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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Jesus cares about the inside of you” Jesus warns the Pharisees against superficial religion. We shall reflect on the fact that Jesus frowns upon hypocrisy and instructs us to live a life worthy of our calling as believers and leaders of the church.

Beloved in the Lord, from the perspective of society, we may appear to be living upright lives yet inwardly we represent something else. Jesus frowns upon a life of hypocrisy and greatly instructs us to live a life that reflects the purity and uprightness of our minds and hearts. It was for this reason, that He said to the Pharisees, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.” (Luke 11:39-41) In other words, the Pharisees were not abiding by their teachings on love and good neighbourliness. They taught others to be generous yet they were not. They were leaders who instructed people to listen and obey God yet they were not ready to obey the very things they taught. Jesus requires Church leaders not only to appear to be doing God’s will but they must also be seen to be doing God’s will. Jesus’ desire is not for church leaders to be obsessed with titles and positions, but willing to sacrifice their time, resources, and lives for the well-being of God’s people. We are called to constantly love, care and be generous to the poor and vulnerable in our church and society. It is for this reason Jesus said to Peter “The third time.. do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17) Christian leadership is a ministry of compassion and service to God’s people even as we strive to reflect the perfect image of Christ as an example to the congregants we lead.

Dear friend in the Lord, It is not enough for church leaders to stand in the pulpit to preach or teach the love of Christ but we must genuinely love our congregants and demonstrate the love we preach through acts of generosity and prioritizing their spiritual and physical needs. We are admonished in the epistle of James when he wrote, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1). Being leaders or stewards over the flock of Christ requires great accountability. We are required to please God both outwardly and inwardly. This threshold is not negotiable and cannot be compromised. Church leaders must not prioritize luxurious life and the building of expensive chapel buildings over the needs of their poor congregants. We must be sensitive to the needs of the poor since it will be the basis of measuring our love for the least among the people on judgement day.  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ” (Matthew 25:40-46) We are called to preach generosity and also to demonstrate it through our daily interactions with one another.

In summary, we have learnt that Jesus frowns upon hypocrisy and instructs us to live a life worthy of our calling as believers and also as leaders of the church.

PRAYER
May the Holy Spirit empower to live what we preach even as we follow the perfect example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.