Title: Reform of Consciousness / Matthew 23:1-12
Today is Reformation Day, the 481th anniversary of Martin Luther holding the torch of the Reformation. European society in the 16th century was a time when the Catholic Church and the authority of the Pope ruled people's consciousness and life. Therefore, in that era, the Reformation was a social reform and a reform of consciousness that made it possible.
Today's text is what Jesus said in front of a large crowd and disciples. In the meantime, the Lord answered the questions of the Sadducees, King Herod, and the Pharisees, and even asked them. Jesus' objections and answers were so authoritative that they were left speechless. When the crowd and disciples saw this, they listened to the Lord with great emotion. Some people must have been thrilled when they heard the word of the Lord that was holding those who are shy about it. Others were fascinated by Jesus' words and had so much fun that they wanted to hear one more. To this crowd and the disciples, Jesus is now speaking. You tell them not to imitate them. It's not just their problem. As there is a saying that you learn by swearing, there are many people who are learning by criticizing them. Jesus tells us not to live like them.
don't go up
Jesus tells the crowd and his disciples not to go up to Moses' seat. Verse 2 says, "The scribes and Pharisees were not in Moses' place." Since Moses received the law from God, to the Jews, Moses is the supreme authority in interpreting the law. Therefore, to sit in the "seat of Moses" means to sit in a seat authorized for the interpretation of the law.
don't lie
The consciousness reform that Jesus requires is not to lie in order to exalt yourself. A lie here means that words and actions are different. In the second half of verse 3, “they speak only, but do not act.” In verse 4, it is said, “And they tie up heavy burdens and put them on the shoulders of men, and they themselves would not move them with one finger.”
When he ascends to a high position, he splendidly displays the words appropriate for the position, and he does not do what he says, so it is a lie. A lie is a kind of mask and hypocrisy. We don't know how many masks we use for disguise. Talking about mercy and love, he likes to watch fire, and has no intention of sacrificing, but tries to gain popularity by speaking of philanthropy. Not being recognized by his wife, pretending to be a good Christian to his neighbor, pretending to be holy, pretending to be clean, shooting indiscriminately at others with invisible guns, saying this in the front and that behind him They are frantic trying to find specks in the eyes of others.
There are two main types of lies in modern times. First, perhaps due to the influence of the media, people became doctors of all things. So everyone speaks well. Housewives, students, and farmers alike don't know how well they can speak when they hold a microphone. He speaks so well that he smartly says that he has to be like this and that way. For example, saying that you shouldn't take the village paper, you go to see it with the village paper. They say they are good, but they don't live by their words.
They say that they should pray, but they do not come to the early morning prayer school. They do not participate in the relief offering even though they say they need to give relief. No one loves you when you say you have to love. So I'm afraid of people who are too good at talking. I can't believe it. People who are very good at speaking seem to come out before they think. If the word goes ahead, it becomes a lie as a result.
Second, it is an exaggerated advertisement. In today's era, everything is like a product advertisement, so self-promotion is the thing. You are busy with self-promotion. When do you love someone else? When will he be interested in the work of the ecclesial community when he must be a hero? Because they are so absorbed in propaganda, they eventually become false propaganda.
don't be pretentious
Verse 8 says, "But do not be called rabbis. You have one teacher, and you are all brothers." In verse 10, "Do not be called leaders, either. Your leader is one, Christ." . What Jesus saw through was the pretentiousness established in the consciousness of the leadership of that time.
I'm not going to tell you where and how far it is bluff and bubble. (If we come to the prayer school this morning to pray) God will show bluff and bubble in our consciousness. Then, I wish you all the bluffs and bubbles.
Today is Reformation Sunday, so let's think about the reformer Martin Luther. He was a promising young man and a talented college student, so his parents were mine workers, but he had high expectations for his son. On summer vacation, Luther came to his hometown. I met a friend and we were walking together when we met a heavy rain. Suddenly, lightning struck and lightning fell, and Luther fell to the ground. When I woke up after a while, the friend next to me had been struck by lightning and turned into black charcoal. From that day on, Luther feared God and was determined to devote himself as a priest.
He became a monk and taught in Wittenberg, when Pope Leo X sold indulgences for the construction of Peter's Basilica. Then the famous orator Ttzel came to Germany and exclaimed, "When you buy an indulgence, with the jingle of your silver coins and falling into the treasury, the parents who went to hell go up to purgatory, the parents in purgatory go up to heaven. Don't miss this opportunity. Don't!" he said.
Martin Luther decided that the famous orator Renzel was lying and that the Catholic Church was bluffing to show off its grandeur by building a magnificent cathedral. By buying indulgences and relying on the Bible that says that sins cannot be forgiven and that we are saved only through faith in the grace of Jesus Christ, we hung up on the 95 articles of discussion and the door of the Wittenberg Temple. It was October 31, 1517, when this became a fuse, burning all of Europe and bringing about reforms.
Your consciousness reform is possible when we stand before God and return to the Word. Politicians may reform the system, but consciousness reform is impossible. Big deals may be possible by chaebols, but mental reform is impossible.
Dear saints!
Just as Jesus came down from heaven to earth, so let us try not to go up, but to go down to the low places.
Please do not exaggerate or lie to make yourself stand out, recognize your true self and restore your truthfulness and integrity. In addition, please do not be pretentious with spiritual vanity and faithfully manage the talents you have received as your share. How is that possible? When we face the temple ritual of living in the presence of God, the Word that returns only to the standard scale of the Bible, the bubble will break and the power of sin will be split.