Cleaning the Outside Only
I recently preached two sermons from Matthew 23. Both of these sermons carried the idea of “Christless Christianity – Fig Leaf Religion”. Jesus also issued eight “woes” that carry a grave warning of judgment to come. It seems that our culture is infected by pragmatism. It has even infected the church to the point where many who say they are Christians, do look like ones on the outside, but on the inside are dead men’s bones.
I am especially struck at the description and the two woes in vs. 25-28. First our Lord says in vs. 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
You can make the outside look real good. They were guilty of looking the part of being holy, but by the condemnation of Jesus they were far from it. The Pharisees focus on external issues lay at the heart of their error. Who would want to drink from a cup that has been washed on the outside but was filthy on the inside? This is exactly how the Pharisees lived their lives. External appearance was more important than internal reality. This was at the core of their hypocrisy.
Another similar yet profound description of their life is found in vs. 27 “For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” A freshly washed tomb would be brilliantly white and clean and sometimes spectacularly ornate. But the inside was full of defilement and decay. It does not matter the outside of the tomb, no matter its beauty, it’s still full of dead men’s bones.
The final application came as Jesus summoned this truth to the Pharisees. He said in vs. 28 “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside your are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Religion will do this to you. It will make you appear holy to men, but lost inside. No real change. A radically transformed life from death to life by the atoning blood of Christ will result in change. Consider these woes Jesus proclaimed. Examine yourself. Are you clean on the outside only? Or have you been washed in the blood of the lamb?
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