I preached again!

As usual, these are my rough notes, so not necessarily everything I said while preaching.

Matthew 23:1-12 – Do as I say …

Intro

“Do as I say.”

What do we think of when we hear these words?

Do you hear your angry mom or dad or boss? Do you hear your own voice talking to your kids or employees or co-workers?

Do you hear reprimand?

Do you hear rebuke?

Or do you hear a command? “DO AS I SAY!” Or maybe a gentle reminder? “Please, just do as I say.”

The words that go through my head tend to be, “Do as I say, not as I do.” That hypocritical reminder that we fail, but we hope others do better. That our children will live a better life than we did growing up.

I also think about those times my parents would ask me to do something that I didn’t understand, and – sometimes with a hint of annoyance, sometimes with that gentleness of patience – they would simply say, “Do as I say,” with that implication it will make sense soon.

Message

Jesus spent the past chapter and a half talking to the religious leaders. This is the week of His Passion, the week He is crucified, and it is generally believed that it is now Tuesday. He had His triumphal entry on Sunday, He cursed a fig tree and cleansed the Temple on Monday, and He is now in the Temple having discussed His authority, the unfaithfulness of sons and tenants who even killed servants and the Son of the Master, the apparent worthiness of those invited to a wedding feast who likewise killed servants, paying taxes, and the final resurrection. The last two things discussed were the Greatest Commandment with Jesus explaining the source of His authority.

After all of this set up with the back and forth with the Pharisees, scribes (Greek: grammateis), Sadducees, and lawyers, Jesus addresses the leadership, specifically the scribes and Pharisees. A lawyer was simply one who knew the Law of Moses forward and backward. He doesn’t bother with the Sadducees. They deny the power of the Law while teaching it. Jesus focuses His attention on Pharisees, the conservative leaders, and scribes – literally the grammarians, the theologian priests who copy the Law and write the commentaries.

vv. 1-3a [Read]

In verse one we notice that Jesus directs this introduction to the crowd and His disciples. I imagine He starts out looking at them, but as He finishes verse three He shifts His gaze towards the religious leaders. He says that they sit on Moses’ seat. They are the stewards of God’s Word, delivering the message first given to Moses (and the Prophets) to the people of Israel, and they sit as judge over the people, as seen in Deuteronomy 17:9-11. This means that they are still spreading God’s truth. I can even imagine them beginning to look a little [more] smug, hearing Jesus say to listen to them. I can hear them repeating, “Yes. Do as I say.”

Then Jesus shifts, and I imagine He is fully looking at the Pharisees now.

vv. 3-7

Read v. 3: Jesus puts words in their mouths at this point: “Do as I say, not as I do.” In the next couple of weeks, we will see how He gives examples, such as keeping others from heaven while promising good things, making people worse, justifying wicked actions while hypocritically condemning others for those actions. He summarizes them here …

Read vv. 4-7: Remember the message from two weeks ago, when Jesus dealt with His authority and the Greatest Commandment.

He stressed loving God by loving others. What is Jesus saying immediately after that? The religious elite try to love God, but they do it by not loving others. It looks like they love God, because they explain His Law so well and add so many protections to keep God holy. It is loving to help people obey God’s commands, but it is not loving to give rules but not help obey them. It is loving to point people toward God, however, Jesus shows us that it is not out of love for others that the Pharisees do things.

“They do these to be seen by others.”

It is selfishness, pride, and prestige. The make themselves look good so that people think they are good and righteous. It’s not about honoring God, it’s about looking like they’re honoring God.

It is helping out in every ministry in church, but not taking time to actually help others or actively study God’s Word and thus grow in relationship with Him.
It is posting to Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok posts of your daily Bible readings, not so much because you remember what you read but to show people that you’re doing what you’re supposed to.

“They make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.”

It has been pointed out by many that there different words that could have been used by Jesus other than “phylacteries” that would have been more accurate to describe what was commanded by Moses in Exodus 13:9,16 and Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:19. The Hebrew words “totapot” (to-faw-faw or to-ta-fof) and “tefillin”, which mean “bindings of reminder/remembrance,” or the Greek “asaleutos”, which means “immovable/unshakable” are meant to serve as reminders of God’s saving Israel from Egypt and to love the Lord their God with all of their heart, soul, and mind.

A phylactery denotes a charm or protective ward, a superstitious or magical protection. Jesus is saying the Pharisees are using God’s Word as some sort of protective spell to keep away demons or curses rather than to actually keep God’s Word at the forefront of their minds, hearts, and actions as an act of worship and love.

Their fringes were a reminder of God’s holiness laws, as found in Numbers 15 and Deuteronomy 22. The Pharisees are showing they know all of God’s laws and keep them well. Between the two articles of jewelry/clothing, they are showing how many passages of Scripture they have memorized, how smart and biblical they are. “See how holy I am! Look! LOOK! I’m better than you!” Just like the proud pharisee in Jesus’ parable with the humble and contrite tax collector who both pray in Luke 18:9-14.

It is looking down on other Christians who don’t believe quite the same way or do things differently.
It is letting everyone know what they have done wrong without showing grace (“tie up heavy burdens, not willing to lift a finger to help.”)
It is reminding everyone of God’s standard while disobeying somewhere yourself.

“They love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues.”

They thought of themselves as better than others, so they expected good seats at events. They wanted to be the closest to whoever was teaching so that they could be seen as intense and passionate learners, lovers of the Law and good debaters.

It is having your seat at church and getting upset when someone else sits there.
It is wondering why the church isn’t doing more to serve you and meet your needs, rather than serving the brethren before your own needs.
It is arguing and debating the meaning of biblical passages and words without a willingness to learn or be proven wrong.
It is the discernment teachers who call out every sin of other teachers while neglecting to notice their own failings (maybe even saying they never sin.)

“They love greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi.”

The Pharisees loved being recognized and seen as smart. Some rabbis even demanded people give them public honor, such as bowing or kissing their hands.

It is the YouTuber who expects recognition for their great teachings.
It is the so-called “apostles” and “prophets” today who brag about their spiritual giftings and drag others into their lies and false teachings.
It is expecting non-Christians to behave like Christians, or all Christians to act exactly the same way.

Yet, these are the people Jesus says to listen to!

vv. 8-12

Read vv. 8-10: Is Jesus saying never be a teacher or pastor? Is he saying we can’t call our male parent our father?

No.

Jesus is saying stop seeking titles. Stop seeking to be better than others. Stop seeking to always correct everyone.

Seek first God and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), and He might make you one of the teachers and pastors. Remember James’ warning in chapter 3 of his letter: “Not many of you should become teachers, because teachers are judged more strictly. Look at the reaction the Pharisees and grammar nazis … I mean scribes are getting. Next week we get into the woes against them from Jesus Himself! But we also know teachers are held to a higher standard. Seek the standard first. What standard?

We are to love God and love others first.

How?

Jesus basically said in John 14, “Do as I say (v. 23 – “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word”) and as I do (v. 12 – “whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater”).” Or, here in Matthew …
Read vv. 11-12: Love God by loving others by serving them. [Read Philippians 2:1-4] Yes, we still have interests and needs that can be taken care of, but we are to think of others first. The next several verses in Philippians remind us that Jesus did this for us, the Creator and Sustainer of everything became a servant for us, dying on a cross.

Likewise, we serve God when try to make it easier on each other to follow Him. We don’t compromise truth, but neither do we bash people over the head with it. If anyone ever had reason to be judgmental and ruthless, it was Jesus. Instead of demanding a title or going out of His way to get recognition or correcting every little issue or killing people who didn’t follow God perfectly, He showed love, grace, and mercy.

Yes, He told people to go and sin no more, but first He saw them, He heard them, and He loved them.

Application

Maybe you have fallen short of perfection. (Romans 3:23 – We all have!) It’s not rules we follow that get us into heaven and away from God’s wrath, as the Pharisees clearly believed. It is trusting in the name of Jesus, the work He accomplished when He died on a cross to wash away our sins and restore us to relationship with God. It is believing that He raised again from the dead, overcoming death and sin, giving us hope for eternity with Him, not merely sitting on clouds and playing harps but on a restored Earth with glorified bodies free of pain, suffering, and fear.

Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t show grace to others. I have been. Then it was others showing grace to me and realizing more fully God’s grace for all of us that I began to grow in grace. I have been the legalist who had to correct every little error in someone’s theology, or told others how wrong their actions were, even while making the same (or very similar) errors. Such as when I fell into a crowd of hyper-charismatics, and I knew I understood God better than others. Or when, after that, I actually read and studied my Bible, and seeing all of the connections and God’s teachings, I had to call out everything my pastors and professors said or did wrong.

It was pastors, teachers, and, yes, even people under my care and teaching that corrected me. Yes, defend the truth of God’s Word, of who Jesus is, but also remember that we are all sinners in need of grace, constantly learning and growing. Even you. Even me.

Maybe you spent this past year so focused on what everyone is doing wrong. Two chapters after reminding us to think of others first, Paul told the Philippians in 4:8-9 “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you all.”

It is easy to focus on the negative, to focus on everyone else doing everything right. It’s even easy to focus on what you might be doing wrong, but again, focus more on the positive, seeking God. As Paul said in the four preceding verses (4:4-7), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Christ died for your failures and your sins. Give them to Him! Don’t just tell people everything their doing wrong, but rejoice with them in the good, encouraging each other to grow in godliness as the Holy Spirit transforms us more and more into the likeness of Christ.

Yes, call out false teachings, but – more importantly – teach God’s truth to each other with grace, mercy, gentleness, and respect, that people may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Others will hear what you say and see what you do, and they just might see Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1).

Conclusion

We are called to obey God’s commands. It is so easy to see our own failures. It is easier to see the failures in others.
We are at that time when many set resolutions: goals for the coming year. I think we see how we condemn ourselves with many of these resolutions, with the average person (64%!) giving up by the end of January!

Sometimes, we forget that the other people in church or at work or at the grocery store or on the road are going through things in their lives, just like we are. We want to be quick to complain about how stupid they’re being, or we want to put them in their place and correct them, or we think that they are uncaring or need to grow in grace. It’s easy to look at Adam and Eve, Israel in most of their history, our own families, co-workers, and friends and see the blatant mistakes and sins they made. Maybe it’s even seeing our own failures and getting upset or losing hope.

So, rather than merely setting annual resolutions or simply getting upset with others, let’s start where God told us to.
God has commanded us to love. Like Paul reminded us in Philippians 2, we look after our own needs as well as others, but like Jesus said in Matthew 6, we work diligently while seeking and trusting God to meet our needs. Loving is not always so easy to do, and it can feel impossible to love others, especially when they are in the wrong, and maybe even more when we are in the wrong.

But Jesus says, “Do as I say,” in the gentle, patient voice of a parent who really does know better. There is sometimes rebuke, when we knowingly disobey, but mostly Jesus is our compassionate teacher and friend, guiding us toward a godly, fulfilling life. When we focus on loving God by loving and serving others, it is no burden. As Jesus says in Matthew 11, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light, because we can rest in the light of knowing He is in control. It’s based on His faithfulness flowing through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not always easy, but Jesus has shown us the way. So, let us draw near to God by drawing together in the unity of His love, doing what our Lord has said and done.