As we gather for the Feast of All Saints, our weekly study continues with the lectionary for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost. This week is one of the few times during the year when our worship lessons do not match our study...a chance to hear more Scripture! Our lesson provides us with the opportunity to hear Jesus speak against the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, even as he encourages the crowds to follow the ways the leaders teach. This is an important lesson to hear because it can be very easy to dismiss a lesson from someone who is not held in high regard, or doesn't listen to their own teachings. Yet, Jesus is calling us to listen to the teachings of God and let go of our personal biases and the things that challenge us to follow in the name of Christ.
Our Scripture passage is found in the Gospel according to Matthew. You may find the Scripture lesson by selecting the following link: (Matthew 23:1-12).
For continuing study, reflect on these questions (found in the study guide below):
Read the assigned Scripture lesson for the day, and reflect if any words, phrases or thoughts came to your mind during your reading.
After reading the "WHERE..." paragraph in the guide below, consider the author's statement, "It is so easy to confuse our interests with God's purposes..." Reflect on a time when it was difficult for you to determine if a particular thought or path in your life was something you discovered in prayer (from God) or something you just really wanted to do, of your own desire? How do you think we can separate these two different things in our hearts and minds? And, how does prayer help us accomplish this?
After reading the "SO WHAT..." paragraph below about the Pharisees, and their practices of teaching vs. living God's word: consider your own life - where do you think you "live what you teach or believe" and where do you think you might have some room to make changes to help realize better daily practices that bring you closer to God?
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