Read Matthew 23:13-39 and 1 Corinthians 4:1-7
I. Jesus Denounces the Pharisees
- Matthew 23:13-39, Once again, Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees for showing a holy appearance but living a corrupt life . This is another passage where that reminds us that not everyone who appears righteous are of God. Even the "holiest", like the religious leaders, may have a heart full of anger, pride, and greed. In 2 Timothy 3:12-13, it is written that in the end times, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived". We have a lot of impostors out there, pretending to be a follower of Jesus and a teacher of God's word, but deep inside, they have their own earthly motive to gain fame, money, or to deceive others. They claim that that they are Christians but continue to be tempted and sin. The enemy is working hard to keep us away from God and he is using other people to mislead us from the truth. Let us not be deceived by letting the Spirit guide us. Let God lead our lives and help us discern the true meaning of His Gospel. Let us not be hypocrites and fully commit our lives to following Jesus. Let us not be impostors, and live a Christian life the way God wants us to.
II. God as the Judge
- 1 Corinthians 4:1-7, We, as Christians, have the tendency to look at our brothers and sisters and judge the way they live their life. When we see a fellow believer going astray, we tend to evaluate if they are a good follower of the Lord. In this text, we are reminded that it is not our job to judge others but of God's. Going back to the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13-24-30), we are told that God lets the wheat (true believers) and the tares (non-believers or impostors) grow together side by side. When judgment day comes, the reapers will then gather the tares and burn. God will decide what to do with the tares and instead of judging them, we should instead show them love, preach the gospel, and share the blessing that God had showered upon us. Let us continue to be the light of the world and show everyone the path Jesus had built for us. Let us continue our ministry that will glorify God and lead people to repentance and everlasting life.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:20-21
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment
IV. Old Testament reading:
Leviticus 24, Leviticus 25:1-46, and Psalms 44:9-26
