The prophet Micah wrote: “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NIV) Several centuries later, our Lord Jesus, speaking to religious leaders who apparently had forgotten the words of their own prophets said: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” (Matt. 23:23 NIV)
And now, over 2000 years later, a large number of the Christian leaders in American, like their spiritual forefathers the Pharisees, are walking away from Jesus. Instead, many of them seem to be following after the Mormon demigod Glenn Beck who as all but said we should remove the word “justice” from our Bibles. The chief question of our Christian leaders in American today is not, “What can the church do for the “least of these brothers of mine?” (Matt. 25:40) But rather, “Which of us can build the biggest, gaudiest mega-church in the land?” I just read about a church that was completed in 1998 at the cost of 88 million. It has two indoor basketball courts, several racquetball and handball courts as well as indoor tennis and bad mitten courts. They also have a quarter mile indoor track and an Olympic sized heated pool. The energy costs for heating the pool while air conditioning the surrounding area costs more than the entire budget of the average 100-200 member church. Meanwhile the hungry in that community remain hungry and the homeless are still without shelter.
Oh that American Christians might strive more for mega-justice, mega-mercy and sharing God's love than for mega-churches and self love.
And now, over 2000 years later, a large number of the Christian leaders in American, like their spiritual forefathers the Pharisees, are walking away from Jesus. Instead, many of them seem to be following after the Mormon demigod Glenn Beck who as all but said we should remove the word “justice” from our Bibles. The chief question of our Christian leaders in American today is not, “What can the church do for the “least of these brothers of mine?” (Matt. 25:40) But rather, “Which of us can build the biggest, gaudiest mega-church in the land?” I just read about a church that was completed in 1998 at the cost of 88 million. It has two indoor basketball courts, several racquetball and handball courts as well as indoor tennis and bad mitten courts. They also have a quarter mile indoor track and an Olympic sized heated pool. The energy costs for heating the pool while air conditioning the surrounding area costs more than the entire budget of the average 100-200 member church. Meanwhile the hungry in that community remain hungry and the homeless are still without shelter.
Oh that American Christians might strive more for mega-justice, mega-mercy and sharing God's love than for mega-churches and self love.
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