SCRIPTURE: Matthew 23
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. [Matthew 23:25-26] So much for Jesus meek and mild. Here Jesus goes on the offensive, challenging religious people like He never challenged anyone else.

Yes, Jesus is meek, but He is not weak. He is wild, unpredictable – He is not a tame lion! He demonstrates unbelievable patience and kindness with sinful people (like immoral prostitutes and worldly tax collectors) but unleashes His scathing judgment against the people who were trying to be holy. Why? Because they were painting over rotten, termite-infested wood, to make the ‘house’ look nice. They were not dealing with the heart.

Jesus didn’t ignore the sin in the prostitutes and tax collectors, but these people knew they were sinners. Jesus loved them and told them to go and sin no more. The religious teachers and Pharisees didn’t think they needed to change. They believed they were models of holiness and purity. But inside their hearts, they were septic tanks, loaded with crap like pride, selfishness, greed, self-indulgence, lust, arrogance, cruelty, impatience, etc.

People who know they need help will seek it, but those who think they’re ok won’t. This is why serious sorrow is waiting for them. They’re in for a big surprise when they finally stand before the Judge. He will not be as impressed with their white-washed walls.

The lesson in this is as much for us as it was for them. God is not interested in outward shows of piety or religion. Putting on a good show will not make God applaud me. He sees what I am hiding inside. He sees the real me, who I am when no one is looking. He knows my thoughts, my desires, my attitudes, my secrets. And this is what He is calling us to deal with now. We can be forgiven and set free if we will admit that we need to be. But be prepared for serious sorrow if you hide behind empty religion.

PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for loving me just as I am, and for not leaving me just as I am.