What Jesus Did! 'Recognize How Bad It Is!' — Luke 11:44

All of us have a tendency to look at our sins and shortcomings and dismiss them as less serious than other people's sin. Jesus was confronting the Pharisees about their sin. The Pharisees were generally considered to be some of the most righteous people living in Jesus' day. Yet Jesus called on them (see the previous verses, Luke 11:37-43) to look past their outward superficial demonstrations of righteousness and look at their hearts — to deal with their inner greed, the outward superficial show of generosity coupled with their lack of passion for social justice, and their desire to be treated with special honor and appreciation. Jesus wanted them to know that their sin was just as bad as those to whom they felt righteously superior. If we are willing, we will also hear Jesus knock on the doors of our hearts and challenge us not to settle for outward righteous appearances, but to be sincerely dedicated in the pursuit of the things that are genuinely righteous and that matter most to God.