Sermon Tone Analysis

“In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another,”

There were so many thousands of people that had gathered together; they were stepping on each other.

This is a massive crowd of people.

It numbers in the tens of thousands-- They’re so intent on trying to hear what Jesus says that it’s turning into a crushing mob.

This is like a rock concert to end all rock concerts; It’s like trying to navigate through Disney World just to get on the little Dumbo Ride; impossible.

This is someone who heals sick people.

This is someone who raises dead people.

This is someone who has things to say like no one has ever said.

Now if you only had one occasion in your life to speak to a large crowd numbering in the tens of thousands, what would you say?

If Jesus, for example, one Sunday visited Lakewood the largest church in America, what would His sermon be about?

Well, if you were to ask most evangelicals that question today, the subject probably nine out of ten times would be, “Love of God.”

Maybe “Grace of God.”

But in perhaps the largest crowd that Jesus ever spoke to, He chose to talk about hell and He chose to talk about hell to the most religious people.

Interestingly in the gospels there are many accounts that you will notice that Jesus is speaking on Hell and it is in the midst of religious folks.

This is what He said:

“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.

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.”

One great message to a massive crowd of very religious people--at the very core of that crowd is the Pharisees.

Remember the scribes being the theologians; the Pharisees, if you will, being the ministers of that system of religion.

Let’s go back to verse 1.“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.

Look at the people in this crowd:

· There are some μαθητής, the word for learners, or followers, or disciples.

There are some who are honestly interested in what Jesus is saying and would classify themselves as a disciple of that teacher.

· There are the Pharisees who are, for the most part, beyond spiritual help.

That’s why you have in the New Testament rarely a convert to Christ.

They are in opposition to Christ.

· There are the very devout followers of the Pharisees.

So there are the hardcore followers of the religion pervaded by the Pharisees.

· There are also some in the crowd just trying to figure it out.

They have hopes in who Jesus is, but they are not convinced yet.

They are looking for more information.

It is amazing how diverse a crowd can be~ specifically when it comes to spiritual things.

I would venture to say that the same could be said even of an average church crowd.

Over in verse 32 He identifies the true followers as a little flock, --very small amount.

““Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

(,)

We know that even on the Day of Pentecost there were only 120 of them in the city of Jerusalem, gathered in the Upper Room.

It’s amazing how out of those who see Jesus, and His power and know who He is, only a small number actually follow him.

So what you have here is our Lord giving a warning to people who are still at least demonstrating some interest in the things that He is saying that are contrary to their religion.

And the stakes are high; it’s about your eternal soul.

It’s about your eternal dwelling place.

There are no more important words than words that direct us away from hell and toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

And so He begins, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

The idea of leaven is permeating influence.

It is referring to a Yeast.

Leaven was put in dough to cause it to rise and swell and enlarge.

When yeast is put into dough it affects the entire dough, it permeates into the dough, and it changes the structure of the dough.

Yeast became a symbol in Judaism for the permeating power of sin: “.

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (,)

Beware of the permeating, influence of the Pharisees; beware of its deadly pervasive influence.

He is telling them you’ve got to escape from your false religion.

“Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness.”

Beware of a little hypocrisy in your life because it can be deadly.

Hypocrisy- To pretend- To act as if you are in a play, an outward show.

The warning is so true today; you think a little hypocrisy is no big deal, it’s going to come into your life and find its way into your soul and it will corrupt you.

Jesus said more about the false religion and hypocrisy than He did about specific iniquities, because false religion provides a damning deception that sin does not provide.

Lukewarm ““‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.

Would that you were either cold or hot!

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

(,)

He comes in the direction of the end of His ministry; He warns them about damning religion, religion that cannot save, religion that sends you to hell.

Judaism has turned into a false hypocritical religion in the day of Jesus, it is focused only on the outside and it has no internal power and authority.

It’s a show trying to look Holy; but it has no authenticity.

Stay away from religion that is hypocritical--ceremonies, rituals on the outside, but corruption on the inside.

No doubt we see that rampant in our world today, We have got churches full this morning of people that have all the right words to say, but there is no action behind it.

Illustration: Everything is Fake (Laminate Wood Flooring, Laminate Counter-Tops, Silver Plated Faucets)

It seems to me that we have a bunch of laminate Christians who look the part but they are not made out of the same substance.

The warning today is you must be AUTHENTIC!

How do you do that?

How does one avoid hypocrisy?

First, you need to be motivated-- to abandon your Hypcocrisy.

1. EXPOSED

“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.”

And what is going to motivate you.

God will uncover the truth.

You see the words “covered,” “revealed,” “hidden,” “known.”

No one escapes exposure.

Listen, hypocrites know they are hypocrites.

Oh, they can get very good and very adept at self-deception, you can be here today and you can have those sitting around you fooled, you can have your spouse fooled, you can have your momma and your daddy fooled, but I promise you that you have not fooled God!

Hypocrites know they’re hypocrites.

· You know whether your heart is corrupt.

· You know whether your salvation is real or whether it’s superficial.

· You know whether you have power over sin.

· You know whether you have righteous longings and holy aspirations.

· You know whether you have true joy and experiencing worship.

· You know whether your heart is drawn out in love to Christ and those who are Christ’s.

Hypocrites know they are hypocrites, especially if they associate with people who are not hypocrites.

And they see the difference.

You had better avoid false religion, your hypocrisy, first of all, because in the end you’re going to get exposed.

Hypocrites are going to be unmasked.

This is something our Lord said numerous times in Matthew, Mark, Luke.

Hypocrites will be unmasked.

· Parable of Sheep and Goats –

“he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.…

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.…And