Day 309 – Matthew 23, Luke 20-21

Talking Points

• Why was Jesus so upset with the Pharisees? Why were they so opposed to Him? Jesus answers these questions by revealing the Pharisees had set themselves up as the authorities on the law. Their powerful positions depended on this status. Jesus then reveals their falseness by pointing out their hypocrisy, arrogance, and love of acclaim. Upset with their fraudulence, He exposes them by His truth.
• As Jesus lists His grievances against the Pharisees, He points out the danger of their attitudes and actions. They “shut off the kingdom of heaven from people” (Matthew 23:13). Perhaps no consequence is as great as keeping people from finding peace with God.
• Jesus calls the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs,” disclosing the reality of their sinful, self-serving hearts (23:27). While the outside of the grave is attractive — decorated with flowers and meticulously maintained lawns — inside the grave is disgusting rot. Jesus seeks true humility and sincere hearts, not image and reputation.
• Do we see suffering as an opportunity to testify to what God has done? (Luke 21:13)
• The clear teaching of Christ is the sure expectation of Jesus coming again. Even before the cross and the Resurrection, Jesus is foretelling the signs and events of His “coming…with power and great glory” (21:27).
• Truly, when everything seems to be coming undone, we can “straighten up and lift up [our] heads, because [our] redemption is drawing near” (21:28).

Thoughts

“Do as I say and not as I do.” I wonder if this saying originated from people missing the takeaway from Matthew 23? Or maybe it was just a tired mom?

Maybe one of the most difficult things about being a parent is learning to hold myself to the same standards and expectations that I hold my children to. While there will always be obvious exceptions because of my age and stage of life (and because it’s my house/car/cake for breakfast, etc.), there have been some areas where I’ve had to do some serious heart searching.

One of the most profound changes came when my oldest became aware enough to start asking to watch certain movies, listen to certain music, or read certain books, dependent on what her friends were doing or what she’d seen advertised. As we had to become more and more diligent to protect her mind and heart, I started wondering about my own. What were the things I was watching, listening to, or reading doing to my mind, to my heart? Was there really a reason that I would deem it unfit for her, but fine for me? The more I thought about it, the more convinced and convicted I grew.

And, here’s what I can tell you — this was one of the best convictions the Lord has ever brought to me. When we decided to be diligent to guard not just our children’s minds and hearts, but our own, in the taking in of “entertainment,” God has proved good and faithful again and again.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9