"Jesus said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Mark 7:6)

     Surveys have shown that more than ever, people want authenticity in their religion, pastors, churches, and no doubt many other areas of life.  No doubt this is in part due to the stories of pastors and other leaders that have been less than what people wanted them to be.  Immorality, hypocrisy, greed, and a host of other sins and problems are behind this search for authenticity in the church.
     Jesus saw this problem in this Sunday's Gospel reading.  The Pharisees were demanding outward traditions, but they were lacking in the heart of the matter.  In other words, they were hypocrites:  people who put on a false appearance of virtue or religion.
      I like the story of the pastor who was walking around his neighborhood around the church where he served.  He approached one neighbor at his door, introducing himself, and when the person learned he was a pastor, he began closing his door, saying, "I don't want anything to do with the church; they're just full of hypocrites!"  And before he had closed the door, the pastor responded, "Well, there's always room for one more".
     I certainly want to be a good pastor.  And I do try to be the pastor that God wants me to be.  Yet God certainly knows that I'm a sinner!  So I may as well tell all of you that same truth!
    I know that I have a sinful heart, and that I have fallen short of all that God demands in thoughts, words and actions. I also know that the Scriptures tell us that "all have sinned".  So we are all in the same condition.
     But here's the Good News!  God loves us even while we have sinned.  His love is unconditional!  And God has sent His son to be our Savior!  Through Jesus' life, death and resurrection, all our sin has been forgiven!   So we are all holy in God's sight!  
     So you do have a perfect pastor.  And I have a perfect congregation :)  

Blessings, 
Pastor Steve