I’ve heard someone (and I can’t remember him) preached this message, and I was stunned! The message was entitled, “The Seven Headaches of Jesus”.
I didn’t see this coming, so to speak. Thank God, I was able to save a note of this message (I love taking notes whenever I am listening to someone who preaches). He gave me the outline. But I prayed that Gods will reveal to me its’ “flesh-and-bones”. I remember preaching this message 9 years ago. Hope you enjoy reading!
And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things. (Colossians 1:18 MKJV)
He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24 MKJV)
When Jesus walked on this planet, He had (most of His time) an encounter with people who might havce caused Him a headache. What caused Him a headache?
1. NARROW-MINDEDNESS.
The Category:
- Localizing universal spirituality. Acts 15:1
- Universalizing local practices
- Doctrinalizing every idea in the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – TEACHING
- Can be by:
- Positive Or Negative Example
- Elimination
- Observation Of Cause And Effect
- Should through correlation.
- An interpretation is correct when it does not violate the spirit of all the verses that deals with the same subject matter.
- Jonah 4:3.
- 1 Corinthians 7:12 / 1 Corinthians 7:10.
*Test all ideas / verses with the teachings of God, being Jesus as our guide!
- The unique / personal teaching should be applied – carefully & conditionally.
- “Majoring on the Minors” – Disproportionate attention to forms, such as:
- Music.
- Bodily posture.
- Clapping. Psalm 47:1
- Dancing. Psalm 149:3
- Looks. 1 Samuel 16:7b / Proverbs 16:2
2. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS .
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed within himself in this way: God, I thank You that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess. And standing afar off, the tax-collector would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but struck on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself shall be abased, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14 MKJV)
From these verses, we see two kinds of people: One who always think that he is always right, and the other one was of the humble type. The former always thought of himself as the real spiritual one, as it is evidenced with his religious lifestyle. The other one, upon realization of his mistakes and short-comings immediately goes on his knees and pray the prayer of repentance.
Who are the Pharisees? These were group of devout Jews following after the Mosaic Law and tradition. They were known for their accuracy in the Old Testament literature and legalist in terms of interpretation of the Scriptures. The tax collectors were government employees who used to collect taxes. They were commonly called as “publicans” meaning employees of the public.
Obviously, Jesus found the Pharisee annoying. Why? Let’s take a closer look at his attitude. He is professing his outward goodness exuberantly. But at the starting phrases of his statement, we find him to be exceedingly annoying. He is comparing his goodness with the tax-collector’s short-comings. In short, he is saying (through his action), that he is more righteous that any one else in this whole planet!
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALSO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE SEE THEM IN THE MALL’S PARKING LOTS, IN OUR COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE, AND EVEN IN OUR CHURCHES. WE HEAR THEM MAGNIFYING THEIR GOODNESS WHILE CONDEMNING OTHERS, BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. THEY ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS RIGHT. THEY ARE PERFECT.
But the Bible says: “If we say, we have no sin, we make God a liar”.
3. JUDGMENTALISM.
What does judgmentalism means? It means being critical. A person who is always saying a word, whether it maybe positive or negative. He look like a judge – he always pronounce his verdict. His/her statements are always final and conclusive.
Do not speak against one another, brothers. He that speaks against a brother, and is judging a brother, he speaks against Law, and judges Law. But if you judge Law, you are not a doer of Law, but a judge. One is the Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you who judges another? (James 4:11-12 LITV)
But why do you judge your brother? Or why also do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it has been written, “As I live, says the Lord, that every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue confess to God.” Isa. 45:23 So then each one of us will give account concerning himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12 LITV)
The Category
- The Careless and Destructive “Branding” or “Naming”. Matthew 12:31-32.
- Belittling, Trivializing, Demonizing God’s Work & Spirit.
Do not finalize an opinion until:
- You are adequately informed!
- You have sought divine guidance! Ecclesiastes 5:2.
4. DIVISIVENESS.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13 KJV)
For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. (1 Corinthians 11:18 NKJV)
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:13 NKJV)
This is very common to all of us. We all have the tendency to be divided into groupings of having the same preferences!
In the days of Paul the Apostle, this is very obvious. Some liked Peter’s boldness, while some liked Apollos’ intelligence and some liked Paul’s bravery and prudence.
We have some members of our church today who used to be liked that. Some loved and will even die for Pastor —-. Some will even follow the footstep of Pastor —-.
While some hate Pastor “Grace-and-Truth-Preacher” the most!
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:13 NKJV)
Let’s change the names used in verse 13:
“Is Christ divided? Was Pastor Dennis crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Pastor Eric or Marlon?” (1 Corinthians 1:13 NKJV)
Our loyalty should be on Christ, first and foremost. Secondly, we should be loyal on the leaders God appointed in present for us. Thirdly, we should loyal to one another. We should not follow the example of Judas Iscariot!
5. DESTRUCTIVE COMPETITION.
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3 NKJV)
This speaks of what we call, “PAGALINGAN” or “The battle of the fittest”! The one who will win will be the greatest!
In this view, people show off their talents and skills to prove their capabilities, even to the point of sacrificing their beloved relationships.
Why do people fight? Is it because that I am ugly and you are beautiful? No! it is because we are selfish and self-centered. You want everything! You want every body else’s attention. So, in other words, in order for you to secure the attention of people around you, you will compete and even bite every person who comes your way!
Application:
Let us be compassionate. Let us be considerate. Let us view them as our brothers and sisters. Let us be tenderhearted. And lastly, be courteous.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; (1 Peter 3:8 NKJV)
6. HYPOCRISY.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:27-28 NKJV)
This speaks of people having dual-faces (Illustration: Two Face, Batman© DC Comics). In Tagalog, they are known as “taong plastic”. They are smiling on the outside, laughing at you in the inside. According to Jesus, people having this kind of attitude, are like “whitewashed tombs”, beautiful on the outside but rotting in the inside! It has been said, it is dangerous to have people like this in our surrounding.
Application:
Hypocrisy is the same with the same with deception or lie. And the Bible says, “Liars GO TO HELL”. Do you want to go to hell?
7. ABUSE / EXPLOITATION OF PEOPLE.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14 NKJV)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV)
In what way we abuse others? Give significance of the mode.
Jesus said, “You will know a tree by its fruit”. What fruit?
- 1Corinthians 13:1-3.
Be warned!
Repent! Acts 3:19
Do not tolerate! Habakkuk 1:13
Pray for them. James 5:16
Do not be discouraged! 2Corinthians 4:1-12
Strive to be a peace maker. Romans 12:18
BACK TO THE GOSPEL 