Matthew 23
Today's Passage: Matthew 23
Jesus pronounces 7 woes against the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jerusalem. On what does Jesus charge the religious leaders? Their heart. They focused on the outside - how people perceived them and respected them. They looked the part, but they were missing the one thing God cared about the most - a heart of worship.
The Bible is full of instructions for life, and do’s and don’ts, but Jesus tells us the greatest commandment in the previous chapter. “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). The Christian life is meant to be lived out of love for God, not out of compulsion. We have been forgiven, saved, and justified through Jesus. We now get the privilege to follow God in obedience with a heart of worship.
If you look carefully at Jesus’ woes, he is not upset that the Pharisees tried to obey the Law or that they made mistakes. Jesus’ criticism is aimed at their hearts that remained unchanged. They cleaned the outside but neglected the heart. When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, we are given a new heart, but we still have to fight to put to death our sins. We must choose to follow after Christ in both faith and deed.
So look closely at your life. Is the outside different than the inside? Are you following after Jesus because you want to or because you have to?
Let me be real for a second. There have been many times in my life that I obeyed the Lord out of compulsion more than passion. I did the right thing begrudgingly rather than willingly. There have also been times when I wasn’t following after Jesus. When that happens:
Jesus pronounces 7 woes against the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jerusalem. On what does Jesus charge the religious leaders? Their heart. They focused on the outside - how people perceived them and respected them. They looked the part, but they were missing the one thing God cared about the most - a heart of worship.
The Bible is full of instructions for life, and do’s and don’ts, but Jesus tells us the greatest commandment in the previous chapter. “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). The Christian life is meant to be lived out of love for God, not out of compulsion. We have been forgiven, saved, and justified through Jesus. We now get the privilege to follow God in obedience with a heart of worship.
If you look carefully at Jesus’ woes, he is not upset that the Pharisees tried to obey the Law or that they made mistakes. Jesus’ criticism is aimed at their hearts that remained unchanged. They cleaned the outside but neglected the heart. When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, we are given a new heart, but we still have to fight to put to death our sins. We must choose to follow after Christ in both faith and deed.
So look closely at your life. Is the outside different than the inside? Are you following after Jesus because you want to or because you have to?
Let me be real for a second. There have been many times in my life that I obeyed the Lord out of compulsion more than passion. I did the right thing begrudgingly rather than willingly. There have also been times when I wasn’t following after Jesus. When that happens:
- Be open to the Lord. He already knows, and He has supplied us with his Spirit to help us. Say to Him, “Lord, my heart’s not in it…I’m struggling to follow you. Help me.”
- Be open to a brother/sister. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. We need Christian brothers and sisters to help us when we fall. The worst thing you can do when you’re struggling is to hide. Expose it to the light!
- Open God’s Word. His Word is the source of life. If you’re feeling stagnant or stale, open God’s Word and read it like you need it! Ask the Lord to open your eyes to understand it and apply it. God wants your heart, so offer it to Him and He will bring the fruit.
Written By: Joe Weaver
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