February 2, 2010
Matthew 23
Pastor Luke Lang
A buddy of mine is trying to break into show business, and it’s not easy. A while back, he got to play a dead person on a crime drama (not a super challenging role!). He has been an understudy in a few off-Broadway shows. Nobody wants to be an understudy. Everybody wants top billing. They want to be a star!
Matthew 23 is not a real warm and fuzzy chapter. It’s probably not going to inspire a lot of bumper sticker slogans. Instead, it’s a stinging indictment issued by Jesus against a bunch of religious leaders more interested in play-acting and their position than people. These leaders were all about self-promotion, intent on being the stars of their own self-produced production. They were the self-appointed enforcers of the law and cosmic party poopers.
Snuggled within the passage is the upside-down thought that if we want to stand out, we have to step down! The only way to really shine is to humble yourself and be content with who (and Whose) you are. Don’t pretend, promote or position yourself. Take the back seat and be content to be the understudy. There is only one star, Jesus, and it is an honor for our name to be associated with His!
Let’s give Him top billing in our lives.
Owasso, Oklahoma native Luke Lang joined the Grace Covenant pastoral staff last August.
