Matthew 23:23-39
Dear RTB’ers,
Four woes today, and for two of them Jesus focuses on the filth of the inside (of the cup and the tomb) compared to the cleanliness of the outside. And yes, He means to draw our attention to our own internals, especially (no doubt) our heart attitudes.
Jesus closes out His woes with prophetic words: Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town… (v. 34) Sadly, we see Jesus’ words played out in the book of Acts, beginning with Stephen’s stoning in Acts 7 and continuing with James and Peter and Paul and Barnabas and Silas and countless others unnamed, but all sacrificial in their service to Jesus and His name. Most of us are not asked to make these sorts of sacrifices, but we can go back to Jesus’ earlier words in today’s reading, sacrificing ourselves for …the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. (v. 23b) Let’s think on those today. Justice. Mercy. Faithfulness. What might God be asking of us, over and above what we do every day? Maybe that’s a good Lenten question…?
Blessings.
See also:
“Justice. Mercy. Faithfulness. What might God be asking of us…?”
Good Lenten question indeed, Fred!