Luke 11:37-44

Luke 11:37-44

And in saying these things, a Pharisee asked how he should eat with Him.  And after entering, he sat down to eat.  And after the Pharisee saw, he marveled that He did not first wash before dinner.  And the Lord said to Him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and plate.  But within you all are full of extortion and wickedness.  Fools!  Did not the one who made the outside also make the inside?  Nevertheless, give compassion to the things that are within and behold, all is clean for you all.  But woe to you Pharisees, because you give a tithe of mint and rue and all the herbs yet you all transgress the judgment and love of God.  It was necessary to do these things and not disregard the others.  Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the highest seat in the synagogue and the salutations in the marketplace. Woe to you all, because you are as indistinct tombs: the men who walk over them have not known it.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus has a conversation with the Pharisee about the difference between external and internal appearances.  It is as the old saying goes: beauty is more than skin deep.  We can look put together on the outside.  We can put up a façade that covers up what truly lies on the inside.  But that won’t fool God, who can see within.  If we want to truly be beautiful, we need to be worried about what lies within.  If we are beautiful within, then what lies within us will naturally flow to our outside.

What façade do you put up to cover what lies within?  What beauty lies within that you can naturally let out?

Second Thought:

The first woe that Jesus gives to the Pharisees is that they are focused on the Law and adhering to the outward demonstration of the Law.  But what they are missing is the application of the Law.  They are doing the things they should, things like tithing.  But they aren’t impacting the people around them.  They aren’t caring for the poor, the orphan, and the widow.  They aren’t sharing their resources to make sure people have what is needed to live.  They are checking things off of their list; but they are not living out the compassion of God.

Where do you go through the religious motions without actually putting forth compassion and grace?  Where do you find it easy to reach out in compassion and grace?

Third Thought:

The last woe of Jesus is the one that I feel is the most condemning.  Jesus compares the Pharisees to indistinct tombs.  People walk right over them and don’t even know that they are doing it!  In other words, the life of the Pharisees is changing anyone around them.  The Pharisees are having no impact at all on the world around them.  God called His people to put the grace and love of God on display.  What the Pharisees are doing is enjoying when they themselves are being put on display!  What does it say about us if we can go through our life and the world is not changed – or at least shown God – by our presence!

Where are you trying to impact the world around you?  Where have you experienced success?  Where are you excited about your own glory and not so much about the praise of God’s name?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 11:45-54