1 1-3 By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.
4-5 “I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.
6-7 “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.
8-9 “Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know me, do you think I’ll defend you before God’s angels?
10 “If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you’re knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won’t be overlooked.
11-12 “When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”
Jesus concerns the well-being of his disciples.He wants his disciples to live an authentic life before God and before the people. He warns them not to wear the religious mask forever and live out the true self or core being before the public. Jesus knows that this is the only authentic way to grow oneself before God. At the same time, Jesus knows that the disciples must relate with God with intimate relation and with fear - that is also like the compass of a disciple's life, always pointing one to God without losing distraction or focus. Fearing God and loving God is the power to overcome all other kinds of fear that diminish a disciple's life with God. The Holy Spirit is also the counselor and protector of a disciple, dwelling in one's life and speaking God's words to us and on behalf of us.
My Lord Jesus, draw me closer to You and save me from all kinds of religious temptations - wearing religious masks, pleasing people more than You, and subsequently losing my real inner self. Cleanse me with Your blood and crucify my old self with You on the Cross everyday that I know that I now live a resurrected and new life with Jesus. Being cleansed by Your blood, dying to my old self by the Cross daily, and living out my inner self with the power of the Holy Spirit is the way of a disciple life of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment