X Marks the Spot I

Background to passage: The diatribe of Jesus again the behavior and heart of the religious elite. Today we will look at the last few verses of his opening warning to his disciples and the crowds after having defeated their questions and accusations in chapters 21-22

Matthew 23:13–22 ESV

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

Opening illustration: On Wed night we have been looking at practical applications for the book of James. This week we tried to look at the theology that we understand that the bible teaches eternal security. If you are truly born again you can’t and won’t lose salvation. However, the reality that we see is many professing Christians who don’t reflect Christ or the fruit of a living relationship with him. The two options are that they are genuine believers, but putting on a show and not living for Christ. Or that they think they are Christians and really aren’t.

Main thought: if we want to completely short circuit multiple components of the HOPE strategy, we live like the religious hypocrites of Jesus’s day.

1) Point to the Way (v. 13)

Matthew 23:13 ESV

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

1) Point to the Way (v. 13)

Explanation: Hypocrisy is a surefire way to turn people away from Jesus. One note is that hypocrisy reflects poorly on Christ, but doesn’t change who he is regardless of perception. Rest assured that people will eventually see through hypocrisy. Jesus was telling these religious scholars of the bible that they should have been teaching truth and recognizing that Jesus is the messiah. He says their failure keeps them out of heaven and others as well.

Argumentation:

Illustration: We have heroes in our Christian celebrity culture like Billy Graham, John MacArthur, or Charlie Kirk who for all that we can tell have been faithful to their Christian convictions till death. We also have had those like Ravi Zacharias, Joshua Harris, Michael Tate and others who have made a mockery of the faith morally or with their endurance of their faith. Of course you and I have both had personal examples in our own lives of each kind.

Application: Your failure to exhibit a life that looks like Jesus, a life that reflects his character, a life that puts forth his work, can affect people’s desire for Jesus. They say, “if this is what Jesus does for _________, I don’t want that.” Don’t be like that.

Be the neon sign, the banner that flies that adorns the reputation of our Savior as one who changes lives. The world can’t explain why you love those that treat you terribly. People doesn’t understand why you return good for evil, or give a cup of cold water instead of poison. The world can’t explain why you sacrifice your money and your time for Jesus. The world doesn’t understand why you hold fast to your integrity in the workplace. They don’t understand joy and endurance in suffering. They don’t understand unending kindness, CFA “my pleasure,” and why we value God’s approval first. Be a sign.

2) Disciple for the Kingdom (v. 15)

Matthew 23:15 ESV

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

2) Disciple for the Kingdom (v. 15)

Explanation: What’s a disciple? Someone who follows in the steps, looks like, acts like, speaks like his teacher. Let’s say that the next person that walks through the door comes to know Jesus in a saving way. Then I hand them to you and say, make a disciple. Maybe I would even give you HOPE. What would be your goal? How would you know if you made one?

Argumentation:

Illustration: I was in seminary, worked at BJP, must've been the 2000 elections. Anyway, I was walking with a 5th grade class, and I asked them to close their eyes and raise your hands and vote with eyes closed. Afterward I asked if any of them voted differently that their parents were voting; not one.

Application: the pharisees were not making disciples who followed the scripture, but followed the pharisees. Yes, we do say follow us because we follow Christ, but the question comes if all of us are Christians, why don’t we look more like Jesus. We want more religious knowledge. We want more ministry involvement. We want more scripture memory. We want more prayer. But do we want more Jesus?

Do we teach people to love the unlovable? Do we teach people to confront hypocrisy? Do we teach people to do the will of God no matter the cost? Do we teach people how to pray consistently? Do we teach people how to store up their treasures in heaven not on the earth? Do we have dinner with prostitutes and criminals? Do we love our neighbors? Do we go through the motions of churchianity without the substance and life of Jesus? Are we always bearing about the body of Jesus that we might give off the aroma of satisfaction in him?

3) Don’t Play Religious Games (v. 16-22)

Matthew 23:16–22 ESV

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

3) Don’t Play Religious Games (v. 16-22)

Explanation: The documents that the religious leaders prized and used as authoritative, the Mishnah and the Talmud, had extensive discussions and rules about the swearing of oaths and which ones were binding and which ones weren’t or had loopholes. Jesus’s language was even harsher, pharisees and hypocrites were used first, now it’s blind guides, then blind fools. They were looking for ways to manipulate God’s word and make promises that they had no intention of keeping.

Argumentation:

Illustration:

Application: When we are explaining our commitments to the commands of scriptures, and we follow with and “except when...” It’s kind of like an apology that is followed by a “but” and a justification. This is when we pick and choose what things we will submit our lives to with great “reasons,” as to why. Thing is, most of the time people don’t ask you about it, they just notice. This is contagious.

Closing illustration: Woe to you

Religious people You white-washed tombs Beautiful on the outside But you’re full of bones You look very religious You follow all your little rules But you don’t follow Jesus You just talk like you should Woe to you, woe to you All your pretty words sound Like filthy rags Woe, woe to you Prosperity and progress You say bless me indeed You fill up your bank accounts While children die in their need One day you’ll retire You’ll have a house on the sea But my friend where your treasure is That’s where your heart’s gonna be Woe to you, woe to you You call him Lord but He’s just your genie Woe, woe to you Where is the justice? Who’s preaching the truth Your sermons are entertaining And your churches are cool You’re grieving His Spirit And You’re winning the lost To a worthless religion Cause you don’t talk about the cross Woe to you, woe to you Your gospel is tickling our ears to death Woe, woe to you Where is the justice and mercy And walking humbly with Your God Who’s caring for orphans and widows And living holy in this world For this is what He requires Woe to you, woe to you For many will come to Him on that day And say Lord, Lord, but He’ll say Woe, woe to you Woe to you, woe to you Repent before it’s too late

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 2) The Seven Woes (23:13–36)

A: First woe (v. 13)—failing to recognize Jesus as the Messiah

B: Second woe (v. 15)—superficially zealous, yet doing more harm than good

C: Third woe (vv. 16–22)—misguided use of the scripture

D: Fourth woe (vv. 23–24)—fundamental failure to discern the thrust of Scripture

C’: Fifth woe (vv. 25–26)—misguided use of the Scripture

B’: Sixth woe (vv. 27–28)—superficially zealous, yet doing more harm than good

A’: Seventh woe (vv. 29–32)—heirs of those who failed to recognize the prophets.