January 9, 2022
Morning Service

Last week on our journey along with Jesus we were cornered by both the Pharisees and Sadducees as they tried unsuccessfully to trap Jesus with questions.  A lawyer finally did ask a very pertinent question asking “which is the greatest commandment?”  Jesus quickly answered that we are to “Love the Lord our God with all your heart soul and mind.”  He also added; “the second is like it you shall love you neighbor as yourself.”  This simplifies our journey with Jesus for us; we surrender our heart to Jesus and seek to put Him first in all things.  The next part will come naturally, if we do the first commandment correctly.  The fact that we are so greatly loved will quickly transfer into a new love for others.  To obey these commands, we simply need to imitate the example we have seen in the life of Jesus.  Paul told the Corinthian church to “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” (I Cor. 11:1) Jesus gave us the example to follow and showed us how to live a life that pleases Him displaying the attitudes and actions that reflect His glory. Today He shows the opposite view; how not to live. He reveals to us the attitudes and actions that do NOT reflect His glory.  This is a different side of Jesus that we do not see very often.  We see His righteous anger come out as He confronts the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of Israel that have lost sight of what they are to be doing; these leaders aren’t leading.  I want us to look at the attitudes and actions that Jesus denounces in these leaders and not be judgmental towards them, but use them as a measurement to be sure we are not doing the same things.  To follow Jesus means we come to die to ourselves.  We surrender our will to His and allow the Holy Spirit in us to change us into the children of God that He desires us to be in order to use us to build His kingdom.

Mat 23:1-4 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, (2) saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  (3)  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.  (4)  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

            Jesus again reiterates that we are to be subject to the authority that is over us and that included these religious leaders at this time.  He basically says “do what they say, not what they do.”  A truly good leader gives instructions and then is able to say “watch me and I will show you how to do it.”  These leaders placed burdens on their followers that they did not even keep themselves.  Parents be sure you do not go down this path with your children.  Be the example you want them to follow.  You are the single greatest influence that they will exposed to in their lives.  Create the home that you would want them to create for your grandchildren.  Jesus rebukes this attitude and then goes deeper to reveal how it further displays itself.

 

Mat 23:5-12

These leaders were not seeking God, but simply the praises of men.  They loved the power and prestige their position brought to them and that became their motivation to appear holy without surrendering their heart.  Be sure the reasons you are following Jesus are the right ones.  Do nothing just for show, but do all in humble submission to the One we are following.  Jesus is challenging society’s norm saying greatness comes from humility, self-sacrifice, and simplicity.  Society today says it is all about me and gaining material things to show we are successful and happy.  Jesus then continues to reveal it is not what we do that matters, but why we do it that is the key.

 

  Mat 23:13-22

You can feel the condemnation Jesus is bringing upon the leaders who have lost sight of what they are supposed to be doing.  Everything is just a pretense to display how great they are, thus denying the power of the God they are supposed to be lifting up to their followers.  They twisted everything to their advantage and made the small details of the Law far greater than the meaning behind it.  Do you accept God’s word as it is, or do you try to manipulate it to align with your agenda?  As we read we should pray over it and accept and apply what it says to us.  Jesus makes it perfectly clear that He will not bless these selfish attitudes.

 

Mat 23:23-28.

Jesus here condemns the legalism that the Pharisees displayed by placing great emphasis on things that don’t matter and missing the “weightier matters of the law; justice, mercy and faith.”  Don’t get caught up while following Jesus in being religious; “love God and love your neighbor.”  God is not pleased with a life that appears great on the outside but on the inside we are something totally different.  Jesus desires us to be true about ourselves.  None of us are perfect, we all are broken and sinners saved by grace.  Don’t paint a picture of righteousness on the outside if it is not coming from your heart.  “Clean the inside of the cup and dish that the outside of them may be clean also.”  Give Him your heart and surrender your will to His and then allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest of the changing from the inside out; fix the why and the what will follow.  The true victory comes from surrender.

 

Mat 23:29-36

Jesus reveals that this problem was not limited to this generation only.  Their ancestors also lived in hypocrisy even killing the prophets that God sent to them because they did not like their message.  This stays right on plan as the very people Jesus is scolding at this time will be the ones who lead the charge to have Him crucified.  We too can’t look at these leaders and claim that we are different as each of us must struggle with these things in our lives as well.  Take a close look in your spiritual mirror and make sure that there is no hypocrisy living there.  Jesus now reveals His heart to all of these who He came to save, not to condemn.

 

Mat 23:37-39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  (38)  See! Your house is left to you desolate; (39) for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' "

            Jesus reveals how He has longed to pull His chosen people to Him, but they refused.  He sent prophets to speak to them about their errors, but they would not listen.  Even now the Messiah Himself is standing before them and they do not recognize Him.  Jesus’ heart aches for those He loves to accept Him and love Him back, but we are the ones who hold that choice as He will not force us to love and follow Him.  Don’t be a Pharisee and close your ears and eyes to what Jesus is saying and doing in your life to draw you closer to Him.  Don’t get caught up in what this world has to offer and miss out on what Jesus freely offers to you.  He stands at the door and knocks waiting for you to answer.  He will not force His way into to your life, but waits patiently for an invitation.  Confess any hypocrisy that is in your life to Him and seek to love Him more.

 

Heavenly Father, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.