Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Woe To You
I was reading Matthew 23 and I was struck by how much condemnation Christ had, contrary to some teaching, and how much He aimed that condemnation at the religious officials of His day, that is the leadership of His chosen people. Consider how Jesus starts His little sermon
Christ reasons that he who "swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it." The point, of course, is that God Himself imputes value to the temple and them temple in turn to the gold - the mistake that the Pharisees have made is that they have assigned value apart from the source of all value. They measured the value of the temple not by the presence of the Lord, but by the golden adornment.
I am forced to wonder if when we measure success by attendance we do not make the same mistake. I am forced to wonder if when we determine if a church is thriiving by the number of programs it has going we do not make the same mistake. I wonder if we decide what is "good" and what is "bad" worship by the type of music or the presence or lack of liturgy if we do not make the same mistake.
I, for one, wish to avoid ever hearing the words "Woe to you" directed at me from the mouth of Christ. I shall endeavor to make Him the source of all that I value.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.That is an outrageous statement. The religious establishment of Christ's day had so clearly lost its way. This sermon is called by some "The Seven Woes," each beginning with those well known words
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!There is so much in this passage. I personally think anyone anywhere near church leadership ought to dwell in this passage for a week or more every year. It is a great list of where church leadership can go wrong and usually does. But today I want to focus on just this one brief point
'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?The essence of that brief passage is "Which is greater?" That is a question to live by.
Christ reasons that he who "swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it." The point, of course, is that God Himself imputes value to the temple and them temple in turn to the gold - the mistake that the Pharisees have made is that they have assigned value apart from the source of all value. They measured the value of the temple not by the presence of the Lord, but by the golden adornment.
I am forced to wonder if when we measure success by attendance we do not make the same mistake. I am forced to wonder if when we determine if a church is thriiving by the number of programs it has going we do not make the same mistake. I wonder if we decide what is "good" and what is "bad" worship by the type of music or the presence or lack of liturgy if we do not make the same mistake.
I, for one, wish to avoid ever hearing the words "Woe to you" directed at me from the mouth of Christ. I shall endeavor to make Him the source of all that I value.
