devo – The Presidential Prayer Team

Spiritually Aligned

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. – Matthew 23:8

Jesus’ message to the crowds and His disciples, in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew, would not be one of the scribes and Pharisees’ favorite sermons, if they liked any of them. Christ called out their hypocrisy, even saying outright that they were children of hell. The religious leaders’ actions were highlighted disapprovingly, including their legalistic demands upon the people and valuing money and prestige over the things of God.

Jesus told His listeners that they were all brothers and that to be great, they must be servants. This was at odds with what the scribes and Pharisees desired, for they loved being honored. Jesus criticized them for doing everything for show. He told the people to do as their leaders instructed, but not to imitate their actions.

Consider your actions and behavior. Do they line up with what you say you believe? Paul also advised the Romans to practice what they preached (Romans 2:17-24). He stated that salvation is through faith in Christ (Romans 3:22-24). A heart that yields to the Lord for salvation must also yield to the will of God, to be a servant leader, and to treat fellow believers as family. Today, as you pray for the United States, pray for its public servants and citizens to embrace Christ’s teaching rather than be like the scribes and Pharisees who loved money, power, and being admired more than the things of God.

Today’s Verse: Matthew 23:8

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: John 13:3-17

³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹²When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ¹⁶Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.