Jesus wasn’t finished. In Matthew 23, He directly challenged + confronted the religious leaders on issue after issue. This was probably Jesus’ last public sermon.
• Jesus prayed over Jerusalem + wept over the people in the city that He deeply loved. (Matthew 23:37-39)
What does He teach about?
Salvation? The resurrection? More principles for living the kingdom life?
None of the above!
Once again, He took on dead religion + challenged the religious leaders + community of that day!
It’s important to point out that Jesus didn’t merely “dis” these religious leaders, He spoke truth to them because He deeply loved them. In fact, at some point during that day, Jesus actually took time to weep + pray over Jerusalem.
Jesus: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets + stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38 + now, look, your house is abandoned + desolate. 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!’” —Matthew 23:37-39 NLT
• Jesus talked with His disciples about the future + eternity. (Matthew 24-25:46; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36)
As Jesus + the disciples started to leave Jerusalem, the disciples were blown away by + fixated on the size, scope + beauty of the buildings that made up the temple complex. That’s when Jesus began to unpack a vivid description of what the future would look like. He even indicated that the temple would ultimately be destroyed. Once again, it happened in 70 AD.
That’s an overview of Tuesday. But before we move on to Wednesday, it’s important to go over the difference between religion + Christianity.
Do vs. Done
Religion is spelled D-O.
Religion is spelled “D-O” because it’s about all the stuff people do to try to somehow gain God’s forgiveness + favor. Like praying, going to church, being nice to people + giving money to the poor, all in order to earn our way to heaven.
In Jesus’ day, it was about all the meticulous rules a person had to keep.
But the problem with that approach is that we can never know when we’ve done enough. It’s like being a salesman who knows he’s got a quota to meet, but he’s never told what the quota is or where he stands. So, he can never be sure that he’s actually done enough.
Worse yet, when it comes to you + me, the Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that we can never do enough to merit eternal life. It tells us that we will always fall short of God’s perfect standard.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. —Romans 3:23 NLT
Christianity is spelled “D-O-N-E.”
Religion is spelled “D-O.” But Christianity is spelled differently. Christianity says that no one can ever measure up to God’s standard or holiness. No amount of effort or sacrifice can merit God’s favor or eternal life. We can’t save ourselves by becoming good or doing good.
So, Christianity is spelled “D-O-N-E,” which means that what we could never do for ourselves, Jesus has already done for us.
He lived the perfect life that we could never live + willingly died on the cross as our substitute to pay the penalty we owed for all the wrongs we’ve done. In fact, when He died He cried these words, “It is finished or I have done it!” (John 19:30)
To become a real Christian is to simply trust what Jesus has already done. When we trust Him, He adopts us into His family + begins to change us from the inside out!
Christianity is about a relationship. It’s not about religion. If you’re not in a relationship with God, you can begin one today by expressing your faith through this simple prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for loving me. I realize that I’ve sinned. My sin has separated me from You. I make a decision today to stop trusting in my own efforts + to start trusting in what Jesus did. I believe that Jesus died for my sins + in my place. I ask that You forgive my sins + lead my life. I choose to trust Jesus. Amen.”
Today’s Verse: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. —Romans 3:23 NLT
Today’s Prompt: Do you really believe that you don’t have to work your way into a relationship with God?
Today’s Gratitude: I am grateful that Jesus took my penalty, so I can enjoy the presence of God.
Today’s Prayer: Father, help me to not get caught up in religion + rules, but to trust that You love me, as I am right now + there is nothing I could ever do to make You love me more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
