandwich and he gets to the counter and he realizes that the price doesn't match what's on the wall. So he asked the lady hey, you're, you're charging me more. Look what it says on the wall. She goes, oh well, that's for this, this, this sandwich, you've got this one. And he looks at her, god's on his truth and he says do you know who I am? I'm a pastor. Of course, my pastor is like wanting to walk away.
Speaker 3:The these pastors wanted places of honor. Now I want to be clear. First, thessalonians 512 says this we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you and esteem them very highly in love because of their work. The pastoring elder position, it it should come with some level of respect, but but here's the thing Pastors should not desire to be put on this pedestal. Many pastors want to be seen as more spiritual than others. Listen, there are many people in this church who are just as godly as I they pray just as much of, not more, than I do who know the Bible as well as I do. You know, I'm so grateful for our pastoral team and, and, man, I just I love the guys so much and I want to be careful here not to do what I, you know, I want to give God glory for this. But I won't talk about myself, but I do want to just say all of our pastors, man, they don't just go to the upper class folks, man, they rub shoulders with every social class. I saw a picture online that was not posted by by Ron, but but it was a picture of Ron with his guitar sitting at the homeless shelter. I just thought, wow, that's a pastor, that's a pastor. And I could look at every one of our pastors and say that's it.
Speaker 3:Hypocritical leaders are also obsessed with titles. Verse seven this is crazy. And he says they love being greeted in the marketplace and being called rabbi by others. But you're not. He tells his disciples you're not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher and you are all brothers, and listen, we're. Do you know when? Here, we're all brothers and sisters and we have one ultimate teacher, that's the Lord Jesus Christ. And he says call no man, your father on earth, for you have one father who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ, the Pharisees. Here's the problem. They loved titles of honor.
Speaker 3:Jesus is not denying the the offices of rabbi and teacher. I mean, paul talks in Ephesians about the gift of the. You know fivefold ministry. You've got apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers. Those are real offices. Nothing wrong with holding those positions if the Lord calls you to this. But there are, there are many pastors that I've known that have no desire to shepherd people and they want the title, they want the accolades of standing up here.
Speaker 3:Jesus tells his disciples he says you're not to be called rabbi, which means teacher, by the way. He says you have one teacher, jesus. And then he says don't call anybody on earth father. Now he's not talking about your biological dad, like don't go and start calling your dad by his first name, you know. But but he's, he's talking about spiritual leaders. You have one father, that's your father in heaven. Now, before we judge the church churches because we could do that that refer to their pastors as father.
Speaker 3:So let's look at the Protestant church. You know what my title is? Technically says it on my ordination card. What's in front of my name? Reverend? You know what it means? Revered one. I started thinking about this. There's one to revere and it's the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans one one, this man.
Speaker 3:I spent I was up to 130 in the morning last night just thinking about this, like, what do I do with this? And as I was praying, god laid the apostle Paul on my heart. Paul was an apostle. I broke two thirds of your New Testament, but you know, I couldn't find last night one time that he referred to himself as the apostle Paul. Did he talk about the office, the apostolic office? Absolutely, but he never said I apostle Paul in writing to you. And if I'm wrong on that you can correct me later. Let me just give you an example. Romans one one. Listen to how Paul addresses the church in Rome. Paul, anybody know the next part? Yes, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. Do you notice the difference? I'm not Pastor Chris, I'm a servant of Jesus Christ called to be a pastor. And if you notice the onslaught of people who want to be called apostle so and so prophet so and so run. Your leaders are servants who serve in particular offices.
Speaker 3:So I was with Pastor Jamie, who's longtime pastor just planted a church and he runs Madison Home. Now I'm helping him schedule volunteers and stuff through Planning Center. So we were sending out an email, but it would have his name on it. So I said I said Jamie. I said listen. I said would you just proof this? I said because it's got your name on it, I want to make sure it's what you would say, so he reads it. And I said, hey, do you want me to sign it? Pastor Jamie or Jamie? And he says he looks at me and he says Jamie, that's who I am. Now I'm going to have to pray to.
Speaker 3:This kept me up, so I'm going to, I'm going to. I should have talked to you guys first about this, but I'm just. This is just me. You don't have to apply this to them, but here's my conviction this morning this is going to be hard and awkward and weird, because I've been Pastor Chris for 25 years. Would you call me Chris or make up a nickname? I love the name PC, so I'm going to have to think for another like adjective or title, for then I'll let you work on that. But I'm serious. I'm serious. What's that Bishop? No, that would be BC. Letters are hard. I know, in all seriousness. I mean, I thought a lot about this.
Speaker 3:I am your pastor, god has called me to this, but before that, I'm a servant. I'm a servant of God, I'm a servant of you. We are brothers and sisters. Here's what titles do they tend to separate us Pastor, so-and-so teacher, so-and-so prophet, so-and-so apostle, so-and-so. It puts us up here and everybody else down here. Why don't we say kids leader? So-and-so Janitor, so-and-so no. Servant of Jesus Christ who works with children, servants of Jesus Christ who keeps the church clean. I know that's going to be hard to do, but I just sense that we need to move in that direction. So I'll be at the back door, high-five me and say Chris, chris, chris, chris. Finally I've got to close. I'm sorry this has been so long.
Speaker 3:Hypocritical leaders desire to be served rather than serving others. Verses 11 and 12,. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled. Never humbles himself will be exalted.
Speaker 3:The scribes and Pharisees like many pastors today, they're about self exaltation. They weren't there to serve people, but they expected people to serve them. We're up here and you're down here. They exalted themselves. Paul looked at his ministry and he said I'm willing to spend and be spent for your good. He told elders that he or Peter, I can't remember said that as elders we are to labor for your joy. I think in the modern church we have it backwards because we've come to believe that your job is to serve me and our other pastors. No, I'm here to serve you. I mean, in a sense, we all serve one another, but you serve me as a brother in Christ, not as a pastor.
Speaker 3:Hypocrites, love the spotlight. You just watch TV and I'm not going to call out anybody, I don't have to. You just see arrogance flowing from particular pastors who are very popular. Heard of one well-known pastor, whom some of you listen to, a friend of mine was connected to their church. This friend is an evangelist and he said that one Sunday that in kids church the kids were coloring pictures of their pastor. Really, they're printed pictures of their pastor and they were coloring to teach them about the level of respect that they ought to have for their pastor. Now we have a calendar with my face on every page, but that wasn't my doing and it's not promoting me, it's humbling me. That's right. Thank you, beth. It's humbling me. So, listen, by letting that go out I didn't really have a choice, but by letting that go out that I've humbled myself. So, lord, help me. That's it, guys.
Speaker 3:Jesus himself this is understand when he's saying this last week of his life. He's the only leader to ever walk the earth who has no hypocrisy, anyment, all, not a hint. And what would he do? What would he do In just a few days? This scholars traditionally this conversation, this discord is thought to be on Tuesday of Holy Week. On Friday he would humble himself to the fullest extent as he would be mocked and beaten, scorned and ultimately die the most horrible death you could ever imagine. He would bear the wrath of God because he's a servant. The son of man came to serve, not to be served. It's kind of leader I want to be. I hope that's the kind of Christian you want to be.
Speaker 3:So here's what do we do with this one? Be careful who you listen to. Please come to church next week so I don't think you're like, oh Chris has a hypocrite and I'm out of here. Be careful who you listen to. There's a lot of people that sound really good, but they will lead you astray. Have any questions about somebody online, come ask me. But I just say this as well Don't look to any pastor as your hope and your all, including me. I'm not perfect. You follow me long enough. I'm going to let you down. I hope I'm not a hypocrite like the Pharisees, but I am at times inconsistent.
Speaker 3:Let's say here's the problem in the church today. You know a lot of people who aren't in church. Here's the that maybe grew up in church. They say that the reason they're not there is because they were under some pastor. They had great respect for him and he fell, and none of the Bible says none of us are above falling. Do you know the problem? The reason they fall, it's not I mean, it's tragic what their pastor maybe did, but it's because they looked to their pastor instead of looking at Jesus. I want to lead you and I hope you'll take my teachings to heart and as much as they're faithful to the scriptures, but look beyond me. Follow me as I follow Christ and ultimately, what you're doing is following Jesus. He'll never let you down.
Speaker 3:Secondly, those of you who grew up with pastors that you know it's thinking today. Some of you grew up in churches where those pastors did put unbearable burdens upon you. I mean, I've had many people come to this church and just cry their eyes out because of their upbringing. They go to bed wondering if they were saved every night. Did I do some minute thing that God's going to send me to hell for Things that aren't even in the Bible? Some of you still walk in shame and guilt.
Speaker 3:I just want to say there's freedom in Jesus and we'd love to pray with you. He said come to me again, all you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. Your Christian life, your relationship with God, should be a joy, not a burden. So I hope today that you will sense that freedom in Christ. I better pray God. We thank you for the gift of discernment. We thank you for faithful pastors and teachers who aren't wearing masks.
Speaker 3:I pray, lord, that we would use the discernment you've given us and be very careful about who we listen to on television, on podcast, on YouTube. Lord, I pray that you would search the hearts of our own pastors here and that we would look at our own hearts lest we become like the Pharisees. We're not above it. May we serve this people with humility and right hearts.
Speaker 3:Lord, for the one here today that may not be saved maybe they're trying to earn their way to you. They don't know the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a burden they can't bear. Let him come to you with saving faith today. And for those Christians who are in here who grew up under the unbearable burden of legalism. Lord, we know that's hard, even when you're under a different teaching. We know that's hard to shake. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, would you give them freedom today? And, lord, I'm mindful that there are pastors who intentionally do those things to burden people, but I'm also aware that there are many pastors who've just been mistaut. They've grown up and this themselves, and so, lord, reveal the truth to them. May they repent. But for the one here today that maybe is still burdened by those teachings, just pray that the weight would be lifted, that they would experience freedom in Christ, and pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening. If you'd like to know more about how you can have a relationship with Jesus Christ, or if you have questions about our church, you can email us at infoatmyrealchurchorg. Real Life Community Church is located at 335 Glendon Avenue in Richmond, Kentucky. We invite you to join us for worship Sunday at 10.45 AM or Wednesday at 7 PM. Visit us online at myrealchurchorg MUSIC.