44 "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
Coming into contact with an unmarked grave brought instant impurity for the Jew. We find in Numbers:16 "Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days. Num 19:16 (NIV)
In our verses for today Jesus is again speaking to the religious leaders of the day – the Pharisees – stating yet another “Woe”! Describing them as those bringing impurity to others caught unaware. This is a warning for us also! Does our influence lead others to impurity, perhaps suffering harm for being in our company? I love Paul’s statement to the Corinthians: 14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Cor 4:14-17 (NIV)
And again he tells us: 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Cor 11:1 (NIV)
Paul practiced what he preached. He sought to follow Christ’s lead so that others could see Jesus “fleshed out” before their eyes. This is our call too (ouch!). Why on earth would anyone follow what we espouse yet fail to practice? Why would anyone bother? If it is not good enough for us then it is certainly not good enough for them either. Furthermore, Paul later states:
20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Cor 4:20 (NIV)
Basically he is stating, “Show me the money” or better yet, “Show me the power”. You claim Christ, now then live it. We are also told: 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Cor 4:7-12 (NIV)
Do we bring life to others? Do we leave the “aroma of Christ” in all of our encounters or the aroma of death? The message of salvation and the ensuing results it produces are both glorious and divine. Mere mortals, like we are, carry around this great treasure in our “jars of clay” demonstrating God’s all-surpassing power. This shows that salvation is the work of God and not men. We are told in I Corinthians: 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 1 Cor 2:2-5 (NIV)
I am reminded of a quote by Wales Goebel regarding our influences as Christians: “Every Christian life ought to be a force among men, a witness for Jesus and an influence for blessing and good. I know that there are few people like Billy Graham, whom God calls to do great things for Him. For men like me, and perhaps you, the best thing that we can do in the small time allotted to us in this world is to live out a genuine, simple, beautiful, strong Christian life. In our little measure we can repeat the life of the Lord Himself, doing in our imperfect way a few of the wonderful things He would do if He were Himself in our place.” Wales Goebel May it be Lord.