[Earlier in this Chapter of Luke Jesus said:]
[Luke
11:17
But he, knowing their
thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.]
[Jesus' statement resounds throughout the universal Church of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The Church of our Lord, the
body of Christ has never been more fragmented.
While there is little that we, in our local Church body can do about the
world-wide Church, there is a lot that we can do about our local congregation.
We must be certain that our local Church body is unified under the
headship of our Lord.]
[The
passage before us presents some things that were blockades to the spiritual well
being of the religious system followed by the Jewish people.
These elements were dividing the people and severing their relationship
with their God. These same elements
are dividing Churches still today.
They divide Church bodies y attacking the very core of who and what Christians
ought to be.]
A.
These people were divide by:
1.
Their Pageantry (vs 39-40; Mark 7.18-23)
[- "And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye
Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward
part is full of ravening and wickedness. 40
Ye fools, did not he that made that
which is without make that which is within also?"
- This is a reflection of their Integrity]
a.
[Outwardly they presented one thing, but inwardly they were something
very different. The were as cups and platters that were clean on the outside,
presenting themselves as something of usable value, but inwardly they were:]
1)
[Full of Ravening -
harpage har-pag-ay' (gk) - 1) the act
of plundering, robbery 2) plunder spoil]
2)
[Full of Wickedness -
poneria pon-ay-ree'-ah (gk) - 1)
depravity, iniquity, wickedness 2) malice 3) evil purposes and desires]
b.
[God sees the deepest part of our being, nothing is hidden to him.
Our challenge is to allow God to reveal us for who we are at the core of
our being, and to allow Him to transform us in that place.]
c.
[Jesus teaches that purity is more a mater of the heart, than a mater of
our actions we He said,]
[Mark 7:18-23
18
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not
perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot
defile him;
19
Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into
the draught, purging all meats?
20
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21
For from
within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders,
22
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,
blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.]
d.
[We can learn to do and say all of the right things, but God is looking
for people who will have the right heart, who will develop the right mind and
thoughts, who will be right with God from their heart.
These are they that will change the world around them.]
2.
Their Partiality (vs
42;
1 Kings 9.1-7)
[- "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye
tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love
of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." -
Their oversights, Their prejudices.]
a.
[There were certain things that these religious leaders did religiously,
but there were other things that they were failing to do or develop.
They were faithful to tithe, but they failed in judgment and the love of
God.]
b.
[As Christians we must learn to integrate the whole Word of God into our
lives. People have the tendency of
assimilating parts of God's Word and its principles into their lives, while
leaving other portions virtually untouched.
Perhaps we do this in part because the whole of God's Word is
overwhelming to us. Or perhaps we
feel that we can learn what we perceive as the most important principles and
feel the rest will follow.]
c.
[Obedience brings blessings or rewards, disobedience is accompanied by
consequences. We need to be
reminded of what God said to Solomon, when He said:]
[1
Kings 9:1-7
1
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the
LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
2
That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him
at Gibeon.
3
And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that
thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to
put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there
perpetually.
4
And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of
heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee,
and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5
Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I
promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the
throne of Israel.
6
But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not
keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and
serve other gods, and worship them:
7
Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this
house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and
Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:]
3.
Their Pride (vs
43;
Mat
23.11-12;
Luke
14.7-11)
[- "Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love
the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets."]
a.
[Just as the religious leaders loved to be recognized and highly
esteemed, we too have the tendency to like such stature.
It is not natural to seek humble positions of servitude.]
b.
[The Kingdom of God is about service and humility]
[Matthew
23:11-12
11
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble
himself shall be exalted. ]
c.
[About Self Exaltation - Be
careful about where your promotion is coming from.]
[Luke
14:7-11
7
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they
chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room;
lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and
thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that
bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou
have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted.]
4.
Their Pertinence (vs
44;
Jude 1.21-23;
James 5.19-20)
[- "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over
them are not aware of them." ]
a.
[God's purpose and intension in the religious principles of Israel and he Church of our Lord
Jesus Christ are not to be covert.
This rebuke touches the impact that these religious leaders were having on the
people of Israel.
People walk into and our of these men's lives and its as though the had
never been in the presence of these men.
These religious leaders should have had a life changing impact on these
people, just as God called preachers in the Church of Jesus Christ should be
impacting the lives of those God brings across their path.]
b.
[The Church of Jesus Christ is intended by God to be a life changing
influence upon people and our culture.
The New Testament reminds us:]
[Jude
1:21-23
21
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life.
22
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment
spotted by the flesh. ]
[James
5:19-20
19
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way
shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.]
c.
[When people come into contact with God's redeemed they ought to walk
away convicted if not converted.]
5.
Their Performance (vs
46;
Gal
6.1-2) [-
"And he said, Woe unto you also, ye
lawyers! for ye lade men with
burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one
of your fingers." - Hypocrisy]
a.
[In this hypocrisy the lawyers, who recorded and sought to enforce the
principles of the law, interpreted the laws with such vigor that they became
impossible to follow. Hence, these
lawyers place requirements upon people and then expected them to follow what
they just never intended to obey themselves.]
b.
[For ye lade - It is
important to note that these lawyers were laying burdens on other people.
It is one thing to gracefully exhort others to be obedient to God's Word,
it is quite another to lays heavy burdens upon people.
The Bible encourages us to be burdens bearers not burden layers.]
[Galatians
6:1-2
1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such
an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted.
2
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ]
6.
Their Persecution (vs
47-50)
[- "Woe unto you! for ye build the
sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly ye
bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed
them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49
Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I
will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and
persecute: 50
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed
from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;"]
a.
[This persecution reveals the magnitude of the the demands they were
laying upon people. They were even
severely persecuting those men that God was sending to speak to Israel in His stead.]
b.
[In persecuting these prophets these lawyers found themselves literally
working against God. Hence, these
lawyers forced people to obey them rather than God.
It is one thing to stand upon God's Word.
It is quite another thing to use God's Word to support and enforce our
personal positions.]
7.
Their Persuasion (vs
52) [-
"Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken
away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were
entering in ye hindered." ]
a.
[These Lawyers were so forceful that they were found hindering he people
of God rather than edifying the people of God]
8.
Their Problem (vs
51) [-
"From the blood of Abel unto the blood of
Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto
you, It shall be required of this generation." - There is a judgment to
come. Live your life in preparation
for he account you will give.]
B.
Godly People Should:
1.
Be Pure to their core.
2.
Be Passionate about God and God's people.
3.
Be Promoters in the Church.
4.
Be Protectors of God's people.
CrossRoads
Baptist Church,
Evening, March 11, 2007
