We are currently studying qualifications for eldership in our adult Sunday School class. Going through these scriptures and with comments I've had from some leads me to wonder if people truly understand what an elder is. At times I think it might be easier to teach what an elder isn't than what one is and one thing seems to be a constant -- people don't realize it is a LOT of work. Don't worry, that's not what I'm going to talk about. I'm going to talk about from whom the calling actually comes, which is Jesus. I've found that the Jesus you follow greatly influences what you believe an elder is.
"But Pastor" you say, "I thought there is only ONE Jesus"?
Well, that is true, but that isn't what I said; I said "the Jesus you follow." Let's examine this concept a bit and see if I can communicate to you the gravity of the concept.
When I hear a preacher say, "Today, I'm gonna talk about Jesus," I can't help but think "Yes, but I wonder Which Jesus are you going to talk about, preacher?" I have found, along with the true, one and only Biblical Jesus, there are a couple more that seem to be on the ascendant or on the rise.
The first Jesus is the Jesus people outside the Church -- and, unfortunately, sometimes inside -- believe in. This Jesus is the one who is referred to as "a good man," or "a prophet", or "the man upstairs." This is, of course, nonsense for Jesus claims to be God. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM." John 8:56-59
Anybody who claims to be God either is who He says He is, or he is not. If he is not who he claims to be then he is definitely not a good man, and He is certainly not a prophet. This is the Jesus of those not born again, of Islam, of cults and the world.
The second Jesus is the Jesus found in many churches today and many like this Jesus for he is easy to talk about. He doesn't "offend" anybody; He is the "middle of the road" Jesus, the politically correct Jesus, the "lukewarm" Jesus that only speaks positive words. This is the Jesus who is a Savior but not a Lord to be obeyed, This is the Jesus created by "ear-tickling preachers" with ulterior motives spoken of in the second chapter of Second Peter, Jude verses 8-19 and by Paul who says "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Second Timothy 4:3-4
To be continued.
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Editor's note: Charlie Newman is pastor of Avoca Christian Church. To contact him, e-mail [email protected], or write in care of The Times at [email protected] or P.O. Box 25, Pea Ridge, AR 72751.
Religion on 04/29/2015