April 21
Mirror View

Luke 20:27-47   J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

Jesus exposes the ignorance of the Sadducees

^27-33 Then up came some of the Sadducees (who deny that there is any resurrection) and they asked him, “Master, Moses told us in the scripture, ‘If a man’s brother should die without any children, he should marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.’ Now, there were once seven brothers. The first got married and died childless, and the second and the third married the woman, and in fact all the seven married her and died without leaving any children. Lastly, the woman herself died. Now in the ‘resurrection’ whose wife is she of these seven men, for she belonged to all of them?”
^34-38 “People in this world,” Jesus replied, “marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of reaching that world, which means rising from the dead, neither marry nor are they given in marriage. They cannot die any more but live like the angels; for being children of the resurrection, they are the sons of God. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed to be true in the story of the bush, when he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’. For God is not God of the dead, but of the living. For all men are alive to him.”
³⁹ To this some of the scribes replied, “Master, that was a good answer.”
⁴⁰ And indeed nobody had the courage to ask him any more questions.
^41-44 But Jesus went on to say, “How can they say that Christ is David’s son? For David himself said in the book of psalms—‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.’ David is plainly calling him ‘Lord’. How then can he be his son?”

Jesus warns his disciples against religious pretentiousness

^45-47 Then while everybody was listening, Jesus remarked to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the scribes, who enjoy walking round in long robes and love having men bow to them in public, getting front seats in the synagogue, and the best places at dinner parties—while all the time they are battening on widow’s property and covering it up with long prayers. These men are only heading for deeper damnation.”
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When you take a good look at yourself in the mirror, what do you hope to see?
Perfection?
Every hair in place, meticulously dressed, looking as though you "have it all together"?
Going out into your workplace or social circle, do you expect a level of admiration or respect, based on your appearance and social standing?
Do you want people to ask YOUR opinion, come to you for answers, because of your success in the world?
Do you seek admiration from your believing friends and others in your world,
hoping that they will take notice of your deep spirituality?

This is PRIDE my friends.

There is nothing wrong with trying to be at your best, but there is something wrong with wanting to be at your best so that you will receive special favor from the worldly.
Seeking to ride the wave of high social standing.....
Jesus said he had no home of his own.......He had no extensive wardrobe, no American Express Card, no memberships to elite clubs.
He walked the dusty roads of Judea with His friends and family.......sleeping wherever he could.
He did not seek the rich life.....but chose the humble life of a servant.
Today, when you look at yourself in the mirror.......I pray you will see a servant.