Sermon
The Toothpaste Sermon
Theme
It's what is in our heart that counts.
Object
A tube of toothpaste
Scripture
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Mathew 23:25-26
The Pharisees where concerned with following the law and doing all the right things. That is a good thing to do, but what Jesus is concerned about is on the inside of our hearts. We can act like we want to follow Jesus and convince other people for a while, but he knows what is inside. Often trials can bring out what’s really in our heart. We are kind of like this tube of tooth paste. In order to get the toothpaste you have to squeeze it. When we are put under pressure what is really inside us comes out. If Jesus is the center of our lives, when we face pressure and trials people will see Him in us. If we are just trying to follow His commands on our own, when trouble come we won’t be able to do what is right. We can’t follow God’s laws on our own, it's impossible, but when we let Jesus inside of us he helps us to do His will. Then whether we are going through trials or not—through the good and the bad—His light will shine through us. Then we will be clean on the outside as a result of what is inside of us. Not because of anything we have done, but because of what He is doing through us.
Heavenly Father, help us to be as more concerned with what is in our heart than we are with outside appearances. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
