When More is Less
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The Bible Guide True Religion (20:45–21:4)
Jesus warns his disciples about the teachers of the law. They enjoy the status of being religious leaders. They wear special robes, receive respectful bows in the street and are given the best places in church and society. But they are hypocrites. They exploit widows by taking over their property. Their long prayers are merely to impress an audience. They are heading for judgment.
Jesus’ warning is not only about Jewish leaders. His words are a caution for all religious people.
Nearby, some rich people are putting money into the temple treasury. This takes place in the Court of Women, for all to see. Like long prayers, large gifts can be made to impress spectators rather than to honour God.
As Jesus watches, a poor widow puts in two lepta. These are the smallest copper coins, worth almost nothing. To most observers, the widow’s gift seems pitiful and pathetic. To Jesus, it is the greatest and most generous gift of the day—because she has put in all she has.
INTRODUCTION: Things are not always as they seem. Someone said, many years ago, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This is a true statement. So many times in my life, I have been guilty of making assumptions about people and situations only to discover I was completely wrong. My assumptions were based on the way things “seemed to be.” My judgments were based on partial information, or one side of a story, or just based on what I wanted to be true. However, time and time again I have been proved wrong when all of the facts came out. This may be one of the reasons Jesus said, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” We are called to judge with righteous judgement and to do so we must know all of the facts.
SCRIPTURE INTRODUCTION: In the Scripture before us today we are introduced to two people: we are introduced to a group of people known as scribes and a lady who is simply called “a poor widow.” If we were sitting where Jesus sat we would assume by outward appearances that the scribes were very devout, spiritual people. They had on the religious garb of the day. If we believed in the prosperity Gospel, as so many people in our world today do, we might assume this poor widow woman was suffering her plight because of her wicked lifestyle or because of some sin in her life. Yet, both of these assumptions would be untrue. BIG IDEA: While it appeared that the religious scribes had everything going for them they couldn’t be further from God and while it appeared that this poor widow woman had nothing to offer she was commended by God. Sometimes MORE IS LESS and LESS is MORE. Things are not always as they seem!
As we read from this morning notice first of all . . .
The Bible Guide True Religion (20:45–21:4)
Jesus warns his disciples about the teachers of the law. They enjoy the status of being religious leaders. They wear special robes, receive respectful bows in the street and are given the best places in church and society. But they are hypocrites. They exploit widows by taking over their property. Their long prayers are merely to impress an audience. They are heading for judgment.
Jesus’ warning is not only about Jewish leaders. His words are a caution for all religious people.
Nearby, some rich people are putting money into the temple treasury. This takes place in the Court of Women, for all to see. Like long prayers, large gifts can be made to impress spectators rather than to honour God.
As Jesus watches, a poor widow puts in two lepta. These are the smallest copper coins, worth almost nothing. To most observers, the widow’s gift seems pitiful and pathetic. To Jesus, it is the greatest and most generous gift of the day—because she has put in all she has.
More is Less When The Outward Appearance is More Important Than the Heart
More is Less When The Outward Appearance is More Important Than the Heart
EXPLANATION
Jesus begins this new section with a warning. The warning begins with this statement, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes . . .” There is certainly nothing wrong or sinful about “long robes,” however, it is very obvious Jesus had something else in mind. The problem was not the long robes, but the motives behind the long robes. You see for some people, keeping up appearances is EVERYTHING!
For the scribes, the long robes, were just a part of keeping up appearances.
ILLUSTRATION
Americans are experts at “keeping up appearances.”
One website reports in an article entitled, “How Much Do We Spend on Beauty” that over 20% spend more than 30 minutes each day working on our appearance before we go out in public. Nearly 42% of women spend another 30 minutes if they know they are going out for a night on the town. The cosmetic industry brings in over $55 BILLION annually! Over a lifetime a “typical woman” spends $15,000 on cosmetics. Investing that money in an IRA would yield about $100,000 at age 70. There were 13.4 million plastic surgeries in 2013 and 1.6 million of those involved invasive procedures such as rhinoplasty and liposuction. Put simply, Americans will spend BIG MONEY to make ourselves “LOOK GOOD.”
Americans are experts at “keeping up appearances.”
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:
Note one of the key words in that passage . . . “that they may be SEEN by others.” They problem here is not public praying, the problem is the motive behind public praying. They were intentionally praying in public, not to be HEARD by the Father but to be SEEN by their peers. God is not interested in this silliness! God is not attracted to public displays of religiosity motivated by self-centered interests, but God is attracted to humility . . . that’s why Jesus went on to say to avoid improper motives regarding prayer, make sure we are spending time ALONE and in PRIVATE with Him in our prayer closets! Prayer is not about impressing others, but rather prayers is about communicating with the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe!
As you may know Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Gospels. The first three are called the synoptic Gospels and are very similar in nature, although each of them take a look at the life of Christ from different perspectives. Matthew gives us a little more insight than Luke does about this conversation. In the parallel passage about this conversation in , Matthew gives us a little more information about what Jesus said. For instance, He says about the scribes and Pharisees . . .
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
One website reports in an article entitled, “How Much Do We Spend on Beauty” that over 20% spend more than 30 minutes each day working on our appearance before we go out in public. Nearly 42% of women spend another 30 minutes if they know they are going out for a night on the town. The cosmetic industry brings in over $55 BILLION annually! Over a lifetime a “typical woman” spends $15,000 on cosmetics. Investing that money in an IRA would yield about $100,000 at age 70. There were 13.4 million plastic surgeries in 2013 and 1.6 million of those involved invasive procedures such as rhinoplasty and liposuction. Put simply, Americans will spend BIG MONEY to make ourselves “LOOK GOOD.”
More is Intended to Draw Attention
More is Intended to Draw Attention
Once again we are given some insight as to WHY they do their deeds. They do their deeds, not to glorify their Father in Heaven, but rather to glorify themselves. They put on this religious garb to be on public display and seek to impress men rather than God.
I remember a time when my life was all about “keeping up appearances.” I wanted people to THINK I was a lot more spiritual than I really was. I could argue with the best of them on social media. I could quote Bible verses. I could preach loud and proud. I was the epitome of
“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
“ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
I was saying the right things, I was looking the part, I had reached a man-made standard of what spirituality looked liked on the outside, but inwardly and in private I was a miserable, backslidden preacher. My heart was far from God, I was short tempered and I had no joy!
APPLICATION:
Americans are experts at “keeping up appearances.”
One website reports in an article entitled, “How Much Do We Spend on Beauty” that over 20% spend more than 30 minutes each day working on our appearance before we go out in public. Nearly 42% of women spend another 30 minutes if they know they are going out for a night on the town. The cosmetic industry brings in over $55 BILLION annually! Over a lifetime a “typical woman” spends $15,000 on cosmetics. Investing that money in an IRA would yield about $100,000 at age 70. There were 13.4 million plastic surgeries in 2013 and 1.6 million of those involved invasive procedures such as rhinoplasty and liposuction. Put simply, Americans will spend BIG MONEY to make ourselves “LOOK GOOD.”
While many of us will spend HOURS each month in front of a mirror, I would dare say we spend much less time in front of God’s mirror. While many of us will apply make-up, hair care products, beard oil, designer clothing, acne medication, and the like to our faces in order to improve our appearance to others do we take any time to apply the TRUTH of God’s Word to our hearts?
If I were a gambling man today, I would be willing to bet there are others in this room that are struggling with the very same thing. You are working hard on “keeping up appearances” and you are working really hard on masking and covering up what things are really like in your life and in your home, and people sitting here and the people around you everyday have absolutely no idea the turmoil and misery you are in right now. You have to work really, really hard to “keep up appearances.”
Did you know, however, God is not interested in you “keeping up appearances.” God knows YOUR heart and it doesn’t matter how many Bible verses you post on social media, how many Jesus bumper stickers you have on your car, how big your Bible is, how well crafted your arguments are, how modest your clothing may be . . . GOD STILL KNOWS YOUR HEART and whether or not you are doing all of these things for His glory and honor or whether you are going them just to “keep up appearances.”
It is time to take off the mask, it is time to quit trying to keep up appearances and COME CLEAN with God and REPENT of and FORSAKE the things that are DESTROYING your joy, ROBBING you of your peace and DECEIVING you into thinking that everything is OK between YOU and GOD when everything is not OK!
More is Less When Keeping up Public Appearances Takes Precedence Over Your Private Walk With God!
More is Less When The Desire to Be Seen is More Important Than the Call to Serve
More is Less When The Desire to Be Seen is More Important Than the Call to Serve
As we keep reading in we also see . . .
More is Less When The Desire to Be Seen is More Important Than the Call to Serve
More is Less When The Desire to Be Seen is More Important Than the Call to Serve
Look again at
“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
What do they love? They love being NOTICED! They want to be SEEN! They want to have the “best seats and places of honor.” They are not interested in serving, but they are interested in being SEEN!
This is not the first time Jesus dealt with this self-centered, prideful and sinful attitude. He addressed it in Matthew as well . . .
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Note one of the key words in that passage . . . “that they may be SEEN by others.” The problem here is not public praying, the problem is the motive behind public praying. They were intentionally praying in public, not to be HEARD by the Father but to be SEEN by their peers. God is not interested in this silliness! God is not attracted to public displays of religiosity motivated by self-centered interests, but God is attracted to humility . . . that’s why Jesus went on to say to avoid improper motives regarding prayer, make sure we are spending time ALONE and in PRIVATE with Him in our prayer closets! Prayer is not about impressing others, but rather prayer is about communicating with the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe!
As you may know Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Gospels. The first three are called the synoptic Gospels and are very similar in nature, although each of them take a look at the life of Christ from different perspectives. In the parallel passage about this conversation in , Matthew gives us a little more information about what Jesus said. For instance, He says about the scribes and Pharisees . . .
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
Once again we are given some insight as to WHY they do their deeds. They do their deeds, not to glorify their Father in Heaven, but rather to glorify themselves. They put on this religious garb to be on public display and seek to impress men rather than God.
Not only was this a problem in their praying and in their dress, but it had also become a problem in their giving as well. Note what Jesus said in . . .
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
They were giving to be SEEN by others! They were living for the APPLAUSE of others rather than living for the APPLAUSE of ONE.
They also wanted people to know when they were fasting. When they were fasting they would look “gloomy” so they would be NOTICED by others. That way when people would ask, “Why do you look so gloomy,” they could respond, in their religiously pious voice, “Oh, I’ve been fasting for the last 40 hours.”
Matthew 6:
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
This was also seen in their love for titles.
Matthew 6:16
and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Over and over and over again Jesus says about them, “they already have their reward.” In other words, they were looking for the applause and approval of men and that’s what they got. But they didn’t have the applause or the approval of Heaven!
APPLICATION
Let me ask you dear friend, “Whose applause and approval are you looking for?” Jesus said if you want to be EXALTED by Him, if you want to be considered GREAT by Him it’s not about BEING SEEN, but it’s about BEING A SERVANT! It’s about serving in the background. It’s about doing things that never get noticed. It’s about washing feet. It’s about being faithful when no one is watching except God Almighty!
As we move on now to verse 47, we see also, that more is less . . .
and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
More is Less When Religious Activity Becomes a Pretense
More is Less When Religious Activity Becomes a Pretense
EXPLANATION
One online dictionary defined “pretense” this way:
an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true.
"his anger is masked by a pretense that all is well"
synonyms: putting on an act, acting, faking
The Greek word used in this text is very similar. It means “a claim made or implied, not supported by fact.”
Why were they offering and making long prayers? They were implying they were much more godly and spiritual than they actually were. They wanted people around them to “think” they were one thing when in actuality they were another. The long prayers, the religious garb, was just a SHAM!
In the same sentence Jesus said they were “devouring widows’ houses” and in the next breath it says they were “making long prayers.” They were taking financial advantage of widows, while pretending to be spiritual. Notice what Jesus says is going to happen to those people who are taking advantage of others, while living a pretentious life—THEY WILL RECEIVE THE GREATER CONDEMNATION!
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:
ILLUSTRATION
“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!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Once again we turn to for some insight on this
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Less is More When
Less is More When
It seems that those who live a pretentious life somehow think religious activity somehow makes up for their greedy, self-indulgent, unclean, hypocritical and lawless lifestyle.
APPLICATION
You can attend church everyday of the week, given 20% of your income, come to the altar at the end of every service, visit the sick, pray long, flowery prayers and fool mom, dad, husband, wife, son or daughter but God knows the real you! Religious activity does not impress God.
Jesus says it’s like a person who shines the outside of a cup and makes it look exquisite, but the inside of the cup is filthy. It’s like a person who washes the outside of a cereal bowl and makes it glisten, but never empties the milk and now it’s sour and lumpy.
You see dear friend God is not interested in you turning over a new leaf, God is not interested in you looking the part and He is certainly not interested in you PLAYING the part—HE IS INTERESTED IN GIVING YOU A TOTALLY NEW LIFE! He’s not interested in just giving you a makeover, He wants to make YOU into a new creation!
NO AMOUNT OF RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY, NO MATTER HOW MANY HAIL MARY’S YOU SAY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU GIVE, NO MATTER HOW MANY HANDS YOU SHAKE, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU GO TO CONFESSION, TO MATTER HOW MANY BIBLE STUDIES YOU ATTEND, NO MATTER HOW LONG OR RITUALISTIC YOUR PRAYERS ARE, NO MATTER HOW RELIGIOUS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ARE . . . none of that is going to take away the SIN, DEATH and DESTRUCTION that is lurking in your soul! Only Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit can do that!
FINAL APPLICATIONS
Keeping Up Appearances is Exhausting, Learn to Rest in Jesus
Keeping Up Appearances is Exhausting, Learn to Rest in Jesus
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
One of the most exhausting things I’ve ever tried to do was to live for God in my own power and strength. Trying to make sure I “dotted all of my I’s” and “crossed all my T’s” not because I wanted to glorify God and magnify Him, but because I wanted to impress a certain segment of the population. I was very close to being a modern day Pharisee . . . more concerned with what others thought than with what God knew.
It’s time to take off the mask of hypocrisy and let God transform you from the inside out! What a freeing thing it is to live for God because YOU want to live for God, not because you are afraid you will disappoint someone else.
The World’s Definition of Success is Shallow, Learn to Serve & Give Like Jesus
The World’s Definition of Success is Shallow, Learn to Serve & Give Like Jesus
Reject Humanity’s Definition of Success, Learn to Serve Like Jesus
Reject Humanity’s Definition of Success, Learn to Serve Like Jesus
One day you and I are going to stand before our Creator. So many of the things that matter now, will not matter then. Someone said:
God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
I don’t know if God will specifically ask those things but you get the point. Too often we think success has to do with money, position, title . . . but God says if we want to be GREAT . . . WE HAVE TO BE SERVANT OF ALL!
Take a look at
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
She “put in more than all of them.” The vast majority of the people would look at her and what she gave and would not have given her a second thought. But 2,000 years later we have no idea what everybody else gave or did, but we are still talking about the penny she gave. Why? Because Jesus noticed her and Jesus pointed her out . . . not because she was successful in the world’s eyes, but because she humbly, willingly, freely and sacrificially gave everything she had to the God she loved.
IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU GIVE AND SERVE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, RATHER THAN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO! Success is not about the applause of the many, but about the APPLAUSE OF ONE! Success is often more about the WHY than the WHAT.
You Aren’t Going to Fake it Until You Make it, Learn to Trust in Jesus
You Aren’t Going to Fake it Until You Make it, Learn to Trust in Jesus
Biblical Christianity is not about what you do, but about what God does in you and through you. You need to turn your back on anything and everything that you believe and think will earn you props with God and realize that Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit gives you access, power, strength, reconciliation, forgiveness and everything else your soul is really longing for. No amount of pretentious prayers, pretentious giving, pretentious whatever earns you any brownie points with God.
In closing I want to read an excerpt from a book entitled TAP: Defeating the Sins that Defeat You by Yancey Arrington.
When a person deals with their sin rather than dealing with the Savior, they are duped into believing that everything will be satisfactory once the hurtful behavior is gone. But removing a sinful practice from one’s life isn’t the same as removing our alienation from God. Only the Gospel can do that. That is why merely fixing the problematic activity without addressing the entire soul is incredibly perilous. Not only does the person remain far from God, but he also gains a greater confidence in his performance.
Instead of growing in humility towards God who does for him what he cannot do for himself, he grows prouder in his self-efforts. Instead of glorifying God, he glories in himself. Instead of celebrating the grace of the Gospel, he celebrates his willpower, intellect and moral aptitude in beating sin . . . He now lives with a greater false confidence in his ability to perform rather than realizing his need for Divine rescue. The path that focuses on ridding people of individual sins outside of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit may appear on the surface to offer real help, buy in reality it only tenders further condemnation (cf., ).
Arrington goes on to say:
Reflecting on the goodness and greatness of God’s grace in the gospel changes the motivation of the heart. Now, I serve, pray and read the Bible not because I am trying to climb the spiritual ladder of performance to earn God’s favor in my life, but in response to my growing sense of love and gratitude for Christ and what He has done for me.
Without Jesus MORE IS ALWAYS LESS!
Without Jesus MORE IS ALWAYS LESS!