FOR MEN OR FOR GOD?
LUKE 20:45-47 NKJV
45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
For men or for God, that is the question.
As we read through the gospels, we see Jesus constantly confronting one particular group of people.
Not the Romans, who were the foreign occupying force. Not the tax collectors and sinners who were considered social pariahs in that day.
The group Jesus called out on a regular basis were the religious leaders. These were the people Jesus declared who would receive greater condemnation.
Jesus was not agreeing with the tax collectors and sinners. He was trying to reach them. And because they sensed His care and not His condemnation, they would listen to Him.
But the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees were the ones Jesus had a problem with because they knew better.
These religious leaders had established a system that used God for their own personal glory. Instead of caring for the people, their system was built around carving out a better place for themselves. They wanted to be exalted by men, so their actions were all for show. To be seen was their motive.
And the sad thing was that it was often at the expense of other people. To take advantage of widows was exploiting the most fragile element of Jewish society.
When Jesus said to beware of this group. He, in effect, was setting them up as the example of what not to do. Their day was coming, and it was not going to be good.
APPLICATION:
Our Christian life is supposed to be different.
Firstly, we are to live for God and not for man. But if our ways are pleasing to the Lord, our enemies will have nothing to say. Unless they fabricate a story.
When people come to church, they should be able to attend without being made to feel inferior. God's Kingdom is not a Kingdom of haves and have-nots. God is not One who is moved by man's achievements. When the Church is doing its job, all should feel welcomed.
This is the goal, the ideal. Because we are human, we still have to deal with our flesh and the pride of man. But we can grow, and we can live for God and not for men.
PRAYER:
Lord help me live with You in mind as opposed to what people think. I want to honor You with my life.