1867- DID JESUS WHERE AN ARMANI SUIT?

I was debating on what to talk about this morning- I want to do a little more on Leaks and the freedom of the press.

But I think instead we’ll cover some more about the nature of the church.

I read an article yesterday- it was about a church in Singapore whose pastor was arrested because he ‘funneled’ 19 million dollars from the Charity Chest- and he used it to support his wife’s ‘international singing ministry’.

They showed the picture of the wife- she was supposedly trying to break into the ‘secular’ industry [non Christian music] and she simply looked like any other rock/pop star.

I don’t say this to be critical- and whenever I deal with these issues- people get mad.

Why?

Most of you see stuff like this and right from the start see it as wrong- and you should.

But there are many people- good people- who head up big ministries- who actually think this type of stuff is okay.

How?

It takes a long time to explain it- but over the past 40 years the Evangelical church has developed a type of theology- usually called The Prosperity Gospel- and many good people have been inundated with all types of arguments- even from the bible- that seem to teach that fame and fortune are actually Gods plan.

Often times these people think- sincerely- that any rebuke of this type of stuff is simply a rebuke from those ‘old time traditional churches- those religious folk’.

But in reality- a proper reading of the bible- and especially the life and teachings of Jesus- show us that this type of idea- the fame and wealth thing- is not really a right biblical understanding.

Let’s do a few examples.

A few years ago I read an article in the San Antonio paper- to my surprise it was about a church in the city that was embroiled in a controversy.

I knew the pastor- used to listen to his teachings [years ago] and read a couple of his books [sitting here on my shelf right now].

The controversy was some board member from the church took the church to court- because the pastor publicly exposed him as a trouble maker from the pulpit on a Sunday morning.

This board member was a ‘trouble maker’ because he revealed to the church that at a time when the church was going thru this huge money raising campaign- encouraging people to give sacrificially- the Pastor bought a 4 thousand dollar Armani suit for another board member- as a gift [with church funds].

Yet- at the same time- there were lots of poor people who were giving there measly widows mite- to whom 4 thousand dollars is not a drop in the bucket.

So the board member exposed the thing- they went to court- and the whole thing was a mess.

Now- as I read the story- at one point the Pastor defended his buying of the suit by quoting the story of Jesus in the bible- when the lady pours expensive perfume on Jesus.

The Pastor basically said ‘see- its okay to waste lots of money’.

This story is often used to defend a lavish ‘ministry’ lifestyle- and innocent people- people who hear these types of so called ‘biblical arguments’ do become convinced over time.

Needless to say the story in no way defends wealth and fame- but simply shows us that it’s okay to worship THE LORD extravagantly- not man.

One more.

Another bible story is often used in these churches to defend wealth- wealth as being Gods primary will for his people that is [it’s okay to be successful- and have money- but I’m dealing with the abuse of it- the 19 million dollars from the Poor Fund being spent on the singing career of the pastors wife type of thing].

In the gospels we read about the Crucifixion of Jesus.

At the foot of the Cross the soldiers gambled for the robe of Jesus.

There actually is an Old Testament prophecy that said this would happen- it was written hundreds of years before.

The prophecy says ‘they will cast lots for my vesture’.

Okay- why did they gamble for it- instead of just ripping the thing in half?

Because this coat was an expensive coat- sort of like the coat that the patriarch Joseph had from his father [Genesis].

The bible says Joseph’s coat ‘of many colors’ was a source of jealousy for his other brothers.

When you have a seamless coat- in bible days- that’s a lot of work- so these types of coats are indeed the Armani's of the day.

‘So John- the Armani thing is good- to spend 4 grand for the board member’?

Actually- no it’s not.

Some- many- have argued that Jesus was indeed rich- owned his own home- and was one of the richest men of his day.

Years ago when I was on the radio- I used to preach against this a lot.

I had an older listener- he was steeped in this doctrine- I mean he would write me very long letters- over many years- and I knew he read the bible a lot.

After years of hearing these arguments- he became one of the innocent victims of false teaching.

He really did thank me for my teachings- and every so often if he missed the program I would send him the tape- but this person was not an outright con artist- he was convinced of this belief.

He had a very long justification for why he thought Jesus was the richest man of his day.

I know it’s hard for the casual observer to understand how people can be duped like this- but trust me- this is no isolated case.

Okay- back to the coat.

Did the fact that Jesus had an expensive coat mean he was rich?

No.

 How did he get the coat then?

The bible does not say- but the first story I told you- the perfume- gives us a hint.

People did do extravagant acts of worship on/for Jesus.

And it’s quite possible that some person gave their expensive Armani to the Lord.

That’s it.

One day I was watching Larry King- you know some think he actually lived at the time of Christ [sorry].

He had on a very popular prosperity preacher.

King was open and honest- he always was a good interviewer.

King asked the man ‘how can you actually think Jesus was rich- I mean even the New Testament speaks about him as not being a millionaire’.

And the preacher- he sincerely believed that these types of verses I just talked about proved King wrong.

Now- this preacher- like many others- have a huge influence in the modern church.

They often have very large audiences and they do reach entire continents with this message [Africa].

Yet- at the end of the day- even though they mean well [for the most part] they teach a tragically flawed gospel.

I mean there's no other way for me to say this- in a way it’s nothing less than ministerial mal practice- on a huge scale.

Let’s end with this- many times people will never listen to reason- even if you give them biblical arguments- they become fixed in their view- and that’s that.

I simply recommend people read 1^st Timothy chapter 6.

The apostle Paul warns his young protégé to avoid this type of thing.

He says ‘we came into this world without material wealth- when we leave we can’t take it with us- so be content with what you have’.

Notice- Paul does not say ‘Timothy- you must believe for great wealth so you can reach the world with the gospel’

Or

‘You must get rich- so you can fulfill the promise that Jesus told us- that he came to give us abundant life’.

No- the apostle does not use any of the reasoning of the many who are preaching this gospel today.

In fact- many of the modern preachers say Paul’s idea was wrong- they say ‘if your happy with the little you have- you’re in sin’.

,

Who you gonna believe?

I’ll go with Paul.

www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com

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