40 Days to the Cross - Day 13

Day 13 Woe unto you …
Scripture
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you and observe [it] . But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach ….
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.
14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith.
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence!
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, …You therefore testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Matthew 23:1-36
Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47

Devotion
Jesus had offered the Pharisees a few more chances to understand the truth of who He was. Now he pronounces to the disciples and crowds their demise. These are the “Woes” of the Pharisees.
Jesus points out the following:
1) Keep people from Heaven.
2) All show and no action.
3) Making converts for Hell.
4) Emphasizing the temporal over the spiritual
5) Ignore justice and mercy
6) Full of greed and self-indulgence
7) Make a show of support for prophets, but don’t believe their message.

Of course, our task is not the tsk, tsk the Pharisees, but to look at the list and make sure we are not doing the same things in our lives.
1) Are we keeping people from heaven? Have your actions turned someone off of the gospel?
2) Are we all show and no action. Do we do the works of righteousness or just go to church?
3) Are we making converts for Hell. Are we winning people to the church or to Christ?
4) Do we ever emphasize the temporal over the spiritual? Are we more concerned for ritual than we are for the God to Whom it should direct us?
5) Do we ignore justice and mercy?
6) Are we full of greed and self-indulgence? Are we out for what is best for us, ignoring the plight of others?
7) Do we make a show of support for those who share God’s truth, but don’t believe their message in our heart?

Questions
What are your answers to the above questions?
How will you change your heart?
What will you do to avoid the woes?

Prayer
Dear God: Don’t let us live like the Pharisees. Amen.