by Brett Jacobsen

Blowing ‘our’ trumpet in Zion

A large part of the western church has become a scene of men that desire and perform to be seen of men. Like the flaunting Corinthians and wayward Jews of New Testament times, many ‘Christians’ these days have fallen prey to a public spectacle paradigm that is rooted in “the pride of life”. (1 John 2:16) Jesus sternly warned many to steer clear from a “seen of men” motivation. In the “Sermon on the Mount” He said:

Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when you do your alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say to you, They have their reward. […] And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say to you, They have their reward. (Matt 6:1-5)

It is all too easy in the scene of Christianity to be “seen of men” when performing certain functions of our faith such as giving, praying and many other things. It is just as easy for this to produce a dynamic where we “have glory [doxazo – honour, dignity, praise] of men” in our sights. Although we would all like to sweep this one under the rug and treat it as an exception to the norm, this is not the case. In fact it was, and still is, something that Jesus addressed on a number of occasions: something rooted deep in the church community, even the leaders themselves. Jesus said to the Jews who tested Him:

I receive not honour [doxa – glory, dignity, praise] from men. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. I am come in My Father's name, and you receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, which receive honour [doxa] one of another, and seek not the honour [doxa] that comes from God only? (John 5:41-44)

While receiving honour, dignity and praise from men we forfeit “the honour that comes from God only”. According to Jesus, this reception of praise expels the Love of God from us and makes it all but impossible to have a real belief in Jesus. However, I suppose other counterfeit forms of Him can still be believed in whilst in this state. It is very interesting that Jesus said these accepters of praise would receive others that “shall come in [their] own name”. It seems that self-promotion is not only acceptable amongst these pride-lings, it is to be admired.

Going back to Matthew 6: notice the two very public places Jesus drew attention to which promote this evil pride: “in the synagogues” and “in the streets”.

The synagogues, or our modern equivalent - churches, are a rich source of “seen of men” attitudes and events. As church buildings and denominated congregations (even independent churches) are not derived from God’s blueprint for the Kingdom, they are inevitable breading grounds for man’s glory. Many saints these days complain about certain aspects of church that they know to be contrary to the Kingdom such as overboard prosperity and worldly motivational methods. However, usually they are ignorant to the real foundation of the problems. We will look at the remedy soon.

When He spoke of doing these spiritual activities “in the streets” we must remember to whom He was speaking in order to find a true context to His statement. He was not discouraging modern Christians from giving to hungry people in the streets, or praying out in the open. Rather, He was dissuading His contemporary Jews from public, prideful, spirituality. Remember that it was trendier in that setting to be ‘religious’ than it may be now in our culture.

On another occasion Jesus spoke to a “multitude and to His disciples” on this same subject. Using “the Scribes and the Pharisees” as a bad example He said:

…all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (Matt 23:5-7)

Man’s leadership offices and synagogue - type ‘holy houses’ (churches), neither of which hold any biblical merit, create a spiritual competitive attitude in even the more humble servants of God. This manifests in varying degrees from church to church, from leader to leader and from saint to saint. However, we must not ignore the fact that tabernacles which men pitch, man made offices and Christian institutions are at the root of most of this injurious pride.

Stage strutting and limelight lingerers

Jesus just wasn’t interested in being ‘seen’ amongst the carnal scene. He lived His life “like […] treasure hid in a field;” and would often shun the opportunity for promotion in the eyes of man. (Matt 13:44) Seeing that “[we] are dead, and [our] life is hid with Christ in God” we ought to go about life in the same manner. (Col 3:3)

The sad reality is that most contemporary cathedrals give platform to the stage strutting antics of limelight lingering ‘ministry’ which finds itself all too easily given to a prideful paradigm that drapes itself in worldly success, all for the Kingdom of course. Apart from the fact that stage based ‘ministry’ is not biblically inspired, it also falls drastically short in preparing the saints to minister daily in the world. Rather than “the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry” it is prone to “retarding the saints for the work of the monastery”. (Eph 4:12) 

The so called proof texts for crusade meetings, church services and other stage based events are usually presented greatly out of context in an effort to cling to yesterdays methods, which don’t work that well anyway. One such example is Paul’s time at Areopagus, which many present as precedence for stage-based ministry. The truth is that Paul “disputed … in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” (Acts 17:17) He only went into the synagogue to “dispute” (dialegomai – dialogue/discuss and reason) with the Jews and devout/religious people, to persuade them to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He also “disputed [dialegomai]” “in the market [agora – town square, street] daily with them that met with him.” This was his low-key strategy, to have dialogue/discussions with both Jews and gentiles about the Kingdom of Christ. Obviously there were at least a few who wished to continue the Kingdom discussions as they “met with him” “in the market [town square] daily”.

Now this is when the Hollywood honchos usually begin plans for a large stage based Christian outreach meeting. Because “Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill and said…” they plan their elaborate Christian show with all sorts of stage focused activity including a great deal of mesmerizing monologue. (22) The funds are raised, the arena is booked, and the sideshow is rehearsed, but is this flamboyant phenomenon to be justified by scripture?

We need only to go back to verse eighteen to see how it really works:

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him [obviously when he was out in public discussing the Kingdom with people]. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached to them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him to Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof you speak, is? (18-19)

While Paul was going about his low-key strategy to bring the city to Christ “Then certain philosophers” “encountered him” and “they took him … to Areopagus” because they wanted to hear the teaching that he was presenting to the people. You would be correct in saying that God opened up a door for him to preach The Kingdom of Christ at the equivalent of our modern day New Age Festival or Philosophy Fair. To plan stage strutting events is a major side step to our heavenly commission to “go … into all the world and preach the gospel”. (Mark 16:15) Although people have been saved this way, many more real conversions will occur when biblical principles are applied.

Other proof texts for professional platform prancing also prove to be without proof. Paul’s apparent all night pulpit preach that killed Eutychus was actually a time when “the disciples came together to break bread” “in the upper chamber [huperoion – higher part of the house], where they were gathered together.” Paul’s so called ‘long preaching’ was actually a lengthy time of dialegomai – dialogue with the brothers. And after they had fixed up the dead Eutychus problem they “[broke] bread, and [ate], and talked [homileo – converse, commune] a long while” (Acts 20:7-12).  Sounds pretty laid back to me!

Perhaps preachers who are set on platform preaching should arrange a ‘meeting’ similar to the ones that Jesus and His disciples sometimes were keynote speakers at: Those meetings that had a malicious multitude and a mad magistrate as an audience, who returned the favour with slanderous accusations, fists and whips rather than lavish love offerings.

The early apostles were so unassuming that even when the audience began to praise, parade or promote them, they promptly shunned the fame. See Acts 14:8-18. In fact the old time preachers in the New Testament believed that:

God […] set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honourable, but we are despised. (1 Cor 4:9-10)

He explained the “spectacle” that God had made them to be, as being “fools for Christ’s sake”, rather than a public spectacle of preaching prowess and worldly success.

The world is our audience, relationships our pulpit and our life is our stage.

God’s major isn’t in marketing

Another rotten fruit borne in the modern church from the “seen of men” scene is the absurd advertising attempts of the almost Amway agents. Church leaders and their PR teams are employing many a type of marketing hype nowadays to promote and excel ‘their’ outstanding organization. Like many man-made mistakes throughout church history, these promotional ploys are humanly prudent, yet they lack heavenly technique and Godly inspiration.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Is 55:8-9)

It would seem that this frantic attempt to fill churches at any cost is just another prideful plan birthed from man’s need for recognition and their lust for success. Not only does God have no need for our carnal flair, the application of it is completely contrary to His methods. Remember how Jesus described the Kingdom:

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. (Matt 13:44)

Imagine the ignorance of the person at a children’s party who decides to go and collect all the goodies from the treasure hunt and hand them to everyone as they walk through the front door. Truth is, this is a lot more serious and consequential than a children’s party. God hides His Kingdom in the hearts and lives of His people and sends them out into the world to “shine as lights” “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation [genea – generation]”. (Phil 2:15) We rob people of true repentance (“sells all that he has, and buys that field”) when we dig up the treasure and sell it to them at our local Christian outlet. Paul, as usual, taught about the ability of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” to attract people. He also stressed the importance that the power (to attract and deliver) must be “of God, and not of us”:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them. For we preach [kerusso – herald, proclaim (you could say promote)] not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory [doxa – praise, dignity] of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen [frail:--of earth] vessels, that the excellency [huperbole - supereminence] of the power [dunamis] may be OF GOD, and NOT OF US. (2 Cor 4:3-7) (Emphasis mine)

Jesus said: “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Me”. (John 12:32) First, we must put an end to the misrepresentation of His words that many teach: that lifting Him up in worship causes Him to draw people in. John followed up Jesus’ quote with “This He said, signifying what death He should die.” (33) In short, the “[lifting up]” was the erecting of the cross; the cross being the essential ingredient in God’s plan to draw the world to Himself. Our role is not to present and publicize a humanly popular version of Christianity.  Our role is to shine the glorious Spiritual light of Christ through unpretentious, frail vessels which are daily carrying His cross.

Changing scenes and switching venues

Perhaps it is a mere attitude adjustment that needs to take place in the hearts of many modern Christians … or maybe there’s a little more to it?

As we have already seen: extra-biblical venues, not ordained of God leadership offices and other systemic church devices are key components in the advancement of the vainglorious kingdom of carnal Christianity. Of course we must change our heart attitudes as we “fall on [the] stone” and “be broken”, for “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Matt 21:44, Ps 51:17) However, this is a lesson in futility if we don’t jackhammer the ways and systems of man from the foundation of church life. It’s a little bit like, ‘what comes first, the chicken or the egg’? Did the haughty spirit produce the pragmatic perpetrations of carnal Christianity, or did the false foundations themselves create the pride filled hearts? Either way, it has, and always will be, a vicious circle for all who partake of it.

Besides the deep, honest soul searching times of brokenness in prayer, which are essential in changing from man’s scene to God’s, there is a necessity for switching venues. It is more than helpful to leave behind cathedral dwelling Christianity for a more heavenly architecture. We must begin to fully be “the building fitly framed together [growing] to an holy temple in the Lord: In whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph 2:21-22) Not only does this release an innumerable amount of powerful Spiritual principles for and through God’s people, it also marinates the participants in modest obscurity.

To be a fully fledged participant in the celestial temple, one must take the focus off man’s temples and the like and choose rather to make the locations of the world their sanctuary. The emphasis is shifted from pompous public religious venues to more obscure, everyday life settings like people’s homes, parks, the workplace and wherever God wishes to “[make] manifest the savour of his knowledge by us”: that is … “in every place.” (2 Cor 2:14)

Outworking your full measure of spiritual functions (i.e. all the activities performed in churches plus more) in non-religious venues, all but quashes the conceited “seen of men” performance Christianity which we are all susceptible to (if we are honest). “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

Going back to our original text in Matthew 6 we see Jesus prescribed an escape from the “seen of men” scene, a way of removing the stage and other lofty religious paraphernalia:

But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does:  That your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret Himself shall reward you openly. (Matt 6:3-4)

And with prayer:

And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say to you, They have their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your closet [secret chamber], and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. (Matt 6:5-6)

By performing spiritual functions in naturally secret but heavenly prominent venues, the urge to boast in our own efforts becomes paralyzed; we desire to be ‘seen of God’ rather than “seen of men”. As we become the underground, heavenly church on earth, we are liberated into God’s ways.

There is genuine humility in Spirit-led community. The leaders abdicate their man-made offices, trading their stage for a sofa and their pulpit for personal interaction. All the saints become involved in biblical based dialogue rather than pew sitting while feeding off minced up monologues. Superior sermonizing fades, as the Holy Spirit’s message for the day is brought out by “every part, [making] increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:16) The worship team consists of all present and puts God on the stage in the limelight rather than talent. In this setting, the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus can take centre stage and perform His works. Of course He does choose to work through us as we remain open to “the manifestation of the Spirit”, but it is Him alone that gets the kudos as He becomes prominent in our collective obscurity. (1 Cor 12:7) If we truly desire for God’s glory to be seen in the earth, then we must ensure that we play our part and become unseen in the scene of men.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 27th, 2006 at 6:01 pm and is filed under Biblical Leadership, Brett Jacobsen's teachings, Church Structure, Evangelism / Discipleship, House to house community, Living Christianity, Reformation/ Revival. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.