Daily Readings - Mon Aug 22 2022
2 Thessalonians
1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:2Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;4So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:5Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:12That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew
13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
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.