Today's Passage - Matthew 23:29-36

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Matthew 23:29-36   "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You build tombs for the prophets. You decorate the graves of the godly. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of those who lived before us, we wouldn't have done what they did. We wouldn't have helped to kill the prophets.' So you give witness against yourselves. You admit that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets. So finish the sins that those who lived before you started! "You nest of poisonous snakes! How will you escape from being sentenced to hell? ..."   Why did Israelis murder prophets? Because their hearts did not want to follow laws of God. When the prophets, who were sent from God, rebuked them, they rose and killed the prophets. Israelis, whom many were Pharisees, though admitted the sins of their ancestors, did not know that they were on the path of killing prophets as well.   Mankind's biggest weakness is not knowing their weakness.  For example, King David killed a man with a borrowed knife, and then robbed that man's wife. After he sinned, God sent prophet Nathan to confront him. Nathan told a story to David: A rich man in a town had a large number of sheep and cattles. There was a poor man living next to the rich man. The poor man only had one sheep and he treasured it very much, hugging it to sleep every night. One day, the rich man had guest. He didn't take sheep from his flock, but took the treasured sheep from the poor man and killed it for banquet. After David heard it, he was very angry. Nathan said to David: That man is you. David killed a man with a borrowed knife. He robbed someone else's wife. It's just like the parable Nathan said. However, David didn't know his weakness and darkness within.   We are quite used to accuse others' sins, even sins of others' ancestors. But we don't know that we are walking down the same path of sin. Someone said that there were four parts in our hearts: First, it is the part that God knows, and people know as well. Other people know it, God knows it, and we know it as well. Second, it's I know, people don't know. It's our secret. Third, it is people know, I don't know. Those are our shortcomings. We don't see them, but others know them. Last, it is the part that I don't know, others don't know, only God knows. This is the dark side of our life. Thus a man's heart is covered by darkness, unable to see his own shortcomings and sins. We must come before God and open ourselves. Welcome the Holy Spirit to shine upon us so that we will turn back to God and let His grace to be upon us once more.       Pray with Pastor Tong     Lord, we thank you, because you are happy to shine upon us, and also happy to cleanse us. May God open our hearts, see the darkness inside, and see how unworthy we are. May God's precious blood cover and cleanse us so that we can be new in Christ again. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!