The Message Leaders Forget

 

 

We also are men

Of like passions with you,

And preach unto you

That ye should turn from these vanities

 Unto the living God,

Which made heaven,

And earth,

And the sea,

And all things that are therein.

 

The gods are come down

In the likeness of men

And straight away Paul had perceived

There was a problem.

 

From the very outset

He tried to nip it in the bud

As any modern-day apostle

Also should.

 

Barnabas became Jupiter

And Paul they called Mercurius

And they were just about ready

To make a huge fuss.

 

They were going to sacrifice

The oxen they brought

But the apostles rent their clothes

And of the living God taught.

 

Why do you do these things?

They sincerely asked

And scarce had restrained them

In this herculean task.

 

Herein is a lesson

For our modern-day gurus

Who often mislead the people,

Even me and you.

 

Taking some of the glory

That belongs to God

And often their followers don’t see

That they are frauds. 

Unlike Paul and Barnabas

Who knew their place

And to accept any of God’s glory

Would be a disgrace.

 

There is much gullibility

Among Christians today

That allow so-called modern-day apostles

To over them hold sway.

 

They are seen like trees

Like that blind man of old

Who had to receive a second touch

From Jesus, we are told.

 

Oh, that they were mature

Like Barnabas and Paul

And point out to such followers

They made the wrong call.

 

For there is only one God

And always will be

And that one God reveals Himself

In the blessed Trinity.

 

An apostle is no greater

Than the least in the pew,

No believer is more significant

When in God’s view.

 

There is an equality

That should be very obvious

Once we are part of that oneness

That exists in Christ Jesus.

 

We are one in Christ

As he is one in the Father

And the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Makes us one together.

 

And as I end this poem

It is wise that I repeat

The verse with which I started;

Please do not delete.

 

 

Acts 14:15

 

We also are men

Of like passions with you,

And preach unto you

That ye should turn from these vanities

 Unto the living God,

Which made heaven,

And earth,

And the sea,

And all things that are therein.

 

Stewart Russell © August 9, 2025