We looked at three jokes Jesus told about these people (not to be cruel but to help them and others realise how silly they were).
1. Jesus said they were like the 'whitewashed tombs' (Matthew 23:27). They worked so hard on their outward appearance and reputation but they were dead inside!
2. Jesus said they were like 'blind guides' (Matthew 15:14) - leading people but with no idea what God really wants.
3. Jesus said they were incredibly self-righteous and judgmental like a guy with a plank in his eye who has a go at someone with a speck in theirs (Matthew 7:3).
Jesus came to help dead people come alive, to help blind people see the truth about God and to take our sin away so we can see clearly. The religious people missed it because they took themselves too seriously!
Do you take yourself too seriously?
Do you take Jesus seriously enough?
