02262020 – Ash Wednesday
Jesus was NOT an “ENTHUSIASTIC DEVOTEE,” he was NOT an “ARDENT ADMIRER” neither was he an “ENTHUSIAST” of HYPOCRISY.
He just did NOT care for it AT ALL!
From his PERSPECTIVE – people were PRETENDING to be something they were NOT…which usually translated into BEING pretenders to VIRTUE or to GOODNESS.
They simply CLAIMED something for THEMSELVES that WAS NOT TRUE.
Jesus actually compared such individuals to “ACTORS on a STAGE.” THEY were seeking APPROVAL from others. PLAYING A ROLE…and not being TRUE to themselves and WHO they really-truly ARE.
In some instances, they actually sought APPLAUSE for their ACTIONS, numerous PATS on the back and a lot of ATTABOYS…GOOD JOB…WELL DONE!
Sometimes, hypocrites appear to be DESPERATE and OVERLY DRAMATIC – because “the PRAISE” they receive IS NEVER ENOUGH.
They desire MORE…and MORE and MORE (and MORE is NEVER enough.)
Such persons can also be called “BEGUILERS,” “TRICKSTERS,” “CHEATERS” and “DECEIVERS.”
You do not RUN AROUND making “a big spectacle of YOURSELF” or “of things that are HOLY.” Control yourself.
DISCRETION comes to mind. Can you be DISCRETE? Must everything be SHOWY? Must YOU always SEIZE the LIMELIGHT? IS EVERYTHING really about YOU?
It is also a part of the INFAMOUS Sermon on the Mount that Jesus SAID:
“Why do you look at the SPECK of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay NO ATTENTION to the PLANK in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “LET ME take that SPECK out of your eye,” when all the time there is a huge PLANK in your own eye?” YOU HYPOCRITE, first take the PLANK out of your own eye, and then you will see CLEARLY to remove the small little tiny SPECK from your brother’s eye.”
With these WITTY and BITING WORDS, Jesus caused his listeners THEN and NOW, to carefully take a look at their OWN LIVES. And their MOTIVATIONS!
Our WE ACCUSING others?
Do WE POINT FINGERS at others?
Do WE stand in JUDGMENT over others?
Who do we THINK WE ARE?
WHAT gives us the RIGHT?
To put it – in the most SIMPLISTIC OF TERMS, a hypocrite is someone who doesn’t “practice what they preach.”
Hypocrisy or ONE of its VARIATIONS appears 17 times in the gospels and usually with the recurring phrase, “YOU HYPOCRITES!”
Jesus called a SPADE – a SPADE.
He did NOT mince words.
JESUS called people OUT. And for the record, Jesus HIMSELF was NOT a hypocrite. No one EVER accused him of hypocrisy.
Jesus WALKED THE WALK.
Jesus TALKED THE TALK.
He was CONSISTENT and HIS WORD was always GOOD. Jesus DID as he said he would DO.
MARK records Jesus as saying: “ISAIAH prophesied rightly about YOU hypocrites, as it is written, “THIS PEOPLE honors me with their LIPS, but their HEARTS are FAR from ME.”
“LIP SERVICE” we call it, when OUR WORD is NOT good.
Regarding the SABBATH DAY he said, “You hypocrites! Does NOT each of you on the Sabbath untie his OX or his DONKEY from the manger and lead it away to give it WATER?” That would be in Luke’s gospel!
BUT it is CHIEFLY in MATTHEW, where Jesus takes his STAND against those who say ONE THING and then, DO ANOTHER. (Matthew you may remember is “THE” MOST JEWISH Gospel!)
He is usually – routinely challenging the Scribes and the Pharisees. The RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES of his day!
Nope, he was NOT a fan of Hypocrites nor of Hypocrisy at all…
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ preaching marathon continues…
He speaks seemingly non-stop, without A BREAK for a SWIG of water.
The THREE CHIEF PILLARS of Jewish PIETY were almsgiving (or giving to the poor,) prayer and fasting.
And when it comes to all three, Jesus cautioned – to be SUPER DISCREET, to NOT make a SHOW of anything religious and to not make a SPECTACLE out of things that are HOLY.
It REALLY TRULY is a matter of the HEART. Make SURE your heart is in the right place. Make sure that YOU do THINGS for the RIGHT REASONS. Make sure your INTENTIONS are honorable.
Trust me, you do not want to be compared to the ACTOR who is only PLAYING a PART. LIFE is too important for “bit parts.” BE REAL.
Amen.