Hypocritical Leaders
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Series Review
Series Review
When I was in China (freshman class party, don’t worry you will make connections, walking in alone, to sitting in the center of a circle fielding questions);
views on USA different, warning not to talk politics, what they saw as a threat I saw as home
Seeing us political through the eyes of Chinese college students
This series is just what it says: Seeing Jesus through the eyes of someone else.
Sermon Introduction
Sermon Introduction
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
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Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
religious leaders saying things here that they couldn’t say in public;
in public they argued, disagreed, but tempered their speech (fear of the crowds) but privately they revealed their true emotions: they felt threatened by Jesus.
We see Jesus alot of ways (comforter, healer
The Players
The Players
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
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Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests
Caiaphas
Caiaphas
Caiaphas
Caiaphas represents a larger group of people: the priests. These were the men who stood in the most holy place in the temple and represented the people before God. It was the most important position in Israel. It was a position established by God.
Caiaphas was the leader of this group of ministers.
Today we feel more comfortable if our politicians don’t talk too much about religion, but back in biblical times they were the second most important leader next to the Roman governor.
Most of Israel lived in poverty, but not the religious leaders. They were the aristocracy. Their positions were hereditary until the days of the Roman Empire. After that, they were appointed positions. If they played by the rules, they could keep their jobs. Don’t cause so much controversy.
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Their positions were hereditary until the days of the Roman Empire. After that, they were appointed positions. If they played by the rules, they could keep their jobs. Don’t cause so much controversy.
Still, they had a job to do, and it was an important one.
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
managed the money;
identity in the name: Iscariot comes from the word “Sicarrii: dagger carrying assassins - member of the extremist political party;
comes from the Hebrew word “saqar” which means “the false one.”
Both
Both
They both have some things in common: they can teach us something about Jesus. They saw Jesus that we can miss. And I don’t mean, “Learn from their mistakes.” They both saw something in Jesus that we miss. What did they see that we fail to see?
they saw Jesus as a threat.
We see Jesus as…friend, counselor, provider, healer, loving saviour. Why would you kill someone like that? Someone comes into your neighbor, heals people of incurable diseases. Gives people hope who are desolate. Helps people experience the love of God, and learn how to love other people. Sounds pretty dangerous, right?
We see Jesus as…friend, counselor, provider, healer
On Palm Sunday crowds gathered to celebrate these wonderful things about Jesus. Holy Week is a time when we observe one of the greatest ironies in human history. Many of these people who waved palm branches and threw their coats down in front of Jesus, were among the crowds that called for his death.
Why? Jesus is a threat. Let’s look through they eyes of Judas Iscariot and Caiaphas the high priest, and see what they saw in Jesus. What was so threatening to them about Jesus?
Here’s the tricky question for us: How might Jesus be a threat to us?
A Threat to Power -
A Threat to Power -
A Threat to Power - both
A Threat to Power - both
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Because Jesus was a threat to their power and wealth, he became a threat to their beliefs; Stubborn tradition; unwilling to align their beliefs with Jesus;
Luke 20:
Jesus sure was hard on the clergy.
The priesthood was not like today, where you feel called to the ministry, that calling is confirmed by others and you are granted the authority to serve in a church.
A Threat to Power - both
A Threat to Power - both
Their positions were hereditary until the days of the Roman Empire. If your dad was the high priest, you knew what you wanted to be when you grew up. When the Roman Empire took control, the high priest was an appointed position. Your main job was not so much to serve in the temple: Rome didn’t care about that. Their main job was to keep the peace. If they played by the rules, they could keep their jobs. Don’t cause so much controversy.
There was much power in that position. Jesus didn’t play by the rules. He was at the center of controversy. He was a threat to Caiaphas’ power.
It was the same with Judas Iscariot. Remember, he was Zealot. The goal was liberation from oppression using military power. When Judas realizes that is not Jesus’ plan, Jesus is now a threat to that power.
“Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
How is Jesus a threat to power today? Following Jesus means relinquishing power. The greatest among you will be a servant. The first will be last and the last will be first. What if Jesus meant those things? What if we took those seriously? How different would our lives look? How different would our choices be?
Luke 20:
Think about all of the things we try to do in our own power. (pause) Good things: families, jobs, church life. our families. Now look at these: and give God control over these. Following Jesus means giving up our power and control. We are no longer the center of our universe. Titles, positions, power and control: all out the window if you want to follow Jesus. Jesus is a threat to our power.
A Threat to Wealth - Caiaphas
A Threat to Wealth - Caiaphas
A Threat to Wealth - Caiaphas
A Threat to Wealth - Caiaphas
Most of Israel lived in poverty, but not the religious leaders. They were the ruling aristocracy. With great power came great wealth.
Luke 20:
Like any time in history, there was money to be made in religion.
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
The church had become too commercialized. People needed to make sacrifices to make atonement for their sins, so they needed animals. The temple became an ideal place to raise funds: usually for the religious establishment.
An ideal place to raise funds: usually for the religious establishment.
And the religious leaders used their wealth to take advantage of those that were vulnerable:
Luke 20:
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Losing Money
Luke 20:46
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Judas addicted to money? 30 pieces of silver: the price to redeem a slave, so it makes you wonder why he didn’t ask for more. But you don’t have to be rich to be greedy. As we read through the Gospels we see that Judas did see Jesus’ movement as a chance to pocket some cash.
Losing Tradition
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Judas wasn’t getting rich from skimming off the offering plate or collecting 30 pieces of sliver. But you don’t have to have money to be controlled by it. Jesus is a threat to income.
The rich young ruler: I’ve followed the laws, so how can I follow you? Sell your possessions, give all you have to the poor. How can we take that seriously? How can we institute that today?
The rich young ruler: I’ve followed the laws, so how can I follow you? Sell your possessions, give all you have to the poor. How can we take that seriously?
My question is, why would that worry us so much? What if God called us to do that: God has called people to lives of poverty, and they have become the happiest people on earth. There is joy in getting rid of what is making you sick.
All we have belongs to God. We are stewards. When we fail to recognize that, we are claiming as ours something that rightfully belongs to God.
But rather than see Jesus as someone who is curing your addition, Caiaphas and Judas see Jesus as a threat to their money: because he is. All we have belongs to God. We are stewards. When we fail to recognize that, we are claiming as ours something that rightfully belongs to God.
A Threat to Their Beliefs - both
A Threat to Their Beliefs - both
“Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
s
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
“Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?
John
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
“Tradition is good when it is a good tradition.” I like that.
“Traditions serve the kingdom of God, not the other way around.”
I like that too. We don’t innovate, experiment with new things in the church just because it would be fun: we do it to see if it serves the kingdom.
Because Jesus was a threat to their power and wealth, he became a threat to their beliefs; Stubborn tradition; unwilling to align their beliefs with Jesus;
Because Jesus was a threat to their power and wealth, he became a threat to their beliefs; Their stubborn traditions; both Caiaphas are unwilling to align their beliefs with Jesus;
I’ve always believed that…that is rarely a good foundation for our beliefs.
The high priests believed in the sacrificial system. The sacrificing of animals. He could not accept that God was now offering salvation through Jesus.
Because Jesus was a threat to their power and wealth, he became a threat to their beliefs; Stubborn tradition; unwilling to align their beliefs with Jesus;
Judas believed that salvation would come through violent means.
Jesus is a threat to something deeper than their power and money: Jesus is challenging the way they see reality. What they have always believed. And our beliefs are important to us.
Jesus a threat to us.
Jesus a threat to us.
You may not like the way this sounds, but Jesus can be a threat to us. For the oppressed, the sick, the broken hearted, the rejected, the addict, the rejects, Jesus is good news.
To those who refuse to give up control to anyone but themselves, to those who place too much value and security in money, to those who refuse to rethink their beliefs and refuse to align all of these with Jesus, Jesus is a threat.
And that’s why they killed Him. He was a threat, and he still is.