Today's Reading: Matthew 23: 13-22
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 23: 13-22
Bible Study
Yesterday we started the last block of the five teachings Matthew put in as the backbone of the whole gospel. Jesus pointed to those teachers of the law and the Pharisees who could talk the talk but not walk the walk.
Today's and tomorrow's passages are the famous seven "woe"(curses as opposite to the eight blessing, the Beatitudes of those who follow Jesus). Or, if we add in verse 14(in NIV)or verse 13(Chinese) we have a total number of eight "woe".
We can find the first three(or four if we count verse 14) of the "woe" in today's passage. How do we know if we are a Pharisee?
1. Locked up the kingdom of heaven for people to enter.
2. Lead new believers to live a hell-like lifestyle and not a Christ-like lifestyle.
3. Worship money more than worship God.
Tomorrow we will examine the other four 'woe". Let's take a look at today's three 'woe". I committed all three many years ago and some just a few years ago. I don't think I am like that anymore but I admitted that I was a Pharisee!
Just give one example using my three experience of going to Holy Trinity Brompton the past three years. Before that, even if you kill me I would not do the following things:
1. Not vested properly to officiate communion(with cassock, surplice and stole).
2. Never baptize anyone in a river or swimming pool.
3. Never eat anything or have a meal in the sanctuary.
But when I saw vividly how Rev. Nicky Gumble officiated Holy Communion with his green Polo T-shirt(two minutes after we took the picture above, Nicky went up the altar to officiate their regular Sunday Eucharist), how Holy Trinity Brompton have regular Alpha dinner, celebration and all kinds of eating and drinking in their sanctuary for the sake of the Gospel with the approval of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London(who preached at Prince William's wedding) and their own Diocesan bishop. I repented and knew at that time I was just a Pharisee locking up door for people to enter into a "fresh expression" of Anglicanism and the power, acceptance and freedom of the Gospel. When I saw how Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini baptized a lady in the swimming pool of Sheraton Hotel in the AMiA Winter Conference 2004 and how Holy Trinity Brompton baptized many people in the river I repented and knew that I was a Pharisee insisting on the "old" and so called "traditional" way of doing baptism and in fact worldwide Anglican churches are having lots of renewal and I did not know.
Are you still a Pharisee locking up door(s) for others to enter into the kingdom of heaven? The worst thing is that we do not know we are Pharisees thinking that we are faithful disciples of Christ protecting the church from 'wrong" movement to disturb so call "unity"! Where is unity if we like those Pharisee locking up door blocking people to experience the power of the Gospel. If the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Emmaneul Kolini, Bishop of London, many other bishops all over the world and Rev. Nicky Gumble can do that. Who are we to say NO to this wonderful fresh expression of Anglicanism?
Today's and tomorrow's passages are the famous seven "woe"(curses as opposite to the eight blessing, the Beatitudes of those who follow Jesus). Or, if we add in verse 14(in NIV)or verse 13(Chinese) we have a total number of eight "woe".
We can find the first three(or four if we count verse 14) of the "woe" in today's passage. How do we know if we are a Pharisee?
1. Locked up the kingdom of heaven for people to enter.
2. Lead new believers to live a hell-like lifestyle and not a Christ-like lifestyle.
3. Worship money more than worship God.
Tomorrow we will examine the other four 'woe". Let's take a look at today's three 'woe". I committed all three many years ago and some just a few years ago. I don't think I am like that anymore but I admitted that I was a Pharisee!
Just give one example using my three experience of going to Holy Trinity Brompton the past three years. Before that, even if you kill me I would not do the following things:
1. Not vested properly to officiate communion(with cassock, surplice and stole).
2. Never baptize anyone in a river or swimming pool.
3. Never eat anything or have a meal in the sanctuary.
But when I saw vividly how Rev. Nicky Gumble officiated Holy Communion with his green Polo T-shirt(two minutes after we took the picture above, Nicky went up the altar to officiate their regular Sunday Eucharist), how Holy Trinity Brompton have regular Alpha dinner, celebration and all kinds of eating and drinking in their sanctuary for the sake of the Gospel with the approval of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London(who preached at Prince William's wedding) and their own Diocesan bishop. I repented and knew at that time I was just a Pharisee locking up door for people to enter into a "fresh expression" of Anglicanism and the power, acceptance and freedom of the Gospel. When I saw how Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini baptized a lady in the swimming pool of Sheraton Hotel in the AMiA Winter Conference 2004 and how Holy Trinity Brompton baptized many people in the river I repented and knew that I was a Pharisee insisting on the "old" and so called "traditional" way of doing baptism and in fact worldwide Anglican churches are having lots of renewal and I did not know.
Are you still a Pharisee locking up door(s) for others to enter into the kingdom of heaven? The worst thing is that we do not know we are Pharisees thinking that we are faithful disciples of Christ protecting the church from 'wrong" movement to disturb so call "unity"! Where is unity if we like those Pharisee locking up door blocking people to experience the power of the Gospel. If the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Emmaneul Kolini, Bishop of London, many other bishops all over the world and Rev. Nicky Gumble can do that. Who are we to say NO to this wonderful fresh expression of Anglicanism?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: I was a Pharisee? How about you?
What I got from Jesus is a deep and critical challenge to all of us. If what I said or write makes you angry, please forgive me. I am just giving some vivid example of how do we know whether we are Pharisees. Because I have never known anyone who openly admit that they are Pharisees. You know why? Most of them don't know, including me? I think I have still something I do not know but acting like a Pharisee. I have to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me each day to repent, change, renewal and to be transformed by the love of Christ.
Don't insist on what you think is right but trust those leaders whom our Lord Jesus Christ anointed them to lead you. If you cannot trust those leaders have the authority to lead, who can we trust?
Jesus died because of those Pharisees!
Don't insist on what you think is right but trust those leaders whom our Lord Jesus Christ anointed them to lead you. If you cannot trust those leaders have the authority to lead, who can we trust?
Jesus died because of those Pharisees!
Dear Holy Spirit,
Shine your light on us that we can see whether we are a Pharisee. If we are, lead us to repent and return to your love and kingdom authority. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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