Matthew 23  Jesus gives one final indictment against the Pharisees before He heads to the cross.  It begins with these words.. "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses."   They considered themselves the final authority over all things religious.  They failed to recognize the True authority.. God Himself and Jesus Christ the Son.  In verses 8-10 Jesus expresses the only true authority over the Kingdom of God.. 

V 8 "But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers." - The scribes and Pharisees loved to be recognized as "Rabbi".. loved to lord it over everyone else.. loved to think themselves better. They did not ever see themselves as the same as a common man.. a brother to those that walked beside them or worked for them. Only Jesus and His Holy Spirit have the kind of authority that the scribes and Pharisees claimed for themselves. 

V 9 "And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven."  This position of fatherhood is not talking about being a physical parent.. it is talking about authority and honor that belongs to God alone. This place of ultimate sovereignty belongs only to the Lord. 

V10 "And do not be called leaders, for One is your Leader , that is, Christ." We are follow Jesus only. We are His followers and we pray for others to follow Him too. We do not hold that position of master over anyone.. only Jesus can perfectly lead anyone into the kingdom of God. 

The scribes and Pharisees were so far from perfect leaders.. from good teachers.. from being worthy of the authority and honor that they claimed.  They thought they were the "greatest" and exalted themselves.  Jesus said that only the "servant".. the "humble" ones were worthy to be called great and to be exalted. 

Father in heaven, to You all glory and honor and praise belong!  May we never consider ourselves any better or greater or "more" than our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  Help us to see ourselves as Paul wrote to the Romans.. ".. I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think but to think so as to have sound judgement, as God has allowed to each a measure of faith."  We .. who follow Jesus- are members of one body.. having different functions.. but all serving the same Lord. Teach us Your ways, Lord Jesus.  We will follow You. Strengthen our faith and our minds and our hearts to serve You every day. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.