Matthew 26:3-4 “Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.”

It is strange to me how wrong people can be without even seeing it.  We can be led astray and down a slippery slope to the depths of darkness and stay blind to that fact the whole way.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were the leaders of the people.  They were the priests and law keepers, the ones to look to for guidance.  Throughout his ministry Jesus tried to lead them away from the self-righteousness and piety they held in their hearts but they were blind and deaf to see and hear anything he had to say.  In chapter 22 they try to trip him up asking him what is the most important law and his response was “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  As they sat in Caiaphas’s palace, these words never came back to remind them?  Do these words come to remind us today?  Seek redemption and go out in love.

Lord,

We all fall short of your glory; the Pharisees, the Sadducees, me and all my friends, everyone.  Rather than looking at others and seeing their shortcomings help me look at my own.  Search out the darkness that lurks in each of us and redeem us again today from that slippery slope of destruction.  Thank you again for your sacrifice of love.  I claim victory through you, my Savior and Redeemer.  Amen.