Matthew 23:33-39
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Today’s chapter shows the anguish in Jesus’ heart for how the priesthood of Israel were misleading God’s people for their own selfish reasons. They are warned of unimaginable ends and some of it seems too ancient for us to worry or consider except for the fact that Jesus speaks to us today in the same manner as he spoke to them then. The warning holds true today as much as at that point in time because we are not living lives that give glory to our maker. We live lives that give glory only to ourselves and this is far from God’s will for our lives.
Here in Canada, today is the day when people remember those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty for their country. To us as Christians, today is also the day when we remember those who lost their lives in service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How appropriate that the passage this morning above reflects the atrocities committed to God’s anointed ones who lost their lives and suffered for his name. If you are not serving God and living a life glorifying his name, you are the lost sheep that Jesus came to save and I encourage you to ask Jesus what he wants of you and invite him into your life today so that you can enjoy the gift of eternity and the assurance of salvation possible only through the death and resurrection of Jesus for our sins!
In His Loving Service,
Vineet
Daily Christian Journal 