I receive many phone calls and e-mails from different people asking me to do pieces hitting hard on certain groups of sinners. When you hear the Word of God, receive it for yourself and let God deal with your neighbour. There are people who think they are called to apportion and allocate the message that comes off the pulpit. Haven’t you ever heard stationery thieves (those that take pens and bond paper home for the kids) shouting “crucify him” when a clerk is caught stealing petty cash? In churches, witches jump and ululate when prostitution is rebuked. Homosexuals celebrate when we rebuke conwomen and men. Jesus does not mince His words and says bluntly in Luke 18:19, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is, God.” As we look at the effects of the teaching of the Sadducee in your life, receive the Word with readiness of heart and search yourself and repent.
In Matthew 16:6 & 12, Jesus warns and explains, “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” The teaching and philosophy of the Sadducees may appear trivial like leaven but its effect is disastrous and affects multitudes. Never tolerate and compromise your standing on the truth of the Word. Never entertain and accommodate false doctrine. What is the Sadducean teaching? Acts 23:8 reads, “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.” The Sadducees go to church and read the Bible, but don’t believe there is life after death. Of course you now know that Jesus proved them wrong by rising from the dead. Haven’t you ever heard of some cults teaching that heaven is your good life here on earth? They tell you that no one has ever gone to heaven. Don’t listen to that rubbish.
They din’t believe in angels which means they did not regard the supernatural power of God. Jesus was healing people, casting out demons and raising the dead, but they still refused to accept. Today they see Jesus doing it and they still don’t believe. Their teaching is based on logic and rationale, the reason why they don’t accept things of the spirit. Their worship is dry and they don’t access God because John 4:24 says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Don’t go to church to listen to sense, but to the spirit of the Word of God. Let no one waste your time with theories that don’t take you to God.
Rabbinic teachings and Jewish tradition show that the Roman authorities and Sadducees had a pact that allowed the High Priest to come from their sect. To keep the post they made sure they didn’t teach any message that would seem divergent from the views of the authorities. Don’t we see today High Priests compromising the truth and failing to rebuke evils in the political domain fearing to be stripped of the priesthood? We need the boldness of John the Baptist who rebuked Herod’s marriage to his late brother’s wife, to rebuke political evils of our day! One of the reasons they wanted to kill Jesus was that they thought He was a political messiah. You know Jesus was and is a spiritual Messiah. There are many people these days who cannot differentiate between the spiritual salvation and the political solution of the nation. Unfortunately for the corporate body of Christ, when the Sadducean High Priest speaks he is deemed to be speaking for the entire body of Christ. Haven’t you ever heard sentiments on television or in the newspapers which you knew were not the teachings of the Bible, but were unfortunately spoken on behalf of everyone by someone who is not even a born again Christian? When you speak for the church, please make sure you have the mandate from God and the church itself. This reminds me of a situation where someone in some high office thinks for herself or himself and includes the whole company or organisation; “the board, management and staff wish so and so. . .”they never consulted you.
Lastly, Sadducees don’t know the Bible and the power of God, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29). Save your life, don’t listen to them nor follow them, they don’t know. If you are a Sadducee, follow Jesus. Turn to Jesus with your whole church. If you have been a follower of the Sadducees, seek the truth and escape to Jesus, you are going somewhere.
•All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
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