Pastor Sam Rainer preaches through every verse of Matthew’s gospel. This sermon covers Matthew 23:1-36. Jesus rebukes the religious leaders. The Pharisees and scribes had “crushed people with unbearable religious demands.” Christian hypocrisy occurs when you make yourself the priority over God. Christian legalism is excessive conformity to a moral code or Law with the intent of controlling others. All of us must guard our hearts against the dark religion of legalism.