Mask Off
Devotional
Many of us wear masks in order to cover up our pain, struggles, and mistakes. We hide who we are from people out of fear, and are only left with feelings of loneliness and shame. In this message, we talk about how we can take off the mask and get rid of the dressed up version of ourselves.
1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules". 10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
MATTHEW 15: 1-11
Questions:
- What do you gather from how the Pharisees and teachers of the law approached Jesus in verse 27?
- In verses 3-7, Jesus confronts the teachers on their handling of the scriptures. How would you describe your handling of the scriptures? Explain.
- When is it most difficult for you to correctly handle the scriptures? Explain.
- In verse 8, Jesus rebukes the teachers for “putting on an act.” In what area(s), if any, are you pretending to have it together? Explain.
- What do you see as a next step in terms of letting this group know the real you? Explain.
- How can this group help as you take next step?
Practice The Way of Jesus:
In Philippians 2:12-16a, Paul admonishes the believers to “do everything without grumbling” that they may become blameless and shine like stars among this generation. In not grumbling, expressing a complaint in a bad-tempered way, they are able to allow God to work in them and hold firmly to his word. This week, practice gratitude instead of grumbling and meditate on all that God has blessed you with. When a concern does arise, look to be a part of the solution for the concern you see instead of grumbling.