Daily Readings - Tue Aug 25 2020

¹Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,²not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.³Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,¹⁴To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Matthew

Chapter 23

²³"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.²⁴You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!²⁵"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.²⁶You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Sermon

The readings today offer a profound reflection on the nature of faith and authenticity. In 2 Thessalonians, we are reminded to remain steadfast and not be swayed by false claims about the second coming of Christ. The apostle reassures the community that certain events must unfold before Christ's return, emphasizing the importance of holding fast to the traditions of the faith. This message of stability and hope is a comfort to believers, encouraging them to trust in God's grace and not be deceived by false teachings. In the Gospel, Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, critiquing their focus on minor details of the law while neglecting the more significant virtues of judgment, mercy, and faith. His metaphors of straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel and cleaning the outside of a cup while ignoring the inside illustrate the disparity between outward appearances and inner righteousness. Jesus calls for a genuine faith that prioritizes the heart over external displays of piety. These readings connect through their emphasis on authenticity in faith. Both warn against superficiality—whether in believing false teachings or in practicing religion without inner integrity. They challenge us to look beyond the surface and cultivate a faith that is rooted in truth and moral consistency. In our daily lives, this means being vigilant against false ideas and ensuring our actions reflect genuine faith. The moral lesson is clear: true faith is about inner righteousness, not outward appearances. Let us strive to live with authenticity, focusing on what truly matters in our walk with God.