August 30, 2019
Matthew 23:27-28
 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
New International Version (NIV)
                 “I just love Jesus.  He never judged anybody.”  Have you ever heard that?  Have we read what Jesus actually said and did?  In this chapter, Jesus pronounced “woes” on the religious leaders of his day.  In his evaluation of their practices, he did not pull any punches.

                What did Jesus condemn in others?  Jesus was kind to the irreligious, the broken and battered.  But he was tough on those who used religion to achieve their own ends.  Particularly he singled out the Pharisees because of their hypocrisy.  They worked hard to maintain the image or appearance of their righteousness. 

                We can all fall into the trap of of image management.  In his book, “Replenish”  Lance Witt challenges ministers and Christians to align their inner lives with their outer lives.  The Pharisees used the external image of righteousness to cover the reality of the sinfulness inside.  “Whitewashed tombs” Jesus called them.  It could happen to us.    Contrast that image with Jesus’ words in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”  Sooner or later we will be bumped and spill whatever fills us.  Let it be life!
Pray with me:    
Heavenly Father who integrates all things, give us the integrity of an inner life which matches our outer facade.  We are recovering hypocrites.  Forgive us for pretending to be perfect in order to impress others.  Today as we trust you, fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we overflow with rivers of living water.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.    
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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