Read Luke 11:43-44
Everybody! Look At Me!
Jesus says WOE to the Pharisees because they love being recognized and respected in the synagogue and in the marketplaces. Pharisees loved getting attention and always looked good on the outside. But inwardly, they were filled with such evil and self-righteousness versus being filled with the righteousness of Christ. There’s a difference:
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS is reliance on self for one’s salvation. You can be a prominent person in the community, respected by many, and have great knowledge of the Scriptures, but be lost spiritually.
CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS is recognizing that apart from Christ you can do nothing, no matter how popular you are or are not. God shows no partiality. Obtaining Christ’s righteousness means you surrender your life control for the new life that Christ offers. It’s putting your faith, not in your works, but in the work of Christ at the cross for the forgiveness of sins. It’s allowing his Holy Spirit to fill us and make us more and more like Jesus. It’s a relationship with Christ when his righteousness becomes our righteousness so when people see us, they see Jesus and his righteousness in us. It’s crucifying the desires of the flesh and living by the Spirit.
Jesus accused the Pharisees to be like unmarked Graves meaning being filled with spiritual death. They have hidden sins that they never let go of.
Let today be the day you surrender your whole life to Jesus without hanging on to the things of this world or the things of the flesh.
