Daily Nugget:
“Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:2-4
Anyone who has invited someone to church has most likely heard the same excuse for their not wanting to attend. It is an excuse that cuts chillingly to the bone of most churchgoers when they hear it, instantly putting them on the defensive. The church-avoider’s reason is, “I will not go to church because the church is full of hypocrites.”
Churches are filled with hypocrites. Of course, the biggest of the hypocrites are those wagging their judging fingers at those who are at least attempting to do something right, scriptural, and attend church.
No one does not make mistakes. If we were perfect, we would have holes in our hands, and our first name would be Jesus! We are not faultless, just forgiven. We do not always practice what we preach. Yes, we can be hypocritical.
Hypocrisy is no new problem with people not “walking the talk.” Jesus dealt with it often. Matthew 23 is dedicated to how he dealt with hypocrites and what he thought of them. In this chapter, there were temple-attending, Old Testament-quoting Jews. Many of them were spiritual leaders. Jesus made it quite clear to the Jewish leaders and the intellectuals (scribes) that although they appeared holy on the outside, He knew they certainly were not living righteously.
He told them their works were not for God’s glory but for their egos. Jesus also knew they liked the special attention they got. They even adopted titles that made them sound holier than anyone else in the congregation. It was this same “holy” crowd that Jesus looked square in the eye and revealed what He knew about their heart; “ye are like unto whited sepulchers (tombs), which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and much spiritual uncleanliness.”
Today, we have the same problem. People may put on their best Sunday clothes, carry their Bible high and proud, and even convince many that they are close to God by their long, public prayers. All the facades cannot hide who they really are. Those seen as hypocrites expose who they really are by their actions or lack of them.
Unfortunately, most people do not faithfully read their Bible. For those, the closest they ever come to knowing God’s way is by watching a Christian go through life. They often know how a Christian should live and act or think they do. When a Christian’s actions fall short of what another expects, they instantly justify their failure to at least try to live for the Lord. Their name-calling of “hypocrite” at a Christian is often an excuse for their not obeying the Lord.
If you are a Christian, never forget that someone is always observing you. Are you a good testimony of Christianity, or is your example just another excuse for one not to begin to live for the Lord? You may be the only example your neighbors and acquaintances ever see of how a Christian should live! Live up to what you claim to be. Be “Christ-like.”
Today’s Thought:
“A hypocrite is a fellow who isn’t himself on Sundays.” — Author Unknown
Words to Understand:
Desolate: Without means or shelter; empty
Hypocrites: person that tells others what to do but does not do it himself
Phylacteries: a leather-strapped box containing Scripture that was tied around an Israelites head.
Rabbi: title of a Jewish teacher, which means “master.”
Sanctifieth: made holy; made pure from sin
Sepulchers: a chamber used to bury the dead
Today’s Reading:
Matthew 23
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 ¶ Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
