Sermon Tone Analysis

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We are going to be looking at today.

Go ahead and turn there… if you don’t have a Bible, there should be one in front of you.

You can keep that if you don’t own a Bible.

What it the point of the church?

This is a question I get a lot… Where are we headed, what is our mission?

And although that’s a good question, it’s fairly simple.

The church has gathered together for 2,000 years to accomplish a couple things: REMEMBER & REPENT:

In our culture of consumerism and entertainment and start-ups… I think we can look at the church and expect some sort of grandiose plan.

But what the church is supposed to do is provide a space for REMEMBERING & REPENTING.

What are we doing when we partake of communion, hear the preaching of God’s Word, singing songs of words found in scripture, reading scriptural passages, etc? WE ARE REHEARSING THE GOSPEL STORY —> WE ARE REMEMBERING WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT IS GOOD!

Then, as a response to that: WE REPENT.

We turn from our error and sin and we look to Jesus.

This is the primary aim of the gathered people of God.

Let’s not make it something it isn’t.

It truly is that straightforward.

And we need to constantly remember and to constantly repent!

Today, Jesus confronts leaders who forgot the TRUTH & failed to REPENT… and guess what, the results were tragic.

They took their religion seriously, but void of the GOSPEL.

It’s so easy for us to fall into this error.

It’s so easy to make Christianity into something it isn’t.

If you’re able, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.

So there’s a lot going on here and the first thing you probably notice is the fact that Jesus is just giving it to the scribes and the Pharisees… if you’re new, these are the religious leaders of the community (within Jerusalem)…

The people Jesus is criticizing are very influential within this community.

They are the ones responsible with teaching the Old Testament to the people.

Jesus argues that they have become hypocrites… it makes it plain right up front:

matthew 23:

“They preach, but do not practice.”

This is the essence of hypocrisy…

Big Idea of this passage is really verse 12: WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.

The pride of the scribes and the Pharisees.

(vs.

1-12)

Who your true authority is where

Christ exalting rather than self exalting.

(vs.

1-7)

matthew 23:4-7

I think this really cuts to the core of Jesus’ problem with the religious leaders… they are full fo themselves.

Their religiosity has not produced humility but pride.

They think they are better than they are.

And this is extremely concerning to Jesus!

Tying heavy burdens

All these extrabiblical rules have been added to the scriptures and had become a great burden for the people

All the while, the religious leaders loved to follow the rules so they looked good… they were completely full of themselves and their good deeds.

they loved having the title

They loved having the best seat in the house

Somehow, they mistakenly began to receive the honor praise rather than showering God with the honor and praise.

Their power and influence had gotten to them and it had distorted their faith!

Pointing to the savior rather than trying to be the savior.

(8-12)

Jesus reminds the people who their true authority is where to look for their ultimate hope!

MATTHEW 23:

What Jesus is communicating is that these earthly leaders aren’t to be in a place where they are receiving all the glory — they are to be pointing people to the one who receives the glory!

Christian leaders aren’t to try and be saviors, but rather to point people to the savior.

I know this probably sounds so straightforward… you might even be thinking, “duh, why is this an issue...”

But unfortunately, it often is.

Influence, power, authority, so on can corrupt someone’s character… and we can forget who we really are...

And so a biblical theology is aimed at GOD!

SO ask yourself… what do you want most?

Especially if you consider yourself a Christian, “what do you consider most?”

Do you have a God-centered theology?

Our call is to make much of God!

Jesus declares four woes upon the scribes and Pharisees.

(vs.

13-24)

Woe 1: You shut the door of heaven in people’s faces.

(vs.

13)

Woe 1 (vs.

13)

We first need to remember Jesus isn’t just trying to humiliate the leaders.

The ESV SB says:

The woes are a mixture of condemnation, regret, and sorrow.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees are false leaders who have drawn the people away from the kingdom of heaven instead of toward it.

So this response is mixed with sorrow.

Because the first WOE or caution is an acknowledgement that the religious leaders are doing the exact opposite of what their aim is...

Instead of drawing people near to God, they are pushing people away from God.

Woe 2: You make children of hell.

(vs.

15)

Woe 2 (vs.

15)

Since your ministry is not aimed towards God, your ministry is done in vain!

It’s sad and heavy accusation!

Jesus continues to articulate the reality that their teaching has a destructive end!

Woe 3: You focus on superficiality rather than on what is important.

(vs.

16-18)

They were focusing so much on the little details that they missed the point of the their faith!

Their obedience was meant to be a means to an end...

Meaning what: meaning… the point of their religion was to enjoy a life-giving relationship with God not to just adhere to rules!

They were focused more on the rules than they were on God!

Woe 3 (vs.

16-18)

Woe 4: You neglect the weightier matters of the law.

(vs.

23)

Woe 4 (vs.

23)

“You make sure to give the right amount of your stuff to the church, but you forgot to be just, merciful, and faithful!”

“Your so focused on the rules, that you’ve forgot to love!”

“So focused on the rules that you forgot: to be patient, humble, gracious, forgiving… so on.”

Big Idea of this passage is really verse 12: WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.

Big Idea of this passage is really verse 12: WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.

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APPLICATION:

If you’re new to the idea of Christianity:

Sometimes Christians are accused of being hypocritical… and that’s true.