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[Jesus said,] ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness’ (Matthew 23:23a).
Read Matthew 23:13–26
It’s incredibly difficult to read Jesus’s litany of ‘woes’ without feeling a squeeze of discomfort that I, too, can sometimes be a little teacher-of-the-law-ish. Throughout chapter 23 of Matthew, there are seven woes, ranging from generalised hypocrisy to full-out ignorance of humanity by these leaders of the religion.
As a Christian, despite my best attempts to be faithful to God’s law and the beautiful order of how that word holds things together, I sometimes point to the wrong things and proclaim to God:
But look! See my sacrifice! See the minty goodness of my time spent volunteering and note my diligent attempts not to be a dill. Full disclosure here: I don’t have a realistic understanding of what cumin does, but … come on over to my side and pat me on the back for all the good things that I do so that other people will see what a good person I am.
Woe to the Pharisees. Woe to me.
At times, I am more impressed by these little things than presenting myself as a living sacrifice to God, poured out by his good and pleasing will, for the benefit of these beautiful people around me. Jesus points me and Christian communities back to Micah 6:8: ‘What does the Lord require of me but to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?’
These things are much more difficult, requiring perseverance and often pain. But woe to us, not just that we don’t do them, but that we miss out on the blessings of being part of God’s work in this world of administering justice and mercy and finding faithfulness.
The good news is this: the seven woes that Jesus speaks can be turned into words of wonder. He actually gives us the communal blueprint for joy rather than woe. As you read through this passage again, focus instead on the latter halves of Jesus’ statements and ponder how they might change your perspective on the life of your community.
From woe to wonder!
Heavenly Father, thank you for your wonderful gifts to me. Help me to live a life of wonder and assistance to others. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
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[The teachers of the law and the Pharisees] tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them (Matthew 23:4).
Read Matthew 22:41–23:12
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Hippocratic oath before. Some of you may have uttered it as a physician, and it is often distilled down to this: first, do no harm.
Our extraordinary doctors and nurses, who dedicate their lives to easing pain and suffering, are bound by this oath. This means not purposefully causing additional pain and suffering to the individual. It means doing everything in one’s power to release the victim from the grip of disease or tragedy and bring them a restored life.
Jesus might have intended the oath to be instilled in the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, also. Firstly, do no harm and do not burden your people.
Especially if you, yourself, do not fully intend to follow your own advice. As we all know, this is hypocrisy at its core.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees dreamt up long lists of rules and regulations, statutes, and sub-statutes that the people had to follow to gain righteousness. They loved being the bearers of bad news – put the Ten Commandments on your doorjambs; sew the correct tassels into your clothes; do this and do that; be humble. Yet they were unable to locate the bone of humility inside themselves. They loved the place of honour at banquets, and they loved being greeted with honorifics in the streets. ‘Rabbi!’ people would call out.
This passage reads as though Jesus implies that the teachers of the law and Pharisees have taken a Hypocritic oath: ‘Firstly, everybody else must be humble and burdened, but I’m too good for that.’ What does this have to do with the 21st century?
Jesus speaks to me by saying, ‘Don’t saddle anyone, anywhere, at any time, with rules and regulations about how to get Jesus to love you. Jesus’ love is not coerced by good works. And don’t suggest, “If you’re a good person, then Jesus will like you”, or “You have to go to church, read your Bible daily, and pray morning, noon and night to get God’s attention.”’ These are burdensome rules that I don’t even impose on myself because I know that God’s power in Jesus, through his death and resurrection, is the only source of righteousness known to God. Thus, I need not pretend that these apply to everyone else.
I don’t need a Hypocritic oath. Just the hope in the promises (oaths) of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty of living life within the boundaries of your commands, assured of your promise of grace through your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
Jesus replied, ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like angels in heaven’ (Matthew 22:29,30).
Read Matthew 22:23–40
That poor woman.
I know, it’s a Sadducaical parable. (Say that fast 10 times …) But it feels as though they’re asking the wrong question. The Sadducees really shouldn’t be wondering who the woman is married to, but how she will survive the grief of being a childless widow seven times over.
You see, the Sadducees weren’t really concerned with something they didn’t believe in, only making Jesus stumble. And Jesus, for his part, was able to correct them in their defiance of resurrection with a message of good news.
I hope you read this carefully …
The good news of everlasting life, what happens at the resurrection, is that God is unconcerned about who is married to whom, who carries on what lineage, or who gets the house and car keys. No, our Heavenly Father is God of the living, not the dead, and when you have been resurrected, there is no need for these other things. There is only everlasting, joyful life in his presence.
When Jesus says you will be like the angels, that doesn’t mean you’ll get wings and hover about checking on people. What it means is that, like the angels, you will live forever and will no longer need to think about procreation (especially if there have been seven spouses during this lifetime).
For me, Jesus turns the parable on its head on the Sadducees, gives them the good news of the resurrection, and silences their need to distract their followers from God’s love in Jesus.
For me, Jesus might even turn the parable to give hope to men and women, both in marriages and outside of them, that God is the God of the living in their lives, too.
Question: What do you think happens after you die?
Jesus, thank you for your wisdom and uncanny way of sharing great news with all people. Bless me in all my relationships, and remind me you are the God of the living. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
by Reid Matthias
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The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you’ (Luke 8:38,39a).
Read Luke 8:26–39
For Jesus, it seems as though this venture into despairing territory has always been part of the plan. Jesus decides that they will go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Here is where all things unclean are, even pigs and pig herders. In the midst of these people is a cemetery and a man who could be considered the ‘uncleanest’ man of all: demon-possessed, surrounded by the dead, naked, in a region of Gentiles, and he has been isolated and chained in the tombs far too many times.
When Jesus encounters this man, he speaks to the demons inside the man. He refuses to allow their voice to be the one that conquers. Instead, Jesus releases the man from the demons and sends them to their rightful place, into the pigs, who rush headlong into the lake and are drowned.
While this story has nothing to do with politics, I can’t help but wonder if, as a devotional, it might speak to us about the polarisation happening in our world. Those on the left side of the lake view the others on the right bank as unclean, demon-possessed, living among the old, dead things. And vice versa, those on the left side of the lake are puritanical Pharisees, pointing fingers and finding ways to be ‘holier than thou’. And in all of this, everyone is seized by the urge to believe things that aren’t actually true to bolster their right-or-left-side-of-the-lake perspective.
Maybe this is where Jesus can (and does) come to us all and can (and does) finally free us from our miserable preconceptions to release us from the demons of uncivilised judgement of our brothers and sisters.
It’s a scary thing, isn’t it? Yet, to be freed from the demon of the age will allow us to beg for the privilege of going with Jesus.
Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, we can be free at last.
Heavenly Father, free me from my inability to see the humanity in the other. Give me the strength to bow at your feet and receive freedom. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God (Psalm 42:5).
Read Psalm 42 and 43
The psalmist is a troubled soul – this reverberates through the verses that we have read. Three times, the psalmist questions, ‘Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?’ And three times, we read the reassurance, ‘Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we didn’t have much in the way of lockdowns here in South Australia. In fact, it was quite novel not to have to worry about any commitments and doing things. Instead, we could just be.
I know that in other places, people really struggled with the isolation and the limitations placed on them and that there are some long-term effects, particularly on children whose education and socialisation were seriously disrupted, leading to ongoing issues.
One thing I do recall is how much I missed going to church. I missed being with our community, the after-church socialisation and our worship – the liturgy, the confession and absolution, the hymns (I love to sing the hymns and give voice to what each hymn or song confesses – we have such a rich resource in our hymnody). Most of all, I missed the fellowship we experienced when gathered around the altar to receive Christ’s body and blood. Zoom church was a weak second-best!
I also recall the joyful celebration of our first Sunday back at church. I wrote in my diary on 12 July 2020:
Back to church at last – trumpets to welcome us. It was very moving to have a thundering organ, and so good to be able to sing again – some great hymns, church triumphant ones. And so comforting to, at last, meet together at the altar and receive holy communion.
As the psalmist writes, it was a joy and a delight to go to the altar of God.
Three times in today’s reading, we are reminded to put our hope in God. Whatever happens, we can put our hope in God. What a comfort that is in these days when we are experiencing so much that has never been experienced before. There are things we can worry about locally, not to mention in the world at large. We can also rest securely, believing that no matter what happens, we can put our hope in God.
Gracious God, thank you for the opportunities we have to come together, worship you and nurture our faith. Thank you for the gift of faith that enables us to hope even when things look hopeless. Thank you for the comfort that your promises give to us. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly likes listening to people’s stories and learning from them about who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation.
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt’ (Exodus 13:17b).
Read Exodus 13:17 – 14:4
What is the story of your family coming to this land? Three of my four grandparents came from pioneering stock from Germany in the 1860s or thereabouts. The fourth, from Sweden, jumped ship in Melbourne in the early 1900s, found work on my great-grandparents’ orchard, married their daughter and settled here.
If you think about it, those of us whose history or whose family history in Australia is less than 250 years are quite likely to have a refugee element lurking in our past – be it coming here for physical, economic, political or religious safety. Or maybe they were looking for a new start that provided different or better opportunities.
The number of people seeking safety and refuge worldwide today is growing exponentially. People are fleeing unspeakable scenarios of grief, loss, violence and insecurity. They don’t have a pillar of cloud in the day or a pillar of fire by night. The driving force for them is the dream of safety and security. Unless we have faced the dangers that they have left or that they endure in their search for safety, we cannot know what they have gone through. They have to choose between facing war, famine, violence, or the dangers and uncertainties that come with leaving.
Rather than distance ourselves from these challenging realities, what we can do is welcome strangers, listen to their stories and show them hospitality.
It’s worth revisiting Matthew 25:31–58. Jesus was very clear about the importance of caring for those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or in prison. It’s the same message that Jesus taught in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
There are two types of ministry that we can engage in to share Christ’s love with others: the ministry of proclamation, through which we share the good news, and the ministry of service, by which we care for those in need. There are ample opportunities for you and for me to engage in both. And through our ministry, the Holy Spirit can work in the hearts of those with whom we share.
Ever-present and unchanging God, help us to see your face in the face of those who are seeking refuge. Open our hearts to people in need and help us to generously share the gifts that you have given each of us. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly likes listening to people’s stories and learning from them about who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation.
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt’ (Exodus 13:8).
Read Exodus 13:3–16
This year has been 50 years since my husband, John, and I got engaged and married. When we were looking to buy an engagement ring, a colleague took us to a pawn shop and helped us select a suitable ring, which we then bought at auction. It is a beautiful ring – a sweetheart design – and was manufactured 25 years before our purchase. I sometimes wonder who the original owner was and why the ring ended up at a pawn shop. I am also very conscious that in buying that ring, we were redeeming it.
These days, the concept of redemption seems to be the domain of shops that take your goods and give you money, which you then have to pay (exorbitant) interest on until you redeem your goods with money. People who use such services are those who are struggling to make ends meet.
However, in today’s reading, guidelines are set down that are to be observed to ensure the Israelites remain aware of God’s might in bringing them out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Not only were there dietary requirements, but the firstborn of people and livestock had to be redeemed. The firstborn of the livestock was to be killed, and the firstborn child had to be bought back from the Lord. If the livestock is not redeemed, it is to be killed.
This practice continued until New Testament times; in fact, we read about Mary and Joseph offering two pairs of birds at the temple, as presumably they could not afford to sacrifice a lamb.
Jesus’ death and resurrection ensure we are redeemed. No more sacrifices are necessary to guarantee our salvation. No more rules are required! Now, that’s a redemption I can live with!
Redeeming God, thank you for sending your Son to die for us so that all of our sins and obligations would no longer be counted. Thank you for your saving grace that we don’t have to earn. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly likes listening to people’s stories and learning from them about who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation.
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
[Pharaoh said,] ‘Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me’ (Exodus 12:32).
Read Exodus 12:29–39
My dad used to respond to a sneeze with a resounding ‘Gesundheit’ – a delightfully onomatopoeic word that means ‘Good health’. If there were multiple sneezes, the response was sometimes the rhyme, ‘One for a wish, two for a kiss, three for a letter, four for something better’, which can be extended to ‘Five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told’. Or how often have you sneezed and someone says, ‘Bless you’? To me, this is a form of invoking God’s blessing on the sneezer.
I’m not sure whether Pharaoh was hedging his bets when he asked for a blessing as he sent Moses and Aaron on their way. And I guess he was not working up to a sneeze! But it seems to me that it was an odd request. Maybe it was born out of anguish for the losses that he had suffered, including that of his firstborn. We don’t know how Moses and Aaron responded to Pharaoh’s request.
Sometimes, people who aren’t usually associated with the church or profess not to have any faith ask for prayers when things go wrong. When I mentioned this to one of my friends, they responded, ‘I think it’s fine for us to be a “first aid station.” Sometimes, people start regular care once they’ve experienced emergency care, and that’s a good thing, too.’ I love that explanation!
I encourage you to be bold and offer prayer support to your friends, neighbours and family members who may not be part of a church community. I have offered prayer support to many people, and it has never been rebuffed.
In the meantime, let’s continue blessing the sneezers in our community! I’m sure there’ll be lots of opportunities as winter takes hold.
Our prayer is the Aaronic Blessing that was given to Moses, handed to Aaron and has even been passed down to us today – and maybe (but probably not) Aaron pronounced this blessing over Pharaoh.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly likes listening to people’s stories and learning from them about who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation.
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – a lasting ordinance (Exodus 12:14).
Read Exodus 12:1–14
These are indeed very precise instructions. Can you imagine what it must have been like for the Israelites, being told so exactly what to do? These days, some of us really don’t like being told what to do, and it is not uncommon for authority to be questioned. Do you always pay your fare on public transport? How many people ignore traffic rules and use their mobile phones while driving? Are there some tricky tax options that you have found to reduce what you have to pay each year?
The instructions given for the Passover continue to be remembered and celebrated within the Jewish tradition to this day. Our celebration of holy communion comes from Jesus’ celebration of the Passover with his disciples on the night he was betrayed.
This celebration is one of the two sacraments through which we receive the gift of God’s grace through earthly, tangible elements: baptism through water and holy communion through the bread and the wine. These sacraments bring us comfort and a uniquely intimate relationship with God; these gifts are just for you and for me. Through the Lord’s supper, we have the assurance of the remission of our sins. They are taken away – completely cancelled each time we participate in that sacrament.
The term ‘ordinance’ that is used here means that it is a permanent institution, and we are carrying forward that tradition each time we celebrate the Lord’s supper, even though we do not need to fulfil all of the Passover instructions anymore.
God of yesterday, today and tomorrow, thank you for all the times that you have led us from troubled times to a safe place. Thank you for continually keeping us mindful of the past as we receive the sacraments. Thank you for the comfort we receive each time we gather together at your table. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly likes listening to people’s stories and learning from them about who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation.