Matt 23 : 1-39 THE 7 WOES
Woes / warnings
Vs.
Angel Candle – do not fear = PEACE
———————————————
7 woes and the opposites
Woe # 1 You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven
Woe # 2 ( convert) you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
Woe # 3. If anyone swears by the temple….
Woe # 4. You give a tenth …. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.
Woe # 5. clean the outside, …. but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Woe # 6. appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Woe # 7. If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.
Apply
“Christians today often think of “Pharisees” as hypocrites and hence do not feel threatened when hearing them denounced. But the Pharisees’ contemporaries thought of them as very devoted practitioners of the Bible, and of the scribes as experts in biblical laws. In today’s terms, Jesus was thundering against many popular preachers and people who seemed to be living holy lives–because they were practicing human religion rather than serving God with purified hearts……”
– somebody else’s problem
– playing the part
– human religion?
“……I suspect that much of what passes for Christianity today is little more than human religion with the name of Jesus tacked onto it, because like most of the religion of Jesus’ contemporaries, it has failed to transform its followers into Christ’s servants passionately devoted to his mission in the world. When rightly understood, Jesus’ woes may strike too close to home for comfort. When religion becomes a veneer of holiness to conceal unholy character, it makes its bearers less receptive to God’s transforming grace.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Matt/Woes-Against-Human-Religion
Go – 1 Make doors open
Go – 2 Make children of Heaven
Go – 3 Yes be yes – righteousness integrity / be blameless
Go – 4 Give PLUS justice, mercy, faithfulness
Go – 5 Lose greed and self
Go – 6 Lose the “for show” facade
Go – 7 Receive the prophets Word from God
Great shema
Greatest commandment
Great commission