Do Not Be Like That Person

"Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you." Matthew 6:1


Scriptures show us people to look up to and emulate.

But the reverse is also true, particularly in Matthew chapter six and seven, which starts with

"When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites...

When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens...

When you fast, stop looking sad like hypocrites..."

And it goes on to explain why.

So in this series we will look at those (people) who we shouldn't become.

So although from reading Matthew 6, we might already know that we shouldn't be like pagans or legalistic Pharisees, it would be nice to put a name to other people who we shouldn't be like.

Judas, Barabbas, Gestas

Among them is Judas, one of the most trusted followers of Jesus and among those who stayed with Him day in and day out, during the last three years of His life and His public ministry. Judas was right there during the public and private teachings of Jesus. He was there to witness all the Jesus miracles, His public demonstrations of instant healings and other miraculous signs. But in spite all these, he still thought it wise to abandon Him.

What may not be apparent is that he was probably with Jesus and ardently stuck around Him and followed Him all this time mainly because of his own personal, counterfeit or selfish reasons. This of course is not unlike so many so-called Christians or followers of Jesus today and throughout history.

He of course could, like countless others like him who have followed Jesus, have a real, genuine and selfless inward change of heart.

What If

He could, like so many others who failed to live up to the words and teachings of Jesus (even within his own group of the closest of Jesus' followers), have repented of their wrong ways, in the face of God's wisdom, His amazing grace, mercy and undeserved love.

He could have also sought help from God or from others in his time of need and remorse for what he had done to Jesus.

So yes, he had his chances and his 'could haves'. Yet he failed to repent and took his own life.

Do Not Be Like Them

Two bonus persons we can add to this list for today, are Barabbas and one of those who was crucified alongside Jesus (who some writings have named as a criminal named Gestas).

Now, Barabbas was the criminal who was pardoned in place of Jesus. And although nothing is certain after he was released. Tradition tells us that he saw the crucifixion of Jesus and that he was most probably recaptured or died because he went about the same business he was doing before he was put into prison to begin with.

He could easily be still languishing in jail or hanging on his own cross. But Jesus took his place and his punishment (at that particular charge or conviction), but he failed to appreciate that opportunity. So like Judas, he had his own chance to have a change of heart but apparently he did not.

And this brings us back to the criminal hanging on his cross with Jesus (who was left unnamed in the bible) who was also like Judas and Barabbas, was unrepentant and also did not realize, recognize or respect Jesus for who He was, even in the face of his own imminent death and after the other criminal (who some writings refer to as Dismas) who was also crucified with them told him to, who by the way, before he died, asked Jesus to remember him when He enters His kingdom. To which Jesus replied  "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Jesus showed love, favor, blessing, grace and mercy where there shouldn't be. Yes for all, including us, so as not be like one of these infamous three and more like Dismas, and countless others who failed but repented before it was too late.

Don't Be Like Them Series