The War On Jesus: Expose The Hypocrisy of Haters

The War On Jesus: Expose The Hypocrisy of Haters                                 Kelly Durant

Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

2. How many of you can say, “I love Jesus”? Now imagine a person with a knife or sword on your neck saying, “Say that one more time and you die!” Would you say it again? I pray I would remain faithful and say, “I love Jesus!” because the alternative would be to have to live with your own humiliated wretched soul submitting to another person’s murderous erroneous imposition of who or what they believe god is! (Satan inspires murder!) This life or death decision to renounce or confess Jesus has been the case for countless millions of Christians ever since Jesus came to earth! We never know when this type of horrific persecution may come to our doors, this is why we must rally the troops and let out a “war cry” for Jesus to keep proclaiming righteousness, love, salvation, and God’s will for humanity.

The name of Jesus has power and His name invokes love, healing, or comfort but in the case of demons who hear His name, His name invokes hate, violence, and fear! Some people cannot stand to hear Jesus’ name because it makes them very uncomfortable or offended. When someone is offended or uncomfortable, doesn’t that beg the question as to why? Why are some people offended to hear His name? Doesn’t their premise of prejudice seem absurd, futile, and infantile? 

What could ever be the cause for an offense with the name of Jesus? Why is there a war on Jesus every Christmas and a war on Him throughout the year, year after year? Is hatred and prejudice against Him an idea that one’s parents taught? Why are the so called “tolerant” people not “tolerant” referring to Jesus? It’s very hypocritical, right? Is rejection of Jesus something that other religions teach? If so, why? Or also, is it the fact that Jesus’ Holy name can invoke a feeling of dirtiness and guilt in the soul with sin? But once a soul is clean, the name of Jesus fills the soul with an in indescribable joy! True, right?

3. Let’s look at the scripture today. Jesus makes it clear that the whole world, all the nations, would be persecuting us, the Christians, for proclaiming His name, the name of Jesus, when the time of the end is near (context of the chapter). Persecution, execution, and the murder of Christians started happening ever since the original apostles preached Jesus and these atrocities against humanity and these innocent holy messengers continues on today. Innocent men, women, and children are murdered in horrible fashions, so what does that tell you about the Christ haters? I thank God I will not have hell to pay for killing one of God’s children! “No murderer has eternal life!” I John 3:15

The first persecutions after Jesus presence were carried out by the Jews, Romans, and Greeks. Paul’s answer to them responding to their persecutions and errors of misjudgments is recorded in the New Testament.  Basically the Jews hated Jesus because He was not the Messiah they had hoped for granting to them world dominance. The ruling class Jews at that time instead of being a pure holy people perfected to rule the world were rather an arrogant corrupted breed whose murderous sins were exposed by Jesus. Jesus name represents humility, love, and sacrifice which is everything the Jews did not want anything to do with. They were extreme hypocrites, and they were warned of losing heaven. Matthew 23:13 But 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.

The Romans and Greeks were extremely proud of their dominating wealth, power, and intelligence as well. They were offended by Jesus’ name and teachings because He represented the opposite of the arrogant values their culture was trying to impose on others. Jesus was simplicity, modesty, and His adoration was not to men or to strange invented gods but rather to the one and only Father God Jehovah. Jesus name represents purity, and the arrogant impure do not want to be reminded of their impurity. Basically Jesus rejecters then and now are hypocrites as they believe they are superior to Him and His followers foolishly believing that they are gods while they actually are inferior nobodies as their non-altruistic actions and selfish indulgent life-style reveals their carnal self-absorbed debauchery. 

4. There is and always has been a war on Jesus, a war even on just saying His name! But Jesus still has 2 billion followers today because His name has power! In His name miracles do happen, people do get healed, and horrible destructive people get saved and get a complete life change with a new purpose! The Salvation Army’s drug and alcohol rehab centers yearly turn out thousands of transformed men and women freed from their chains of addictions because of the transformative power of Jesus’ name! The evidence of Jesus effect on others cannot be denied! The demons of this world war against Him incessantly! These demons are in high places in society and maybe within your own family!

Consider this as well, how can anyone with sane logic claim that they are offended by the innocent baby Jesus at Christmas or any other time for that matter? How stupid to be afraid and offended by the influence of a baby born in poverty over 2,000 years ago, right? But King Herod was afraid of baby Jesus to the point that he had all the babies in Bethlehem killed! Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 

Imagine, even right after Jesus is born He is getting persecuted! It is obvious the demonic forces in the world were out to destroy Jesus from the start.  The irony and hypocrisy is that Jesus was honored, worshipped, and supported financially by several kings from faraway lands yet He was almost killed by a king from His own land.

5. Let’s continue on with the hypocrisy present in people who are “offended” by Jesus globally and throughout history. Look at the rise of Communism in the past 100 years; these indoctrinating teachings are specific to hating Christians and Jesus while in general disregarding other world religions. The communists in Russia and China murdered dozens of millions of their own people who were Christian hoping to eliminate Jesus name and His followers. Did they succeed? Obviously not, as millions still exist in their nations despite this war or “religicide”. There is mystical invincible power in Jesus name that people refuse to let go of even in the face of death!

Egomaniac despotic leaders specifically hate Jesus because they look at Him as competition for adoration. How ridiculous for any man to exalt himself as a god to the extreme measure that they want to be worshipped so badly that they give the orders to kill anyone worshipping Jesus and not them. To proclaim God and Jesus above all powers is an obstacle an offence to those who want totalitarian control and adoration. Jealous hypocrite murderers of innocent Jesus worshippers are insanely controlled by demons! 

Satan inspired Communism as the perfect political doctrine to appear to be more compassionate than Jesus and God’s people taking from the rich to give to the poor. God’s design is for Jesus followers to share all things in love as the first disciples did as in Acts 2:44-45. Communism is a violently enforced governance imitating the compassion of God for the poor yet their murderous record of corruption killing over 100 million this past century proves that men without Jesus are a total murderous terrors.

6. What provokes this? “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” Hate breeds murder. This part of the verse implies the persecution of those dedicated to Jesus will increase. In other words, the increased division will come between cultures, societies, races, and people, and in particular against those who confess Jesus within these class groups. Families will divide! Matthew 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

To get to this horrible point there must be an obvious increasing climate of intolerance to work up to it getting people to hate one another to the extreme. It seems logical that intolerance, being a conditioned response generated by educational/media/governmental perpetrators with anti-God agendas, are preparing the ground on all levels to finally bring it all to a climax to the level of attacking all Jesus followers. And how hypocritical that the intolerant ones demand tolerance?! This defies logic, common sense, and our inherent desire to give and receive respect implying hypocritical people are very blind in their reasoning! 

We see this hatful conditioned reaction already at work in societies today as it is not acceptable (And who determines what is acceptable?!) and legally tolerable to reject certain groups of people while at the same time it is hypocritically acceptable to hate and even rejoice over the defamation and even murder of certain other ones. Persecuted groups today include the whites, the police, the rich, and Christians. The hypocrisy is that Christians who teach the opposite of hate are hated, those that teach to love your neighbor as yourself are too frequently not loved back, defended, and given refuge! 

7. How is it that Satan and his demons are getting away with the blatant hypocrisy of defending evil ones and persecuting innocent ones through his rulers in high places without getting called out on it by the majority? The majority always get silenced by the minority in power until the pot boils over. Sadly, people ignorant of the Bible are being indoctrinated with the total opposite stances of dozens of the laws and statutes in the Bible.  As Jesus described it, the “blind are leading the blind!” 

People are aggressively subliminally and overtly being indoctrinated by certain sectors of the government, by the mainline liberal universities, by the fake news media sources, and by family members void of logic and reason. The bottom line is to get you in the general populous  to reject Jesus while at the same time embrace absurd political correctness and evil postures which implode societies (secularism). There are many world faiths but most are not invading nations for the pleasure of killing in the name of their god, so why the push to tolerate murderous teachings and practice?! 

We are living in the time that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 10:21 “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” What a horrible betrayal it is to kill your own blood who sacrificed for you and loved you! This pattern of betrayal runs in cycles under dictatorial rule. It happened under Rome, then under the rule of Medieval Kings, then under Communism and Fascism, and now it is rising again but empowered by religious extremists, terrorists, and specifically Christ-haters.

8. Who are the haters of Jesus today? Many nations contain mega millions of fanatics who hate Jesus!  Here is a web link so you understand the magnitude of those who get crazy violent over hearing the name of Jesus. Christmas is offensive to many, did you know that?  http://www.radixnews.com/2014/11/29/imam-saying-merry-christmas-worse-murder-video/

In this life knowing what we know now of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, purity, and eternal life in this post first Christmas era, we face the fact every soul on earth is offered a chance to accept, love and obey Jesus, or face the alternative which would be to lived cursed with hypocrisy and hate that which continues from now on into forever. Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth 

Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. The implication is that the accepters of Jesus are blessed yet those who are offended in Jesus live cursed! And take a good look at the haters of Jesus today, they have nothing to be desired or envied. Current theocratic societies impose horrific abuses and have some of the poorest people in the world. Jesus offers all his followers love, respect, purpose, and value, while Jesus haters are just pawns in the machinery of agendas that offer slavery, carnality, oppression, hate, and reprehensible violent actions. Haters are violent disturbed souls, killers whose spirits will be chained in hell forever judged for their deeds. Jude 1. 

9. The Kingdom of God is at war with the kingdoms of darkness of this world! Jesus is the embodiment of all that is good and pure and the mention of His name turns a light on exposing the darkness in the evil, hypocritical, hearts of people.   John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Jesus gave the commandment for us to take to the world his love, salvation, and light to all. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”.  Christmas is the best time of the year to have opportunity to retell the story of Jesus. What a beautiful story with angels communicating goodwill towards poor men, with a pure virgin giving birth to a humble child, with kings and shepherds worshipping Him, all of them setting the example for all to know for all generations to come. 

This is not offensive, this is beautiful! But some people turn Christmas into an insult to Jesus denying children the Christ in Christmas. Many people teach hatred for Jesus by replacing Him with anything else! Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea

10. The world is on a collision course of self-destruction because people are creating war in the spirit and war in the flesh over what offends them! Some people are offended by certain foods, some by certain religions, some by certain politics, but the real sin is to be offended by Jesus! 

Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! When I learn that my witness of Jesus offends someone do I back down? No! I am changed from being who I was, I cannot deny how Jesus changed me and my resolve to witness His great love in my life! No other person who ever lived accomplished what Jesus did: the conquering of death to bring resurrection to all who believe on Him! I love Jesus for the positive transformation He has given my life! And anyone can have His love and power!  

Don’t worry about offenses in the world, they never end! Worry about offending God by rejecting Jesus, His Son, which is the maximum expression of His love! When you die, will Jesus have been first in your life? John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The faithful will have a crown of life to rule and reign with Him, but all haters will reap what they have sewn! Come pray and receive Jesus, and then proclaim Him forever! 

    

 

What Christian Soldiers Battle

What Christian Soldiers Battle            Kelly Durant (Re 9-2026)

 

2 Tim 2:3-4 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs, he wants to please his commanding officer.

 

2. In the trench warfare of WWI each side would make long trenches and no one could pass from one side to the other. The reason? Every time someone put their head up to try and run to attack, they would get shot at! The land between ally and enemy trenches was coined, “no man’s land” as no one could be there without getting shot! That is the way our enemy, Satan operates. As long as you stay comfortable in your trench, the enemy doesn’t bother you! But when you come out and go on the attack and get some victories for Jesus, exposing the sins destroying your life and those in the world, then is when he attacks you. Be brave! Know that these attacks come in different ways.

 

As Christians we are God’s soldiers and the only way to fight this war on the evil that would destroy you and others is to be disciplined! What is our discipline? Being faithful one day at a time! This includes daily prayer, the study of the Word of God, obeying it and proclaiming Jesus as the Savior and commander over all souls! Faithfulness is what wins the victories! 

 

3. So, Christian soldiers, when you have a hard time standing for your Commanding Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remember, when you are weak and can’t seem to get up, then you should kneel! Kneel and get strength from outside yourself! Prayer works! 

 

Remember also you are not in this war alone and there are more than 1 million Salvation Army Soldiers in the world! Plus, statistics reveal there are more than two billion Christians standing up for Jesus too! In this Church Center everyone does pray and we care for each other to win against evil. 

 

I sincerely hope all of you are praying for each other when needed. If you are a friend and a help to someone, be faithful! We must be communicating, and supporting and loving each other and encouraging a friend when they are down, doubtful, or weak. In the same way soldiers watch out for each other in the trenches, you here are all in this one big trench together. The enemy never stops shooting at us so remain strong and courageous, persistent, patient, and keeping your eyes on the victory to come.  

 

4.  The Salvation Army uniform can be taken as symbolic while being in service to Jesus! This unique uniform indicates to the world we are dressed for war against evil; the destruction Satan wants to bring in our lives. Meditate on how Paul compares us to being fighting soldiers.   Eph 6:12-18

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

 

5. These are the classic verses on being prepared for battle and it was the uniform of the Roman Soldier in Jesus’ time. We must pay attention to these verses and do what it says or we might get a hit in a weak spot and it will take months or years to heal if it doesn’t kill you! Eternal security requires eternal vigilance! Recognize it when negative thoughts come into your head, your battle is spiritual.

 

Picture yourself wearing a uniform in battle. It identifies you as representing the Kingdom of God and note, we are a saving army! We are at war with evil! Just as a firefighter in his uniform is prepared to fight fires, just as a policeman identifies himself as the keeper of the law, we as Christian Soldiers represent the fight for righteousness, holiness, and love serving suffering ones who are our neighbors! Being in the world without a Christian’s protection can get you killed!

 

Most of all, a Christian soldier represents our Commander and Chief, Jesus Christ! Every day we fight for what is right! Even in heaven we will have a pure white uniform to wear reflecting the light and purity of God! So, a uniform on earth is actually a good practice for wearing one in heaven!

 

6. As you know we do not train to fight with a rifle or a gun, we train to fight the enemy with the sword of the word of God, quoting scripture to the enemy, and after being resisted, the tempter will flee from us! James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We are the rebels, the resistance, the beloved fighters of God!

 

In the verses in Timothy, we see that we are to endure hardships, as the soldiers of the world do, for our Lord Jesus Christ. And when you think about when Paul was writing, the Romans had a very strict code of conduct, and they would march on foot for months carrying heavy metal armor and they suffered many hardships! Much worse than what anyone of us experience! The soldiers of the world get their spirits and bodies broken, but the soldiers of the Lord get their spirits and bodies healed and regenerated!

 

Never despise your time here in the training camp! It is way more less dangerous than what the Soldiers of the world have to endure. 

Today we will cover three basic battles or hardships a Christian Soldier faces; The one with Satan in your head within yourself; the one with those close, your family & friends; and the one with the evil people of the world.

 

7. One of the first attacks, how our accuser and adversary confronts us, is with discouragement in our minds! You and I may be doing good for a while happy with Jesus, just like many that first arrive, but Satan, the tempter, will get into our head and feed any weak one with pride that you deserve better, or attack you over the opposite, over your failures, wounding you with discouragement.  He tells you… look at you, you are a failure or he will say you are powerful and don’t need this, and either extreme of exaltedness or debasement of your self is not of God. 

 

Often you and I are either tempted to think we do not need God since we are so smart, or we are tempted to think that there is no hope in God. It is human to be subject to prideful thoughts or on the flip side to feel abandonment, depression, and rejection! You know very well you are a sinner but hating on yourself, or on anyone else over past sin makes you destructive to yourself and to others! Satan always schemes to destroy and tries to make you confused in your mind, which will make you sick in your spirit, which will make you sick in your body as well! 

 

So how will you get the will to fight from God then? You must yell in your mind and with words when needed, “Get behind me Satan! I claim the blood of Jesus! I resist you in the name of Jesus who liberates me! I am not the man I used to be, I am a new man in God!”

 

 

8. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

 

You must repeat to Satan, “I am God’s child”! You are God’s now since Jesus died for you to have eternal life! Any sin that you or I may have, Jesus has cleaned us from it! Pray, Jesus, heal my body, mind, and broken heart!

 

So, the first battles with most Christians begins with your own evil self and discouragement; but remember Jesus will get the victory if you’re getting your encouragement from the Word of God, pray and get others to pray with you too, and you let God work as you do your part! 

 

9. Battle two: With others, you will have to be tough with those closest to you, with those people in your life, and with those in your family.

Matt 10:34-36

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother-in-law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

 

When you live as a true Soldier for Jesus Christ, doing what is correct, pure, and Godly, you will get enemies without even trying! In both Regina and my families there are some people that have no desire whatsoever to see us because they know that we love God, and mostly talk about the Bible, and since they love the things of the world more than the spiritual things, they do not want us around them making them feel uncomfortable. In this battle you will lose some friends and family, but you will gain other friends and family that are more helpful and loving than the ones you had before! 

 

This church Corps, and all true churches, are like family! But sometimes there are brothers and sisters who say and do things in their carnal nature, not praying over their words, and they can confuse you if you do not have your eyes on Jesus! Never focus on the words of some weak or ungodly person, focus on the lover of your soul, Jesus!

 

Remember, people may fail you, some soldiers even go AWOL, but Jesus, He is a friend forever! Be prepared to face bad experiences sometimes, it is a part of the battle. But God answers prayers, and blesses those who remain dedicated, pure, loving, and patient!  Those who get off the trail, like the stray sheep, usually get hurt falling in some rocky ditch. Jesus, the shepherd, has pulled you out of the ditch already so stay close to Him.  

 

10. And finally battle number 3, you will have war with the evil people of the world!

When the people who practice sin and do evil see peace and love in your face and eyes, and they witnessed your transformation from a defeated man into an honorable one, it makes them angry and you may get attacked for proving God regenerates us. Remember how the hypocrites wanted to kill Jesus! Some people want to see everybody sour and bitter, and angry at the world like they are! Never go down to their level! Live in peace, turn the other cheek and move on, but don’t let them destroy yourfaithfulness! When needed rebuke them in Jesus’ name! 

 

As Christian soldiers we have contrasting mindsets with those in the world and when we expose them then we are engaging in a spiritual war.

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 

The evil ones of the world love deception, drugs, addictions, and destructions but..

  We love truth, liberation from dependency, and healing from the past

The evil ones in the world love death, and war, and perversions but…

  We love life, and peace, and children!

The evil ones in the world love exploitation, material wealth and pride but…

We love righteousness and justice for the poor, and we seek spiritual wealth, desiring humility!

The evil ones in the world love to accuse, condemn, hate and create scandal but…

   We love forgiveness, truth, and unity, and as the prostitute was forgiven by Jesus, we just let God’ Spirit take away the condemnation!

 

11.The values of the world, under its evil empires with its anti-Christian news outlets, promote anti-Biblical values constantly! Bottom line, Satan hates Christians with a passion and he is at war with every one of us! There is a very active war of propaganda to destroy all values of purity and love by all means possible. It is by the promotion of the acceptance of perverse sexual behavior, the stripping away of human rights under totalitarian politics, by addictions, sickness, and drugs, and by the demonization of the people of faith. There are continuous lying attacks on good people all the time and it all comes from the evil powers that control behind the scenes. 

 

Satan exalts everything that is totally diametrically opposed to God’s values insulting Jesus and all Christians. So, take note, a person never wins a defensive war! We all must speak out for God and His love, defending his wise basic principles that produce respect and dignity through the high standards of values fighting for the right! We fight for strength of spirit!

 

The Lord wants absolute love, dedication, and loyalty and His Kingdom! And God is the only One who is worthy of fighting for! The very first commandment is to… Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind! And love your neighbor as yourself!

 

12. We are all blessed to be representing, as soldiers, Jesus the King of Kings! You have a Commander that is all loving, all forgiving, all-powerful, and he knows where you will best serve Him, and you must serve Him with honor.  You and I must battle the enemy and obey His call! But if we do not choose to be governed by God, then we will end up being governed by some manipulating terrible person or by your own abusive, destructive self! 

 

Just think how many people are stuck on this earth all of their lives as slaves to evil men and not to God! And a slavery to addictions is also a real issue! Satan loves to enslave every person with vices, crimes, temptations and sins, creating a sick body, mind, and spirit! Today we all are given an opportunity to serve the true God like never before and live blessed and free! 

 

We must fight with the truth to free the souls of men and or they will have hell to pay! You have to fight to keep your own soul and body strong in the Lord!   Philippians 2:12

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

You are the chosen ones to represent your Lord in battle, so march forward to the prize of the high calling of God! Prayer…

Hypocrisy! A Consistent Plague in Society

 

Hypocrisy! A Consistent Plague in Society                                 by Kelly Durant   10-11-2012

Matthew 15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.³ But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?⁴ For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.⁵ But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;⁶ And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.⁷ Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,⁸ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.¹⁰ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.¹² Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?¹³ But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.¹⁴ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

 You have been around little kids when they fight, right? I recall a when my kids were little I don’t’ recall whose kids we were with but a big fight started up with tears and anger and screaming. We were discussing the move to Miami. One of the kids, jealous of the other, said, “No, it’s mine! It is not your “ami”, it is “my” “ami”, you shut up it is not yours, it is mine! LOL! The boy did not even know what they were talking about, he just wanted to be sure no one could have it but him! You can’t say “my” because it is mine!

Human nature is terrible! Everyone lives out the injustices of selfishness and hypocrisy repeated over and over in all societies throughout history. Everyone is so fast to attack and defend their miserable little piece of the world and so ready to fight anyone who threatens to take anything away. We must open our eyes to the fact we have an increased hypocrisy affecting our world. Hypocrisy is calling another person evil, selfish, and abusive when the real evil one is the one accusing!

In society all of us observe the hypocritical politicians, abusive bosses, disobedient children, unloving spouses, and compromised preachers. These are people who will suddenly explode and go on a verbal attack on others when they perceive that someone is discovering their schemes. They use their own convincing words to try to win you and anyone over to their way, (and it is their way or the highway) but once you see through them, you then feel taken advantage of, violated, dirty, defiled, and cheated!

How many of you have ever been used or taken advantage of? 

Let’s get into the scripture in Matt. 15. The Pharisees were a religious sect of the Jews, an authority that had set their selves up as the ones who could determine who had sin and who didn’t according to their interpretation of God’s word. They could with the law of God, justify an guilty person, or condemn an innocent one, like the lawyers of today can.  

In this case, Jesus and the disciples are gaining too much attention and admiration for their comfort. They decided they would attack the disciples in front of everyone and show once and for all that Jesus and his dirty band of followers were sinners and nor worthy of anyone’s respect. They wanted to prove how they were violating tradition; something they exalted was as sacred as the law. Their scheme backfired.

What did Jesus prove with his comments about honoring father and mother? He exposed how not washing your hands is not near as bad as the things they practiced! Let’s travel back to the conditions of his time. Back then there is no such thing as a social security check! There is no welfare from the government, there are no Salvation Army shelters caring for the homeless or elderly, it is a survival of the fittest type society. When you got old, sick, or disabled the only solution for you was starvation since you could not work!

The law of God was originally intended to be a solution to man’s injustice to man and there was a provision to help the elderly, it was that of honoring your father and mother. This law implied you would financially take care of them until they passed on. So what were the Pharisees teaching by tradition? That if you wanted to give a one-time gift you could be absolved from this law and be free. Be free from your responsibility for your parents?! How selfish is that!

 It basically was a provision that totally violated the original intent of the law. The law was strict demanding honor. As a matter of fact, anyone caught cursing his parents were put to the death, a penalty by stoning. So, let’s understand it; their traditions allowed for you to go to them, the Pharisees, and declare your gift and then abandon your parents knowing that they might starve to death?  Do you see how this is a thousand times worse than eating without washed hands?

Jesus then reminds them of the hypocrisy in the time of Isaiah, how the ones who should be loving God and others, defending the poor, and providing justice for the people were instead hypocrites providing for their own selfish ambitions of power and goods. 

We must examine our own hearts! We do not want to reap the punishments of the hypocritical Pharisees! Jesus had mercy on all of humanity but he did not have saving words for the hypocrites, only rebukes and judgment! May the Lord help us to expose hypocrisy amongst ourselves, within our own selves, and within our community’s governing bodies. In heaven there will be no hypocrisy so may the Lord help us to rid it within ourselves, amen!