me...Pharisee

 

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"

Matthew 15:3

Which has more weight: what God says or what I want? Which is the most important: God's revealed Law or my personal spirituality applications? Those questions are at the heart of Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees. It is God's revealed truth that has the only weight. It is God's Word, and not any one thing I want, that is most important.

The Pharisees are easy targets of my ridicule when reading the gospels because after all, they were so obviously missing what Jesus was saying. But hold on... am I really any better? If I take pride in my perceived righteous actions, I am no better. If I want to be noticed for my good behavior, sound doctrine, and public persona, I've become as dangerous to the gospel as those who hated Jesus enough to seek His execution. I've become a grace killer.

Lord,

Forgive my self-righteous thinking. I am so prone to break Your Law for the sake of my beloved tradition. I can make an idol of my self-righteousness. I want to be a man saved by grace and who despises my own filthy works. Keep the Pharisees away from the gospel in my heart! I will pray for You to be merciful to me, a sinner. Oh, keep me humbly in need of You, Lord Jesus.

Amen