tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673026911024876557.post1382235226838639582..comments2023-09-12T03:40:44.402-07:00Comments on Pastor John's Thoughts: Disconnected Ramblings on Doing Discipleship ChurchwidePastor Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02985728106929059405noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673026911024876557.post-83400577572424450452010-02-03T14:13:11.181-08:002010-02-03T14:13:11.181-08:00What you do is important. In the kingdom, how you...What you do is important. In the kingdom, how you do it is important. Any spiritual gift used without love is just a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.<br /><br />The pastor is the leader of the local church. Following Jesus and being a disciple starts with the pastor. The pastor has authority but just like a man in a family, he needs to lead in a mutually submissive way. Jesus did not grasp his equality with God but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. <br /><br />You cannot say that you have more of the Holy Spirit than others have in the church and expect only unilateral submission to you.<br /><br />When you put on the towel and washed my daughter’s feet, you demonstrated the beauty of Jesus Christ. In your quickness to anger, your worry, your quickness to speak and slowness to listen, you demonstrated your sin nature.<br /><br />Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’"<br /><br />Matthew 23:1-12 “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you— but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’”<br /><br />John 13:12-16 "When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.'"<br /><br />Your vision for the church is good. Do it.Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12563002594702403167noreply@blogger.com