QT 03/03/2026 Tue. Matthew 23. Detecting Motivations: His Kingdom or Mine? 辨明动机：是祂的国度还是我的国度？

QT 03/03/2026 Tue. Matthew 23. Detecting Motivations: His Kingdom or Mine?
READ http://www.esv.org/matthew23

In Gospel of Matthew 23, Jesus confronts a dangerous kind of religion — one that looks impressive on the outside but is hollow within. The issue is “a religion of externals,” where meticulous rule-keeping replaces discernment of what truly matters to God.

This chapter presses a searching question upon us: Are we building His kingdom — or protecting our own?

(1) “Practice What You Preach” (Matthew 23:1–12)

Jesus contrasts two styles of spiritual leadership:

• “They preach, but do not practice” (v. 3)
• They load others with burdens but will not lift a finger to help (v. 4)
• They act “to be seen by others” (v. 5)
• They crave honour, recognition, and titles (vv. 6–7)

Their religion revolves around optics — reputation, status, applause. But Jesus models a different way: teach, do, and invite others to follow. Greatness in the kingdom is not about titles like “Rabbi,” but humility. “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (v. 11).

Kingdom leadership is not about platform — it is about posture of your heart that powers the limbs and lips that serve the Master.

(2) When Priorities Are Upside Down (Matthew 23:13–36)

Jesus exposes distorted values:

• Gold was valued above the temple (vv. 16–17)
• The gift was valued above the altar (vv. 18–22)
• Mint, dill, and cumin carefully tithed — yet justice, mercy, and faithfulness neglected (v. 23)
• Straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel (v. 24)
• Cleaning the outside of the cup while the inside remains filthy (vv. 25–27)

The problem was not their attention to detail. Jesus says, “These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” The tragedy was misplaced weight — minor matters magnified, major matters minimized. Outward religion had replaced inward transformation.

And ultimately, this misplaced devotion leads to violence against God’s messengers. When “my kingdom” is threatened, hostility follows. Religious pride always defends itself.

(3) The Lament and the Choice (Matthew 23:37–39)

Jesus ends not with anger, but with grief:

“O Jerusalem… How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…” (Matthew 23:37)

The same Jesus who pronounces woes also longs to gather, protect, and save. Two paths stand before that generation — and before us:

Path (a) Reject God’s messengers and cling to self-rule.
Path (b) Welcome the Messiah with sincere worship: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.”

There is no neutral ground.

Personal Reflection: Matthew 23 invites self-examination:

• Do I care more about appearance or integrity?
• Do I magnify minor rules while neglecting mercy?
• Do I seek recognition more than righteousness?
• Is my life organised around His kingdom — or subtly around mine?

Jesus is not impressed by polished exteriors. He desires transformed hearts. Today the invitation still stands: Come under His wings. Choose humility. Choose mercy. Choose faithfulness. Choose His kingdom. What is your choice today?

Prayer:

"Heavenly Father,
You see beyond appearances and into the hidden places of the heart. Nothing in us is concealed from You. We confess that at times we care too much about how we are seen and too little about who we truly are before You. Forgive us for every trace of hypocrisy, pride, and self-promotion. Forgive us for straining at small things while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Lord Jesus, You taught what You lived and lived what You taught. Form that same integrity in us. Deliver us from building our own small kingdoms while speaking about Yours. Where we seek recognition, teach us humility. Where we load others with burdens, teach us compassion. Where our hearts are divided, make them whole.

Search us and realign our priorities. Clean not only the outside, but the inside. Replace religious performance with genuine love. Give us courage to choose surrender over self-rule, service over status, and faithfulness over applause.

Gather us under Your wings. Make us servants in Your kingdom, people whose lives reflect Your heart. May our words and actions agree, and may everything we do bring honour to You alone. We choose Your kingdom today. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen."

QT 03/03/2026 星期二. 马太福音 23 辨明动机：是祂的国度还是我的国度？
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/mat/23/

在《马太福音》第23章中，耶稣直面一种危险的宗教形态——外表光鲜却内里空洞。问题在于 “注重外在形式的宗教”，其中对细则的严苛遵守取代了对神真正意念的辨明。

本章向我们提出尖锐质问：我们是在建造祂的国度——还是守护自己的国度？

(1) “言行一致”（马太福音23:1-12）

耶稣对比两种属灵领导风格：

• “他们只会说而不去作”（第3节）
• 给别人加担子，自己却不碰（第4节）
• 行事为要 “作给人看”（第5节）
• 贪图尊荣、名望和头衔（6-7节）

他们的宗教围绕着表面功夫——声誉、地位、掌声。但耶稣示范了另一种方式：教导、实践，并邀请他人跟随。天国里的伟大不在于 “拉比” 之类的头衔，而在于谦卑。“你们中间最大的，必作你们的仆人”（11节）。

国度的领导力不在于地位——而在于心灵的姿态，它驱动肢体与言语服事主。

(2) 当优先次序颠倒时（马太福音23:13-36）

耶稣揭露扭曲的价值观：

• 金子被看得比圣殿更宝贵（16-17节）
• 祭物被看得比祭坛更重要（18-22节）
• 精心奉献薄荷、茴香和芫荽的十分之一——却忽视了公义、怜悯和信实（23节）
• 过滤蚊虫却吞下骆驼（第24节）
• 清洗杯外却任其内污秽（第25-27节）

问题不在于他们注重细节。耶稣说：“这些更重要的是你们应当作的，但其他的也不可忽略。” （23:23）悲剧在于轻重倒置——小事被放大，大事被淡化。外在的宗教仪式取代了内在的改变。

最终，这种错位的虔诚导致了对上帝使者们的暴力。当 “我的国度” 受到威胁时，敌意便随之而来。宗教的骄傲永远在自我辩护。

(3) 哀叹与抉择（马太福音23:37-39）

耶稣终结的不是愤怒，而是悲恸：

“耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷啊，你杀害先知，又用石头把奉派到你们那里的人打死。我多次想招聚你的儿女，好像母鸡招聚小鸡到翅膀底下，只是你们不愿意。”（马太福音23:37）

那位宣告祸患的耶稣，同样渴慕聚集、庇护并拯救。两条道路横亘在那代人面前——也横亘在我们面前：

道路（a）拒绝神的使者，执意自我统治。
道路（b）以真诚敬拜迎接弥赛亚：“奉主名来的，是应当称颂的。” （23:39）

世上没有其他中立之地。

个人反思：马太福音23章邀请我们自我审视：

• 我更在意表面还是内在？
• 我是否放大细微的规条却忽视怜悯？
• 我是否追求认可胜过公义？
• 我的生活是以祂的国度为中心——还是暗中围绕着自己？

耶稣不为华美外表所动。祂渴慕的是心意的更新。今日邀请依然有效：来到祂的翅膀底下。选择谦卑。选择怜悯。选择信实。选择祂的国度。今日你将作何选择？

祷告：

“天父，祢洞察表象之下，直抵心灵深处。我们的一切都无所遁形。我们承认有时过于在意他人眼光，却轻忽了在祢面前真实的自我。求祢赦免我们一切伪善、骄傲与自我标榜的痕迹。求祢赦免我们拘泥于细微之事，却忽视公义、怜悯与信实。

主耶稣，祢以身作则，言行一致。求祢在我们里面塑造同样的正直。救我们脱离口称祢国度却自建小王国的罪。当我们追求名望时，教导我们谦卑；当我们给他人加担子时，教导我们怜悯；当我们心怀二意时，使我们完全。

求祢察验我们，重整我们的优先次序。不仅洁净外表，更要洁净内心。以真爱取代宗教仪式。赐我们勇气选择顺服而非自我掌控，选择服侍而非追求地位，选择忠心而非追求掌声。

将我们聚集在你的翅膀之下。使我们成为你国度里的仆人，活出反映你心意的人生。愿我们的言行一致，愿我们所做的一切唯独荣耀你。今日我们选择你的国度。奉耶稣的名祷告。阿们。”