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May 9-13, 2022

Reflections from Matthew 23

What is more important?

May 13, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 23, Micah 6:8

One of these days, my husband and I will deal with all of the stuff we have accumulated in 30 years of marriage. Todd still has his Journey and AC/DC albums from high school, and my First Holy Communion dress is boxed up in the basement. Our book collection has claimed squatter's rights in the biggest closet, and frankly, I'm almost afraid to open the door. For sure, there has been no shortage of books written on the Christian life in the last few decades, and we have read most of them, just like so many other churchgoers. We have books on how to spice up a Christian marriage, how to raise our kids, and how to be an adventurous man and a more hospitable woman. Jesus told the hypocritical Pharisees that, while they were careful to tithe on offerings of spices, they "neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness" (Matthew 23:23). In the book of Isaiah, the Lord said, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). God's word speaks of justice, the oppressed, mercy, and the love of others over and over again. These are the "more important matters of the law." As Christ followers, we have so much to learn. Yes, we are to read and grow in knowledge every day, but let us not neglect the matters most important to God—"to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8).

Inside Out

May 12, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 23, 1 Samuel 16

"For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Have you ever heard someone say something like, "Fake it until you make it" or "Go through the motions?" Maybe that works in the world, but in God's kingdom, we do not earn points for the big cross necklace we wear or the number of worship songs we have memorized. We cannot fool God. We cannot hide our hearts. When we accept Jesus as Lord, He literally turns us inside out. No more hiding. We recognize He sees everything. My Sunday outfit, tithe, and ministry efforts mean nothing to God if my heart is sour. Jesus said that the teachers of the Law "appeared to people as righteous," but Jesus found "greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy, and wickedness" in their souls (Matthew 23:25-28). He even called them "whitewashed tombs, snakes, and brood of vipers" (vss. 27, 33). We don't often see Jesus this angry or hear Him call people such harsh names. My guess is we should take Him seriously. Lord, I pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

The Morality Police

May 11, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 23

"They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." (Matthew 23:4) Many Pharisees saw themselves as the moral police. Steeped in legalism, they enforced rules and customs and quashed dissent. They saw Jesus as a threat to their authority. Jesus appealed to His followers to see the stark contrast between Himself and the Pharisees. Notice that Jesus told His followers that the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat (v. 2). For sure, they knew God's Law. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the Pharisees were very far from the heart of God. Jesus came to love, serve, and sacrifice. He was lowly, humble, and full of compassion. These Pharisees were legalistic and proud. They were the "know-it-alls." They relished confronting Jesus to try to prove Him wrong. They pushed rules and expectations but didn't lift a finger to help anyone. The Pharisees were so focused on their supposed superiority that they missed what God was really up to. Jesus was training, preparing, and discipling ordinary people--the sinners, the broken, the marginalized--to go out and change the world. To speak of God's love, redemption, and mercy. This is why Jesus warned His followers to stay humble. It doesn't work any other way! The way of the Pharisees is not the Way of Christ. Jesus uses lowly sinners to reach other lowly sinners. Lord, help us to hear. We need You. We need Your grace. Help us to reflect Christ. Help us to keep our focus on You and not on ourselves. Amen.

Christian Celebrities?

May 10, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 23:1–12

"Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples, 'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach....Everything they do is done for people to http://see....they love the place of honor at http://banquets....they love to be greeted with http://respect...and to be called 'Rabbi' by others. But you are not to be called 'Rabbi'http://....the greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12) Status and celebrity are highly prized. Being famous and "important" opens doors even if a person's other qualifications are woefully thin. Social media has made this much worse, but pride, vanity, and power seeking are nothing new. Jesus called out the Pharisees and condemned self-promotion and the love of status and power. Making idols out of leaders is simply incompatible with Christ's kingdom. We have seen many Christian leaders experience meteoric rises in fame and influence only to fall in sin and disgrace. This leaves a lot of Christ followers betrayed and disillusioned, and it destroys the Christian witness to the rest of the world. Look for the humble Jesus followers. Be wary of leaders who are far removed from those under their authority. Be wary of Christians who covet status, love to be seen, and revel in their theatrical piety. Jesus warned that the exalted will be humbled. Let's pray that we seek the humble position that Jesus requires for us.

"Do as I say, not..."

May 9, 2022 • Chris Rodden • Matthew 23

I enjoy barbell weightlifting. The highly skilled instructor at my gym makes sure everyone in class lifts correctly. We know that we can't just willy-nilly yank the bar around unless we are itching to visit the emergency room. A few years ago, I saw a video of the instructor lifting in a way that didn't quite match any of the "official" lifts we do. It turned out he was competing against another person in a timed workout, so that explained a lot. When I jokingly confronted him about it, he said earnestly, "Do as I say, not as I do." Of course, my classmates and I listen to him because we want to do well and not get hurt. This brings to mind so many ways in which our actions don't always match our words. Follow the recipe for jambalaya? Ha! Throw in some cayenne and spices. What is the worst that could happen? But what if I plead with my teenager to drive safely, but then he sees me texting and driving? What if I say I love others, but I won't even invite the person behind me with three measly items to go ahead of me in the checkout lane at Kroger? Does it matter? What does God think? What do people think when they see this? What are the ramifications?