MONDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22: Alas for you, blind guides!

I Reading: 2Thessalonians 1:1-5.11-12: The name of the Lord will be glorified in you and you in Him.

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:13-36

This is probably the most stern and sustained denunciation in all history. Christ was attacking and denouncing the religionists, but he was also warning them. Their sin was a great and terrible sin. They were shutting the door of heaven against themselves and others, and they were close to never being able to enter themselves. If they repent and turn back to God with believing heart, then they will experience God’s forgiveness and blessings. Jesus exposed the truth of their human hearts: they were full of hypocrisy. They had to look at themselves and see the corruption of their hearts; and they had to repent, believe and follow Christ or else be doomed to hell (v.33).

1.     False religionists shut the door to heaven against seekers (v.13)

a.     They do not enter themselves

b.    They do not allow seekers to enter

2.     False religions are missionaries who double the corruption of new followers (v.15)

3.     False religionists mislead others: they are blind guides in oaths and commitments (v.16-22)

a.     Their blindness: they tress the secondary over the primary (two examples)

1)    They tress the temple gold over the temple

2)    They tress the gift over the altar

b.    Their folly: they try to evade commitments and responsibility, v.17, 19

c.      The raw facts

1)    All commitments and oaths are heard by God-there is no evasion

2)    All commitments and oaths are binding and are accountable to God

Thought: Many religionists mislead people. They prefer their own ideas of religion rather than God’s idea. They prefer their own ideas that exalt self and honour their own abilities. A person must guard against his/her own ideas and prejudices that must not replace God’s revealed truth in Jesus Christ.

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