Pictures of Present Day Pharisees

Posted by Pastor Pat on December 10, 2008

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” Matt. 16:6

The Pharisees started well.  Their intentions were noble, but somewhere along the way they lost sight of what truly mattered and in so doing their “traditions” took precedence over the very Word of God (Matt. 15 & Mark 7).  What does it mean to live under the laws of legalism?  It is tragic, but Paul’s battle with legalism in the Galatian church is not yet finished.  If we learn anything from our Lord’s temptation in Matthew 4 and Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 5:8 it is that the devil is a relentless foe.  Today’s victories are never sufficient for tomorrow’s battles.  We would be foolish to think that legalism has not wormed its way into our own lives and into the life of the church.  It is an obstinate antagonist that has absolutely no scruples.

A legalist believes his upbringing makes him a child of heaven (Matt. 2:9).  He actually thinks where he was born, to whom he was born and to what he was born makes him better than others.  He is more concerned about obedience to rules than about the salvation and deliverance of the hurting (Matt. 9:11, 14, 34; 12:2; Lk. 14:3; Jn. 9:16).  Rather than break their “traditions” they would rather see the hurting, despair and the hungry, die (Lk. 7:39).  A legalist loves money more than ministry (Lk. 16:14).  They have convinced themselves that a price can be put on the human soul.

WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Seeing Grace through Earthen Vessels

Posted by Pastor Pat on

In today’s culture of glitz, glamour, and glory it is easy to forget that we are but “jars of clay” (NIV).  We are clumps of clay waiting to be shaped under the Master’s touch.  It is only as He moves in us and through us to those around us that we echo His voice to others.  As I consider the infinity of God I am often staggered by our “puny” attempts to contain Him through our “monitoring” of other people’s spirituality.  Spiritual fruit is as diversified as the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.  Yet as I consider grace and its embodiment in “fleshly pots” I believe the following seven statements are the kinds of reflections we will see in us and through us by those around us.

1. We must never consider ourselves to be better than anyone else regardless as to where they were born, to whom they were born and to what they were born. In Christ’s Church, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

WAIT! There is more to read… read on »