Christ`s Message to the Religious

Mt 11:16 ¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mt 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mt 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mt 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

I am currently studying through the book of Matthew and I came across this short passage by Jesus that is loaded with meaning. To get the context, Jesus is speaking to a Jewish crowd who had built up a religious system that left God out of it. It was cold, empty and legalistic. It was just going through the motions of religious ordinances, customs and traditions. They had become so involved in their "doings", that God had been left out of the equation. They lived their lives of sin and "served God" at the same time with all of their laws, holy days, and traditions. They loved the law of God, but their heart was far from Him. They worshiped the law that they didn't keep, and took great pleasure and comfort from all the rules and rituals of their vain religion, but this did not please God.

In this passage, Jesus is pointing out to the crowd their hypocrisy and the fact that it is impossible to please them. "We played music and you didn't dance. We mourned and you didn't cry", they pathetically call out to their fellows in the market. They were upset that Jesus wouldn't play their religious game. John the Baptist came neither eating regular food or drinking wine and they said he was devil possessed and Jesus came eating and drinking and they called Him a drunk and a friend of sinners. But Jesus adds that wisdom is justified of her children meaning that the proof is in the pudding or the tree is made manifest by its fruit.

I find many applications to this present age, from the message of Jesus. The religious of today are no different then the religious of that day. The "church" is absolutely full of these religious hypocrites. Just like the Pharisees, they get angry when people won't play their religious games. They assume that because they wear certain clothes or believe in the given "church doctrine" passed down from the "forefathers", that obviously, everyone should. They care about what family you are from, or what "church" you go to so they can judge whether they can include you in the "brotherhood"... They care much that your outward appearance and actions, conform to their own high and exalted standards. Everything about their lives is disciplined and structured, right down to their "worship". They create rules, ordinances and laws where there aren't any and cling ever closer to their vain, man-made traditions. If you for one second put down their "church buildings", with the fine steeple, stain glass windows, chandeliers and plush carpet, and you will soon be brought in front of the high council. If talk arises on imputed righteousness, it makes the bile rise in their throats. Extol Christ and the shed blood that paid for our wretched sin, and the only reaction is a indifferent nod. Explain the filth of our righteousness in God's sight in reference to our salvation, and their minds drift off somewhere else. They do preach righteousness and holiness, and very little else. They talk about modest clothing, bible reading plans, and daily devotions, but very little Jesus. They highly extol personal righteousness but not God's righteousness. They preach practical application but very little doctrine. They care very little about the heart. What they do care about is the outward appearance. Their own "Christian life" is what is important. God's righteousness and wisdom and redemption (which is Christ) has no practical application and therefore is of no consequence. What it boils down to is that they are in love with self. They love their righteousness. Their end to life is themselves and not God. Their focus throughout their day is their "walk" and not God. Their focus everyday is how they are doing, how many people they witnessed to, how long they prayed, how cheerful they were...

To those that I have just described... Read what Jesus said and take it to heart...

Mt 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Hosea 6:6)

God wanted them to have mercy on their fellow man, not their bloody sacrifices. God wanted their hearts.

And a warning for you...

Mt 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

It will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the ungodly sodomites, and lesbians of Sodom than for people who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and chose to ignore it. It will be more tolerable for the people of Sodom then for people who were "good Christians", because they went to "church" every Sunday, confessed their sins, and kept short accounts. It will be more tolerable for the people of Sodom then for preachers who shut the kingdom of God by preaching practical teaching, self help, traditions and rudiments instead of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It will be more tolerable for the people of Sodom, then for people who heard about the finished work of Christ week after week, and rather put their faith in modest clothing and head coverings.

There are so many distractions in our world... So many things to distract our eyes away from what really matters, Jesus. I am convinced that nothing will send more men to perdition then their personal righteousness. Men that are have put themselves as the end to life and place their trust in their own history and not in Christ. OH that the word of God would reveal to people the lie that they have been told!