Sin cools your love for God. (Matthew 24:12)

Matthew 24:12

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.



With false teaching and loose morals comes a particularly destructive disease - the loss of true love for God and others. Sin cools your love for God and others by turning your focus on yourself. You cannot truly love if you think only of yourself.



Joe










 

Do you clean the inside of your cup? (Matthew 23:25-28)

Matthew 23:25-28

New International Version (NIV)


 

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
²⁷ “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. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.




Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing saintly and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. Living our Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing a cup on the outside only. When we are clean on the inside, our cleanliness on the outside won't be a sham.



 
Joe


















 

Do you serve God or your religion? (Matthew 23:15)

Matthew 23:15

New International Version (NIV)





 

¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.





 
The Pharisees' converts were attracted to Pharisaism, not to God. By getting caught up in their additional laws and regulations, they completely missed God, to whom the laws pointed. A religion of deeds puts pressure on people to surpass others in what they know and do. Thus, a hypocritical teacher was likely to have students who were even more hypocritical. We must make sure we are not creating Pharisees by emphasizing outward obedience at the expense of inner renewal.




 
Joe
























 

"Greatness" comes from serving ! (Matthew 23:11-12)

Matthew 23:11-12

New International Version (NIV)



 

¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.



 
Jesus challenged society's norms. To Him, greatness comes from serving - giving of yourself to help God and others. Service keeps us aware of others' needs, and it stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Jesus came as a servant. What kind of greatness do you seek?




 
Joe



















 

What kind of leader are you? (Matthew 23:5-7)

Matthew 23:5-7

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁵ “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. ⁶ And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. ⁷ They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’




 
People desire positions of leadership not only in business but also in the church. It is dangerous when the love for the position grows stronger than loyalty to God. This is what happened to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jesus is not against all leadership - we need Christian leaders - but against leadership that serves itself rather than others.




 
Joe

























 

The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40)

Matthew 22:37-40

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”




Jesus says that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep the commandments. This is looking at God's law positively. Rather than worrying about all we should not do, we should concentrate on all we can do to show our love for God and others.



 
Joe














 

Be a servant leader ! (Matthew 20:26-28)

Matthew 20:26-28

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²⁶ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”




Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people, we are to serve them. Jesus' mission was to serve others and to give His life away. A real leader has a servant's heart. Servant leaders appreciate others' worth and realize that they're not above any job. If you see something that needs to be done, don't wait to be asked. Take the initiative and do it like a faithful servant.




 
Joe