Sermon that made me uneasy

[SIC]

So I was listening to this sermon on characteristics of a Pharisee. The preacher stated nearly 50 + characteristics of Pharisees. I found all of them agreeable .And he finally said " Even if you have one of these characteristics you are a Pharisee". Now that sounded very judgemental... And made me very uncomfortable.

I'd appreciate it if people here could add something...

[Guest Butero]

Pharisee was a position certain religious leaders held, so unless you hold that position, you are not a Pharisee.  This is just something the anti-legalist crowd uses to attack anyone that preaches against sins they are guilty of or things they think are ok.  I would say the person is a false preacher. 

[woundeddog]

Just now, Butero said:

Pharisee was a position certain religious leaders held, so unless you hold that position, you are not a Pharisee.  This is just something the anti-legalist crowd uses to attack anyone that preaches against sins they are guilty of or things they think are ok.  I would say the person is a false preacher. 

I have to disagree with Butero on this preacher being a false preacher-- if we look deeply into our own hearts I think in honesty we would have to admit there is a germ of hypocrisy in all of us-- the good news is that even Pharisees can be saved- look at Nicodemus. Don't judge your preacher to harshly, I have heard it said a good sermon will make you either Glad Sad or Mad-- if it touches you in one of those ways its a good sermon

[The_Patriot21]

I think there are times when we all act like Pharisees, to one extent or another. Just food for thought.

[Guest Butero]

I started to answer this by making the point that we haven't seen the 50 things that make someone a Pharisee, but then after thinking about it, I realized I didn't need to see them.  Has anyone at WB ever met a Pharisee?  I haven't.  They were religious leaders that Jesus said sit in Moses' seat.  It was an office.  Anytime anyone goes around calling a person a Pharisee, unless that person holds that office, they are being dishonest.  It would be more accurate to simply preach a sermon on specific issues like pride or hypocrisy than to throw around the name Pharisee. 

[other one]

1 hour ago, Butero said:

Pharisee was a position certain religious leaders held, so unless you hold that position, you are not a Pharisee.  This is just something the anti-legalist crowd uses to attack anyone that preaches against sins they are guilty of or things they think are ok.  I would say the person is a false preacher. 

Butero,  are you saying that I must believe what the religious leaders were teaching, or I would have to be one of those religious leaders to be a pharisee?   I can read that sentence and come to both conclusions depending on what "position" means.

[SIC]

What disturbs me was that the preacher could have said " If any of us has even one of these characteristics we are like the Pharisees" Instead he chose to say " you" which is judgemental. I mean I felt like he was trying to imply that he was above such characteristics...

[kwikphilly]

Blessings SIC......

      I wouldn't have chosen that wording either & I think it would have been better said as you phrased it.....

Quote

the preacher could have said " If any of us has even one of these characteristics we are like the Pharisees"

But he didn't,,,,,I don't know the man & I can't really comment on whether or not he thinks of himself as "above" because of one statement,,,,,,,you would be a better judge of that by having heard the entire sermon,if that is the impression you got,it may well be ,,,,,,is that the only time you heard him preach or does he speak this way continually?                        

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Butero said:

I started to answer this by making the point that we haven't seen the 50 things that make someone a Pharisee, but then after thinking about it, I realized I didn't need to see them.  Has anyone at WB ever met a Pharisee?  I haven't.  They were religious leaders that Jesus said sit in Moses' seat.  It was an office.  Anytime anyone goes around calling a person a Pharisee, unless that person holds that office, they are being dishonest.  It would be more accurate to simply preach a sermon on specific issues like pride or hypocrisy than to throw around the name Pharisee. 

It all depends on what  Jesus mean't when he said these things..............

Pharisee is a SECT, their traditions of men among themselves (later made oral law.

. Moses seat is an office. The two are not equal. I do believe Jesus speaks to them in both aspects.

The one aspect was good, the other not good, according to christ.

In short I believe the seat of Moses being made as sectarian was their hypocrisy. The seat was not to be sectarian, but the judges being also a sect, apart from the seat was their hypocrisy.

[LadyKay]

11 hours ago, SIC said:

So I was listening to this sermon on characteristics of a Pharisee. The preacher stated nearly 50 + characteristics of Pharisees. I found all of them agreeable .And he finally said " Even if you have one of these characteristics you are a Pharisee". Now that sounded very judgemental... And made me very uncomfortable.

I'd appreciate it if people here could add something...

I think I would need a little more info. Like some of the characteristics you think you have? I am sure that if all 50 were listed that your not the only one to have a few. None of us are perfect.