Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe even said yourself) that they could never be a Christian because Christians are hypocrites? If you have, please know that Jesus is well aware of the problem. That’s why Jesus gives such a strong warning in Matthew 23:13-36 about the dangers of religious hypocrisy. In this sermon,…
Maybe no phrase better captures the spirit of hypocrisy than “Do as I say, not as I do.” This phrase is also a pretty good summary of how many people approach their religious faith. That’s what many of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day were doing – and it is what too many Christians still do…
“What do you think about the Christ?” That’s the question Jesus puts to His opponents in Matthew 22:42. And He is still putting this same question to us today: “What do WE think about the Christ?” In this sermon, we focus on three of the most important answers to this question. Text = Matthew 22:41-46…
It’s hard sometimes to follow all the rules. Whether you’re talking about social distancing or the Christian life, sometimes it feels like there are so many rules you just can’t keep track of them all. That’s why Matthew 22:34-40 is such an important passage. In this text Jesus shows us the one Great Commandment that…
Some questions are trivial. “Should I wear the red shirt or the purple shirt?” is a good example. Other questions, though, can change your whole life. “Will you marry me?” is in that category. Whether she says yes or no, nothing will ever be the same once she answers. In this sermon, we consider two…
Americans are thinking a lot about government these days. Whether it’s economic and social restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, or the more familiar territory of a presidential election campaign, government authority is on everybody’s mind. That makes Matthew 22:15-22 a timely passage indeed! In vs. 21, Jesus famously tells us to “Give to Caesar…