March 9

Matthew 23:25-39 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:

Journal Entry

Scripture

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, [1] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Observation

Jesus continues to boldly expose religious leaders’ hypocrisy and rebellion against God. He warns us against becoming like Pharisees who appeared to be righteous and clean only on the outside based on their public display of religious rituals and habits, but in reality whose hearts and lives were full of sin.

Application

Unless I abide in God’s Word at all times, I could easily fall into the same trap of sin that Pharisees committed. I need to open up my life to others more so that they could hold me accountable to make sure my private thoughts and actions are consistent with what I say and do in public.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the warning and the encouragement to stay in your Word so that I might not sin against you by appearing to be righteous on the outside but not having the right heart and attitude toward You. Please help me to be more authentic in sharing my life with others so that they can keep me accountable and speak Your truth into my life when I’m failing to abide in You. In Jesus name, Amen.

--JL