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243. Woe to You Conceited

Luke 11:43
Key Verse: "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces."
Luke 11:43

In the song, "If I were a rich Man," from the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof," the main character, Tevye states: "If I were rich I'd have the time that I lack to sit in the Synagogue and Pray, and maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall."

In western American culture we have a hard time relating to this kind of a reality. But the people of Jesus' day could relate. It was the rich and the educated who could afford to spend time in prayer and study of scripture. The rest had to make a living. God may have been the Lord of everyone, but it was only the learned who could get to know and understand Him better because they were the ones who had the time to study His law. How frustrating for Jesus that they were abusing their privilege so badly and not really benefiting from it.

It was the learned who could afford the best seats in the Synagogue so that they could learn more. The learned men and leaders had the closest seats, the seats reserved for them. Behind them sat the poorer men and common laborers. Behind them sat the women and behind the women the Gentiles who had converted to Judaism either stood or sat. The leadership would walk through the crowd of on lookers and take their place in front, as close to the Eastern wall as allowed, for all to see. They loved the admiration that they received as much as a bride enjoys being admired as she walks down the aisle for her wedding.

Outside of worship, these men were treated with deference and respect. The commoner would step aside to let them pass or allow them to go first as a sign of honor and respect. Their concept of greatness was as the world defines greatness. They would not even begin to comprehend Jesus' words to His disciples when He said, "Whoever wants to become great among you must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 12:43-44)

In our sinful nature, we love to be served, but in Christ, we stop living by the standards of the world. Back before the fall, satan was jealous of God for receiving praise that satan wanted to receive for himself. The leadership loved and coveted what satan himself coveted and was willing to ruin creation because he couldn't have it.

When we get caught up in ourselves, and the praise of man, we are bowing to our sinful nature as well. Whoa!  Let us be like Jesus!  Instead of asking, "How can I be served?" Ask, "How can I serve?" Then we are beginning to think like our Savior.

Christ in Me

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