From Matthew 23:13-36 / Woe, woe, woe, seven times – woe!

Jesus began this section with His question to the Pharisees, and His condemnation of pride in the priesthood. Something we might rightly transfer not only to those in “ministry” but to all of us in our service to the King. If we are serving Christ and His Church for our own gratification, we are in dangerous territory. That does not mean that we ought not enjoy being in His service, not at all. We ought to delight at being employed by Him. But when being employed by Him and enjoying it, flips so that begin to accrue to ourselves some of the glory that belongs only to Him – when serving Him feeds our pride – woe to us. For now, ministry serves us, rather than we serving in ministry. We become like Achan in Joshua 7, taking for ourselves what is supposed to be dedicated to God. When we forget Christ’s words to the Disciples in Luke 17:10 “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ” Our highest obedience is only our bare responsibility – not something to pride ourselves in.

So it is Jesus then issues these 7 “woes” for those (in this case the Pharisees) who refuse to humble themselves, but instead seek to be exalted by others.

Woe #1 (13) – When we assume that who “gets in” or not, is up to us and our little group. Damning exclusivity based upon connection to us over and above connection to Christ by faith.

Woe #2 (15) – Engaging in making disciples of us, rather than disciples of Christ.

Woe #3 (16-22) – Constructing ethical paradigms built upon our views over and above Biblical teaching. Paradigms that circumvent the need for transparent truthfulness.

Woe #4 (23-24) – Teaching that technical, ritualistic and mechanical obedience makes the character of Christ within irrelevant.

Woe #5 (25-26) – Replacing spiritual transformation with mere moralism.

Woe #6 (27-28) – Putting more emphasis on how one appears to others, than on how the inward man is perceived by God.

Woe #7 (29-35) – Putting emphasis upon the people they were connected to, as though that says something positive about them – rather than identifying with Christ Himself. It creates cults built upon human association. And prevails today in celebrity ministries.

How glorious is the Gospel then?

We are born again in the Kingdom by the Spirit, and our eternal destiny is not up to any human institution – great or small.

We are made new so as to follow Christ. And listen to only those who point us to Him, to His persona and work.

We come to walk in the light even as He is in the light – and there all our sins are met in Christ. And there are no spiritual elite who can live by other rules than the holiness of Christ.

We are justified by faith, not by works. Our righteousness does not depend upon rites and rituals, but upon the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by faith.

We seek to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the work of the Spirit as He reveals to us the work of Christ, and illumines His Word to us to sanctify us by the Truth. Changed lives flowing our of changed hearts.

We seek to be smiled upon by The Father, as it is without faith, it is impossible to please Him. We are freed from bondage to how others may see us.

We find no spiritual comfort or status in who we might be connected to by blood or association – but in our being one with Christ by the Spirit. This is all our hope – that we are in Christ.

How freeing and glorious then is this salvation! All of grace, all of grace, all of grace.

All gory to Christ our King. Our Savior and our God.