Condemnation of Scribes and Pharisees

Condemnation of Scribes and Pharisees (1)
Matthew 23.13-22

I once preached a sermon in a church in America. I spoke particularly of the way in which the ancient pagan gods and goddesses were starting to infiltrate our culture once more, and how as Christians we should learn to recognize the insidious ways in which this happens.

I stood shaking hands at the door. One lady of a certain age walked up to me, looking delighted.

‘By Jove,’ she said, ‘that was a fine sermon.’

The look on my face made her realize what she had said. Obviously Jove has never been a major deity in America, but the only reason for invoking the name is that he once was elsewhere. When Jesus declares that our careless words will reveal who we really are, it is perhaps time to examine some things we say without even thinking about it...

Taken from Matthew for Everyone – by Tom Wright