Good Things About the Pharisees

Last Thursday Alan Hirsch asked the KSP group to list the good things about the Pharisees. He said despite the bad rap they get, they did do some good things. So the group of 70 or so began to share good things about the Pharisees. Below is the list:

- Good Tithers - Students of the Word
- Good attenders - Charitable
- High moral values - Worshipers of God (prayed consistently)
- Sincere about their faith - Believed in the Resurrection
- Custodians of Israel (maintained their identity)

Then he asked this question. "Who does this sound like?"

I said, "The church."

Hirsch said, "Be more specific."

Someone said, "Christians."

Hirsch said, "Be more specific."

Finally someone said, "Us."

Isn't that list what we look for in good Christians? Someone who is a good tither, a student of the word, a good attender, has moral values, who worships God (prays and other ritualistic worship events), a believer in the resurrection, sincere, charitable and maintains the identity of the church. YES!

Here's the kicker, they are the ones who killed Jesus. The point is all those things might be important in the life of a Christian, but the most important thing is that we let Jesus lead. The most important thing is that we become more like Jesus.

Hirsch pointed out that churches need to rediscover Christology in the church. The problem is that when we bring up living more like Jesus those who are defined only by the list above try to stop this movement. Why?