Practice What You Preach: I Don't Want To Be A Hypocrite (Part 1)

Matt Richards

Matthew 23:1 ​Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.

You know this jumped out at me this morning. It's pretty scary.

Definition of hypocrite

1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

I don't want to be religious. These leaders were the experts of their day, but they had all the theory, but they didn't have the practice.

They talked the talk...

But they didn't walk the walk.

I really don't want to be a hypocrite.

I can't talk about forgiveness, but then not forgive. I can't speak about holiness and be compromised. I can't teach about prayer and not pray. I can't preach about love and not love my wife.

I don't want to be someone who delivers amazing teaching, inspiring sermons but doesn't practice what they preach.

I need to, we need to, live our lives in such a way that others can follow our example. We need to practice what we preach.

'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.'

William J. Toms

You're maybe the only Jesus people see.

People are watching, not just what you say, but also what you do.

I am reminded of an old song we used to sing many years ago, with great gusto at the end of conventions and the like the lyrics included, "so many lives depend on what I do, give me the strength dear Lord I'm going on for You." (Anybody remember it? "I'm going on")

I want to go on, I want to finish my race and not fall. Because so many lives depend on what I do, not just what I say but what I do.

God I don't want to be a hypocrite I really don't.

I want to live a life of obedience to the Bible. I want to live a life in love with Jesus. I want to be an example; so when people look at my life it makes them want to follow Jesus. I want to be faithful. I want to..I need to please Lord helo me to practice what I preach.

Prayer:

Father forgive me for being a hypocrite. Help me today not just to talk the talk, help me to walk the walk. Help me Holy Spirit to practice what I preach in Jesus name amen.