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Chances are you have a huge “woe” from Jesus hanging over your head. I think there is a Pharisee in all of us who have been following Jesus more then a year! In Matthew 23: 1-36 Jesus says some pretty big things for people like us, we should probably take heed to them! So, which one of these seven resonates with you best?
1. You know the Bible well but do not practice most of what it says:
This is one of the Pharisees biggest problems, and one of the biggest problems in America. Verses 1-12 reveal this. Out of the 36 verses here 12 of them are about this specific problem (one-third for those of you who can’t do math!). You are really only bringing condemnation upon yourself when you know what to do but do not do it! Look at what Jesus says in verse 3, “practice and observe whatever they tell you – but do not do what they do. For they preach but do not practice.” Isn’t that funny? This is the world’s number 1 complaint against Christians, that we are hypocritical! We just like “to be seen by others,” (verse 5). Check yourselves. You should probably try to put to practice some of the things you know! I know this is one thing that smacked me across the face! I wish I could justify my actions, but I can’t! I truly do know a lot more then I practice.
2. You, through your hypocrisy, prevent people from getting in heaven and make false converts.
Let me say this first, I believe that God is sovereign. So you in your sinful hypocrisy cannot stop someone from being saved. However, I do think you “hurt” the mission of God when you are a hypocrite. Then, when you try to disciple people, you just pound a bunch of knowledge into their head, and never teach them to practice anything, making some jacked up converts. The world doesn’t become redeemed through this, and like the first “woe,” their head just becomes bigger and bigger until the Lord pops it! Verses 13-15 discuss this issue. Jesus’ words in verse 15 should be most threating, “For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”
3. You swear falsely and teach silly, “truth.”
Verses 16-22 deal with this. “You blind fools!” You teach things that are not really even true, and they don’t actually make sense. On top of this you make promises and “swears” that aren’t even necessary or Biblical. I do not think this is specifically as present in today’s world, not the swearing at least. The false, stupid, pathetic teaching is more present then ever. If anyone thinks of an example of swearing falsely the way Jesus mentions it let me know!
4. You practice “over-faithfully” the smallest laws but don’t even think about the true important ones.
(23-24) Jesus makes it really clear that you should do the smallest law too, “These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.” However, we tend to try to practice the smallest things in the world. For example, do you know how many times it talks about taking care of the poor, and less fortunate in this world? I don’t know either, but it is a TON! However, we are more concerned with issues like are video venue campuses Biblical or not… Really? This is what we spend our time arguing over and writing books about? We should really try to care more about the issues mentioned over and over again. Something I appreciate that I learned at Hill Country is that whenever a “lesser” practical or theological issue comes up with some of the pastors, they ask, “When is the last time you have shared the gospel?” If the person cannot answer, they won’t talk about the silly little issue, because they are neglecting the things that are actually important, just to discuss silly little issues.
5. You look good externally, but have wicked hearts and impure motives.
(25-26). You say the right things, dress the right way, and raise your hands at the climax of the song on Sunday, but you are wicked on the inside and have jacked up problems. I think there are two people in this category, the broken and the arrogant. For the broken person, the person who is caught in sin and feels guilt, but decides not to discuss it, please stop pretending. It is actually a “hidden” form of arrogance. You are not revealing your brokenness, and therefore not allowing anyone to help you. The heart of the gospel is that we suck, and Jesus redeems messed up people. I am so jacked up, and I am a pastor/church planter! I should have to together right? NO! I need Jesus so freaking bad it is ridiculous! It’s okay to be broken, confess and then repent of it, turn away from it, don’t be arrogant and try to hide it. The other person is the person who has “moved past” the gospel, and now is just a religious nut. Please stop, you fall in categories 1 and 2. You hurt the mission of God by thinking you have it all together. You “look” so good, but you aren’t, you are offering filthy rags like everyone else. You need Jesus, so please don’t act like you don’t!
6. Head knowledge never transfers to the heart.
(27-28). Um, enough said right? I think almost everyone I know deals with this. Ask the Holy Spirit to help with this, because this is just straight up hard to not do!
7. They persecute and kill the people God sends.
(29-36) At first look it may seem like we don’t do this. However whenever we look at the Christian rapper, or the “hip” pastor, or the guy who is just a little more practical then theological, and then “persecute” them because of this, we do it! We should help them learn, not talk bad about them. And to be real we should learn from them, because usually they have much more right then we do! I know this about the Christian rappers because I love that movement. They are tatted up, and wear baggy jeans and snap-backs, but have deeper theology then most I have met in my seminary classes, and have seen tons of people come to Christ! Be careful when you “judge” somebody. You may be judging God’s elect and sent.
Kill the Pharisee inside of you. Verse 12 sums it up for me, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Consider other better then yourselves” (Phil. 2:1-5). Be careful of thinking you have it all together because your quiet times are a little bit longer then others, you may be a Pharisee, and I think these woes still hold true!
