Scripture
45Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46“Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”
Luke 20:45-47
Observation
After the crowds and disciples observed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders trying to trap Jesus into saying something unlawful, He used it as a teaching opportunity. He pulled back the curtain and revealed the little man hiding behind the big curtain of bluster, tradition and spiritual manipulation. Jesus called everyone to see past the smoke and mirrors to what was really going on. Instead of humble leadership the Pharisees were parading around in a life of leisure. Instead of finding ways to build others up in their faith they were finding ways to build up their reputations. Instead of honoring God through service they were demanding the seats of honor. According to one commentator: “In that day, a Jewish teacher could not be paid for teaching—but he could receive gifts. Apparently, many scribes used flattery and manipulation to get big gifts from those who could least afford to give them—such as widows. The Jews of Jesus’ day taught that teachers were to be respected almost as God; they said that they deserved more honor and respect than any other people in life did. They taught that the greatest act someone could do is give money to a teacher. Of course, it was the teachers themselves who taught this!” (Duzik). They pretended to love people and love God, but really they loved themselves and used their positions of power to get perks and prey upon the very people they were called to pray for. Jesus doesn’t leave any one wondering how He feels about this when he says, “Because of this, they will be severely punished.”
Application
I’ve been in full-time ministry for over 20 years and I’ve seen first hand that what Jesus was calling out in the 1st Century is sadly alive and well in the 21st Century. The Perks, Pretense, and Piety parades continue to march on while the watching world wonders why it looks so different than the Jesus they’ve heard about. Recently my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have started a blog called “Honest Conversations” as they process through, in a balanced way, the spiritual abuse they have both observed and endured over the past 30 years of full-time ministry. They are, in effect, doing what Jesus was doing here, in calling out the hypocrisy. Pastor Yoel Bartolome writes, “There is an old familiar story about an emperor who desired to be the very best dressed in his kingdom. Two men posing as weavers swindled him by offering him extravagant clothes they said would be invisible to those who were incompetent. Not wanting to admit that he himself couldn’t see the clothes, he paraded himself naked in front everyone, not understanding that he had been deceived. When it comes to this story, many focus on the emperor but the real emphasis should be on how this was ever allowed to happen. From the beginning, my focus in telling our story has been to have an honest conversation about a culture found in churches that fosters both narcissistic behavior and tribalism that perpetuates spiritual abuse. If form determines function...what kind of form does the Church have that encourages these outcomes? And do we understand the Biblical definition of Church?” I’m so thankful that they are raising these questions because, the little boy in the story of The Emperors New Clothes, they ignore what’s being paraded around as true Christianity. Since starting this blog they have received countless heartbreaking stories from people trampled by the piety parade and being told not to say anything “against God’s anointed.” They have also received even more attacks from fellow ministers and leaders who would much rather avoid this vital conversation. If you would like join the conversation Jesus started here in Luke 20 I encourage you to visit www.honestconversations.net. The allure that comes with position and power, marching with “the cool kids”, is something we never really grow out of because it plays to our pride and identity. Jesus makes it clear that, as Christians leaders, we have been called to lay our lives down for the sheep instead of using them to prop up our reps.
Prayer
Lord, I must repent for the places where I have participated in the parade over the years. Where the praises of man became the focus of my pursuit instead of Your presence. Forgive for me where I’ve taken for granted the privilege of serving Your people with my life. You are using the great unraveling of 2020 to shine a light on how Your Church is very different from the machine the church has become in many ways. When the people of God in the presence of God walk in the purposes of God to serve the world around them that’s when people will actually see Jesus instead of a celebrity personality. Thank You for calling us on our pretense. It’s time to stop pretending and to start repenting. Only then we will see a generation reached for You! I thank You for exposing our nakedness so we can be clothed in Your righteousness instead of our own.
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