(A “Sermon Echo” is a short reminder or elaboration of something I preached or heard on a previous Sunday.)

This week, it was my co-pastor’s (Pastor Chelsie) turn to preach. She read the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. It begins like this:

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:  “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’–Luke 18:9-12

She elaborated on the Pharisee’s attitude of self-righteousness and how he compared himself to others and felt himself superior to them.

Then she asked, “How many of you are thinking, ‘Thank God, I’m not like that Pharisee!?’

Touché!