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Monday June 30 - Hypocrites
“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites...” Mark 7:6
Have you ever had a part in a play or musical? Very few of us have the opportunity or skill to do that; I certainly haven’t, though my niece is a very good actor in theatre, in West End musicals and on television. Well, the word ‘hypocrite’ derives from a Greek word meaning ‘actor’. When some of the religious leaders were called hypocrites, it was because they were playing a role; they were not being genuine... they were putting on an act.
Jesus picks up a quotation from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah which speaks of hypocrisy, and he applies it to these religious leaders. In particular, the prophet speaks of such people mouthing empty words of praise whilst their hearts were far away from God. They were worshipping in vain; they were acting out a charade. Most of us would recoil if someone accused us of hypocrisy; we want to be thought of as real, genuine and sincere, yet play-acting is far too easy to slip into. We need to ask Jesus to forgive us and to work in our hearts to bring about authentic Christian faith and living. Sometimes, after a church service, I pray with the choir the words set out in the prayer below:
Lord Jesus, may we, who have sung your praises, live our lives to your praise and glory. Amen.
Tues July 1 - God’s commands or human traditions?
“You have let go of God’s commands and are holding on to human traditions.” Mark 7:8
In the Old Testament, three types of law were decreed by God during the period of the desert wanderings, following the exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt: civil laws, ceremonial laws and moral laws. With careful study and guidance, it is not difficult to work out which of these were intended specifically for the people of Israel, which were of temporary significance and which were universally applicable for all time. This last category (e.g. the ‘Ten Commandments’), plus all clear and abiding commandments in the Bible, demand our obedience as we seek to honour God.
In their misguided zeal, some religious leaders in Jesus’ day were ‘letting go of the commandments of God’ but ‘holding on to human traditions’. Too often we see this in church today. If it’s not former traditions, it is sometimes modern cultural whims which are clung to at the expense of obedience to God’s unchanging commandments. How foolish we can be – imagining that we know better than God. How woeful it is when we set aside allegiance to God’s commandments, yet blindly pay homage to traditions and cultural fads. God’s word trumps all other such ideas! The hymn chorus is spot-on: ‘Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.’
Heavenly Father, please strengthen my resolve to know your word better and to ‘trust and obey’. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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