Post by Betty on Sept 22, 2007 4:51:25 GMT -5
Practical ReligionAuthor: Woodrow KrollDevotion: Woodrow KrollScripture References:Matthew 16:1-28Do you enjoy this devotional? Send it on to a friend! ____________________________________________________________ Title: Practical Religion And in the morning, It will be foul weathertoday: for the sky is red and lowring. O yehypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky;but can ye not discern the signs of the times? Faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour transforms usfrom a shallow meaningless person into one filledwith the Spirit of God. If we are born again andthe Spirit resides within us, our religion oughtto be as full of meaning as our lives are full ofthe Spirit. How terrible to see many religions inwhich there is absolute meaninglessness becauseof spiritual ritualism. Jesus encountered thisvery same thing in His day as well. The Pharisees were always guilty of practicing anempty religion. This is why John the Baptistcalled them a "generation of vipers" (Matthew3:7). The Pharisees were constantly interested inkeeping the ceremonial law, but they had thewrong heart attitude toward God. When Jesuscalled Matthew to discipleship, the Phariseeswere right there to question the Lord'sdisciples, "Why eateth your Master with publicansand sinners?" (Matthew 9:11). When He cast ademon out of a man who was dumb, the Phariseesaccused Jesus of casting out devils through thepower of the prince of the devils (Matthew 9:34). Always the Pharisees were seeking a sign fromJesus that He was the Messiah. Time and again Herefused to give them such a sign saying that thesign of Jonah was all they would need. Hisresurrection after a death of three days would bethe great sign to them that He was indeed theMessiah. If they would not believe that sign,neither would they believe any other. At Magdala Jesus again encountered the Pharisees,this time in league with the Sadducees andHerodians, who again asked Him for a sign. Asbefore, Jesus refused to give them such a signbut at the same time He taught them somethingabout the emptiness and blindness of theirspiritual ritualism. Jesus noted that thePharisees and Sadducees could read the weathersigns in the heavens. He said, "When it isevening you say, it will be fair weather for thesky is red." This is comparable to our axiom,"Red sky at night, sailor's delight." But Jesuscontinued, "And in the morning it will be foulweather today: for the sky is red and lowring"(Matthew 16:3). Or, as we would say, "Red sky inmorning, sailors take warning." Jesus then concluded with the assessment, "O yehypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky;but can ye not discern the signs of the times?"These religious leaders could read the skies withthe best astronomers and mariners, but could notrecognize that Jesus was the Messiah. This waswhere their expertise should have been, butbecause they had been involved so long with emptyformalism instead of meaningful activity incarrying God's love to the world, they did nothave the eyes of faith with which to see Jesus astheir Saviour. An item from a church bulletin clearly points outthe inconsistency of pious religion which doesnot follow through in meeting the needs ofpeople. It is a satirical rephrasing of Matthew25: "I was famished and you formed a humanitarianclub to discuss my hunger...I was imprisoned andyou crept off quietly to your church to pray formy release. I was naked and you debated the morality of my unseemly appearance. I wassick and you knew it, yet did nothing but thankGod for your own health. I was homeless and youpreached to me of the spiritual shelter of thelove of God. I was lonely and you left me bymyself while you went and prayed for me. Youseemed so holy, so close to God; but I am stillvery hungry, desolate, and cold!" While the Pharisees had all the trappings ofreligion, all the robes, all the religiousparaphernalia, they had none of the heart, noneof what true religion is all about. Yet today aswell there are many churches and denominationsthat have all the trap-pings of religion but noneof the heart of the Lord Jesus. It is up to eachof us to make sure that we attend faithfullythose churches which show the heart of the LordJesus and not the heart of the Pharisee. Is yourchurch following Jesus or following the Pharisees? Is your religion practical? Make it apoint to pray for your church today. MORNING HYMNAll Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and Heav'n reflect Thy rays, Stars andangels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. ____________________________________________________________