Matthew 23:10 – Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ….
Do you notice how we christians get so caught up on which pastor, evangelist or leader becomes our focal point? We listen to this one, or that one, read books from this guy, or listen to tapes by that woman. We attend a fellowship because we like the pastor, or we will drive miles to listen to a popular TV or radio evangelist. But wait a minute, doesn’t God’s word say that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, all fellow-servants. We are not to be called leaders, no one is higher up than anyone else. We don’t need anyone to teach us because we have the Spirit of Christ within us, the true living Word lives in each of us (1 John 2:27). In Christ, we are all His servants, no one should be looked up to or revered more than anyone else. True, we can learn from one another by the way Christ works in each of our lives, but we should stop putting our hope in other people and start listening to the Holy Spirit that is within us for truth and guidance.
amen
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Thank you Shannon for all your comments. It is so true, Jesus is the head. It is him we are to look to and learn from through the Holy Spirit. The rest of us are equal parts of the body and each of us have equally important functions. Thanks for taking the time to read my articles and make comments. It is appreciated.
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also, the holy spirit is my teacher, so he can give me or anyone just as much revelation or understanding as a well known minister. we are all human beings period, a pastor of a mega church, is still just another human being, even the greats like martin luther king, he was still a human being, it is God that makes us somebody
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people will put a pastor or a prophet on a pedestal, and than end up disappointed when they see them make a mistake, or sin, forgetting they are still a human being, there is only one Jesus. pastor, prophet, wife, daughter, etc. are functions, not who i am, who i am is a new creation, and as you said, we are all servants,and brothers and sisters
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Good comment. I appreciate it.
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Amen my brother. Whenever I encounter folks who are always going from one book to the next, one theme to the next, one method to the next, one focus to the next, one teacher to the next (like I did truth be told for far too many empty years of my life), I wonder if they ever really spend any deep, spiriting touching bone, one on one time with the Father.
Jesus always, always, always pointed people to the Father, not Himself, never Himself. He took their hand and placed into that of His Father. He was a shepherd, not an owner of the sheep.
But it is, I believe, not only the problem of ever-seeking souls, it is more a refection I believe of this man-centered, consumer-driven, puff of air religion in America called christianity. Men intent on power, fame, glory and influence for themselves foster this, even when they feign they have no idea how their mega church got so “mega”. It is sinister what they do and how they do it.
Consider a tree, how each part feeds and fosters the next. the food always moving up and down the branches, all the parts enlivening the whole. Is this what the modern church landscape looks like to you? Really? It positively scares some to death to meet together without a script, a study guide, an agenda or an outline.
Here is the key – “I will send you my Spirit and He will teach you”
Through a man, a teacher, a guru, an expert, a theologian, a Hebrew scholar?
No, He will come along side, and within, and become a part of you – and like an ever-present whisper and a nudge, He will teach you everything you need to know.
And when He does, is it then wrong to share that with others?
Of course not.
But we must be ever mindful, careful even, that there are no templates in the family of God. Your curriculum is yours alone, not mine. This will protect us from the presumption of projection (thinking that what we learn, the insights we gather, the time and context of what we learn) are meant for any one else but ourselves.
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21)
“What’s it to you, you follow me” – He told Peter.
Indeed.
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