THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 443

The scriptures never cease to amaze me. Today, I opened the Bible to the book of Matthew - chapter 23. I wasn't looking for any particular gospel message or a specific topic. Indeed, I just opened my Bible and started reading the text at the point where my eyes first gazed. Beginning at the beginning of the chapter, Matthew wrote:

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to the disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat so practice and observe whatever they tell you but not what they do; for they preach but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear and lay them on men's shoulders but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and salutations in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have "one teacher" and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth for you have "one Father" who is in Heaven. Neither be called masters for you have one Master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus' message to the crowds is clear. He is referring to those who demand our attention and adoration but are not willing themselves to humble themselves before the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Although admittedly, this may seem to be a simplistic interpretation of the above scriptures, and observed without any deep reflection, these verses serve to remind us as men and women of our humble place in the world and that without our Master, the Christ, we are as nothing. But note that Jesus did not end His message to the crowds there. Jesus had an important message to tell the people -- and by extension to us in the 21st century as well -- one that we all need to hear.

In verse 13 Jesus said, "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites [the religious of the day] because you shut the kingdom of Heaven against men. For you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte. You make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."

Continuing in verse 23 Jesus further states, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe mint and dill and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; those you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel."

There is more -- actually much more -- that Jesus said to warn us of the hypocrites who would come and try to lead us astray from this gospel message. In fact, Jesus warned that "many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray." But Jesus doesn't want us to be led astray. The same God who created us loved us so much that He became flesh and sacrificed His blood on the cross so that we might have salvation eternal. This is the reason why Jesus' arms are stretched wide waiting for us to reach out and pray with all our hearts -- "Jesus, here I am."

Stand in the offering plate!