Series: Things Jesus Wants Us To Know
Part 13
- - Don't Wear A Hypocrite's ClothesLuke 12:1-3
INTRO: Do you ever take a Red-lettered Bible and marvel at the words of Christ? Does His wisdom contained therein reach you like none other? Well, this is what I am trying to do with this series, let us see what He wants us to know from His Word. So, do you think it would be neat to sit down with God and ask Him questions? Well we do have His Word for us. I have been doing a series entitled "Things Jesus Wants Us To Know. We have been working through the Gospel of Luke. We have learned many things. Today I want to look into Luke 12 and then some background scripture in chapter 11.
In 1949 Elliott White Springs wrote the book, "Clothes Make the Man." I have heard this all my life, and never really knew where the saying began. Today, I want to look into chapter 12 and see what Christ thought about the way certain religious leaders dressed. Not so much as the quality, color, amount or style of clothing, but how they were actually dressed in God's sight.
You see, God knows how we are dressed. He sees all there is to see. He knows if we have on an original design, our own makings, or if we have our life clothed in His trappings (if you would). God knows our need for change. He knows exactly what we need in life - the real question is will we listen to Him or not?
Let's read in Luke 12:1-3
Luke 12:1 - 3 1In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.3
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.Before I start, I want to give you an idea of what hypocrisy is.
1. The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.
2. An act or instance of such falseness.
[Middle English ipocrisie, from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, play-acting, pretense, from Greek hupokrisis, from hupokrīnesthai, to play a part, pretend : hupo-, hypo- + krīnesthai, to explain, middle voice of krīnein, to decide, judge.]
Hypocrisy is not something that most people want to have or maintain in life. Honestly who wants to be a hypocrite? But, we have to be honest, there have been times in our lives where most if not all of us played the hypocrite. Hypocrisy is found in the O.T. 14 times. Jesus was hard on hypocrisy. He spoke of it often. 16X in Matthew, twice in Mark, 5 times in Luke, once in 1 Timothy, James and 1 Peter. Now I have to be honest, calling people hypocrites is not one of the chapters found in "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. This did not make Christ popular as we can see from the scripture we will read today. Nevertheless, He proclaimed a truth to them about how they were dressed.
Remember, He made it clear it is not how we are dressed on the outside, but on the inside that counts. Let's move on.
When we look at this, we can learn many things about hypocrisy…
What did Christ have to say about hypocrisy?
Hypocrisy is deadly revealing
When we look into the text, we can see several things about hypocrisy. It…
Spreads - 1
Not only does it spread, it…
Spoils
Shows - 2
Substitutes (what God really intends for our lives)
Seduces - 3
Separates
Is (by action)…
Sanctimonious (making a hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness, etc.:
Sinful (because we are basically lying to God and others)
Scheming (spoken in darkness and whispers in the ear)
Okay, we can see, we understand it is not good, but one question we need answered, is…
How does it show in people's lives?
First let us read what Christ had just spoken to them in Luke 11:37
Luke 11:37 - 44 37And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38
And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.39
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?41
But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.42
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.43
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.44
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.
Pharisees were great "church members" - just ask them. Pharisees were better than everyone else was - just ask them. Pharisees were really close to God, just ask them! The term Pharisee in Hebrew meant separatist. Pharisees were "holier than thou" types who separated themselves, both physically and spiritually from the main body of Jewish worshippers in their day. They were so proud of their keeping of the law, yet they missed the real aspect needed - mercy for those around them. Jesus spoke plain and harsh to them for this. Understand they were from the common class of people, yet they cared for none but themselves. The scribes (writers of the law, teachers of the law, doctors of law, were affiliated with both the Pharisees and the Sadducees who were from the upper ruling class of the Jews. Honestly they virtually all hated Christ
When we look at these verses, we can see what Christ thought about the Pharisees. He tells us they were…
More concerned with their outside appearance and actions than their inside or essence - 38-41
More willing to give a part than their whole being - 42
More desirous of their own praise, position and power than prayer, praise, position and power within God - 43
More oblivious to their deadness and deadly poison hidden to others than their only appearing godly on the outside for their benefit- 44
(they know their hearts are self-serving and sinful - they don't really care)
We can also see how Christ was talking to the lawyers in Luke 11:45-54 about the attitude they carried around.
Luke 11:45 - 54 45Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
46
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.47
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;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.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.53
And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:54
Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
Christ was not done with them. He let them know that they were…
More than willing to load men down with burdensome rules (that went beyond God's Word) while they were unwilling to help them - 45
More than willing to stand against anyone who they disagree with (especially if they threatened their place of power). - 46-51
More than willing to hinder those who would seek God by perverting God's Word and using it for their own gain - 52
Last, how do we avoid or lose hypocrisy?
Does anyone really want to be known as a hypocrite? I think not. I remember an (unsaved) uncle of mine that called a preacher I knew "a hypocrite." "He's a hypocrite!" I remember how bad it sounded. I remember how harsh it seemed. And I remember how much disdain he showed towards that man. I am not saying he was right or wrong, but I do know I do not want that title. Do you?
I want to be what is right in the sight of God. I understand that we cannot always help what people say about us, but may the Lord help us live right in the sight of God and man.
A 'hypocrite' is defined as one who deliberately and as habit professes to be good when he is aware that he is not. Synonyms for 'hypocritical' are: insincere, false, two-faced, dishonest, deceitful, deceptive, truth-less, feigned, and the last one is counterfeit. So you can see the relationship between those words and 'hypocrite.' The antonyms are: sincere, heartfelt, genuine and, honest.
So, how do we avoid or lose hypocrisy? I think we find the answer in verse 52.
Sincerely seek God in His Word (the key of knowledge and truth)
May we all desire Truth in our lives
Know God in a genuine relationship through His Son Jesus (salvation)
May we all know the Truth in our lives
Profess God (place Him first in your life) and walk with Him according to His Word in the honest to goodness best way you can. (Key here: you are living a proper, Christian, godly, changed, unselfish, truly loving life.)
May we live with the Lord's truth in us for other's lives
Jesus wants us to know we shouldn't wear a hypocrite's clothes!
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 061007am