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.
14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Yesterday was noted as the 59th annual national prayer breakfast in Canada. It was reported to be the largest one on record. There was a short presentation from the Canadian Bible Society where they noted some of the Scripture passages that are found in the Parliament building. They also introduced the head table at this “prayer breakfast”. At that table was the P.M. who has prayed the prayer that is used to convert to Islam. There was also the leader of the official opposition who has memorized passages in honour of Sikhs in Canada.
Then the speaker of the house was asked to give an opening prayer where he recognized the many different “faiths” that make up Canada. He stated in his “prayer” that we all believe in God. He also asked for forgiveness of sins. The entire event was a mockery of true prayer and of the true God.
Sadly, many people who profess to be born again Christians will applaud this mockery of truth. Can we truly believe that God is pleased with this sham event? Those who are truly born again need to be much in prayer for people to realize that the political show that suggests that Canada is a nation that honours and fears the true God is a lie. Those who are truly saved need to speak the truth.
Jesus pointed out the major religious groups that existed during His time on this earth. He named them. They were called scribes and Pharisees. Jesus described them as hypocrites. The meaning of the word translated as “hypocrites” means “actor under an assumed character”. The scribes and Pharisees assumed they loved God and wanted the people to follow their perverted views of God. They assumed they knew God better than the people they sought to put under their thumb.
That is the problem with false religion. It seeks to put people under its thumb. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all. He does not seek to put man under His thumb. We are all under His authority. We are all born sinners desiring not to be under His authority. However, even lost sinners are limited in just how far they can go in their rebellion against Him.
Psalm 2 tells us that God sits in heaven and laughs at the arrogance of man. He laughs, not because it is funny, but because it is so foolish to assume that we as people can tell God Who He should be and what He can do.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day shut up the kingdom of heaven against men. Even though there are several Bible verses in the Parliament buildings, those verses are not honoured by those who work in those buildings. As was clearly evident in this latest “prayer breakfast”, they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men. They deceive with their words and lead people into a false sense of truth. Even though the leader of the opposition rose at this latest event and quoted perversions of the Scriptures and even read one perverted text, and then made application that impressed those in attendance, he shut up the kingdom of heaven against men in suggesting that he is a faithful follower of God and if we follow his lead we will be going the right way. Following him will lead you straight into hell.
Jesus further stated that the scribes and Pharisees would not enter into the kingdom of heaven, because they had rejected the true God and had corrupted His Word to suit their own sinfulness. Jesus also stated that these “leaders” would not allow others to enter into the kingdom of heaven either. They persecuted anyone who would not accept their corrupt religion. Jesus was mocked and despised and hated. They tried to trap Him in His words. They lied about Him. They eventually led the people in crying out “crucify Him, crucify Him.”
In verse 14 we see that these religious leaders robbed the poor. They devoured widows’ houses and they made long prayers. Notice their long prayers were a pretence. They were just an outward show. There was no connection between them and the true God. Their prayers never left the sound waves that carried them. They condemned the speakers and the hearers that endorsed them.
Jesus warned that these religious leaders would face greater damnation for their defiance of the true God.
God loves mankind. Jesus spoke these words because He loved the scribes and Pharisees. He did not want them to go to hell. He also did not want the people to go to hell. If the leaders insisted on going the wrong way, He did not want the people to just blindly follow them.
We see in verse 15 that these scribes and Pharisees travelled far and wide to make proselytes. They travelled all over to spread their poison. Our politicians and false religious leaders also travel far and wide to make followers of their lies. Religious leaders like Kenneth Copeland, who has several private jets to take him all over the world are trying to convince more gullible people to support them. Joseph Prince and Benny Hinn and Joyce Myers and many others also do the same.
Jesus stated that these false leaders made their proselytes twofold more the child of hell than they were. This was quite the condemnation. This is the same Jesus that loved the people and wept over Jerusalem and looked at the rich young man with love, etc. Love speaks the truth. Love seeks to help those who are going the wrong way to see the danger they are in and seeks to help them to turn to the truth.
That is the purpose of this devotional and of all our services. The love of God motivates true saints to speak the truth, even though the truth is not very welcome. The person who humbly submits to God and seeks to serve Him, is hated by many. Jesus warned that this would be the case. Those who truly love God are not motivated by the cheers of man. They are motivated by the love of God.
We, those who are saved, need to be much in prayer for our country. We need to pray for boldness, that we would be willing to proclaim the truth in a time of great apostasy. It is the truth that will make people free.
Pastor Bartel