shortlady
Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2005
- Messages
- 2,696
Careless Preachers
READ: Matthew 23:1-12
Do not do according to their works; for they say, and
do not do. —Matthew 23:3
Some opponents of Christianity may not be so much
against Christ as they are against the hypocrisy of
His followers. Ironically, it hasn't occurred to them
that no one was more opposed to hypocrisy than Jesus
Himself.
We've all met scoffers who thoughtlessly parrot the
phrase, "The church is full of hypocrites!" But let's
not be thoughtless in our response and dismiss such
pronouncements without taking heed lest they be true.
We tend to think that it's not true of us. But let's
think again. Have we ever been like the Christian who
glanced through her window, only to see a nosy, noisy
neighbor approaching her door? Her young,
impressionable children heard her as she growled, "Oh,
no—not her again!" Whereupon she opened the door and
gushed insincerely, "How very nice to see you!"
Our lips and our lives often preach a mixed message.
In Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus described the hypocritical
teachers of the law and warned His disciples, "Do not
do according to their works; for they say, and do not
do" (v.3).
God forbid that some opponent of Christ would be
influenced by careless hypocrisy in our lives.
Lord, help us to be "careful preachers." —Joanie Yoder
You can fool the hapless public,
You can be a subtle fraud,
You can hide your little meanness,
But you can't fool God. —Kleiser
A hypocrite will often pray on his knees on Sunday and
prey on his neighbors on Monday.
READ: Matthew 23:1-12
Do not do according to their works; for they say, and
do not do. —Matthew 23:3
Some opponents of Christianity may not be so much
against Christ as they are against the hypocrisy of
His followers. Ironically, it hasn't occurred to them
that no one was more opposed to hypocrisy than Jesus
Himself.
We've all met scoffers who thoughtlessly parrot the
phrase, "The church is full of hypocrites!" But let's
not be thoughtless in our response and dismiss such
pronouncements without taking heed lest they be true.
We tend to think that it's not true of us. But let's
think again. Have we ever been like the Christian who
glanced through her window, only to see a nosy, noisy
neighbor approaching her door? Her young,
impressionable children heard her as she growled, "Oh,
no—not her again!" Whereupon she opened the door and
gushed insincerely, "How very nice to see you!"
Our lips and our lives often preach a mixed message.
In Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus described the hypocritical
teachers of the law and warned His disciples, "Do not
do according to their works; for they say, and do not
do" (v.3).
God forbid that some opponent of Christ would be
influenced by careless hypocrisy in our lives.
Lord, help us to be "careful preachers." —Joanie Yoder
You can fool the hapless public,
You can be a subtle fraud,
You can hide your little meanness,
But you can't fool God. —Kleiser
A hypocrite will often pray on his knees on Sunday and
prey on his neighbors on Monday.
