I am currently the Youth Pastor for The Church Next Door in Prescott Valley, AZ. On Sunday, August 11, 2019, I took over teaching the adult Sunday School class (the foundation of why we learn from history) before the regular service. (If you find yourself in North Central Arizona, specifically the Prescott Valley area, come join in from 8:45 to 9:45 AM, and then stay for the singing and sermon at 10!)

The second and third lessons were combined in the post two weeks ago, with a look at when the Church was founded and the various forms of leadership Jesus dealt with. Last week was a look at how he rebuked those in leadership.

Again, here are my notes:

Nothing New: The Importance of Church History

Lesson 4: Christ and the Church’s Foundation – Modern Comparisons

The leadership in the time of Jesus included the entirely secular yet pagan Roman Empire, the hyper-religious Pharisees, the super-compromised Sadducees, the fastidious Essenes, and the rebellious Zealots.

Briefly, how do we see nothing new in our leadership?

Modern comparisons:

• Government:
  • Rome allowed for religious plurality, but you were still required to acknowledge state-sanctioned beliefs.
    • Law-based:
      • Caesar was deified.
      • Marriage was between men and women, but prostitutes and slaves were still free rein (mostly for men; women had few rights.) And only men who “received” were less masculine.
    • Entertainment (to distract):
      • Plays (actors were known as “hypocrites” – Two-faced
      • Colliseum – violence was a favorite
    • Education:
      • Usually only the elite/rich could receive an education
  • Today: Every government is different, but there are many similarities:
    • Either a god or leader (i.e. Islam) or the State are practically (or literally) worshiped.
      • We attempt to legislate morality (liberal/leftist – conservative, alike)
      • Our political heroes are practically deified.
      • Often the sciences or pet policies (see Climate Change, Gun rights, sexual ethics, patriotism) are practically (or even literally) worshiped.
    • Sexual ethics: The Jews were looked down on for looking down on Roman practices, and today we have LGBTQ+ issues causing the same with governments and churches
    • Education:
      • We are not allowed to teach religious beliefs in schools, yet atheistic beliefs are expected to be adhered to: i.e. Naturalistic evolution, sexual ethics, behavioral ethics, etc.
      • We deviate from the essential (Mathematics, Grammar, Reasoning, etc.) to emotionalism and preference.
    • Entertainment:
      • Sports: Athletes are practically deified, and teams are given more attention than religious obligations.
      • Movies/TV Shows: Gradually getting more graphic – sex, violence, language – and generally more agenda driven than with good writing.
      • All basically distract – escapism/mob-mentality/propoganda

Applicable Scripture:

• Titus 2
• 1 Timothy 1
• Romans 1

Next time: Modern comparisons to some of the religious leadership!