Living it

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

LIVING IT

Matt 23:1-4

23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

NIV

Jesus has much more to say about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees including the seven woes, but we simply cannot take all of it at once. There is way too much to handle in one devotion, besides there is enough in this first portion of his discourse. There is a sense in which Jesus is saying the teachers of the law and the Pharisees are at least appearing to try to live by the law they were given by Moses. They teach the Law of Moses to the people. Jesus is saying that the law given to Moses is accurate and upright and it should be followed. However this has some different meaning or further meaning if we observe the Greek words here. Jesus was telling them to observe the Law that had been given, the word is in the definite past tense which would mean Jesus was saying at one time the teachers of the law and the Pharisees taught the Law in the Synagogues correctly at one time, in the past. But now they have corrupted it adding so much extra, teaching their own brand of the law. Jesus agreed they should have been the ones with the authority to teach the law because he said they sit in Moses’ seat. But in telling the people not to do as they do, he was also telling the people they have perverted their authority and they do not practice that which they preach. They add all sorts of rules and regulations upon the law and thus the people, but they do not follow their own rules. That is in the truest sense being a hypocrite. This is what we have to try to the best of our ability with the help of the Spirit not to do. We cannot go about professing our Christian faith and then not doing that which we profess to believe. We cannot add all sorts of do’s and don’ts to our faith then not pay attention to them. Although we should not be adding all those rules and regulations or restrictions on being a believer in the first place. Why do denominations place such heavy burdens on their parishioners anyway?  Is it just in an attempt to control their behavior? This might be so evident in the hard sell they exert on tithing. Some false teachers put so much pressure on people to give to their ministry, but they are not giving, but rather taking and living the lavish lifestyle Jesus warns about in the seven woes. We should not be so easily manipulated by those who have been given authority to preach the word if they do not practice what they preach. Yet this certainly also applies to us personally. We need to practice that which we preach. We tell people we are Christians, but do be behave in accordance with what we believe? Not that we should be such a stuffed shirt about life. We can certainly laugh and enjoy life, enjoying people, unsaved people, making being around us a joy to them. If we are always pounding them over the head about their choices in life, their behaviors as being unacceptable in the sight of God, we have lost our way. We might well be like the Pharisees or teachers of the law. We might be pounding our chest in public showing everyone how religious we are, while all the time being hypocritical by not loving them, right where they are. We are no better than the worst of sinners except we have been forgiven. We might be able to say in regard to some of them, but for the grace of God, there we go. Yet we are still sinners, not in the sense of refusing Jesus, but in the sense we have not attained perfection. So to pretend that we are holy and upright Christians while not being so upright is what Jesus was saying about the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  Our holiness and uprightness or righteousness is in Christ. God sees us through the blood of Jesus, we are under that umbrella of his righteousness. But people do not see what God sees. They see us as people like themselves. How we talk, what we say about our faith matters. The fact is we should only talk about our faith in Jesus. There is no reason ever to teach unbelievers the law, the lists of do’s and don’ts, or how to live. When people want to know about Jesus they want to see our faith. Yes, they might judge our behavior and judge the rightness of Jesus based on how we behave. But our behavior is not about being those stuffed shirt type Christians, but about being the loving, kind, caring, Jesus like, Christians. When people are hurting we should take the time right there where they are to pray with them, for them, for their concerns, believing God will show them he is real and cares about them. When they see the results of answered pray, they will see Jesus. This is what Jesus did all throughout his ministry. He healed people, he met their needs right where they were. He did not tell them how they had to behave or believe before he touched them. He simply met the needs of the people. When they saw the action of his touch and were healed, then they believed. This is how we should live among the people who yet have not met Jesus. It is not about preaching Christianity, but about living it.