Blatant and visible Hypocrisy

Today’s scripture reading is from the gospel of Matthew chapter 23 in its entirety and Matthew 24:23-28.
Matthew 23: Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples saying “The scribes and pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do; but do not do according to their works for they say and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men and women’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men and women. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplace and to be called by people “Rabbai, Rabbai”. But you do not be called “Rabbai” for one is your teacher, Jesus, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in Heaven. And do not be called teachers for one is your teacher, Jesus, the Christ, but he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles themselves shall be exalted.
But woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against people; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widow’s houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive a greater condemnation.
Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he or she is won, you make that person twice as much a son of Hell as yourselves.
Woe to you blind guides, who say “whoever swears by the temple it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of that temple they are obliged to perform it”
Fools and blind!! for which is greater the gold or the temple which sanctifies that gold!!!
And “whoever swears by the altar it is nothing; but whoever whoever swears by the gift that is on it, they are obliged to perform it”. Fools and blind!! for which is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift. Therefore they that swear by the altar swears by it and all things on the altar and they that swear by the temple swears by it and Him who dwells in it.
And they that swear by Heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone. Blind guides who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.
Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind one, first clean the inside of the cup and dish that the outside may be clean also.
Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you appear outwardly righteous to men and women but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous and say”If we had lived in the days of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers how can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore indeed I send you prophets, wise men and scribes some of them you will kill and crucify and some of them you will scourge in your sick temples and synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth from righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation.

Oh jerusalem, Jerusalem the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing but you were unwilling… see your house is being left to you desolate for I say to you you shall see me no more till you say “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!””

Matthew 24:23-28: “Then if anyone says to you “Look here is the Christ” or “There!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect. See I have told you beforehand.
Therefore if they say to you “Look He is in the desert” do not go out or “Look He is in the inner rooms” do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be for wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered.”

Blatant and visible Hypocrisy

In Protestant churches they love to be called “Doctor” or “Reverend” or “Pastor”; in Catholic churches they loved to be called “father” by many and say “Look here is the Christ” and hand you a wafer of unleavened bread with the inscriptions of ancient egyptian gods and godesses Isis, Horub, and Seb. But today’s scripture reading rings out clear in my understanding that today’s clergy are no different than the clerics of Jesus’ days. All the things he said about the scribes and pharisees of His day are true of our clergy today. They love the honor of men and women more than the love of God. They all claim to be God-fearing and that their denomination is superior to all others saying “If God be for us, who can be against us”!!
See with eyes wide open how these church leaders deceive for pockets full of money. hear with open hearts the rebuke of our Master the Lord Jesus Christ, who is in us at all times and above us at all times. There is none like Him anywhere. He alone is our Lord and teacher accept no imitation. Follow not leaders and proselytizers. This is what He means in His commandments “You shall have no other gods before Me”. He is not a “do as I say not as I do” god. He leads by example!!! What today’s clergy have forfeited and exchanged for the bitter, cold comfort of wealth!! If I, a man of disabled intellect can see it with clear understanding then you who are reading this of sound mind and consecrated souls can also discern it and rejoice for thus Jesus prophesied it would be.
The true worship is in your very own heart and soul. Pay attention to your spiritual longings. Let Jesus come and dwell with you in your place of residence. Fill your private home with His word and testify and witness boldly that Christ is risen, indeed and is coming again just as He said. Let Jesus forgive you and purge you of your sins and let Him give you His promise of clear and orderly direction. The clear and orderly direction you don’t get at Protestant and Catholic churches. The clear and orderly direction you don’t get fromn TV evangelists who reach into your pockets and hand you a wafer and mediocre lip service. The clear and orderly direction you don’t get at your jobs in corporate America’s neon cement jungle of competition and the religion of greed and money. The clear and orderly direction you don’t get in America’s schools. The clear and orderly direction you don’t get even from your own parents!!! But you first must believe with your whole hearts and minds and worship Him in earnest sincerity. To honor Him go to church and contribute mightily that others may see your example and follow your lead and observe whatever your respective “pastor” says but don’t do as they do. For they have their reward in full in the here and now and serve the religion of money and the gods of mammon. You, however, anoint yourself in the morning and follow the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ who is with you even to the end of all the ages. Amen.