Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Another day, another confrontation with the religious leaders of Jerusalem. In chapter 23, we see Jesus is really letting the Pharisees have it, and rightfully so. He calls them “hypocrites” and “blind guides,” and He says they’re more concerned with looking good in front of others than actually following God.

They’re gonna need some ice for that burn.

One thing that stands out to me in Jesus’ speech in this chapter is where he states, “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their fingers.” (v4)

This is a sobering image; it speaks to the reality that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were more interested in control and power than they were in actually serving those they were called to lead.

But it’s not just the leaders that Jesus is calling out here. He also has some strong words for the people who were following them. In verse 15 He says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Oof.

Jesus is saying that these leaders were guilty of leading people astray, and the people who were following them were just as guilty as the leaders themselves.

What are we to take away from this? For one, we need to be careful about who and what we are listening to and allowing as an influence in our lives. Just because someone is in a position of authority (or hosts a nighttime cable news show) doesn’t mean that they’re actually leading us in the right direction. Jesus calls us to discernment, to make sure that the people we’re following are actually pointed in the Father’s direction.

This is why the Bible is so important in our day-to-day lives. Staying rooted in Scripture gives us the tools that we need to stay attuned to the voice of God instead of the noise that is constantly pursuing our hearts.

So stay vigilant. Stay with the Word. Hear His voice.

And then follow it.

Reflections:

• In what ways could you see yourself in Jesus’ indictment of the Pharisees? Ask God to show those to you and heal you from them.
• Why is it not enough to simply be sincere in what you believe? How do Jesus’ words serve as a warning in this regard?
• If purity begins in the heart, then what should our fight against sin look like?
• Prayer: Search me, Jesus. Know my heart. Keep me from living as the Pharisees did, appearing to be about You on the outside, but greedy and selfish on the inside. I confess my hidden sins to You today, Lord, knowing that You know them already. Give me the strength to live every day in sincerity and truth, giving You glory and praise. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Family Application: Matthew 23

Author: Cooper Herrington

Goal! The starting player scores the winning goal at the last second. The game ends and they interview the star player asking how did you do it. The answer is shocking. All they talk about is how great they are, that they are the best, that they are so awesome, and that everyone else stinks. That doesn’t sound like a very good teammate, does it? That star player is not humble. In the Bible today Jesus teaches us about being humble. Being humble is thinking about other people before yourself or putting the focus on God and other people, not ourselves. When Jesus was teaching, he said that the most important person among you will be your servant. This means that the most important person is the one who puts attention on God and other people by serving them.

• Is it easy or hard for you to put the focus on God and other people instead of putting it on yourself? When is it the easiest for you to focus on God and other people? For a lot of people, the easiest time to focus on God and others is when they serve. Take some time today to talk as a family about who and how you can serve others. Once you talk about it, don’t stop there. Keep going, and follow through on your plan by serving someone.
• Prayer: God, You are the best. Thank You for always being with me. God, help me be humble and to focus on You and other people before I focus on myself. Amen.