Matthew 23:13-39 - Woe...Woe...Whoa!

  Have you ever been warned that you were going to be read "The Riot Act?" In 1715, the British under King George I instituted a "Riot Act" to be able to control unruly crowds of twelve or more, particularly those who opposed King George. Once read in public to the crowd, the gathering would have to disperse within an hour or face severe penalties. Nowadays, we use the phrase to mean any occasion when a person or group is sternly warned or corrected. In light of the modern idiom, Jesus definitely reads the Pharisees the "Riot Act" in today's passage from Matthew.

I have preached on this passage before under the title, "How Not to Be a Pharisee." Although the format of Jesus' rebuke indicates 'seven woes,' I find there are twelve solid instructions within this chapter to guide us away from the foolishness of phariseeism.

• Practice What You Preach (23:1-3)
• Lighten Other People's Loads (23:4)
• Work for God's Approval, Not Man's (23:5-10)
• Lead By Serving (23:11)
• Practice Humility (23:12)
• Make It Easy for People to be Saved (23:13)
• Make Disciples of Jesus, Not of Yourself (23:15)
• Value Christ, Not the 'Things' of Christianity (23:16-22)
• Prioritize the Higher Virtues (23:23-24)
• Be Righteous from the Inside Out (23:25-28)
• Accept God's Correction and Wisdom (23:29-36)
• Live Under the Savior's Wing (23:37-39)

Instead of an unruly mob of twelve, be glad to have this gathering of twelve rule your approach to the Christian life. Consider each of these bullet points as twelve stalwarts calling you to join them in exalting Christ, His Kingdom and it's principles. The "Riot Act" was employed to disperse any activities contrary to the rule of the King. I think I'll read the Matthew 23 Riot Act to myself, to disperse any phariseeism that might be gathering in the back alleys of my spirit.

Pray: Lord, thank you for your boldness and your clarity about what does and doesn't reflect true spirituality, true devotion and Kingdom character. Help me to conform to your refinements and transform me. The last thing I want to hear from you is "Woe!"

Matthew 12:22-45 - Before You Ask, The Answer is No

Do you like peas? Cheese? Brussels sprouts? Cream sauce? I don't. I imagine all four could be combined quite neatly into one recipe, like Creamy Brussels Sprout Soup. But, if set before me I would probably freeze in horror. Now, there is no prejudice here. I have tried each of these food items. When I put them in my mouth, they didn't taste good. That's why I don't want them in there again. However, I HAVE known some folks who simply just decided they didn't like something. Never tasted it. No experience with it. And yet, they adamantly insist they don't like it.

In Matthew 12, the story continues with episodes that reveal more of Jesus and more of the group called Pharisees. Matthew wants to contrast Christ with this subset of Jewish believers because the Pharisees were revered by many as holy men. Their stated purpose was to live in a way that upheld the value of religious purity. But, they were so deeply committed to their own brand of spirituality that when Jesus shows up, they reject Him out of hand. "Don't like Him." 

"But have you given Him a chance ..." "Don't like Him." 

"But have you considered ..." "Have you walked a ways with Him  ..." "Don't like Him." 

"Just give Him a try; a little taste ..." "Don't like Him!"

"But the mute speak and the blind see because of Him." "Don't like Him."
"He frees people from demon-possession!" "He must be commanding the demons by the authority of the Chief Demon."
"He teaches with divine wisdom and with clarity." "He hasn't proven Himself on our terms to our satisfaction."

Wow! That's prejudice. That's stubbornness. And Jesus implies that this type of unbending religiosity is blasphemous. It may be 'religious,' but it is anti-God. Jesus calls them a "brood of vipers" who speak evil and empty words. They are blind men asking for visual evidence. The evidence of unmatched greatness stands before them in the Son of Man, but they can't even recognize it.

So, what has the Spirit of God been saying to YOU lately? How has Jesus been making Himself known to you? Are you willing to respond? Or are your heels dug in somewhere; you have a prior commitment to thinking or doing in a certain way, and even though One greater than Jonah and Solomon is speaking to you, you still refuse to move, to change.

Take a taste of what Jesus has for you first, before you pass judgment.
Psalm 34:8 "O, taste and see that the Lord is good!"

Pray: Lord, I am so inclined to get stuck where I'm at. I am prejudiced and stubborn. I wax wise in my own estimation. Please persevere with me and break me out of my religious ruts. You are so good and so amazing; help me to trust You, to try You, to taste You in a fresh and daring way. You always satisfy.

Matthew 12:1-21 - The Ridiculous Insanity of Religious Fanaticism

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

"[Jesus said] it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.


Eating when you're hungry and healing folks are unlawful, but killing someone is ...

Really, Pharisees? Are you kidding me?!


Pray: Please Lord, help the blind religionists to wake up before they hurt anybody else. Help us all to emulate Christ, of whom You said -


 ¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
   the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
   and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
   no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
   and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.