Matthew 23:23-28
Verse 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.
One of the greatest examples of trying to be in control of our lives is the religious sect of the Pharisees. These religious leaders were so focused on trying to be righteous that they missed the very person of righteousness in front of them. These people were not lacking in knowledge of what God had said He would do to bring righteousness to His people. They were just denying how He would do it.
These people were considered some of the most learned people of the nation but they lacked faith. They not only knew the law of God, but made more laws to make sure the first laws were being followed. It was this extreme devotion to the law which kept them from seeing God’s plan and wanting to embrace His work.
The law definitely has a place in life as a compass to morality but it isn’t in keeping the law that we gain a righteous life. This seems to be the main point the Pharisees missed, they were so sure it was through their righteous living that they would be made right with God. There are many instances in the Bible where Jesus rebukes them, but the one in our passage today is probably one of the most pointed rebukes.
The fact of the matter was that they were trying to win their way to heaven. They didn’t look forward to the Promised Messiah in the same way others did. They had likely build up their own image of what it would be like to have the Messiah of the world, and they would have been sure when He came He would feel right at home with them. This couldn’t have been further from the truth.
God had made it clear throughout history that He had a plan for bringing righteousness to His people through a man and yet the Pharisees were sure the way to righteousness was through their own feeble attempt at obeying every law. Whether they were doubting that God would actually send the Redeemer, or if they just thought they needed to be righteous when He came, the real issue was they couldn’t trust God to make a way without their help. Sadly we do the same thing sometimes. We act as if we have to live perfectly if we are ever going to have a chance at eternity with Him. But no matter how hard we try, we will fail if we think it is only about making a good impression on God instead of allowing Him to make His mark on us.
Making It Personal
How much do you think your salvation relies on you? What is the purpose of the law in the Christian life? How important is His righteousness to you?
Making It Personal Kids
What is the difference in obeying the commandments because you know Jesus said to and doing it because you love Him? How important is Jesus’ redeeming nature to you? Why do you obey Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for sending Jesus as the fulfillment of the sacrificial law and redeeming us through His righteousness. Help us remember He is the One in control. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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