Seeking the Spotlight

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow up?

Remember when you were a kid and people would ask you what you wanted to be when you grow up? For me the answer wasn’t a baseball player, an astronaut, or a firefighter.

I wanted to be famous. It didn’t matter what I would do. I just wanted fame. I wanted people to recognize me. I dreamed of the day I would walk down the street and folks would ask me for my autograph.

I loved me some me. And I wanted everybody else to love me too!

Famous for Being Famous

Yeah, I know. Pretty shallow stuff. But it’s true. One hundred percent true. Decades before the Kardashians and everybody who’s famous for just being famous, I had career goal of being a celebrity.

That’s exactly why Jesus’ teaching here in Mark 12:38-40 is like a dagger piercing my still bloated ego. Christ calls out the religious celebrities for their love of the spotlight. First, watch them. Second, watch out for them.

Not Just Any Tuesday

Before we zoom in on the details of the Lord’s dialogue, let’s pull the camera back for context. It’s Tuesday. But not just any Tuesday. This is Tuesday of the last week before His betrayal and brutal murder. 

The place is Jerusalem. Specifically, the temple courts. That’s where Jesus did a little housecleaning by driving out the various vendors who were making a quick buck on worshipers through a nasty system of exchanging currency and officially licensed sacrificial offerings. And you thought prices were bad at the airport!   

A Series of Confrontations

The temple courts are also where Christ faced a series of confrontations with all sorts of religious big shots (Mk 11:20-12:36). The chief priests. The religious teachers. The senior Jewish leaders. The Pharisees. The Herodians. The Sadducees. 

He took them all down. Every. Single. One. And the huge crowd in town for Passover went bonkers (Mk 11:37)! That will all change on Friday, but that’s a story for another day.

Back to Teaching

It’s at this point that Jesus gets back to teaching, you know, what He was doing before He was so rudely interrupted. He does so by using one of the groups who has just tried to ambush Him as an example of what NOT to do.

The Son of God says, “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces” (v38).

Teaching the Teachers a Lesson

Ah, the teachers of religious law. You may remember them from just getting their collective butts whipped after poking their fingers in the chest of Jesus. He ends up teaching the teachers a lesson they will never forget.

So just who are these guys? The phrase “teachers of religious law” we see here is the Greek noun γραμματευς/grammateus. It’s where we get our word “grammar.”

Word Nerds

It generally describes anybody who deals with the written word. A clerk. A writer. A scholar. A word nerd. In Acts, Dr. Luke drops this term when talking about a local government bureaucrat (Acts 19:35).

But more often that not, it’s talking about a recognized expert in Jewish law. Think of a seminary grad or a theologian. You know, those folks who are your lifeline when you can’t figure out some confusing passage in Scripture.

Illiterate Idiots

Interestingly, some of these very same Hebrew honchos throw Peter and John under the bus after Jesus’ resurrection by calling them “ordinary men with no training in the Scriptures” (Acts 4:13). 

Most translations go easy on their trash talk and call them “unschooled” (NIV) or “uneducated” (NASB). But the original language here literally says they are “illiterate” (Gr. αγραμματος/agrammatos) “idiots” (Gr. ιδιωτης/idiotes).

I’m NOT saying education is a bad thing. But considering what Jesus is going to say about the cockiness of these religious hot shots, let's be careful not to think we’ve got it all going on just because we’ve got a couple of degrees on the wall.

On High Alert

Now that we know who the Lord is talking about, let’s taking a closer look at what He says about them. Spoiler alert. It’s not good.

He tells the big crowd to “beware” of these goobers. The original language uses a verb (Gr. βλεπω/blepo) which means to look at carefully, take notice and consider, or be on high alert while watching out for danger.

Danger, Will Robinson!

Picture one of those caution signs telling warning us of a slippery floor, an angry dog, or even a biohazard. When you’re around these religion experts, be VERY careful. Watch them VERY closely. 

It’s a lot like that famous warning from the robot on “Lost in Space”…Danger, Will Robinson! 

Bad Examples

So what makes these “teachers of religious law” such a threat? Jesus says one big reason is the bad example they set. Just watch how they “like to parade around in flowing robes and receive greetings as they walk in the marketplaces” (v38).

Don’t miss just how much they get off on everyone’s attention. Would you allow me to nerd out in Greek one more time? Ah, you’re the best!

The One in the Mirror

Check out the word the NLT translates here as “like” (Gr. θελω/thelo). It means to truly enjoy or take so much pleasure in something that you’ve just gotta make it happen.

They wake up in the morning thinking about it. They plan their whole day around it. They’re so focused on the one in the mirror that helping others never crosses their mind. 

These guys absolutely love getting all gussied up just to be seen in public. I mean, they are obsessed with it. Can’t you just see them standing in their walk-in closet carefully choosing their outfit. Hmm, I wore that robe yesterday. And that one is so 25 AD.

Hoping to Get Noticed

The language here makes it clear that these teachers don’t simply do this occasionally. No, they are preoccupied with it. And when they put on their best, they make sure they’re seen.

They constantly “parade around” (v38). They don’t just go to the busiest places in town which have the most people. They walk up and down, back and forth. Hoping to get noticed, looking for recognition. Nobody loves a parade like these teachers love their parade.

The Red Carpet

These dudes are constantly walking the red carpet. Their life is an extended photo op. Can’t you just see some First Century cable show dedicated to which theologian wore it best?

It seems to me that long before there was ever an internet or social media, these religious teachers were the original influencers. Let’s be blunt. When someone calls themselves an influencer, it’s usually a desperate plea for attention and fame.

The Best Seats in the House

Jesus tells the crowd at the temple how these Jewish celebrities are constantly angling for the best seats in the house. “And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets” (v39).

One commentator points out that there was a bench at the very front of every synagogue that faced the rest of the people. These are the seats they want. And it’s not so they have a good view. It’s so others will have a good view of them.

Looking for the Limelight

Think about that for just a second. When folks gather to worship God, these religious scholars are looking for the limelight. Here’s a pro tip: God refuses to share the stage with anyone or anything else.

Mind if I ask you a question? Why do you sit where you sit when you go to church? Is it to be seen? Is it so that others will know what a super saint you are? No, I didn’t think so. Where would I get such a ridiculous idea?

These scribes also seek to score the best tables at the restaurant. Anytime there’s an event, it’s important for their ego to sit up front. The closer to the speaker the better. 

A Truth Bomb 

What Jesus says here is a truth bomb that busts the bunker of my ego. For most of my life, I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted the attention. 

I’m fairly confident that I would have been a charter member of the religion scholars club if I lived during the days of Christ. Shiny new suit? Check. High traffic location? Check. Luxury box at church? Check. Best table at the trendy restaurant? Check.

Fear of Man

It hurts to type these words. But it’s the truth. I struggle with a little something-something called Fear of Man. The quick explanation is that I’m WAY more concerned about what others think of me than what God does.

The Holy Spirit has done some serious heavy lifting in my life over the past few years when it comes to this. I’m far from finished but grateful for what He’s done.

The Audience of One

A guy named Paul wrote something that the Lord has used to help turn things around. “I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Gal 1:10).

Pleasing people versus pleasing God. What’s it gonna be? It’s a choice I’m faced with just about every single moment my eyes are open. For me, the audience for which I perform is the Audience of One.

An Overwhelming Relief

What an overwhelming relief I found when I stopped trying to impress everyone and get the world to like me. I could stop being something I wasn’t. I could simply be the real me. The One who made made me not only knew me but loved me.

I didn’t need to dress to impress God. I didn’t need to go anywhere special for Him to see me. It didn’t matter where I sat in church or whether I sat at the kid’s table at the party.

Misdirection

Meanwhile, back in the temple courts, Jesus tells the big crowd what these religious teachers are REALLY up to while putting on a show. They may project a slick image but there’s something else altogether different going on.

These experts want you to look over here at their impressive activities. That will distract you from what’s really going on. Magicians call it misdirection. It’s that little trick of calling our attention over here so they can pull off the sleight of hand over there.

Stealing from Widows

So what exactly are they trying to do? I’ll let the Lord tell you. “Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property” (v40).

The scribes use their leverage to put the squeeze on those who can’t protect themselves. In First Century culture, widows were an easy mark. They had few rights and very little protection. 

Looking out for the Most Vulnerable

Apparently their strategy for building their real estate portfolio by running roughshod and basically stealing property from single women. No late night cable infomercials on how to flip houses for these guys. All they had to do was hoodwink a woman who’s lost her husband. 

A couple of thousand years later, has much really changed? Grifters and con artists are still target the elderly and single moms as their prey. As the followers of Jesus, we need to look out for those who are the most vulnerable.

Smokescreens and Flowery Prayers

Christ points out one of the favorite tactics used by the religion teachers. At the same time they’re cheating the powerless, they “pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public” (v40).

They throw up smokescreens with flowery prayers when the crowds are around. Jesus sure seems to indicate there’s not a whole lot of praying going on when they’re alone. As the divine Son of God, He should know who’s really talking to God and who’s not.

Flying Solo in Prayer

Here’s another moment when the Lord’s words hit a little too close to home for me. Don’t get me wrong, going to God in prayer with other followers of Jesus is an awesome experience.

But what’s my prayer life look like when I’m flying solo? Do I pray as passionately and frequently when I’m alone as I do when I’m around others? Asking for a friend.

Getting What They Deserve

The radical Rabbi/Carpenter wants us to know that these religious phonies won’t get away with it. “Because of this, they will be more severely punished” (v40).

He knows they will get what’s coming to them. Maybe not on this side of eternity but God ensures they will get what they deserve. 

How can Jesus be so sure? Because He’s the One who will do it! “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2Cor 5:10).

Making God Famous

Which brings me back to the whole “what do you want to be when you grow up” thing we started with. Like a I said before, what I wanted was to be famous. What I wanted was to be liked. What I wanted was to be the center of the attention.

Little did I realize at that time that my career goal was to be a religious legal eagle. A phony who was only concerned with my image but had no real substance when you peeked behind the curtain. As they say in Texas, “All hat and no cattle.”

While I’m far from perfect, I’m so incredibly grateful that Jesus has saved me from that. That He saved me from MYSELF! My life is so much so more fulfilling now that my goal is to make God famous.

©2020

Jay Jennings

When Life Spins Out of Control

“Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach” (1Tim 3:2).

Suddenly and without warning, your life feels like you’re in the cockpit of a fighter jet that’s lost power and tumbling out of the blue. The sky’s a blur. Nothing you try works. Lunch is headed back north. You’re in a dizzying death spiral headed straight toward the cold, hard earth. 

You don’t have to be a test pilot to know the feeling. It happens when you lose your job, lose your health, or lose a loved one. When life is spinning wildly out of control, what do you need the most? Maybe it’s not so much what but who. That’s just the time you need a godly leader to grab onto. Paul tells Timothy these are just the kind of folks who need to be leading the local church. They need to be “respectable, hospitable, able to teach” (v2). In other words, overseers must have their lives under control, have their front doors open, and be ready to provide critical instruction at just the right time.

Maybe you think dudes like Paul and Tim don’t know squat about an out of control life. Well, just pump your brakes and think again. As a matter of fact, the situation that led to this very letter we call 1 Timothy is just that. A team of spiritual con artists have infiltrated the Ephesian church and sent believers reeling wildly (1Tim 1:3-7). The apostle needs to get the church back to flying straight and level. There’s just one problem. He’s not there. He’s in Macedonia. So Paul calls on his spiritual son Tim to pastor the Ephesian church. Priority one: Find godly leaders focused on Jesus who will provide stability.

These men called overseers provide much needed vision for any local congregation. The apostle then gives Tim a list of qualities each leader must have (1Tim 3:2-7). At the top of the list, they must be “above reproach” (v2). Not just scandal-free but scandal-proof. Every item that follows is just a specific expression of what it means to lead a blameless life. A totally devoted one-lady’s man and 100% husband with clear head and clear eyes (v2). All great leadership traits especially when your church is hurtling out of the sky.

Paul continues and says to be on the look out for leaders who are “respectable” (v2). He uses the Greek word kosmios, which describes someone who’s well-behaved, orderly, modest, disciplined, honorable, or sensible. It literally means “well-arranged.” The term in the original language comes from the word kosmos, which describes how our Creator God has precisely hung every planet, star, moon, and comet exactly where He wants it to be in His universe and continues to watch over it.

This means an overseer does things in order and with a plan. There’s a point and purpose to what he does. His life isn’t in chaos. Let’s face it, if they can’t get their own lives straightened out, how in the world can they do the same in the church?

There’s no greater One with a plan than God Himself. Everything He does is for a reason. Wouldn’t you agree His plan for our salvation was a good idea? The Son of God had a purpose during His 33 years on the planet. He was completely focused on His mission of Calvary (Lk 9:51). He came to serve, seek, and save (Mt 20:28; Lk 19:10). Jesus is the God-Man with the plan. A plan to save you and me.

An elder should also be “hospitable” (v2). The word here (Gr. philoxenos) literally means  “loving (philo-) strangers (-xenos).” Remember Blanche DuBois from “A Streetcar Named Desire”? She knew all about folks who were hospitable. Blanche always relied on the kindness of strangers. It’s one thing to be nice to people you already know. It’s another to put yourself out there for those you don’t. Paul tells Titus to look for the same trait in elders (Titus 1:8).

Leaders must set the bar in hospitality. Opening your home to others allows them to take an up close and personal look at your life and spiritual character. But is there’s another important aspect to this. Their open hearts lead to an open home, especially for those in trouble. When you’re life is spiraling out of control, you need a place of peace. Shelter from the storm. Jesus calls every follower be that safe place for those in trouble (Rom 12:13; 1Pet 4:9). Hey, you never know when you might be inviting angels over for dinner (Heb 13:2). Amazing stuff happened when folks like Matthew (Mt 9:10-13), Mary and Martha (Lk 10:38-40), and Zaccheus (Lk 19:1-10) invited Christ over to their place.

Once again, there’s no one greater host than our gracious God. Just like we get our home ready for guests, He prepped paradise for Adam and Eve (Gen 1:1-25). The Creator then told our first parents they had access to absolutely everything in Eden, except for one tree and that’s another story altogether (Gen 1:26-31; 2:15-17). God personally invited Abram come live in “the land that I will show you” where He would bless his sandals off (Gen 12:1-3). Almighty God broke His people out of Egyptian slavery so they could enjoy rest in His Promised Land (Ex 6:4). They certainly didn’t deserve His overwhelming hospitality either (Ps 106:6-8; Ezek 20:8-9).

The New Testament is all about God throwing open His kingdom to non-Jews. Jesus brought supernatural peace not just to God’s chosen people but those on the outside looking in (Eph 2:17). Christ didn’t just invite us in, He made us members of the family (Eph 2:19)! Even now, our resurrected Savior is getting eternity ready for you and me (Jn 14:2-3). When we get there, He’s inviting us to the greatest party the universe has ever seen (Rev 19:9)! Jesus is all about hospitality and providing a place of peace and rest.

Meanwhile back in 1 Timothy, Paul writes that an overseer must not only have his life in order as well as warm and welcoming but also “able to teach” (v2). The word here (Gr. didaktikos) doesn’t just mean someone who wants to teach. He’s talking about a person who possesses the skills to teach. Remember, it was a team of unqualified false teachers that ignited this Ephesian dumpster fire in the first place (1Tim 1:3-7).

God’s Spirit gives some folks the teaching gift (Rom 12:7; 1Cor 12:28). Those gifted as teachers must work on honing their skills and abilities as ones “rightly handling the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15). Jesus’ kid brother warns fellow teachers “that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). God provides pastors and elders as teachers to remind people of His truth in the middle of the storm. When storm surge of life makes landfall, we loose sight of who Jesus is and what He’s done. That’s when godly teachers should be at their best. Their instruction in God’s Word prepare us for the next time it happens. And there will be a next time!

Jesus is the greatest and most creative teacher who ever lived. He specialized in illustrations and analogies called parables. His lessons left his listeners’ jaws on the ground “for He was teaching them as One who had authority” (Mt 7:28-29). Even His enemies like Nicodemus could see it (Jn 3:2). While He was the greatest teacher, Jesus was SO much more than that! Over and over again, Christ taught that He is the ultimate Hero of history. He’s the Savior promised throughout Scripture (Jn 5:39). He’s the One His Dad had always promised to send (Lk 24:47). And Jesus calls you and me to be teachers too (Mt 28:19).

Christ calls overseers to be “respectable, hospitable, able to teach” (v2) because His followers need their leaders to be. They must have their life under control if they hope to bring the church under control. They must have open hearts, open homes, and open lives. They must be gifted and skilled in teaching God’s Word. These are the folks Jesus has positioned among us to look to when life spins out of control. Just to be clear, it’s not “if” but “when.” In “Let It Be,” the Beatles sang about where to turn when we find ourselves in times of trouble. Simon and Garfunkel walked “The Bridge over Troubled Water.” For the follower of Jesus, our pastors and elders are there to remind us of our Savior who is Rock of our salvation (Ps 18:2; 62:6)!

Let's Get This Party Started

You may not think of Jesus’ followers as being party animals. If so, you may be hanging around with the wrong Christians. God has loaded the pages of Scripture with parties, shindigs, cookouts, and throw-downs. Don’t get me wrong. There is a VERY serious side to our walk with the Lord. We are supposed to carry our cross. God invented work but He also invented the day off! Don’t be a party pooper. Here in Nehemiah 8:13-18, the Jewish people who’ve returned to the Promised Land from captivity realize that they’ve been missing out. Ezra’s review of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy opens the Hebrews’ eyes to the fact that they haven’t been partying like He has commanded. After the top teachers meet with Ezra for a quick Bible study, they decide to get this party started!

It’s second day of Tishri, the day after Ezra’s legendary six-hour sermon and survey of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. The very next day, “the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law” (v13). This is a smaller group of those responsible for teaching others. What a great reminder that even teachers need to be lifelong learners. As followers of Jesus, we must have a hunger to grow. These seasoned Bible teachers went knocking on the preacher’s door to dive deeper into what he had taught the massive crowd the day before. God has blessed them with the “go to” guy when it comes to Scripture (Ez 7:6, 10). Even the pagan King Artaxerxes recognized his mad skills and backed the Big E’s return to the Promised Land as the lead teaching pastor (Ez 7:25-26). These dudes weren’t missing out on the chance to learn from one of the top Bible teachers on the planet.

As they dig into God’s Word, they suddenly realize it’s just about time to party. “And they found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month” (v14). One look at the calendar tells them that this celebration is right around the corner. It’s the seventh month of Tishri, which falls roughly on the last half of September and the first half of October. There’s no doubt they heard about this particular feast during Ezra’s preaching marathon the day before (Neh 8:1-5). They want to know more about what is called the Feast of Booths (Lev 23:33-44; Num 29:12-38; Dt 16:13-17). It’s one of three annual nationwide parties God puts on the Hebrew social calendar. The other two are the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks. When God tells you to party, that’s one command you don’t want to break!

Just what is this Feast of Booths? Well, it’s actually a week of camping in temporary shelters made from tree limbs and palm fronds. God schedules this annual reminder for the Jewish people as a practical demonstration of how their forefathers lived after He brought them out of Egypt. The reason for seven-day cookout is to recognize God’s amazing goodness and blessing. “Because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful” (Dt 16:15). Okay, I admit it. Camping isn’t for everybody. But who’s not up for a weeklong celebration of God’s overwhelming grace and goodness?

As a result of their study with Ezra, these teachers put out the word around the land of Judah that the Feast of Booths is about to go down (v15). Folks start making all the preps for the party, gathering branches, limbs, and fronds to throw together their huts for the campout (v16). They build them everywhere. On the roof. In the courtyard. In front of the temple. In the city squares. Every single person who has returned from captivity to the Promised Land is setting up camp (v17). Picture the biggest Boy Scout jamboree you’ve ever seen. Think a massive music festival like Bonnaroo. Yeah, we’re talking a HUGE party!

This festival is epic. It’s historic. No, seriously. It’s one for the record books. “For from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was great rejoicing” (v17). It doesn’t mean they haven’t celebrated the Feast of Booths since Joshua led the Israelites 800 years ago. The Bible is clear that it has happened at least a handful of times (1Ki 8:2; 2Chr 7:8-10; Ez 3:4). But it’s been since those days that they did it with such overwhelming joy. The reason for their over-the-top jubilation is obvious. The original Booth Feast was a celebration of how God had brought His people out of 400 years of slavery in Egypt. These folks have just returned after 70-plus years under the boot of Babylon and Persia. You don’t have to be rocket surgeon to make the connection. Yeah, this year’s feast is one we’ll remember for a long, long time.

There’s one other thing that makes the the Feast of Booths of 445 BC unlike any other. “And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the Law of God” (v18). Ezra the scribe teaches the Bible everyday. That’s above and beyond what the LORD has required for this annual hootenanny. I think it’s safe to say that these folks are so excited in hearing about God’s incredible goodness that they simply couldn’t stop! They wanted more and more. 

God is still all about throwing parties. Jesus made the point of describing the heavenly wingding each time a lost person places their trust in Him (Lk 15:7). And He’s inviting all of His followers to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:6-9). This is blast is going to be the ultimate after-party. Tony Campolo is right on target in his book “The Kingdom of God Is a Party.” There are certainly times of quiet reflection, seriousness, and mourning in our relationship with Jesus. But our walk with Jesus should be filled with incredible joy. Christ is inviting us to His party. Let’s get this party started!

Live What You Teach, Teach What You Live

“and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:7)

Mr. Parker was the greatest. There’s no teacher that impacted my life like he did. And I’m not the only one. As the vocal music instructor at my high school, he poured into the lives hundreds of students, many of whom never sang in a choir, chorus, or quartet. That’s because Mr. Parker lived his life with integrity. He was great in the classroom but he was even better in life. He lived and we learned. That’s Paul’s point to Titus. Understand that your influence extends well beyond what you teach. People learn by how you live. 

In this second chapter of his letter, the Apostle Paul tells his man Titus all about establishing a system of instruction that will last long after he’s left the island of Crete. The Gospel of Jesus has clearly transformed the people here. Now they need a sustainable structure of telling others what it means to follow Christ. Paul begins by telling him what to teach. “Teach what accords to sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). He then tells him whom to teach (Titus 2:2-6,9-10). He then tells him how to teach (v7-8). Titus must teach with integrity. He must teach with dignity. Both in the classroom and out. Two things will occur. Believers will learn how to live. Opponents will have no room to criticize you or the Gospel. What a powerful lesson for everyone who teaches, especially those who teach about Jesus. Yikes, that means me!

First of all, we’re to teach with “integrity” (v7). This is the Greek word aphthoria, which means not subject to corruption, purity, and honesty. It’s the idea of having good character, being moral and virtuous. But the basic meaning of the term is wholeness and being undivided. We should be the same all the time. We should be the same everywhere we go. We should be the same with everyone we’re with. You’ll hear engineers talk about the structural integrity of a building, bridge, or machine. When it has integrity, it’s sturdy and stable. It’s not rickety and held together by duct tape and paper clips. It’s able to withstand harsh conditions. That’s the kind of integrity teachers of God’s Word need to have. And that only comes when we build our house on the Rock (Mt 7:24-27). It’s not about the structure, but the foundation. The foundation of our trust must be in the person and work of Jesus. He’s the ultimate in integrity.

Teachers must also possess “dignity” (Gr. semnotes). Paul’s talking to Titus about proper conduct, respectability, seriousness, and acting the right way. In other words, our teaching in the classroom hangs on our conduct outside of it. We can be up for “teacher of the year” for our fabulous lessons and methods but send it all down the crapper when our life doesn’t back it up. Our dignity backs up our message. It gives us credibility. It’s gives us moral and ethical capital for what we teach. Let’s be clear about one thing. This does NOT mean that you live a perfect life. There’s only one Teacher who pulled that off. Trust in His perfection. And when you do jack things up (and you WILL jack things up!), confess and repent. Be transparent. Teachers need Jesus just as much as their students. 

Live what you teach. Teach what you live. That’s exactly what Mr. Parker did. 

Health Teachers

“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (v9).

Do you remember you favorite teacher growing up? I’m not talking about that “Hot for Teacher” crush you had. Get your mind out of the gutter. Instead, who was that person who did so much more than stand in front of a blackboard (yeah, I said “blackboard; I am THAT old!) and made sure you learned your multiplication tables? Sure the Three Rs are important, but there are those teachers that taught us the big lessons in life that we still use today. Here in his letter to Titus, Paul tells his protege to address the teacher shortage on the island of Crete. Specifically, he’s looking for health teachers. No, not some gym coach to teach health class. There’s a huge need for instructors who teach in a healthy and complete way. They don’t leave anything out. Their instruction is strong and accurate. 

The first item on the apostle’s to-do list for Titus is to find spiritual leaders for the local churches on Crete. The Good News has turned the island on its head. There’s a boatload of new believers, but no leaders. Paul tells the Big T to scour the place for “elders” (Titus 1:4), spiritually mature men of integrity who demonstrate what it means to follow Jesus. He lets his go-to guy know the “must have” qualities for leadership. That list concludes with the ability to teach people what they’ve learned about Jesus. 

So just what’s their lesson plan? What’s in the curriculum? Elders in the local church must “be able to give instruction in sound doctrine” (v9). Oh boy, there’s the dreaded “D” word. “Doctrine.” Most of us roll our eyes when the subject comes up. I know I did. For a lot of us, doctrine equals boring. For Pete’s sake, I’m didn’t enroll in seminary. I just wanted to get to know Jesus better. But a closer look at the original language tells us to cool our jets. The Greek word Paul uses for “doctrine” is actually didaskalia. It literally means the act of teaching or the content being taught. 

Let’s be clear about something. This is NOT about filling your head with all sorts of weird trivia from Leviticus. We’re not asking you to memorize how many cubits are in a homer (is that even a thing?). I’m not saying there’s not good stuff to be learned from some of the more obscure books of the Bible. But the big lesson we learn from the God’s Word is that there is one Hero of the story. The entire message of Scripture is about Jesus. In a nutshell, this is what the Bible tells us. God handcrafted a perfect and spectacular universe. Not long after He created us, we completely jacked up the whole deal and rebelled against our Creator. God then personally came to our rescue in the form of a Rabbi/Carpenter named Jesus. He lived the perfect life that we failed to live. He died the death for our rebellion and sin that we should have died. He rose to an amazing new life that we don’t deserve. He did all of that to fix what we broke and restore our relationship with God. Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story. Now THAT’S the curriculum! That’s doctrine! If you and I trust in what He’s done for us, you don’t have to worry what’s going to be on the final. And God promises there will be no math.

The backbone of teaching in the local church is to be the elders. And their curriculum must be “sound” (v9). Here Paul drops the Greek verb hugiaino. It’s actually a medical term that means to be whole, healthy, and strong. We shouldn’t be shocked that Dr. Luke uses this term when he writes. When the religious police get all hot and bothered when Jesus parties with the wrong crowd, He lets them know, “Those who are well (Gr. hugiaino) have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Lk 5:31). After Jesus healed the Centurian’s employee from long distance, when folks got back home to check on him, “they found the servant well (Gr. hugiaino)” (Lk 7:10). And in His legendary parable of the Prodigal Son, Christ tells the crowd how the father is ecstatic because his boy is back in one piece, “safe and sound (Gr. hugiaino)” (Lk 15:27). Teaching about Jesus certainly needs to be correct and accurate. But also must be in top shape. A weak gospel won’t do us any good when the fecal matter hits the whirling device. When life falls apart, I don’t want weeny doctrine. I desperately need it to be BIG and POWERFUL! 

Elders must possess a strong and healthy message about Jesus because they’re getting ready for a fight. Not a physical one anyway. They’re training for the time they must “rebuke those who contradict it” (v9). Paul literally calls these contradictors “back talkers.” There’s always going to be folks to challenge who Jesus is and what He’s done. Our spiritual leaders should have the skills and heart to lovingly but firmly confront those who attempt to challenge Scripture. This was a very big deal to believers on the island of Crete. The second item on Titus’ list of assignments is to shut up and shut down a crew of false teachers that are corrupting the Gospel (Titus 1:10-11). And these spiritual con artists and hucksters are still up to their tricks today. Elders need to be ready to step into the scriptural cage and put submission hold on these trouble makers. And that takes a strong and healthy understanding of the Gospel.

Word Up

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers (Eph 4:11).

All throughout God's Big Story, He places a high priority on getting His Word to His people.  So much so that one of the divinely inspired nicknames for Jesus is the Word.  Just how powerful is God's Word?  Well, He detonated the creation of the universe by simply speaking it into existence (Gen 1:3).  God's Word is capable of performing delicate spiritual surgery (Heb 4:12).  God's Word has the power to save us from ourselves (Rom 1:16; 10:17).  God's Word has the power to radically transform us and correct us (Jn 17:17; 2Tim 3:16-17).  Here Paul lists the starting lineup of people God has given to handle His Word and communicate it to His people.  "And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers" (v11).  These dudes had the God-given job of putting top priority on His Word.  Or as the crew from the group Cameo would say, "Word up."

The apostle gets more specific about the gifts He gave to His church (Eph 4:7-8). Turns out that it wasn't what He gave but WHO He gave.  The emphasis is still focused on Jesus and His generosity. He gives. He's a giving God. That's the core of the Gospel. He saves us by showering us with His amazing grace and unmerited favor. God is a Giver. As the old saying goes, you can't out-give God. Jesus is always handing out perks and bennies. He's a Giver.

So let's meet the starting lineup of the folks God gave to communicate through.  God gave each one of them to His people as His handpicked keepers and caretakers of His Word.  "The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers" (v11).  Apostles.  Prophets.  Evangelists.  Shepherds/Teachers.  You might wonder what these folks have to do with each other.  But when we take a closer look, it's obvious that God chose them to be His spokespersons of His truth.  

Word up.

Hitting leadoff in this lineup are the "apostles" (v11).  The Greek word is apostolos, which means a specifically chosen representative who carries are the legal authority of the one sending him.  Back in the Greco-Roman world, the master would select his apostle to represent him when he couldn't be there.  When you spoke to someone's apostle, it was as if you spoke to the person who sent them.  There's even a story about an apostle divorcing his master's wife while he was out of town.  Judges allowed the divorce to stand because he had all the rights and authority of his boss.  An apostle is someone sent with a specific assignment.  An envoy or special messenger.  This is someone who reps their boss.  The original 12 apostles had some serious oomph wherever they went.  They were repping Jesus.  When they spoke, they spoke as Jesus.  

There are no more capital "A" Apostles.  These boys actually saw the resurrected Jesus.  There were 12 of them.  The original 11 plus Paul.  Christ drafted the man from Tarsus as the replacement for Judas Iscariot.  Just as His heavenly Dad sent Him to the world as His divine representative, He sent these 12 on the road as His reps with all rights and authority.  When they spoke it was just as if Jesus spoke.  His apostles planted churches.  His apostles wrote the Bible.  Once they died, there were no more Apostles.  That doesn't mean God doesn't still have lower case "a" apostles.  Think of church planters who plant flags in the wilderness for God’s kingdom and folks willing to push the edge of the envelope for God's truth.  But these are lower case "a" apostles. 

Word up.

Next we meet the "prophets" (v11).  Paul uses the Greek word prophetes.  This is someone who speaks for God.  An interpreter of divine communication.  One who declares to people what has been received through inspiration.  In the OT, God put these folks in charge of all communication (Heb 1:1).  They would keep the king in line by passing along Yahweh’s guidance.  They would also write down God's inspired revelation.  Just as every piece of the NT is written under the authority of an apostle, every book in the OT came from the pen of a prophet.   In many ways, these are two different words for the same office.  OT prophet=NT apostle.  Paul backs up that comparison back in Eph 2:20 and 3:5.  

Lots of VERY smart folks get all hot and bothered over whether prophets still exist.  Were they just limited to the OT?  No.  Luke made it crystal clear that the early church saw its fair share of prophets (Acts 15:32; 21:10).  And Paul told his friends in Corinth how to respectfully deal with folks that God has gifted as prophets (1Cor 12:28-37).  The risen Jesus revealed to His buddy John that there are two more prophets to come as history comes to a close (Rev 11:2, 10).  Some will argue that once that God wrapped up the writing of the Bible, He brought an end to what folks call the "sign gifts," like prophecy.  There's one problem with that.  The Bible.  I'm just not limber enough to do the biblical gymnastics needed to prove that.  Kind of like there are no more capital "A" Apostles, there are no more capital "P" Prophets.  But that doesn't keep God from clueing humans in on His divine truth from time to time.  If He wants to, He will.  BUT since He's pretty blunt that we're absolutely not to add anything to His Word (Rev 22:18-19), any new prophetic message must be measured against Scripture.  Paul provides some VERY specific instructions for how to deal with prophets in 1Cor 14.  The church may be non-profit, but not necessarily non-prophet.

Word up.

The next people God gives are the "evangelists" (v11).  This is the Greek word euangelistes.  It's a compound noun that literally means "good messenger."  It shares the same root word as angel.  While each one of us is to spread the word of salvation, Jesus gives the gift of evangelism to specific people.  Somehow, someway, evangelists have the supernatural ability to pull back the curtain on God's Good News.  Billy Graham is a great example of an evangelist.  God gives these folks a unique skill to let the world know who Jesus is and what He's done.  He's lived the perfect life that we failed to live.  He died the brutal death for our sin that we should have died.  He rose to a glorious new life that we don't deserve.  We place our trust in what He's done for us that we could never do for ourselves.  That's the Good News.  That's the Gospel.  And these evangelists are REALLY good at telling others about it.

Word up.

And batting cleanup in this lineup are the "shepherds and teachers" (v11).  Whoa!  Pump your brakes, big boy.  You might want to take a second look because there are actually TWO words here!  But the grammar of the original text tells us that this is actually one group of people.  Think "shepherds/teachers."  The first word is the Greek term poimen.  Some translations render it as "pastor."  But it really does mean a herdsman or shepherd (Lk 2:8).  The term comes from the idea to protect from harm.  Pete reminds us that Jesus is our "Chief Shepherd" (1Pet 5:4).  But He's also handpicked some folks to protect His flock until He comes back through the power of His Word.

These protectors also play an important role as "teachers" (v11).  Shepherds protect God's people by teaching God's Word.  They remind us what Scripture says about who He is, His unending faithfulness, His tremendous love and His amazing grace.  Teachers let us know that in His all-knowing goodness, God provides us with protection by giving us guardrails from sin.  They remind us of what we're to do to experience the abundant life (Jn 10:10) He has for us.  This all centers around teaching God's Word.

Word up. 

Has God called you as one to teach, communicate and carefully handle His Word?  What a mind-boggling privilege!  What a humbling responsibility!  And how do we as followers of Jesus respect and honor those He's placed as shepherds of Scripture in our lives?  Paul makes it perfectly clear that these people are His gifts to His church.

Word up.