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The Prophecy Revealed In Matthew
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Lesson Fifty-Five: by turtle
There is time for correction of even leaders, as well as instructions to future leaders in the world. To be a leader one has to be willing to serve, to not
serve could make you a dictator. Sometimes to be humble as a leader is to lay aside the golden crown you desire to wear and put on the sack cloth and
ashes. President is suppose to take a vacation, and every person who works that gets a vacation usually takes it, yet some view this as bad leadership, yet
is not taking one and refreshing oneself for the job just as valuable? After all his job as president is to serve our nation. I just found that part of the news
interesting the other day when I heard the report and wonder how many would not take a vacation because of high unemployment. He would not loose
his job over a vacation would he? Where he plan to go was where many presidents of our time go, why would anyone criticize something as simple as a
vacation. Very few others would say let us not take a vacation, because my employs can not rest or someone is out of work. When I hear stories of this
nature I roll my eyes and wonder is our nation the slave driver of our public servants, that we forget their value as people. As a nation we exalt out leaders
and their positions that is a part of society as well as politics. They are suppose to set the example for all of us to follow, yet not one person following our
nation leaders would deny themselves a vacation, over someone else’s misfortune, unless they had a way of finding relief for those hurting. Those judging
the person judging themselves equally as hard?
Today we are going to see what Jesus said about the Pharisees, and what it meant to be a child of God/disciples and leader in His kingdom. Sometimes if
the world would ever get to a place of true equality, it would not know how to handle it. In the world there will always be people exalted to position as
will as earning a position in society. Nothing will change that concept. Public workers, like for water and sewer will always not have the same value is the
pencil pusher on wall street. Yet both have value. Value based on what a man is paid for a job or task or what he is willing to receive for that job. In the
church world we have leaders, and how they get there and how they are valued is based on those who hear and listen and serve God along side them.
Meaning each person is valuable and equal as another person who follows Christ. No one is less or more important. Of course there are people you like
and do not like, that is human nature. God loves all people, and truth I believe He likes all of us as well, for He designed all of us and wanted us to be in
His kingdom. All of us are to be equals and not lords over each other. Though in the world there seems to be many masters and lords. God desires us all
to be equal and thought of as equal. God our Father and Jesus is our Lord and Master. We obey the Holy Spirit as believers and not necessarily our
church leaders. Our church leaders might just take a person to hell. God instructs us all individually by His Spirit. This concept is foreign to the Scribes
and Pharisees at the time of Christ. They were use to puffing themselves up to a point they found no common ground with the public, except to do
services for profit and gain. They acted as if they were better then anyone else. Today we going to see how far these religious leaders had gone in their
quest to exalt themselves above the people. Christ is talking to His disciples as well as the religious leader and crowd listening. Let us begin.
Matthew 23:1-12 KJV
(1) Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
(2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
(3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
(4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers.
(5) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
(6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
(7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
(9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
(10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
(11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Christ was called Master. He was master and Lord over His disciples, yet, He took this title not as a slave owner, but as a leader and servant of what He
taught and did. Example is washing the disciples feet. Christ being God was willing to lay his garment aside and wash the dust off the feet of His disciples.
A job for the lowest of servants in the household. Yet Christ bowed to His disciples needs.
John 13:3-17 KJV
(3) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
(4) He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
(5) After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
(6) Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
(7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
(8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
(9) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
(10) Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
(11) For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
(12) So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
(13) Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
(14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
(15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
(16) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
(17) If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
God created the heavens and the earth and He created fruit trees and plants and animals for us to eat. God gave us water to drink, however God expects
us to do our part in caring for these things and maybe through famine, through storms we understand the value of these gifts of God that we appreciate
them a little more and maybe even are willing to share a little more often to those in need. However without seeing famine, the value of food is less
important, and without the value of hardship and the need for help the value of helping might not seem as important. Christ by humbling Himself as a man
in the flesh, proved He was not afraid to be among us commoners or even work and live beside us. Jesus is saying I want to be your friend, your brother,
not just a miracle worker. I want each of those that follow me not to exalt himself, but willing to serve and by that service you do may those among you
allow you to lead, because of your example. To lead others to Christ and to God the Father. To exalt oneself above anyone else in the body of believers
no. Some people are called to be leaders and instructors by God, but their service to man, is what declares this calling. The Pharisees and Scribes were
leaders by tradition, by manipulation, by exaltation of self, by producing fear in the people and more. Christ way would do away with the synagogue
leaders, which did not set will with them. That was effecting their pocketbook.
Let move on to the next portion of scripture.
Matthew 23:13-23 KJV
(13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither
suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
(14) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the
greater damnation.
(15) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold
more the child of hell than yourselves.
(16) Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple,
he is a debtor!
(17) Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
(18) And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
(19) Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
(20) Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
(21) And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
(22) And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
(23) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
It is interesting thing when leaders will not take time for the widows, poor, or those in need. It interesting when leaders are more concern of the value of
what is being sacrificed on the altar or in today’s case what is being put in the offering plate, then the sacrifice of what was given. The widow’s mite is a
good example of judging without knowledge of what is given.
Mark 12:41-44 KJV
(41) And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
(42) And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
(43) And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have
cast into the treasury:
(44) For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Sacrifice and gifts are between God and that person, not the rest of the church, unless in case of Acts, God uses the disciples to declare His word to
Ananias and Sapphira about their gift.
Acts 5:1-11 KJV
(1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
(2) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
(3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
(4) Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou
hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
(5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
(6) And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
(7) And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
(8) And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
(9) Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy
husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
(10) Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried
her by her husband.
(11) And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Gifts to God are gifts plan and simple that should come from the heart and sacrifices should come that way as well. Those in leadership need not to judge
these things but accept them as gifts to God or to God’s work. If you feel judged by what you give, then maybe you should walk away from where you
are.
Matthew 23:24-39 KJV
(24) Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
(25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and
excess.
(26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full
of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
(29) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
(30) And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
(31) Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
(32) Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
(33) Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
(34) Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye
scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
(35) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of
Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
(36) Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
(37) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
(38) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
(39) For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
I have decide not to go line by line teaching this passage, but want to point out something else about ministry seen in this passage. When you are so afraid
that you avoid drinking out of cups that might have gnats in them if they are not strained before you drink, or to afraid to walk on the same side of the road
where there is a tombstone marker, because of fear that death of a person will taint your dirtiness toward God, You have become a religious bigot. There
are health issues that sometimes prevents a person from serving like they need too. God choose not to heal at this time, and immunity is low that if a cold
or virus is even in the air they are sure to get it, then maybe one should stay home, if it will effect your life in the since of causing death possibly. Some will
claim if you doing the work of God that His shield and protection is around you that nothing will happened that God will not take care of. Though this is
true, I think God also expects us to use judgment like simple hand washing to prevent spread of germs. Yet it should not stop a minister from hugging a
person that is physically unclean, or giving hand extended to help someone. If you are the person in need you would not mind someone giving you a hands
up in your situation.
To love as Christ love us is the job of every minister and every disciple of Christ. However this type of love is learned and practiced, sometimes even
takes patience beyond measure. I like you to reread the passage I posted, and I like for you to take time to consider are you serving others as Christ
demonstrated, or do you want chief position, without qualifying. It is hard things to answer. If you are truly a ministers others will see it. You don’t have to
force it.
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