Today’s Reading: Matthew 23; Matthew 24; Matthew 25
Scripture: Matthew chapters 23 and 25 (excerpts)
Matthew 23:13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
16 "Woe to you, blind guides!...
17 "You blind fools!...
19 "You blind men!...
23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...
24 "You blind guides!...
25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...
26 "Blind Pharisee!...
27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 "In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...
33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?..."
Matthew 25:26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant!...
30 ..."And throw that worthless servant outside...
41 ..."Depart from me, you who are cursed..."
Observation: Wow! Jesus has some very strong and harsh words for The Religious who opposed Him. He doesn't mince words. He doesn't hold back. His attacks are pointed and relentless.
Application: In our day of political correctness, Jesus' tough language really stands out. And He makes judgments, another practice that is frowned upon today. But Jesus can do it, because He is speaking at the bequest of the Father. What this tells me is that God isn't shy about speaking harsh truth or making judgments. I'm not necessarily recommending that the average Joe Christian should use Jesus' verbal methods here as an everyday model. But I am thinking that sometimes there are harsh words that are appropriate and judgments that are right to make and deliver. And we should be open to these things. I mean God might want us to deliver this kind of message. Didn't Jesus say that we would do what He did and even greater things? Does it apply here? Something to think about.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the Lord Jesus and the way He lived. He walked the authentic walk of faith and He demonstrated how we can live out our human experience of faith at the same time. I am glad that Jesus didn't sugar coat it but He spoke truth and called a spade a spade. I want to be like Jesus. Help me to be Your mouthpiece -- to speak what You would have me speak. And give me wisdom to make wise judgments and to know when and how to share them.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 comment:
Amen! We need to find that balance between the gentleness of Jesus wo called sinners with love and the confrontive, bold Jesus who told those who held themselves to be spiritual but weren't where to get off.
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