“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” – Matthew 23:28.

While visiting a museum in Germany, I was excited to see an authentic Egyptian mummy lying outside its sarcophagus.

This had to be the Rolls Royce of sarcophagi!

If you’re not familiar with what a sarcophagus is, it’s a stone coffin, typically adorned with a sculpture or inscription and associated with the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, and Greece.

It was made entirely of gold, jewels and had all these intricate ornate decorations. The mummy, on the other hand, was horrific. It was as if it just crawled out of a horror movie!

Shockingly, this mummy was comparable to the religious leaders in Jesus’ time. It was deceptive, hypocritical and completely contradicted what it truly contained.

On the outside you have flawlessness and perfection, but on the inside you have, “dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity” (See Matthew 23:27b).

In the above verse, Jesus Christ was calling out all the hypocrites in His day. Those who claimed to be holy, righteous, and obedient to God outwardly, but on the inside were sinners in need of a Savior just like the rest of them.

These people made sure they got the best seats at church, said ridiculously long prayers, and did “good” deeds in public in hopes of seeking mans recognition and approval instead of God’s.

They pretended to follow God, but in reality were only leading and fooling themselves.

These religious leaders were self-righteous. They wanted all the glory, honor, praise, and authority only Jesus Christ was and is entitled to. Their motives were wicked and their deeds were evil.

They refused to humble themselves before the Lord, by resisting total and complete submission.

A Story of My Pre-Born Again Life!

Before I came to Jesus Christ I was a walking and talking mummy lying in its coffin as well. I was a hypocrite, a liar, and I lived a life completely contradictory to the “church girl” facade I would so often portray.

Every Sunday morning I pretended to be someone I was not.

On the outside, I appeared to be flawless and perfect, but on the inside I was a dirty rotten sinner in need of repentance, forgiveness, and a Savior.

Jesus Christ is the Only Way!

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6

Jesus Christ came to this earth to tell us there is a better way than the legalism found in religion, and the emptiness associated with a life of habitual sin and hypocrisy.

It’s not about perfection, brothers and sisters, it’s about brokenness. It’s not about religion, it’s about an intimate and personal relationship with the creator of the universe.  Tweet

When we admit that we’re wrong, by admitting that we’re sinners, the transformation process can and will begin. Only Jesus Christ can change a person from the inside out, and only through Jesus Christ can we truly be saved.

Key Takeaway

Jesus did not come for the righteous; He came for the sinners. He came for you and for me.  Tweet

He came for the broken and the abused; the suffering and the addicted; the murders and the drunkards. God loves you so much and wants nothing more than to save you!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

It’s never too late to accept Jesus Christ if you’re still alive, but the moment you pass away you will not be given a second chance.

No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God will forgive you if you ask Him to!  Tweet

Today is the day of salvation because none of us are promised tomorrow.

So if you have fallen away from God or want to come into a personal relationship with Him for the first time, simply pray this prayer, mean it in your heart, and repent (make a u-turn) of your sins.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”