X Marks the Spot II

Background to passage: This is the fourth and central “woe” of the seven pronounced against the scribes, pharisees, and hypocrites. Last week we dealt with the first three, next week will be the last three, but today we only deal with one because of the focus and importance of this verse. Explain chiasm.

Matthew 23:23–24 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

Opening illustration: The measure of religious success: About one year into the ministry, a visitor complimenting my sermon whispered to me: “You won’t be here long.” Puzzled at first, I realized she meant that I wouldn’t have to labor very long in this obscure setting. I was good enough to get a bigger church! Feelings of flattery mutated into frustration. Was I supposed to be unhappy with my congregation? Were these people not worth my life’s sacrifice? Is the pastorate like a business where you climb the corporate ladder to “real success”? I determined that I would not allow that mind-set to direct my ministry. Every Sunday, pastors have an opportunity to take up our crosses, die to ourselves, and remind ourselves that we exist for God’s glory—not our own. Our church is not about us, or even about the people who come. It is all about God.

The Lord is most concerned about his people growing in genuine faith, obedience, and love. He is less concerned about how many people attend the church. On any given day, we can trust that God has brought the exact number of people whom he wanted to be there. Our job now is to minister to them.

Over the years the Lord has helped me to worry less about how many people show up and to focus more on him, his Word, and his people. As this happened, I experienced far more power and joy in my ministry. May this continue to be true for me and for all of us who are charged with ministering God’s Word to his precious people.

Main thought: this morning we are going to zero in on the most important message that Jesus is driving home about the religious so that in our ministry of HOPE, we don’t become a hindrance.

1) Majors and Minors (v. 23-24)

Matthew 23:23–24 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

1) Majors and Minors (v. 23-24)

Explanation: Jesus draws on a distinction that was made by Jewish rabbis, scholars, and lawyers in multiple areas. Some things were artificial and some were scriptural. Once codified in the Mishnah, these rules focused on the minutia of law-keeping. Jesus tells the most religious people in Israel that they are missing the most important parts of their faith. This is HUGE!

Jesus doesn’t say that they shouldn’t tithe, in fact quite the opposite, he states that they should have done it. Just that they missed the big picture.

He says they tithe on the spices in the window, but watch idly as corruption runs rampant in their midst and in their society. They make sure the Levites can season their food, but show no mercy upon the widows, orphans, downtrodden, sick, imprisoned, poor. People beg on the street, the sick upon their mats as they walk by with their offering of mint. They count their steps on Saturday and be careful about their two sets of dishes, but fail to train their children and worship the Lord in sincerity and truth.

Amos 5:21–23 ESV

“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

Micah 6:6–8 ESV

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Hosea 6:6 ESV

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Proverbs 21:3 ESV

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Psalm 82:3 ESV

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

Of course, the parable of the Good Samaritan (religious elite walked by)

Illustration: Voddie Baucham passed away yesterday. There is definitely a connection between the people you have as friends, articles and posts you read, content, etc., however, the reactions I saw yesterday were amazing. Their were people from Baptist churches, organizations, seminaries; people from presbyterian, freewill baptists, Pentecostal, non-denominational, reformed, non-reformed, men and women, all sorts of eschatological convictions, old and young, educated and non-educated, rejoice that a servant of Christ had received his reward. Never saw anyone cast aspersion on him. You know what they said about him, the one thing that he focused on that united all these people? The gospel.

“I don’t know...divorce is pretty expensive.”

Baptist Press this week: IMB appointed 54 new missionaries, Project 139 places a new ultrasound machine in Anchorage, AK, new bill requiring US sanctions in Nigeria for human rights and religious freedom violations, Helene recovery still going on by committed churches in East TN, IMB journeyman ministering in Huancayo, Peru, then the joke of the week about pastor’s jobs, then sports...

Application: The point of this woe is that we must not elevate good things to the position of top priority. One of the main problems of the Pharisees was inventing rules, or even having personal convictions, but placing them upon others as requirements and condemning them if they don’t make the grade.

Minors: don’t hear what I am not saying: these things are not unimportant, just that in comparison, they are not most important.

Your musical/worship style preference

Your eschatology

Your bible knowledge (i.e. the Pharisees, transformation is true measure)

Your favorite ministry

The way you carry out your personal spiritual disciplines

Your political positions

Majors:

Gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, repentance and belief

The person and work of Christ

The scriptures and their trustworthiness

The extension of the ministry of Christ through the Holy Spirit to demonstrate justice, love, mercy, faithfulness

The advancement of the kingdom through making disciples and taking the gospel to the nations

Closing illustration: something that points us to the main goal of discipleship and HOPE. “Discipleship is the means and the end of what Jesus called us to do. But when we’re obsessed with bigness, we see everything as a strategy for numerical growth. Discipleship is not a church growth strategy. Neither are prayer, fellowship, worship, or ministry. Even evangelism is not a church growth strategy. Whenever we see any of Christ’s commands and blessings as a strategic move, we’re no longer serving Jesus as much as we’re serving the endgame of growth.”

MacArthur. Kirk. Baucham. All excellent communicators. All boldly standing for truth. All bright lights for Christ. All called home in the last three months. I wonder how the early church felt when Stephen was stoned. He refuted the Jews powerfully with great wisdom, full of the Spirit, and was young. He had a great future ahead. But God called him home. And the threats by Saul continued. But so did the church. And then James, an apostle, was killed by the sword. But the church continued. Do not wonder how Christianity will continue to go on and succeed against the gates of hell in this wicked generation. Jesus will continue to build his church. Even the death of some of the best saints cannot stop that, for the building of the church is not dependent on man, but on Christ. So pick up the baton. Go make disciples. Run your race till the Lord calls you home. And leave the triumph of the church to the Head, who is Christ. We are the church militant, and will be the church victorious. The gospel will not fail

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.