Greater Responsability = Greater Accountability

James 3:1 - "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."

Luke 12:48 - " But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.  From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Most of us want greater positions, greater work, greater knowledge, greater power, greater wealth. The world looks at these things as good things and the believers look at these things as blessing from God, which can be true. Yet, with all theses things comes greater responsibility and greater accountability. 

God will judge or discipline more harshly those who stumble or not faithful in their high position because their failure will have a bigger ripple effect. Also, the didn't keep the trust that God and the people gave them. 

Those who have greater knowledge are entrusted to keep it pure, impart that knowledge to other, use it for the benefit of others, and live accordingly. I am not only speaking of spiritual knowledge but of any kind of knowledge you may have. If we fail in doing these things, God will hold us accountable and deal more strictly with us than those who lack the knowledge.

Those who have been given greater wealth are to handle it wisely and be a good steward with it. They are required by God to help others with it and be generous in their giving. Those who have much must give much and not stock pile it or waste it on frivolous things.
  
These Scriptures should put the fear of God in us. Lord help us to be faithful in what you have given us.

Rich Toward God

Luke 12:21 - "“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

Right before this verse Jesus tells the parable of the rich man who stored up riches for himself with the idea of sitting back and enjoying his riches, but that night God took his life. He never was able to enjoy his riches. Riches are fleeting.

We need to be rich toward God. How can one be rich toward God?
1) When he walks in righteousness.
2) When he gives his time in ministering to the body of Christ.
3) When he seeks to win the lost.
4) When he gives his tithes and offerings to the church.
5) When he gives his money and time to help those in need.
6) When you give God thanks and glory for who He is and all He has done.

Are you doing these things? If your doing all 6 of these things faithfully and as God would have you do them, you are very rich toward God. All 6 of these things are of eternal and everlasting value. All 6 of these things should come from a love of God and others. If you are faithful with 2 or 3 ask God to help you to be faithful in all of theses areas.

Warning to Leaders

In Luke 11:37-54 Jesus is at a Pharisee's house. He condemns their hypocrisy. 

Luke 11:39 - "Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness."

As leaders we need not only give a godly example but must be godly. As spiritual leaders it can be easy to say all the right things and even possible to do the right thing in public. Yet, is are mind and heart pure? Is your family life as it should be? How is your secret life? Do we live the same way in secret as we do in plain sight? This is the hard part as Christian leaders. 

Luke 11:42 - " “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."

As leaders we can fall into legalism to the extent we neglect justice and love. As pastors and teachers we often teach the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law. We often so strictly abide by the letter of the law that we don't see the person who is standing in front of us or around us. We are blinded to the persons feelings, thoughts, and hurts. We often lack the love that the law stems from. When the letter of the law supersedes love which is the basis of the law, we don't truly understand the spirit of the law.

Luke 11:46 - " Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them."

As leaders we often burden people with the law. We burden them with the does and don'ts, but do not make the effort to help them obey the law. We stand as enforcer and regulator of the Word of God, but don't show them how to obey God principles. We don't give them the tools needed to live a victorious life. We don't come alongside of them to strengthen them and encourage them but we instead stand as judge and condemner.

Critics

Luke 7:31-35 - "Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

How often do we find people in the church like this. Whatever you do, they are never satisfied. We all have come across people like this. They seem to find fault in everything. They always have a complaint about something. In most cases it is something very minor. Much like the Pharisees who majored on the minors. Who majored on the outward instead of the inward. Who were more concerned about others weaknesses and failing then their own. It seems we are never ever able to truly please them. We may call them the critics. You know, like those guys who critic the movies that come out but can act worth anything nor could they ever direct a movie, but they know it all.

What kind of Christian are these. They are Christians who are wrapped up in themselves, their own wisdom and  greatness. It could even be a Christian with low self esteem who is trying to bring other down to his level. In essence believers who are weak and even dead spiritually.

I pray that you are not one of these or that I never become one. Lord open our blinded eyes and see what you are doing. Let us not sit on the sidelines and criticize, but get in there and bring change through your love. God give us your wisdom.

Great in the Kingdom

Matthew 5:19 - "Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

As a minister of the Lord, I do a lot of preaching and teaching. Does this make me great in the kingdom of God? Yes, if I practice what I teach and preach. If I don't practice what I teach and preach, I am not great. Actually, I will give God and His church a bad reputation. People often have bad opinion of the church because of believers hypocrisy, all the more so if it is a leader.

You may be doing much for God. You may have a great ministry. Yon may have made many sacrifices for the Gospel. Yet, this does no make you great in God's eyes. What makes you great in God's eyes is doing what he asked you to do. It is living a righteous life and a life of love.

The Bruised and Smoldering

Matthew 12:20 - "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory."

I like this verse that speaks of Jesus' character. Jesus does not seek to condemn us. He wants to help us come to victory in Him. Those who have been bruised by sin and life situations, He is their to strengthen and encourage. Those who have stumbled in their walk with Christ, He is their to pick them up and brush them off. Those who have come out of the fires of life and who are all messed up, He heals their burns and restores them to full health.

I think so often in the church, we minister to the strong but not the weak. We are often drawn to the strong, but not the weak. Those who have all kinds of emotional baggage and often bad character and habits, we marginalize. We throw to the side or ignore as much as possible. It was once said by someone that it is only the church who kills its wounded. Often those in the church stomp on those who are down. We often snuff out those who are barely hanging on. Our call as believers is to shore up the bruised reed and to bring life back to the fire that is smoldering.

We are not called to judge others. God will judge all when he comes.