09/21/28 SHAKING UP HYPOCRISY
5 Day Devotional
Day 1: Day 1: Understanding Righteous Anger
Devotional
Anger is a powerful emotion that we all experience. However, not all anger is destructive. Jesus displayed a righteous anger that was fundamentally different from human outbursts. His anger purified, healed, and corrected. Unlike our human hissy fits, the salty anger of Jesus is different. It purifies instead of pitching fit, it heals instead of hitting the roof, it seasons instead of seeing red, and it preserves instead of popping off. Jesus directed this transformative anger particularly at the Pharisees, religious leaders who created additional rules supposedly to protect people from breaking God's law. Though they appeared holy and intelligent on the outside, Jesus saw through their facade to the hypocrisy within. Today, let's reflect on how we can channel our anger into righteous action that brings about healing and correction.
Bible Verse
'For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.' - Matthew 5:20
Reflection Question
How can you transform your anger into a force for good, following Jesus' example?
Quote
Unlike our human hissy fits, the salty anger of Jesus is different. It purifies instead of pitching fit, it heals instead of hitting the roof, it seasons instead of seeing red, and it preserves instead of popping off.
Prayer
Lord, help me to understand the difference between destructive anger and righteous anger. Guide me to channel my emotions in ways that bring healing and correction, just as Jesus did. Amen.
Day 2: Day 2: The Danger of Hypocrisy
Devotional
In Matthew 23, Jesus delivered strong condemnations against the Pharisees, comparing them to 'whitewashed tombs' - beautiful on the outside but filled with death inside. He was angry because they prioritized their public persona over helping people, focused on trivial details while neglecting justice and mercy, and appeared righteous outwardly while being full of hypocrisy within. This message resonates powerfully today, as many Christians similarly put on a shiny exterior for Sunday while hiding inner struggles. Let's strive to be authentic in our faith, not just appearing righteous but truly living it out.
Bible Verse
'Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.' - Matthew 23:27
Reflection Question
Are there areas in your life where you are more focused on appearing righteous than actually living righteously?
Quote
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.
Prayer
Lord, expose any hypocrisy in my life. Help me to live authentically and to focus on true righteousness rather than just appearances. Amen.
Day 3: Day 3: Authentic Community
Devotional
The point of church and community is to come in and to be able to go, 'I am struggling, and I need this community of believers to come in around me and be able to help me get through my struggle, to be able to lift me up as I'm struggling, to help me walk through the struggle.' Instead of responding with 'I'm good' even when we're crumbling inside, let's be honest about our struggles and lean on our community for support. Authenticity and vulnerability are key to building a strong, supportive community.
Bible Verse
'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.' - Romans 12:9
Reflection Question
How can you be more open and vulnerable with your church community?
Quote
The point of church and community is to come in and to be able to go. I am struggling, and I need this community of believers to come in around me and be able to help me get through my struggle, to be able to lift me up as I'm struggling, to help me walk through the struggle.
Prayer
Lord, help me to be honest about my struggles and to lean on my community for support. Help us to build a community characterized by authenticity and vulnerability. Amen.
Day 4: Day 4: Living with Integrity
Devotional
Our lives should look salty and smack of authenticity. So our lives should just be authentic. What does your life look like? Like, are you authentic? True and true all the time. Christians that have the flavor of inner values aligned with outward actions, start changing your inner values and allow that to manifest outside of you. Let's strive to live with integrity, aligning our inner values with our outward actions. This means practicing forgiveness, being honest about our struggles, and focusing more on being righteous than merely appearing righteous.
Bible Verse
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!' - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Reflection Question
Are your inner values aligned with your outward actions? How can you live with more integrity?
Quote
Our lives should look salty and smack of authenticity. So our lives should just be authentic. What does your life look like? Like, are you authentic? True and true all the time.
Prayer
Lord, help me to align my inner values with my outward actions. Help me to live with integrity and to be authentic in all areas of my life. Amen.
Day 5: Day 5: Extending Grace
Devotional
We need to savor God's amazing grace. We need to savor this. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Help us to not be empty tombs. Help us to not just be whitewashed tombs, not to be empty cups. Help us to be full of your spirit. As we have received grace, let's extend that same grace to others. This means practicing forgiveness, being patient, and showing love even when it's difficult. By doing so, we reflect the grace and love of Christ to those around us.
Bible Verse
'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.' - Romans 12:9
Reflection Question
How can you extend grace to others in your daily life?
Quote
We need to savor God's amazing grace. We need to savor this.
Prayer
Lord, help me to savor your amazing grace and to extend that same grace to others. Help me to forgive as I have been forgiven and to be full of your spirit. Amen.