Jesus Used the “H” Word

Jesus Used the “H” Word

Series: The Gospel Truth

Text: Lk 11:37-12:23

Introduction: (What?)

Perhaps as you grew up in your home certain words were taboo. They were only referred to by an initial. When our girls were growing up we forbade them to use the “S” word (stupid). The Bible warned against calling someone “Raca” which means “vain, empty or worthless”. (Matt 5:22 “But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘Raca’ meaning ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.” )

I’m sure that you have heard this, and perhaps have said it. “The church is full of hypocrites”. (Check the screen for a definition of the word)If someone ever says that to you as their excuse for not attending, just say, “Come on down. We have room for one more.”

I defy you to read today’s text and not find yourself somewhere in there. (Look at the screen) In the Greek language, a hypocrite was someone who played multiple roles on stage. We all wear masks, and I’m not talking about the kind we wore during the Covid outbreak. Someone said “The most excruciating pain you can ever experience is realizing that your mask has slipped and people see the real you.”

Hypocrisy in the church lessens the impact the church has on society because we lose our credibility. What you do and say must be consistent inside and outside of the walls of the church.

Today we will see how Jesus defined hypocrisy and what He said about it.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Jesus Know What You are Thinking

Lk 11:37-41 37.“As he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. So he went in and reclined at the table. 38. When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first perform the ritual washing before dinner. 39. But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil. 40. Fools! Didn’t he who made the outside make the inside too? 41. But give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.”

The handwashing of the Pharisees had nothing to do with hygiene, but rather with ceremony. (video) Traditionally, a ceremonial cup (ideally with two handles) is filled with water and poured over each hand (some people pour three splashes over each hand, the minimum is twice), then the blessing (Netilat Yadayim) is recited, hands are dried, and then the blessing over challah (Motzi) is said.

Once again Jesus read the minds of the Pharisee and responded to his thoughts. He called them “fools” because they equated tradition with true worship and service. In our day we have certain traditions that we have elevated in our minds to the level of scripture. Such things as when we sing the Doxology, how and how often we take communion, what kind of apparel is worn, etc. Jesus said, “Don’t let your traditions get in the way of ministry.”

2. Woe, woe, woe, woe, woe

Lk 11:42-52 42.““But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

43. “Woe to you Pharisees! You love the front seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44. “Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves; the people who walk over them don’t know it.”

45. One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too.”

46. Then he said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.

47. “Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48. Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments.

49. Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’

50. so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world---

51. from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible.

52. Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were trying to go in.”

Jesus issued five “woes” to the Pharisees and their traditions.

You tithe, but you don’t honor God by treating people justly.

You want the best seats and to be recognized in public for your religiosity. You are like unmarked graves that people walk on without knowing it.

You require of others things that you don’t do yourselves.

You venerate Christian leaders although you have more in common with those who killed them.

You lock up the truth of the Scriptures and throw away the key so that no one has access to the truth.

The application to us today is that we adhere to some traditions while ignoring the needs of those around us. We celebrate Christian holidays without acknowledging the One for whom they were established. Not only that but we elevate our traditions above the level of scripture so that certain people are not welcome in our gatherings. We also use terminology that is not understood by those not raised in church and consequently block them from understanding scripture.

3. Beware! And! And!

Lk 11:53-12:12 53. “When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to cross-examine him about many things; they were lying in wait for him to trap him in something he said. 1. Meanwhile, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to his disciples first, “Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2. There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known.

3. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4. “I say to you, my friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.

5. But I will show you the one to fear: Fear him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the one to fear!

6. Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.

7. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

8. And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God,

9. but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

10. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11. Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say.

12. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”

Jesus warned His followers to beware or be on their guard against the “leaven of the Pharisees”. That meant the sinful teaching of the Pharisees. What was their sin? They added to the commands of God. They demanded that people adhere to their additions even though they violated their own “laws” when it was convenient for them to do so.

Then Jesus reminded them that nothing is hidden from God and in the last judgment. Hypocritical behavior will be exposed publicly. In recent years we have seen various religious leaders exposed and disgraced for things they thought were hidden, but suddenly became known. The “cancel culture” of today delights in finding a text or a quote that someone put out years ago in order to discredit them. God, however, will expose false teachers. He is aware of the most minute detail of our lives.

Jesus told His followers not to be afraid of the Pharisees, even though they might be able to put them to death. Instead, they (and we) should be afraid of the One who can kill both physically and spiritually. That, by the way is why the disciples in the Book of Acts told the religious leaders, Acts 5:29 “Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.”

Because God knows the most minute details of our lives, He demands from us a public acknowledgement of Jesus as LORD. Failure to do so is to risk Jesus saying as He did in Matt 7:23 “Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” Then in v 10 Jesus explained the consequence of attributing to Satan the works of God (blasphemy). He said, “you can be forgiven of blaspheming me, but you can’t be forgiven for blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Finally Jesus told them (and us) “Don’t worry about what to say when you are hauled into court because of your faith. Holy Spirit will put the words in your mind to speak at that very moment.”

Application: (What changes do I need to make today?)

Have I surrendered to Jesus and made it known publically by following Him in believer’s baptism?

Am I guilty of equating tradition and preferences to the commands of God?

Am I afraid to tell my story because I’m afraid of what people might say to or about me?