Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Trying to be Religious
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Your Grace is Enough by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Band; Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture; How He Loves by David Crowder.
Read: Matthew 23, Luke 20:20, Matthew 15:8-9, Luke 12:1
Think: The Pharisees looked so good, why did they catch all the flack? I decided to do some research. The Pharisees were a sect of Judaism in Jesus’ day, their name means “separated” as we are to be. They were devoted to the law; they opposed the Greek influence and compromises that were permeating Jewish tradition, they tithed, they prayed. Outwardly holy but inwardly hypocrites.
In one sermon of Jesus He called them hypocrites seven times (Matthew 23), other derogatory names 12 times and told them He didn’t know how they could escape being condemned to hell. They feigned respect, referring to Jesus as Rabbi but they only sought to trap Him in a capital crime so they could have Him killed. Matthew 15:8-9 describes the Pharisees and defines the spirit of religion.
As Pastor Ben taught us this holier attitude was the attitude of the prodigal son’s older brother. Religion and the religious look good and sound right but their hearts don’t match their outward expression. Jesus warned several times to beware the leaven of the Pharisees (Luke 12:1). We can be infected or can infect others with looking and sounding good. We need to check our hearts and be careful to discern the hearts of those we follow.
Do: Read Psalm 139:23-24.
Pray: Father, search me and know my heart, help me keep from saying and not doing, let no Pharisee leaven take hold in my life.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.
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