Luke 11:36–12:12

Why do we have 4 gospels?

Different purposes and audiences

Synoptic gospels (Synonymous)

Matthew: Audience - Jewish: Message - Jesus is King/Messiah

Matthew – old testament references, cultural assumptions IE in our culture an outsider would need further explanation “And the whole family gathered together for thanksgiving”

Mark: Audience - Roman: Message - Jesus is God’s active saving servant

Mark – Roman people were people of action the book is full of “And Jesus did/went/etc” statements. They connected with the concept that Jesus was the Son of God on a mission from God

Luke: Audience - Gentile: Message - Jesus, the man, is the perfect savior

Luke – wrote to theophalis, very detail oriented, describing cultural things. He came as a physical man to do what we, as men can not do.

John: Audience - Unbelievers: Message - Jesus is God and savior

John - 20:31

Are there any more gospels out there?

Yes, but none which were accepted by the early church as accurate and inspired

AND none that hold up to modern analysis.

Why are some of the details in the 4 gospels different?

demon possessed man and the pigs example

Matt 8:28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region. 

Mark 5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. 

Luke 8:26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 

Example: Lebron James

Person 1: Lebron James was at cedar Point today!

Person 2: Lebron James and Troy Brown Jr were at Cedar Point today

Person 3: Lebron James, Savanna, Bronny and Bryce were at cedar point today

All three of these accounts could be true, the details may be different because

of the perspective or angle the person witnessed the event or

the knowledge and background of the speaker OR

because of the knowledge and background of the audience OR

because the speaker is focused on making a certain point and includes the details that matter to that point

Woe to the Pharisees

Matt 23 vs Luke 11:36-54

Matt setting: after the triumphal entry in or around the temple. Sometime in the week leading up to the crucifixion

Luke setting: home of a pharisee sometime in the “middle” of his ministry

Why is the setting of this speech different?

37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.

39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

Define hypocrisy:

The greek word is essentially a theater actor, someone who is playing a part

hypocrite (actor) n. — a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.

Say the right things, do the wrong things

Pretending to be someone you are not

being more concerned about the external behavior that the internal reality

hypocrisy is like counterfeit money

“Woe to you”

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.”

This Scribe is not the sharpest tool in the shed. When mom and dad are yelling at another kid SHUT UP AND MAKE YOURSELF SCARCE

46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

12 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

How do you avoid BECOMING a hypocrite? /How do you STOP BEING a hypocrite?

Jesus says to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” to the disciples. We tend to think of them as evil super villain but the reality is that we can easily become what they were.

A. Be a doer of the word and not a hearer only

hypocrites over emphasize knowing the bible and under emphasize living out the gospel.

Knowing the bible does not save you or make you better

Believing the gospel does

Knowing something for the purpose of feeling validated, valued, or superior leads to hypocrisy

B. Remember: By Grace you have been saved through faith

hypocrisy and legalism go hand in hand

use scripture to create a list of rules we are comfortable with.

Add to and build on that list to help us feel accomplished and worthy

look down on others who do not live up to our list (looking down on someone instead of up at God)

C. Jesus brings regeneration NOT behavior adjustment

Titus 3:4–8 (ESV)

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Changing or sanitizing outward behavior is not true change

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Fear God, live for him not men

Trust God and his goodness and faithfulness

English Standard Version (Chapter 12)

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone 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.

“The unpardonable sin”

Hypocritical right living will not save you. As we talked about last week you are ultimately with God or against him.

It is possible to reject Jesus for a time (apostle Paul)

Permanent rejection of Jesus and the gospel is unpardonable

11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Are you a hypocrite?

What are you doing with Jesus?

Do you you need to remember to stand strong and trust God

Who is the Real Jesus?

- He Hates Hypocrisy

- He speaks with Authority, Boldness and Clarity against sin