Day Three Matthew 23:8-10
8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.” – Matthew 23:8-10 (NLT)
Discover
1. What three titles or roles does Jesus mention in this passage?
2. How does He describe God?
3. Who is our one Teacher?
Respond
The Pharisees liked to be recognized. The previous verses in this passage say they loved to be greeted in the marketplace by their titles. In contrast, Jesus teaches humility by encouraging His listeners to remember the authority of God as Father and Himself as Teacher and Messiah. His call is to shift our focus from the pursuit of influence to a daily surrender to God’s authority. What role or title do you need to surrender to God today? Thank Him for giving you the opportunity, and pray for the humility to live it out in love.
For Further Reading: God as Father
For Families with Kids at Home
How can we take cues from God as our Father in the way we parent our kids? How can we parent from a position from “Relational Influence” of listening to and guiding our kids, instead of from a position of “Positional Influence” - parenting from an authoritative, “because I said so” posture? Pray that God would open your heart to ways you can connect with your kids in a way that meets them where they’re at, just like God our Father does for us.
*TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.