Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The Line in the Sand


Matthew 23:13-26

The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law believed in God, they followed his commands, they worshiped him, they prayed. They went to church regularly on the Sabbath and at other times too. They gave money to the synagogue and Temple coffers. If God had drawn a line in the sand, like William Travis did at the Alamo I am sure they would have marched rapidly to the God side of the line.
Yet Jesus likens them to blind guides who do not know where they are going, to somebody who could not find the line or know where side to stand. How blind am I in Jesus' eyes? I think I know where I stand. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and will forgive me my transgressions. But I do not see me through Jesus' eyes. I do not view sin in the same way that he and his father do. Like the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law my sins are far less heinous that those of my non-churchgoing, wife-swapping, thieving and murderous neighbours.
I want to stand with Jesus but is that a bit too presumptuous on my part?

Lord Jesus have pity on my, I do not even know my own sin but whatever it is I believe that you died for me.

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