Friday Reading: Matthew 21:28-32
Key Verse: Matthew 21:31
31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to Him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that the tax-collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to Him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that the tax-collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Devotion:
One of the things that you could absolutely count on with Jesus was that He would plainly tell the truth in ways that you would remember. How many times have you told a lie in the past few days; it may not have been a whopper, it may have been saying something that would lead others to believe something else… What about your actions? Have you done something just so that others will get an impression of you that is not strictly true? That is one thing that most of us do all the time without thinking about it. We do something just so that people will get an impression that we are either doing something good or so it looks like we even do it all the time!
One of the things that you could absolutely count on with Jesus was that He would plainly tell the truth in ways that you would remember. How many times have you told a lie in the past few days; it may not have been a whopper, it may have been saying something that would lead others to believe something else… What about your actions? Have you done something just so that others will get an impression of you that is not strictly true? That is one thing that most of us do all the time without thinking about it. We do something just so that people will get an impression that we are either doing something good or so it looks like we even do it all the time!
A lie is a lie in any words or actions you care to put it in. There is no going round that fact that you are telling a lie verbally or physically. We even think them through before doing or saying them; premeditated or what! And yet we sweep them under the carpet as if we have not told a lie before!
Jesus’ parable was quite simple. The one son plainly said “no” to his fathers request but after a while felt guilty about not doing what his father had asked and decided to go and do the work after all. He may not have pleased his father in the beginning, but he did not lie as to his intentions at the time. The second son said “yes” and did not even go anywhere near the work. He was the one that lied through his teeth just so that his father would think good of him. How long do you think it would have been before his father found out the truth? Just like that, our sins may well go unnoticed for a while; but you can count on them being brought to light before too long and when they are brought to light, who is the one that is going to have to face up to the consequences?
There are many people in this world who were criminals but who have since repented of their lifestyles and begun to follow Christ. But how many more people are there that make it look like they follow Christ but are not living the life that He would have us and maybe do not even believe in Him?
Points to Ponder:
Do you live out lies?
Do you really think God cannot see the lie brewing in your mind?
Do you live out lies?
Do you really think God cannot see the lie brewing in your mind?