Song # 1929.1 from Our Gospel In Song Collection by Col Johnston. In the Book of Matthew, we read in chapter 23 where Jesus tells the crowds and His disciples to beware of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees that He calls hypocrites. “Everything they do is done for men to see” (Matthew 23:5). “They love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogue” (Matthew 23:6). And later Jesus tells them “You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13). “You devour widow’s houses and for a show make lengthy prayers” (Matthew 23:14). “You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are” (Matthew 23:15). “Woe to you, blind guides! You say ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath’” (Matthew 23:16). “You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?” (Matthew 23:17). “You also say ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath’” (Matthew 23:18). “You blind men! Which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?” (Matthew 23:19). “Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it” (Matthew 23:20). “And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it” (Matthew 23:21). “And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it” (Matthew 23:22).
Thought for today: thank God for what you have, trust God for what you need.
Thought for the future: no-one is more secure than those in God’s hands. Where will you spend your eternity?