Daily Readings - Mon Aug 22 2022
2 Thessalonians
1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.4Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.5This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering--11To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,12so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew
13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.14See Footnote15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'17You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?18And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.'19You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?20So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.21And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.22And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected messages that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and hypocrisy. The first reading from 2 Thessalonians is a letter of encouragement, where Paul praises the Thessalonians for their growing faith and abundant love amidst persecution. He commends their patience and faith, which are signs of their worthiness of God's kingdom. Paul also prays for their continued growth in living out their faith, that they may glorify Jesus through their actions and perseverance.
In contrast, the Gospel from Matthew presents Jesus confronting the scribes and Pharisees, criticizing their hypocrisy. He denounces their actions, such as shutting the kingdom of heaven to others and exploiting widows, while also highlighting their flawed reasoning about oaths. Jesus points out their error in valuing material things over the sacred, emphasizing that the container is more significant than its contents. This critique serves as a warning against focusing on outward appearances rather than inner righteousness.
These readings challenge us to examine our own faith. Are we like the Thessalonians, growing in faith and love despite challenges, or are we like the Pharisees, prioritizing the wrong things and living hypocritically? The moral lesson here is the importance of sincerity in faith. True faith is not about outward shows but about living according to God's will, with patience, love, and perseverance. Let us strive to be like the Thessalonians, living out our faith genuinely, and avoid the pitfalls of hypocrisy, focusing instead on glorifying God in all we do.