Living in the Spirit
May 28, 2021
Scripture Reading:
Romans 8:12-17
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
We live in an age of paradox. Many seem to have no control over “the flesh”—anything of the world. I do not want to read another story or hear another news report about people of power—politicians or the wealthy or celebrities or clergy who are caught in adultery or some sexual deviance, even sex trafficking of children. Some of those same people want to control every aspect of the lives of others on issues they may have created by locking people into poverty, limiting their educational opportunities, and ignoring their health care. Jesus called them hypocrites.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. . . . ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:1-4, 13-15)
Those caught in the middle between self-righteousness and injustice are called to address such hypocrisy or become a part of the problem.
Prayer: Lord, make us doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves*. Amen.
*From James 1:22
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.