Jesus was giving his famous Sermon on the Mount. In the middle of it he looked at the disciples from his sitting position (as was customary for Jewish rabbis of the first century when they were teaching). And Jesus said: "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 6:1)."

To whom was Jesus referring with these words? He was probably talking here and at other points in the sermon about the Pharisees. Recall that the Pharisees were the most devout Jews, the most religious people, of Jesus' day. Jesus was talking about people like us.1

People like us? Our commitment to our Lord and his work is obvious, is it not? Here it is a Wednesday, and we have come to his house for worship. For the next …