A few years ago, I watched an interview with Dick Morris. Dick was President Clinton’s political advisor who resigned in disgrace after pictures showing him with a prostitute surfaced in the news. He wrote a book portraying his savvy political advice as the secret weapon which saved Clinton’s presidency. Frankly, I was not impressed but something he said during the interview caught my attention.

“There are two personalities at war within us,” Morris said. “One is the hard working professional who handles everything with ease. Another personality is addicted and cannot control his or her desires whether it be sex, drugs, alcohol or other pleasures.” In other words, “I confess to being caught red-handed but please buy my book or watch my interview because I was sick and couldn’t help myself.”

Excuses! Excuses may make good talk show material or books but they do not impress God.

For the last two weeks we have studied a different side of Jesus: angry. Why was he angry and who were the Pharisees Jesus was angry with? Among the most religious folks in the community, Pharisees could be your Sunday school teachers, members of your choir, your pastor or… even you. Jesus said, “How terrible it will be for you…” Then in the 23^rd chapter of Matthew, he explained:

1. Everything we do is for show… We must really think we are hot stuff…

2. We are far too quick to condemn and way too slow to praise…

3. We place a higher priority on serving the church than serving God…

4. Our word is no longer sacred… even our contracts have escape clauses…

5. We major in the minors and completely miss the foundations of our faith…

6. We may be clean on the outside but inside we are filthy…

7. We may look good on the outside but inside we are dead…

We know how the Pharisees responded to their tongue-lashing. Jesus was arrested, whipped, beaten and murdered. Wrong answer but how should we respond? “I have two personalities at war within me?” Give me a break! This is the crucial part of the story. If the Pharisees were wrong… what is right? Jesus is as intense and passionate as you will ever see as he cries out to the Pharisees and us:

“O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now look, your house is left to you, empty and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Mat. 23:37-39)