Wake(C)up Call

This morning’s devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting this sites Bible Study link.
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Wake(C)up Call (Matthew 23:24-26)

Matthew 23:24-26, “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

The popular TV series, “The Swan” characterizes man’s obsession with outward appearances. The “Cinderella-type” stories feature physical makeovers involving liposuction, implants and cosmetic surgery. The skill of man may enhance the physical appearance of a person but what is far more important is a new birth experience which beautifies from the inside out.

Jesus addressed matters of the heart. He exposed the spiritual laziness and hypocrisy of those unwilling to expend energy in loving God. Jesus likened this hypocrisy to a man who drinks from a beautiful cup, polished and shining on the outside while the inside is filled with stench. He drinks anyway, delighting in the appearance of the container while drinking and swallowing its filth.

Jesus didn’t mince words in describing the contents of the cup, “within they are full of extortion and excess”(Matthew 23:25). This is a very bad combination. Greed expresses, “I can’t get enough. I must hold on to everything I have”. Self-indulgence adds, “I can’t be satisfied. I have no restraint and consume all I have”. These two priorities feed off each other, which leads to a heart check. Do you always want more? Once you have it, must you consume it?

If you see shades of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy in your own soul, consider Jesus’ remedy in Matthew 23:26, “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also”. Only once in this teaching does He use “Pharisee” as singular, as if the laser of His words is seeking the individual who is open to the truth and piercing his condition.

Basically, Jesus was saying, “how can you not see this is wrong? You carefully and completely clean the exterior while lazily ignore the internal filth. You’re not willing to expend the effort for matters unseen”. Here is the hard, heart truth: the real you is who you are when no one can see you. When others might be watching, you probably tend to optimize your appearance. But what you do when no one is watching, that’s who you truly are.

Who can hear Jesus’ words and not feel convicted? Perhaps you feel resistance rising up and prompting you to think, why do I have to consider right now? I don’t want to think about it. Be careful, that’s hypocritical apathy exhibiting laziness in matters of the heart. It’s evidence of being stuck and not caring enough to admit it, feeling deeply indifferent about your innermost being while pursuing a superficial life. It is a tragedy to nurse hypocrisy.

In such moments of spiritual conviction, we can either squirm away, distracting ourselves as quickly as possible, or submit to the Lord. It’s not up to us to clean our own souls; it is up to us to acknowledge the filth within ourselves. I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Questions to Consider:
If the exterior of the cup represents your public image while the interior of the cup represents the real you, what does Jesus want to show you about the condition of your soul?
What specific evidence of hypocritical laziness do you see in your life?
How do you sense God calling you to greater care over matters of the heart?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, far too often I fret over appearances while neglecting my heart. I’m sorry. Please purify my heart, my desires, and my motives by the cleansing power of your Holy Spirit. Please help me to prioritize what matters to You, and not to care so much about how I look to others. I want to reflect your character in both my interior and exterior worlds. May the words of my mouth, the thoughts of my mind, the motives of my heart, and the actions of my hands be pleasing to you. Thank You for loving me too much to leave me drifting into laziness of the heart. Thank You, Jesus, for this morning’s wake-up call, just what I needed to hear. Show me specific sin in my soul, and please continue Your sanctifying work in my heart. Thank You that Your grace awakens me, cleanses me, and gives me hope. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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