Devotional: Modern Pharisees

Luke 15:1-2

The Mission statement of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church is based on Luke 4:18-19. One of the features of this statement is that it is “an inclusive congregation” of people who are baptized believers in Jesus Christ. That Jesus includes all people is a major theme in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus does not come to judge us. Jesus is not looking for grounds to keep us out of the kingdom of God.

Today, our society and our churches have many modern Pharisees. I use the name Pharisees not to demean people of Jewish descent. Rather, I mean people of all stripes that think, feel, and act like the Pharisees found in the scriptures. People want to come to Jesus. People want to follow Him. They want to hear what Jesus says. The Pharisees on the other hand are grumbling and complaining because Jesus keeps company with the same people that the good, holy, and righteous people have written off and cast aside.

One example is that Modern Pharisees condemn those who have an abortion, but they offer no help to the infant born into poverty. Their health insurance costs too much for the middle class that waste enough money over frivolous things to pay for the infants health insurance premiums.

Jesus calls us not to judge people. Rather, He calls us to invite and welcome people into our churches so that they can hear Jesus, follow Jesus, and learn of His ways. When people come to Jesus their thinking is changed. Their attitudes are adjusted. Their behavior is changed. Most importantly, their relationship to God is changed. Let me not be a modern Pharisee.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being an example of how we should seek the welfare of all people. Amen.