"Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have a meal with him. And He went in and reclined at the table. But when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.
"But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God, but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it."
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us today, whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ, we're glad you are here. If you have recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please contact and let us know so that we can pray for you. Praying with and for others is a foundational practice of the Christian faith, shifting the focus from self to others through the act of intercession as often modeled by Jesus Himself.
Unlike many today, Jesus often took a firm stand against the religious heresy of His day, He frequently confronted the superficiality of ceremonial religious traditions, the outward manmade standards considered to be proof of purity and holiness, exposing them as insufficient for the necessary inward change that God demands.
Since the average person doesn't know the true Word of God and is easily deceived by false religion, it shouldn't be surprising that the most severe warnings, the fiercest indictments that ever came out of the mouth of Jesus were directed at the most "religious" people who should have known better. The uncomfortable reality, the difficult, hard to hear truth about the Pharisees is, they were the group of people in the Gospels which most closely resembles us. Because hypocrisy is universal human trait, a disease if you will, that all of humanity suffers from, it affects not only those outside the church those within the church today as well as, because we often overlook our own contradictory behaviors, while focusing on the behaviors of others. We tend to even elect hypocritical leaders, support hypocritical brands, and routinely socialize with other hypocrites without realizing it, until its called out.
The word "hypocrisy" originates from the Greek "hypokrisis," which means "acting on a stage," and is derived from the root word "hypokrinesthai," which means "to pretend" or "to play a part," later adopted into Latin as hypocrisis and then into Old French before entering the English language. Essentially, hypocrisy means to profess certain beliefs that one does not actually adhere to or possess. How often do we quickly to judge someone who we think may be a hypocrite because of a discrepancy between their stated beliefs and their actual behavior, especially in religious or political circles, but never really stop to consider whether or not we might actually be one ourselves. Hypocrisy is a damnable offense, especially
when exhibited by those in positions of power or influence, like the pastorate, advocating principals and policies they themselves don't follow, for which we must give an account. The church of all people need to understand that God doesn't want your worship if your hearts aren’t right, Scripture affirms this.
Due to our human imperfection, its virtually impossible to avoid hypocrisy altogether, that's why honest self-examination is extremely important, to make sure our actions align with our profession. It's not how much Scripture we profess, but how much Scripture we live that matters. Rather than defending our mistakes and inconsistencies, acknowledge them, and diligently work to align your behavior with your words. Lastly, I suggest prioritizing consistency over perfection. The goal isn't flawless perfection, but to become more accountable, more authentic for a genuine transformation of the heart. It's far better to be transparent than to be viewed as a "holier than thou" hypocrite. Instead of constantly calling out the hypocrisy of others, lead them by your virtuous example. We may not be able to effect the entire world, but certainly we can make a difference in the lives of those touch.
As Christians, we have a responsibility of not only pointing out sin, but practically offering help and pointing them to Christ. Self-righteousness is not a virtue, Jesus reserved His harshest words, not for adulterers, thieves, or prostitutes but for religious hypocrites. It doesn't matter how strong your religious convictions are, if you don't actually live by them, you're a hypocrite. That's the story of the Pharisee in our text today who followed his own teachings, had strong religious convictions, and very carefully monitored his own public conduct, feeding his pride, but neglected to keep the bigger things commanded by God. The reason many religious people become highly skilled at covering their corruption with external morality and religious ceremony, is because that's all they can do. False religion is shallow and unfulfilling, lacking genuine repentance, devoid of the transformative power of Holy Spirit, and is merely an illusion that thrives on empty traditions, it's self deception. They are only participating in a charade, playing a part. False religion is just a game you play with yourself, it fails to provide the necessary depth and authenticity of a true relationship with the Lord. I am convinced that's why many Christians today are drawn to contemporary Christian music, which relies on emotionalism, to make them "feel" closer to God, rather than to evoke feelings of sincere worship from the heart. If someone were quietly observing you without your knowledge, would they conclude that you are a follower of Jesus Christ?
Looking at the spiritually mature Christian, their relationship with Jesus Christ is such that they live not for any personal gain or emotional fulfillment but for the glory of Christ. If someone were quietly observing you without your knowledge, would they conclude that you are a follower of Jesus Christ? Self-righteous religious people can't be converted until they realize their hypocrisy, in the text before us today, Jesus mercifully confronts a Pharisee, head-on and challenges him to face his hypocrisy. However, rather than to repent of their hypocrisy, religious hypocrites typically redirect their hatred toward the one who confronts them. As I'm sure you are aware, religious hypocrites unchanged hearts haven't changed over the centuries, cut off from the transformative power of the Spirit of God, they're really left with little else to pursue. Before we begin, let's pray.
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so grateful for Your Word, we are thankful for the clarity with which it speaks to our hearts. Lord, as we look at the church today and we know we’re in dangerous times. We pray for those spiritual leaders under the influence of Satan, who are undermining the truth, those who are tickling the ears of a worldly congregation to serve their own needs. We need not name names, You know who they are. Father, we pray that Your Spirit would convict their hearts and bring them to the point of repentance. We pray for those congregations, who are sitting under false teachers, who lack humility, grant them discernment and bring them into right relationship with the Savior Who gave His life for them, may they ask Him for forgiveness and submit to His Lordship while they still can. We ask and pray these things in Jesus' precious name, trusting the results to You.
Amen
Today's Message: Marks Of A Religious Hypocrite
Open your Bibles with me to the eleventh chapter in Gospel of Luke, verses thirty-seven through forty-four. With the Holy Spirit's leading, let's get started. I encourage you to follow along with me as I read to get the text set in our minds. Consequently, this is one of those unsettling passages that many preachers avoid, because it stands as a strong warning for those who misinterpret, a damning indictment for those misappropriate the truth, with their misleading, damning heresy. Luke 11:37-44.
"Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have a meal with him. And He went in and reclined at the table. But when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.
"But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God, but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it."
Let's look at verse 37, "Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have a meal with him. And He went in and reclined at the table." Now when He had spoken, if you will remember in our last message, Jesus had just been discussing that the issue wasn't the availability of Light, in fact, there was an abundance of it, but rather the issue was their inability to perceive it. He essentially said that the Jewish people were, in a natural sense, unable to see because they were blinded due to their sin. Then, He gave an illustration. That's when a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish religious sect, from the Hebrew verb "parash" meaning "to separate." And separated they certainly were, these self-righteous spiritual authorities extremely devoted to the strict adherence to the Mosaic Law and extensive oral traditions, were filled with pride. So, immediately after Jesus provided an illustration to make His point, that's when the Pharisee invited Him to share a meal with him.
There were basically two main meals, one eaten after sunrise but before noon, usually before the main meal. Much like what we would call brunch today. And the other meal was a little later in the day. I'd like you to notice is that this is the Greek verb "aristaó," the meal just before midday after a few hours of work. Then, Luke tells us "And He went in and reclined at the table." This was not a "grab and go" culture like we have day, meals were not eaten on the run. It was a prolonged meal, where a prolonged conversation would typically take place. Since the participants of the meal would generally be there for an extended period of time, they would recline at the table in a relaxed, comfortable position, with feet extended away from the table, ready for an meal and conversation.
Verse 38, "But when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal." But when the Pharisee saw it, referring back to verse 37, when Jesus enters the home and immediately reclined at the table without ceremonially cleansing His hands, he marveled, or was taken aback that Jesus, recognized as a teacher or rabbi, would deliberately breached the Pharisees customary practice that emphasized their separation from anything deemed unclean. Unlike what many people think, this wasn't about cleanliness personal or hygiene, this was about Jesus violating the expanded Torah's purity laws, which they had developed to symbolize their "holiness," separated from all the defilements of the world.
Since there's absolutely nothing about this in the Old Testament, you can just imagine what Lord said to him in verse 39, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness." I'd like you to notice that this man didn't utter a single word, he didn't need to say anything, Jesus read his mind, then willingly ignored his shock by His actions and directly confronted his self-righteous religious hypocritical man-made customs by blatantly critiquing their religious symbolism from the very outset of the conversation. That's all false religion is, symbolism, outward signs to cover up inward corruption. It doesn't matter whether its Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Mormonism. It doesn't matter what you do, if your heart is still wicked. True disciples recognize and understand that since they have confessed Jesus as Lord, they are therefore, no longer the ruling authority in charge of making their own decisions in their lives. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul writes, "Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." False disciples of Jesus will confess Him as Lord, but inwardly, their soul is feeding on deception because they still love their sin. They love the shallow, superficial interpretations of Scripture, because they can't possibly afford to think honestly about their self-indulgent sin. Do not be foolish because you misinterpret the Truth, God desires holiness. False Christians always find a way subvert the Truth, they twist and manipulate the Word of God because they're filled with lies, untruths, and broken promises. But, you're a damned fool if you think your Scripture twisting will save you. Jesus said false religionists "clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness," using the Greek nouns "harpagḗ" and "ponēría" which implies they are literally raping people's bank account and souls by violent force like a criminal because of the greed.
Verse 40, "You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also?" Jesus doesn't mince words, meaning He gets right to the heart of the matter, speaking very directly and honestly way without fear of offending. He starts by attacking their prioritization of outward appearances over inner righteousness, which ultimately leads to a series of "woes" where He pronounces judgement against the religious leaders. Notice He uses the Greek word "áphrōn" implying that its because of their short-sightedness, they lack the proper perspective, willfully ignorant. In other words, He's calling them senseless legalists, egotistical elitists, and superficial, self-righteous hypocrites, boasting in their knowledge of the Mosaic law and their adherence even the smallest detail. They should have known better. Are you so foolish to imagine even for a moment, that same God the Who makes both the inside and the outside is preoccupied solely with an outward appearance of purity and holiness? That's ridiculous! Jesus was pointing out they were the embodiment of foolish. That's why Peter says in 1 Peter 2:15, "For such is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." For those who teach, there is a higher standard, and with that higher standard comes a more severe judgment. Only an authentic relationship with Christ, Who cleanses and truly transforms sinners from the inside out. I believers this should encourage us as followers of Christ to examine ourselves to be sure that we do not harbor any unrepentant sin in our life, so that you have sound thinking. Don't think more highly of yourself than you ought.
Verse 41, "But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you." Here Jesus is referring to the contents of the cup and platter mentioned in verses 39-40. Don't just give while everybody is watching to be recognized by men, give from your heart. True cleanliness doesn't come from ceremonial washings, it comes from a transformed heart which is expressed in generosity. That's why James says in chapter 2:18, "You have faith; and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Saving faith produces a transformed heart which demonstrates mercy and compassion towards others, fulfilling the spirit of the law rather than just the letter. Then, their entire lives would be deemed "clean" in God's sight. Jesus is again pointing to the emphasis of a renewed heart.
I believe that Jesus is encouraging all as Christians to prioritize inward transformation and practicing acts of mercy and compassion over mere religious rituals and routines. Examine Your Heart, and practice generosity as the path to purity. 1 John 3:17, "But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" It doesn't matter how many verses you can quote or worship songs you sing if your heart isn't right. True cleanliness before God has got to come from the inside. Christianity is not merely a set of beliefs, its a way of life to be lived. 1 John 2:6, "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." Follow Christ's example in prayer and obedience
Verse 42, "But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God, but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others." This is a strong indictment, a stark declaration of divine judgment on these devoutly religious men, highlighting the seriousness of their sin. We can see this especially true, when we view it in light of the language He uses in Matthew 23, where He repeats the word woe seven times and then ended by saying, "Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?" "Woe" it is an interesting word, one frequently used by prophets in the Old Testament to warn nations or individuals of God's impending wrath, however, its not one we use much today. In the Greek it's the word "ouai" originally thought to be a common associated with an expression of grief, as in "Woe is me," I don't believe that Jesus is saying, "Oh, you poor Pharisees, I feel so sorry for you. Although I am certain there is a bit of sorrow in His statement, especially when He laments over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37-38, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!" False religion focuses on the minutia to cover up its sin with little self-righteous external acts, that's all it can do because the inside is so corrupted. God wants us to always keep His commands, without neglecting the other things like compassion and mercy. Luke 10, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it? You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
Verse 43, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the marketplaces." Self-righteous religious hypocrites love status, they love to be seen as someone important. Jesus is echoing the words of the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel and Amos, who frequently used similar language to condemn foolish injustice and false piety, criticizing the Pharisees for craving positions of honor, seeking the best seats in the synagogues to symbolize their authority and prestige. They wanted to be up front and center, where everybody would see them, prioritizing recognition and approval from men over genuine devotion to God. Have you ever noticed that religious hypocrites love their titles that to affirm their social status, to obtain respectful greetings ? Jesus is confronting their spiritual pride head on. I am often referred to as pastor or pastor Brian, in religious and social settings. To be quite honest, being addressed with post-nominal titles makes me a bit uncomfortable. I actually prefer quietly mentoring rather than loudly boasting about my religious accomplishments or academic achievements that boost our ego. Scripture commands us to be humble, reminding us that true honor comes from God, not men. I look at it this way, if Jesus only needed to be called Jesus, being called Brian is good enough for me. It took me a while but I finally learned, its impossible to exalt Christ and elevate yourself at the same time. Its one or the other.
That brings us verse 44, "Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it." Here He moves from criticizing their hypocrisy to calling out their influence over others. That the problem with false teachers, they don't just jeopardize themselves, they take many others down with them unknowingly, leading people further away from God's true intent for the law, which is to foster love, grace, mercy and justice instead of impose unnecessary heavy burdens on those they instructed. That's what Jesus was talking in Matthew 11, when He said "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Here, He's saying when tombs are hidden, unsuspecting people walk over them without even realizing they've been defiled. That's the way it is with false teachers, which is why James says in chapter 3, "Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment." They'll receive the severest punishment. God's greatest condemnation is reserved for those who reject the Truth. You will be judged not only for your own evil, but all those you've led astray with your false teaching. Rather than enforcing man-made traditions, focus on teaching new believers to love the Lord with all of their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind and to love their neighbor as themselves. What we believe impacts the way we live, that's why I believe its so important to recognize that our actions unknowingly impact the lives of other people, whether for good or for evil. If you're in a position of spiritual authority, be sure to influence others for good! Ultimately, this "woe" calls for genuine repentance and reliance on God's grace grace to cleanse the inside, which will produce a faith that blesses others rather than weighing them down with heavy burdens.
So many people today have absolutely no idea that they’re being spiritual mislead by heretical teachers, but that’s the way it is with false teachers, that's why we must hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. I believe that we understand that the hottest hell is reserved for the people who committed the most heinous crimes, but I'm not certain we understand what the most heinous crime is, I believe it's the sin of knowing the Truth and deliberately and consciously rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, whether with our words due to unbelief or with our lives due a hardened heart that refuses to heed the Spirit's calling to repent and turn away from sin. That's the sin of apostasy. An apostate does not truly repent; they willfully persist in their sin, knowing what Scripture teaches because their heart is hardened, and ultimately, they will perish in their sin. 1 John 3:9-10a, says "Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifested." By the way, habitually and willfully sinning is distinctly different than someone who is genuinely regenerate but continues to struggle with sin.
I believe that's the ultimate heinous crime for which there's no more hope according to Hebrews 10:26-27, "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. I’ve seen it myself in my years in the ministry, people who had heard the Gospel, they stay for some period of time, and then leave, ultimately turning their backs on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, there are those within the visible church, who make a profession of faith, attend church services regularly and even partake of the Lord's Table, while simultaneously committing the same sin over and over again, ultimately denying the sufficiency of His sacrifice to destroy the works of the devil, proving that their initial profession of repentance was not genuine. The author of Hebrews 6, states it is impossible to renew such a person to repentance since they have "crucified the Son of God all over again and put Him to open shame. " That's the difference between Peter, who denied the Lord three times and was restored and Judas, who professed Jesus as Lord, but denied Him with actions and was remorseful and returned the thirty pieces of silver yet remained unrepentant, indicating he would likely do it all over again, if given the chance regardless of a false profession of faith. When you repeatedly act in willful disobedience, you’re ultimately declaring your love for something else is greater than your love for the Lord Jesus Christ. We're all tempted to sin, the key is our commitment to love Christ more than our sin. That's why Deuteronomy 6:5, says, "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Do not be deceived, false teaching is all around us; Love is the greatest command.
May it be so...
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Copyright © 2019-2025 All Rights Reserved