What's Important? - Ex. 34-38 & Matt. 22b-23a

Today's (and yesterday's) readings are powerful. The OT readings deal with Moses going back up the mountain to get the Ten Commandment tablets re-made and then more instructions regarding the making of the tabernacle (which doesn't make for the most interesting reading).

Then in the NT reading for yesterday and today we have some wild stuff. We have religious leaders asking questions and trying to trip Jesus up left and right, we have some brilliant answers from Jesus, and THEN we listen in as Jesus puts the smack down on the Pharisees - WOW!

Let me first say that it is so awesome to me that Moses got to spend 40 days and nights with God. And it is even more exciting that when Moses came down out of God's presence, people couldn't even look at him! Wow. That's holiness. You can't spend a whole lot of time in the presence of God without being changed. May we all "let our light so shine..." (Matt. 5:16). Then as I mentioned the text in the OT goes into more details about building the tabernacle, which is boring as all get out to read, but once again, it is very cool to think about because the reason for the precision and detail of these things is that they represent God! I wish we had the kind of respect and reverent fear of God that would lead to our careful worship of Him. He is so worthy!

But what really hit me today was the NT readings. Holy cow! Honestly I'm still reeling and don't know quite what to make of Jesus' words. What I mean by that is that His response to the Pharisees is just not what we consider a Christian response, yet it was Christ who said it - so obviously it was a Christian response - but wow. And what I can make of Jesus' words is this - God is not playing around. In chapter 22 we have the famous passage of the guy asking Jesus what the (notice the singular) most important command of Moses was and Jesus giving the Great Commandment - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is equally important:'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" So Jesus, although asked for THE most important command had to answer by giving two commands - and this is important - because you cannot separate loving God and loving your neighbors. They are tied together and Jesus says that these two commands sum up every other teaching. That's huge. And then Jesus goes into the rampage that I alluded to in chapter 23 where he gives seven woes to the Pharisees. And again, there's a lot more I need to swallow as God gives me wisdom, but what I do know is that Jesus was very serious about these teachings. And what was the main topic? Hypocrisy. That is saying or teaching or even believing one thing, while living another. Jesus does not care about how we look (or even act) on the outside as much as He cares about our hearts and motives. This is taught over and over by Jesus and yet we still focus on actions and looks. This is a huge lesson I'm learning and trying to figure out how to better teach my kids and my youth so as to help them change their hearts and convictions, not just actions, but it is indeed a hard lesson.

Keep reading friends, this is powerful, life-changing stuff!