[Biblemat] A) HE DIDN'T FIT THE PICTURE

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my recent files:

HE DIDN'T FIT THE PICTURE

     The First Century Jew was one who was completely aware
of the prophesies concerning the coming Messiah.  The "Law
and the Prophets" were constantly being read in the public
places.  He would have undoubtedly been longing for the com-
ing of the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  With this in mind,
it seems paradoxical that when Jesus came fulfilling all proph-
esies concerning the Messiah, that many Jewish people miss-
ed it or refused to accept Him.  Why is that?

     One of the reasons that stands out is that Jesus did not
fit the "mental picture" they had of the Messiah.  They had
certain ideas and wishes of the Messiah that were not script-
tural.  For instance, the apostles were constantly looking for
an earthly kingdom.  This is evident at times such as when
they had scruples over who would be the greatest in His king-
dom (Mk. 8:35-45).  Some may have been looking for the Mes-
siah to make some "spectacular entrance," be more concern-
ed with worldly things, or to overthrow their current rulers.
Whatever the case was, He did not fit their preconceived men-
tal images to they would not accept Him.

     Many have the same problem today with His church that 
the Jews had with Jesus 2000 years ago.  In spite of the Bible's descriptions 
of and instruction for the church, they 
have other preconceived desires for its organization, worship
practices, and work.  They seem to want its organization to be more 
complicated, fulfilling man's desire for offices within
it.  They want worship services to come across more spectac-
ular, entertaining man's desires.  They also want the church's
work to go beyone the bounds that the Lord established so
that it would appear that they are doing much more "good."
Men go against the Lord's Will when through their pride they
insist on these "improvements."

     Paul writes to Timothy and says, "...for the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to
their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will
heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears
away form the truth, and be turned aside to fables..." (2 Tim.
4:3,4).  It does not matter how efficient it seems to make the
church run, how entertaining it makes the services, or how 
much work seems to get done, if it is not done according to
the Word of God, it is not scriptural and must be stopped.
One cannot perform certain "religious" practices because 
they sound good or satisfy any desire one might have.

     There has been a great flow of people into the "Modern
Mega Church Movement" as some have deemed it.  These are
churches that teach only what people want to hear.  They
build great structures that focus on entertaining man and feeding their 
stomachs.  Their organization is complex with
many offices and names not found in the Bible.  People flock
to these churches because they find them to be "fun and ex-
citing."  One does not have to ponder the situations very long
to figure out why they are so large.  (They fulfill the desires 
of the flesh, JWS).

     This is the picture that many people paint in their minds of
the church, even though the oen the Bible paints is nothing
like it.  The church that Jesus built was not designed to enter-
tain or feed, in fact it was condemned at one point for this (1
Cor. 11:17-22).  The church that Jesus built preached Jesus
and drew in people with His gospel.  Those who obeyed His
Will were added by the Lord to the church, not to some com-
plex organization.  Those people in turn went out and preach-
ed Jesus (Acts 11:19-26).  The "power of God unto salvation"
has never been such things that much of the modern religi-
ous practices endorse, but it is rather the "gospel of Christ"
(Rom. 1:16).  What a blessing it is when people put their pride
and desires aside and are satisfied with enjoying serving God
the way He has established.   ------ Aaron Beard via Gospel
Power, Vol. 14, No. 12, Mar. 25, 2007.   </HTML>
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