On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. Yesterday's cleansing of the Temple caused the Pharisees to question Jesus’ right to do “these things.” Jesus had not received His authority from them . . . so they wanted answers. They organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest.
Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them, saying:
Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them, saying:
"Blind guides!...For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)
After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany to stay the night.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that The Religious Leaders were being more intentional about catching Jesus in some sort of compromising position. Can you imagine how he drove them crazy? He didn’t follow their rules for behavior and now he is telling them just what he thinks of their religion:
“You are beautiful on the outside but your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
I wonder what Jesus would say about the “religious people” today. Would he tell us the same thing he told the Pharisees back then? When he looks at todays church... I wonder what he sees.
I cannot help but stop and wonder these things. Only days before his death and resurrection, Jesus made a point to expose the Pharisees hypocrisy. He made known his disapproval of their behavior.
It isn’t hard to keep rules that make us feel that we are “good” Christian people. Sometimes it is easier to check things off a list (church attendance, Sunday school, small group, volunteer, tithe, etc.) and use that to determine our “goodness” than to actually serve Christ.
Who am I kidding? It’s ALWAYS easier to keep a set of rules that WE have decided make us “good Christians” than it is to serve as Christ served. Following Christ means loving God and loving people. Jesus says that people will know we love him by our love for each other. He also says that our love for God is shown through our obedience to His Word. Going to church on Sunday is easy. Loving people who hate me is not. Tithing is easy. Forgiving... not so much. Going to small group is easy. Showing mercy and grace to those who hurt me... well, that can be difficult. Dressing modestly is easy. Keeping my heart pure... can I be real here? That’s impossible.
I think that’s why this hit me hard this morning... Jesus called the Pharisees out on the condition of their HEARTS! That’s where all those things we try so hard to hide reside... things like lust, greed, jealousy, envy, pride... need I go on?
I’m sure there are more impressive and theologically complex things to take away from Tuesday of Holy Week, but here’s my simple thought...
We focus a lot on behavior change. We have “rules” like... Don’t cuss, don’t drink, don’t miss church, don’t dress provocatively , etc. Jesus points out here, just days before his death, that What’s in our hearts is not hidden by religious activity or following religious rules. We can look good on the outside and still have a heart that reeks of death.
However... when Jesus gets hold of our hearts and changes our hearts to match His... then we are cleaned up from the inside out!!
Create a clean heart in me O God!
Much love and big big hugs!!!
K
It doesn’t come as a surprise that The Religious Leaders were being more intentional about catching Jesus in some sort of compromising position. Can you imagine how he drove them crazy? He didn’t follow their rules for behavior and now he is telling them just what he thinks of their religion:
“You are beautiful on the outside but your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
I wonder what Jesus would say about the “religious people” today. Would he tell us the same thing he told the Pharisees back then? When he looks at todays church... I wonder what he sees.
I cannot help but stop and wonder these things. Only days before his death and resurrection, Jesus made a point to expose the Pharisees hypocrisy. He made known his disapproval of their behavior.
It isn’t hard to keep rules that make us feel that we are “good” Christian people. Sometimes it is easier to check things off a list (church attendance, Sunday school, small group, volunteer, tithe, etc.) and use that to determine our “goodness” than to actually serve Christ.
Who am I kidding? It’s ALWAYS easier to keep a set of rules that WE have decided make us “good Christians” than it is to serve as Christ served. Following Christ means loving God and loving people. Jesus says that people will know we love him by our love for each other. He also says that our love for God is shown through our obedience to His Word. Going to church on Sunday is easy. Loving people who hate me is not. Tithing is easy. Forgiving... not so much. Going to small group is easy. Showing mercy and grace to those who hurt me... well, that can be difficult. Dressing modestly is easy. Keeping my heart pure... can I be real here? That’s impossible.
I think that’s why this hit me hard this morning... Jesus called the Pharisees out on the condition of their HEARTS! That’s where all those things we try so hard to hide reside... things like lust, greed, jealousy, envy, pride... need I go on?
I’m sure there are more impressive and theologically complex things to take away from Tuesday of Holy Week, but here’s my simple thought...
We focus a lot on behavior change. We have “rules” like... Don’t cuss, don’t drink, don’t miss church, don’t dress provocatively , etc. Jesus points out here, just days before his death, that What’s in our hearts is not hidden by religious activity or following religious rules. We can look good on the outside and still have a heart that reeks of death.
However... when Jesus gets hold of our hearts and changes our hearts to match His... then we are cleaned up from the inside out!!
Create a clean heart in me O God!
Much love and big big hugs!!!
K
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