A thousand times I've wanted to ask you this question. "What's your motive?" It seems it gets harder and harder to tell the difference between a church and a business. I look around and see everything from billboard advertising, to credit card machines in the front lobby for tithe's, and pastors singling out more wealthy members of the church. Like some how God actually cares how much money the members of a church make. God Forgive Them.
In the bible(KJV) the same thing was happening when Jesus walked the earth. You see there were many offerings to be made all the time, offerings for sin, wave offerings, peace offerings, offerings for the sick, offerings for the new born, etc... All the Jews would come to the temple day after day to offer there sacrifice. Well just like with any thing mankind gets its hands on the routine slowly became a place to sell some stuff.
Imagine for a second the bible says in:
Exodus 29:36 KJV
And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.So every day you must get up and head to the temple to offer a bullock for a sin offering according to what the law by God commanded you. So you got up got the kids in line and headed off to the temple with your bullock on a rope probably a cow bell around its neck. (maybe not) You arrive and the priest offers up the bullock for a sacrifice for an atonement. You head back to the house and go to work in the fields. Day after day you get up get the kids in line, and head off pulling Spot the bullock along to make atonement, and heading back to the house to work in the field. After a while someone at the church approaches you and says "Hey man, I see you here a lot, I'm here to, I got a whole lot of these bullocks here already every morning, I was thinking if you will just bring me a shekel of silver every morning I will give you a bullock to offer for atonement. That way you don't have to walk a stubborn bullock from home every day." Great Idea! you respond. And there it goes before long there is a proverbial market at the temple. Selling everything from doves to bullocks, to sheep.
Then Jesus came down to the temple one day and admired this taking place. And just like your boss walking in while your using the work computer to read "Dear Pastor" they soon realized they were in trouble.
John 2:13-16
13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, andJesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that soldoxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting : 15 Andwhen he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of thetemple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers'money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that solddoves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an houseof merchandise.
Wow a powerful statement. I don't understand though weren't they doing good with all that I mean they were still offering sacrifices, and they had to get paid for the help they were providing right.
How come God was so mad and these people. I think in reality the real question you need to ask is the same as I asked "What's your motive?" Why are you doing these things? Why do you require members of your church to pay to be there, why do you need to be paid, why do we have pastor at all.
Please understand I'm not trying to cause conflict or be blatantly disrespectful to to you, I know you are serving God at this church. I am simply asking a question "why have you made it a house of merchandise?"
What's your motive for being pastor of this church, are you looking for numbers, a crowd, or are you doing what the Lord told Peter before he left this planet.
John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined , Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thoume more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that Ilove thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him againthe second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith untohim, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feedmy sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the thirdtime, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest allthings; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed mysheep.
Feeding the sheep!
All my support,
A concerned church member
