The world conceives the Sermon on the Mount as a loosening of the tight restrictions of Old Testament law. In reality, Christ's Sermon is a condemnation of all self-righteousness, and a revelation of the hopelessness of salvation by good works.
Christ's teaching about the mote and the beam is particularly relevant to the analysis of politics, because politics is drenched in hypocrisy and double standards.
We often try to correct sins in others that we possess ourselves. Sometimes, we project our own faults on others who are in fact completely guiltless. We hate to be corrected by a hypocrite. Those who are zealous to correct others are often incensed when their own flaws are pointed out. A third party is often best to step back from the dispute and see the inconsistencies and hypocrisy in such disputes.
Supporters of Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain exhibit these characteristics, though they have not been pointed out to the public. In matters of freedom of the press, redistribution of wealth, and the protection of innocent life, both sides have unclean hands. Conservative Christians especially would do well to consider these facts.
A particular failure of the church is lack of a clear and consistent opposition to the shedding of innocent blood, especially in wars of aggression. Innocent life must be defended, and not traded for the causes we support.
A man can hardly remove a foreign body from his own eye. Only the Lord Jesus has clear vision, and the ability to remove the sin that plagues us. He had no need to offer a sacrifice for Himself, for He is without any sin.
His Righteousness must replace our self-righteousness if we are to be rescued.
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“ Excellent and thoughtful sermon ” A very well-reasoned and fair consideration of hypocrisy and the application of biblical teaching to the subject, and bringing it to bear with fairness and without bias to our current political environment. I was shocked at the way Ms. Palin has appealed to base racist sentiment and in Sen. McCain's "maverick"-claimed positions, and how to reconcile these with their association with Christian concepts, and I had not known about some of the things you mentioned about actions of the American government. You gave me a lot to think about, please keep up your fine work Pastor Hey.
Cindy Toolsie (11/4/2008)
from Toronto, Canada
“ Great Sermon! ” Pastor John P. Hey, thank you for this truthful and non biased sermon. I have heard too many other sermons that spells hypocrisy this gives chistianity a bad name. We have more things in JESUS'S name that brings us togather than seperates us. Mrs. Palin has spewed too much of her poison in the air and calls herself a christian this is hypocrisy in the rawest form. May GOD Bless you for the truths in this sermon. Thank you. Cindy
John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
#43 - Top Played Sermon (48-Hours) on 11/5/2008
