240. First Things First

Matthew 23:25-26, Luke 11:37-41

Key Verse: "Blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."

Matthew 23:26

This woe is also a repeat of previous conversations that Jesus has had with and about the leadership of the Jewish people. Once again, the leadership is blind to just how off track they are in following God. There really isn't much new here for us to learn. The fact, however, that Jesus continues to issue these warnings to the leadership about their behavior and attitudes demonstrates clearly how much effort He was willing to put forth to bring even them to repentance.

Following God truly is a matter of the heart. When the heart is right with God, everything else will follow. If the heart is not right with God, than no amount of good behavior, or following the law, or compliments from your fellow man will be enough to get you into right relationship with Him for eternity.

The prophet Isaiah put it this way. "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6)

When we become a Christian, then our behavior and attitudes toward God and others will change because, as much as God loves you as you are, enough to die for you, He is not content to leave you as He found you. How can you not change with the eternal God living inside of you? You know that you are changed and clean through and through because it has begun from within.

Jesus gives the illustration of the cup. What good is it to only wash the outside? Doesn't the drink go on the inside and if the inside is left unwashed, don't you risk contaminating whatever is put in the cup next? The purest water is no good if the cup holds poison or filth from an earlier use, and is not washed before it is used again. The Pharisees were experts at all of the externals. They ceremonially washed their hands before eating. They fasted twice a week. They wore their hair and beards at the proper lengths. They read appropriate materials and never associated with people who might damage their reputations in the community. 

On the inside, however, they were power hungry, often greedy and arrogant. Doing the right things had not changed them to be right with God. A blind person may be handed a cup that feels clean on the outside, but is totally oblivious to the stains on the inside. The leadership was oblivious to just how dirty and unacceptable they were to God, but they thought they were worthy to lead the people anyway.

The purest message from God Himself cannot penetrate a corrupt heart that refuses to repent and become clean. Whoa! Turn away from such superficial nonsense! Get the heart right with God and the rest will come. The scales will fall from your eyes and you will see just how blessed you are to be His.

Hymn: "A Perfect Heart"