Matthew 23:2-3 “’The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.’”

The Pharisees were smart people who had the Mosaic Law figured out but missed the main point. The law was meant to point people to Christ.

Principle: Know who you are in Christ, then go out and give ’em heaven.

The Pharisees were persuasive people and like the current gurus of business, the Scribes and Pharisees got a lot of things right. Motivational speakers today tell the truth about how to succeed in business but often stop short of ultimate truth.

We go to a business conference and walk away with a to-do list. If we went back to work and put the truths into practice, we might succeed in business and still fail in life.

Michael Gerber, famous author of E-Myth, told the truth when he said you have thoughts, but you are not your thoughts. You have feelings but you are not your feelings. You have a body, but you are not your body. You have a business, but you are not your business. The purpose in life is to find out who you are.

We found it! “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Everything else is subordinate to this truth. If you are a Christian businessman, you are salt of the earth, light of the world, a child of God, chosen and appointed by Christ, a joint heir with Christ, a temple and a new creation, God’s workmanship, a holy brother, a partaker of Christ, one of God’s living stones … and more.

Discussion:

1. When someone asks what do you do? How do you answer?

2. If you do all the right things in business and succeed, are you a success? If not, why not?

3. In the abbreviated list above of “who you are in Christ,” which is the most significant truth for you?