Less Talk - More Walk

ME:

My mom once said, “Do as I say not as I do.”

Better statement should be, “Do as I say and Do as I do!”!

Explain why the first statement doesn’t sit well in ones Spirit.

Transition Statement: Some of you understand why this doesn’t sit well.

WE:

We find this throughout culture don’t we?

Military: a Sgt. or an officer states “Don’t ask someone to do something you are not willing to do or have not done yourself.”

Coaching: Every drill my HS football coaches had us do, they had done a hundred time in their life time as well.

Raising Kids: R Rated movies

When Church becomes optional to you, it will be become unnecessary to your children.

Transition Statement: Jesus is very clear about this in scripture.

GOD:

Jesus talks about this throughout scripture. One of those conversation take place in .....

Matthew 23:1-12 “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

“Then” (At that time)

Jesus’ attention shifts!

From the religious leaders to his followers and the crowd at hand

There is no time lapse

He is talking about / not talking to

You ever been in a room where you were being talked about but not talked to?

Example: Baptist Choir

Example: Mrs Williams instructing her boys

VERY AKWARD

He mentions “Moses Seat” (Vs 2)

Successor of Moses to interpret the scriptures

Modern day Pulpit

They had authority (Education / Position)

I want to spend my time focusing on Verse 3 specifically .....

Matthew 23:3 “so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.”

Does that sound familiar? “For they preach, but do not practice.”

“Do as I say but not as I do!”

Look at the were Jesus says, “do and observe”

“Observe” (Tereo) To keep Strictly

Example to observe: the sabbath / holidays / birthdays (Not so strict)

Example of strict: the speed limit / the law of the land / wedding vows (Strict)

“do” (Poieo) what a person does! More so to the idea of God’s will

Example: Loving people (All) Serving (All) Lifting people up

Recap: do the will of the father to the strictest sense.

“whatever they tell you”

Some people might struggle with this idea.

But this was something given to us elsewhere in scripture (Romans 13:1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”)

Hypotasso (Subject) - A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a miliary fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.

“but not the works they do.”

“works” (ergon) anything done or to be done; a deed, work, or action

“do” (poieo)

“For they preach, but do not practice.”

“preach” (lego) to say, to speak as distinguishing from action

“practice” (poieo)

This is what Jesus was telling them.

What they teach was scriptural but what they did was not!

Recap: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in position of spiritual authority, so when it pertains to the will of God, do it! Do it to the strictest sense! But what you witness them doing, don’t do. For what they do goes against what is to be done by a follower of Christ.

(verses 4-10)

Jesus. speaking directly to his followers/crowds, states specifically what He is talking about.

(This is not an exhausted list)

Place a heavy burden on the people

do deeds to be seen

dress the part

love places of honor and being acknowledged as such (Rabbi, Father, instructor)

Jesus says, “DON’T DO THIS!”

For the religious leaders one can conclude it was for Position and Honor

But for the followers of Christ it should be about Purpose and Humility

Matthew 23:11-12 “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

What Jesus was saying, “Less talk / More Walk”

Transitions statement:

YOU:

What we say is important, but what we do is just as important if not more so.

What would the world look like if what we say about Jesus lined up with how we demonstrate Jesus?

What would our community look like if what we say about Jesus lined up with how we demonstrate Jesus?

What would our Church look like if what we say about Jesus lined up with how we demonstrate Jesus?

What would our families look like if what we say about Jesus lined up with how we demonstrated Jesus?

Transition Statement: Let’s ask this question ......

WE:

What is it in our life that needs to look more like Jesus and less like us?

More Love

More kindness

More Grace

More compassion

Less Talk?

More Walk?

Declaration:

Dear Jesus, today I declare that I am going to do less talking (about people, situations, circumstance) and I declare I am going to allow the Spirit to live out through me in my everyday life. I long for people to encounter you and I am a willing vessel to be used by you for such an encounter. I declare to do more praying about life’s situations and trusting you in all things. I declare the things I practice throughout my life be the things that you have designed me for and I declare to do these things with humility. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!