The New Life in Christ: Jesus told his followers that their words needed to reflect their actions.

Jesus taught about the differences between real faith and fake faith in Matthew 23:1-12.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have the authority to tell you what the law of Moses says. So you should obey and follow whatever they tell you,

but their lives are not good examples for you to follow.

They tell you to do things, but they themselves don’t do them.

They make strict rules and try to force people to obey them, unwilling to help those who struggle under the weight of their rules.

They do good things so that other people will see them…

They wear bigger, and they make their special prayer clothes very long…

They love to have the most important seats at feast and in the synagogues.

How terrible for you, you give to God one-tenth of everything you earn.

But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law-justice, mercy, and being loyal. Matthew 23:2-10 & 23:23.

Amen.