No Celebrities in the Kingdom of God
Celebrity lifestyles are not for disciples of Christ. Jesus, being God himself, did not live like a king or celebrity. It took Judas’s kissing him for the Jews to even identify him on the night he was arrested because he was so ordinary. Jesus CHOSE to ride on a donkey (a despised animal) in his entry to Jerusalem despite crowds worshipping him.
Many times, Jesus hid himself from the crowds, not wanting recognition. He removed his tunic and washed his disciple’s dusty feet. He had no place to lay his head. Jesus ate with his disciples and slept with them. He borrowed ships from people rather than buying a private ship. Jesus walked from town to town when he could have had a horse. He dwelt in people’s homes when he traveled and not lodgings, let alone expensive ones.
His apostles followed suit. In the entire New Testament, there is no talk or boast of the apostles’ lavish lifestyles. They lived simply and humbly. Paul many times chose to walk rather than take a ship. He, like Jesus and the other apostles, lived in believers’ homes when he traveled. Paul chose to work with his hands despite his great authority so that the purity of the gospel may be preserved. He also took care of the needs of those who traveled with him. He was not interested in money. All the prophets in the Bible, without exception, lived simple lives of modesty on purpose.
Celebrity pastors of the last days!
But nowadays, we see the opposite of the example of Jesus and his first apostles. We see celebrity preachers, both men and women, who live like kings; they use believers’ offerings to live lavish lifestyles, ride on private jets, go on expensive holidays, parade their designer outfits and makeup, and buy expensive vehicles and homes in the name of preaching the gospel. My question is, which gospel? Because Jesus himself, our Lord and Master, did not preach or live such a gospel, and neither did his apostles. Jesus said that we must not lord it over others but that the greatest should be the least and the first should be the servant of all.
This modern gospel is contrary to the apostles’ warnings about wealth and riches. Paul tells us not to desire to be rich but to be content with the basics. The scriptures say that wealth is mainly to advance the purposes of God and to help the poor, not to show off. This was the attitude of the early Christians; the wealth of the rich was for the poor because it was considered their gift from God for his service. We see how the early church laid great wealth at the apostles’ feet for the apostles to live in luxury but to support those who were less fortunate among them!
Modern-day money-minded churches, however, look down on the poor and even go to the extent of saying that poverty is a sin! We find wealthy churches where a poor person cannot even enter because they would feel unworthy or a sinner because of the lavish appearance of the members. This self-exultation is contrary to the spirit of the gospel because it fosters pride and creates class divisions in the church. James, in his letter (James 2), also warns believers to avoid discrimination and classism in the church, which is bound to happen when money and luxury are on full display.
Celebrity Christianity in the early church of Corinth
Celebrity Christianity is not something new. It is something Paul had to confront and address severely in the church of Corinth from the very first chapter of his first letter to them. Some were aligning with Paul, some with Apollos, and some with Peter, and this was creating divisions in the church. Paul was a wise master builder, and he understood his place and the fact that it was all about Jesus and not him!
Christ alone should be exulted!
As Christians, this is an issue we MUST deliberately guard against in our personal lives and also in the churches we are a part of. We must, at all costs, avoid exulting men and seeing them and ourselves as more important than we ought. Our eyes must only be on Jesus! He is the head of the church. And we shall stand before him one day so that our work may be weighed and judged. If we build on another foundation other than him, like our wisdom, eloquence, and our fellow men, our work will likely be burnt up!
1 Corinthians 1:
10Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
1 Corinthians 3:
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
We are called to be servants and not celebrities!
True Christians are servants like their master Jesus. They are modest and humble in appearance and lifestyle. Not because they can’t afford expensive, lavish lifestyles but because they have their priorities straight. They lay up treasures in heaven by investing their wealth where God demands and asks: spreading the gospel, taking care of family, taking care of preachers who need it (not making them rich), and helping the poor, orphans, and widows.
Additionally, true disciples of Christ know that money corrupts, and so they beat the flesh by denying it the luxury it wants to feel superior. Modest living is a form of self-denial, self-fortification, and self-discipline that Jesus asks of his followers that their focus may instead be on the eternal kingdom of God rather than building worldly kingdoms.
Lay up treasures in heaven that shall be waiting for you when you get there; these are eternal and will never fade. You accumulate these when you focus on seeking and serving the Kingdom of God and his purposes.
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