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241. Whitewashed Tombstones

Matthew 23:27-28, Ephesians 2:1-5 & 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Key Verse: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."
2 Corinthians 5:17

You may be familiar with this custom, but before living in northern New England, I was not. In the spring of the year, it is common, in some family traditions, for some people to wash the tombstones of their ancestors. I am familiar with placing new flowers, and on Memorial day, or Decoration day, flags, but to actually use bleach and scrub brushes to try to make the stones white again was a new custom, for me anyway. It is obviously another way of demonstrating care and respect for one's family and heritage. I found it interesting. However, no matter how clean the tombstone would become, the person it represented would never know, or see, how they continued to be cared for. The person behind, or under the marker remained dead. Only the living passerby would be able to appreciate the hard work of love offered.

Jesus called the leaders that He was addressing in this woe, whitewashed tombstones. "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean." (Matt. 23:27) At first, this "Woe," sounds like the one before which addressed the issue of cleaning the inside first. This is more serious, however, because the leadership is not just simply dirty and blind, but dead inside. They are walking, religious zombies, making others think that they have it all together, but in truth, they are dead to God.

This is a serious "Woe" for us to consider as well, because, until we meet with Jesus, we are no better than they. The Pharisee, Paul, put it this way: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ while we were dead in transgressions.  It is by grace you have been saved." (Eph. 2:1-5)

Until we have a life changing meeting with Jesus, in which we surrender ourselves to Him and make Him Lord of our lives, we are dead to God. No good works, no church attendance, no praise or recognition of man will change that. To God, we appear like a doll. We are loved by Him, but unresponsive to that love. When Christ enters in, He brings us to life with His life. It was His life and His way that the Pharisees continued to refuse. So, they remained clean and beautiful on the outside, but dead to God within.

Whoa! Don't let this be you. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a good person and as such, how could Christ refuse you. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2) Make His life yours. In Christ, you are a new creation. "The old has gone, the new has come." (2 cor. 5:17) Thanks be to God!


Hymn: "At Calvary" 

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