Blind Guides
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Announcements
Our next event is October 30 with Salem
We will join them for morning worship at 11:00 and come back that evening for a trunk-or-treat/chili cook off hay ride
We will also take communion with them that day.
This will be a great time of fellowship with our host church who has been such a blessing to us
INTRODUCTION
The message today is titled “Blind Guides”. This is what Jesus called the Pharisees of His day.
Pharisee were the religious teachers of the day, whom Israel respected and held in high esteem, yet Jesus said they were literally the blind leading the blind.
Blind Guides are those who desire to teach and lead others who do not know where they are going themselves.
Could you imagine a blind man driving a tour bus around the city, showing everyone all the highlights of the city?
Could you imagine a dog given to a blind man to lead him who was blind itself?
These were the Pharisees, giving spiritual leadership and direction to a people, and they were lost themselves.
And there are many today whom fit into this category.
Never have we had the ability to listen to so many teachers who about the ChristIan life.
With the internet, TV, and our vehicles we can find just about any flavor of Christianity or false religion you could imagine.
And small churches everywhere who are placing the need of a leader over the biblical qualifications of one to lead or teach
TRUTH: NOT EVERYONE WHO CLAIMS TO TEACH THE BIBLE HAS BEEN SENT BY GOD!
So we must be wise as serpents and learn to discern who we will let pour into our lives
And that is what this message is about.
There is a difference between man’s traditions and God’s Word
There is a difference between man’s traditions and God’s Word
Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Explanation
TRADITION
The tradition that the Pharisees had was to wash their hands before they ate. This was not simply a matter of hygiene, but one that they believed carried great religious value. They thought part of being a godly person was washing their hands before they ate a meal.
Here is the problem: they made an incorrect judgement on the disciple according to their tradition of washing hands because no where in the Bible does it ever say that we must wash our hands before we eat to be right with God.
What are some traditions we have in the church today?
These are rules that we as evangelicals have developed over the years and are kind of the standard in our churches today?
Here are some that we can consider:
the use of a piano during worship service
times of worship service
role of the pastor
role of deacons
having business meetings
playing cards
listening to secular music
women wearing dresses and men must wearing suits
Using only a KJV of the Bible
Singing only hymns in service
The structure of a church service (2 songs, a offering, a message, and an invitation)
Who came up with these rules?
Because you will not find in Scripture that playing cards is wrong
you will not find in Scripture that churches must have business meetings
You will not find in Scripture that the KJV of the Bible is the only inspired translation of the Greek and Hebrew text
Principle
Traditions must never rise above the Word of God.
They are things that man has created, not what God has set in order for us.
And we must understand there is a great difference between the two!
And when the two collide, God’s Word always wins!
It is God’s Word that has authority over man’s ideas ALL THE TIME!
APPLICATION
What does this have to do with blind guides?
I want you to notice what the Pharisees were doing here.
They were judging Jesus’ disciples according to their man made traditions.
They believed that if the disciples did not wash their hands, they were not right with God, when in reality washing one’s hands had nothing to do with a relationship with God.
This is what blind guides do, THEY TEACH THEIR OWN IDEAS AS GOD’S AUTHORITY!
They make judgements upon others based upon their own ideas!
They do not understand God, nor His ways, nor His Word!
There is no authority in the church apart from what God has said! it does not matter how long a church has done something, if it goes against Scripture it is wrong!
Deacon Example
Many churches today have a board of deacons. These men often lead the church. And most people think that is the way it is supposed to be.
But Scripture says a deacon is a servant. Nothing more. They hold the office of serving, not of leading.
The office of leading is reserved for an elder or pastor. And the. Amir difference is an elder must be able to teach, whereas a deacon does not have this requirement.
Those who place their own ideas over what God has said practice a false worship
Those who place their own ideas over what God has said practice a false worship
“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ”
Explanation
Isaiah prophesied about them
Jesus uses the prophet Isaiah to describe the heart of the Pharisees. He is not saying that Isaiah spoke directly about them, but that the Pharisees weee just like the people that God spoke about.
Who was Isaiah’s audience? They were Israelites who practiced all the religious observances but it was all artificial. They kept the the festivals, they made sacrifices, and they brought offerings but their heart was not truly for God!
In Isaiah ch 1 God tells them He is sick of their sacrifices and festivals and their religious rituals have become a burden to Him.
These were like people today who you see that pretend to be your friend, they smile at you when they see you, but its All a show. Deep down they really don’t like you and only put on a show because it would make them look bad if they didn’t.
They honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him
There are people just like that today with God. They say all the right things and put on their ChristIan costume when they are around other believers or in the church.
But deep down in their hearts they really do not care anything about God. These people do what they do just to make things look good on the outside, but on the inside it’s emptiness.
Their worship is in vain
In other words they are not true worshipers of God
What is a true worshiper of God?
Do you remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman?
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The only way to truly worship God is in truth.
And the truth Jesus is referring to is the Word of God.
What is Jesus saying?
They’re lost!
They do not truly worship Jesus Christ!
They are as as lost as the Mormons’ who worship a false Jesus!
They are lost as the Jehovah’s false witnesses who do not worship Jesus!
If the Pharisees practiced religion from their own ideas, how could they be true worshipers?
They’re lost because worship that is not grounded in truth is not real worship!
And if they do not practice the truth, then they do not value truth!
What they do value is their own ideas over what God has said!
It doesn’t matter how great of a speaker they may be or how chairsmatic they may be!
God’s Word is always the standard judge another’s teaching by
Application
What disqualifies a teacher for me?
If they disregard the truth plainly spoken in the Word of God.
I don’t care how much someone claims to be called by God, if they contradict the Word of God then how can they be called by God?
Would God contradict Himself? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
They are blind guides seeking to lead others astray
EXAMPLES
Today there is a major rise in women pastors
And historically the fall of the church begins with women pastoring churches
Scripture teaches overwhelmingly that the office of pastor is reserved for a man
So those who claim to be called by God, to lead a congregation make His Word void (they cancel it out)
There are also biblical qualifications for a person to be a pastor.
Ands many of these qualifications are moral guidelines
Today, a growing number of blind guides are coming into the ministry because people disregard the Word of God and in the name of grace ordain a man or woman who is not qualified to lead.
Does it really matter?
If a man or woman does not respect the Word of God enough to live it out, then they will probably not respect it enough to teach the whole counsel to the people of God
Error is not always changing the Word of God, today it often manifests by simply leaving part of Scripture out.
What comes out of the mouth reveals what is in the heart
What comes out of the mouth reveals what is in the heart
After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand. “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
Explanation
The Pharisees believed that as long as they did all the things they were supposed to then they were right with God. This was the same error of the people in Isaiah’s day.
They were very religious, but their hearts were not really for God!
But Jesus does not want the people to be misled, so He gives them the correct meaning of defilement.
Defilement does not come by forgetting to wash our hands before we eat!
Defilement takes place in the heart!
Principle
So when Jesus says what comes out of the mouth defiles a man, he talking about what the Pharisees say and how they they behave.
Sin begins in the heart, just as the prophet Jeremiah had said hundreds of years before:
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
Listen to what Jesus says in verse 17:
“Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
Application
You can learn a lot about a man’s heart by simply listening to what he says. This is what Jesus did with the Pharisees. It was their words that condemned them, not because of the words themselves, but because the words indicated what was in their heart. And it is the heart that truly matters with God.
And this message is about who you allow to pour into your life! There are all sorts of teachers today who teach religion! But many are blind guides who mislead many and we must be able to discern the difference!
How can you know? By knowing the Word of God.
If you do not know the real thing, how will you ever be able to spot the false?
If you do not know the doctrines of God’s Word, how will we ever know if someone twists them just a little or leaves something out?
Blind Guides are planted by the enemy to lead others astray
Blind Guides are planted by the enemy to lead others astray
Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Explanation
Every Plant which My heavenly Father did not plant
Do you remember the parable of the wheat and tares?
A farmer plants a field full of wheat, but in the night an enemy comes and sows tares.
As they grow together the tares become evident.
Jesus is saying these Pharisees are tares!
They have not been planted there by God, but by the enemy!
And they teach their own ideas rather than the doctrines of God.
And you will know them by the words that flow from their lips.
They appear to be godly, but their doctrine denies them!
And what does Jesus say about them?
“Let them alone”
In other words, “stay away from them!”
Have nothing to do with them!
Do not listen to what they say, or regard them as men of God, but know they have come from the enemy.
“Blind Guides of the blind”
What have they come to do?
Mislead as many people they can.
Teach men’s ideas that invalidate the Word of God.
Principle
Choose your mentors carefully! Make sure that those you listen to and learn from are those who teach and follow the principles of Scripture.
Application
How many people today tell people what they want to hear just to draw a crowd?
How many lead mega churches who never mention sin or the cross?
How many invalidate the Word of God by their lives, and lead millions astray?
I had someone tell me they liked to listen to Joel Olsteen
And do you know why? Because he made her feel good.
Drugs also make you feel good, but they are not from God
Not everything that makes us feel good is good for us.
And so it is with teachers, find one who teaches, lives, and speaks the truth.
Find one you know is sent from God and listen to him!!
CONCLUSION
What is in your heart?
Jesus said what comes out of the mouth defiles a man.
If you were just to record your words that you said all day for a week and played them back to a jury to determine your spiritual health what would they conclude?
The only way to have a pure heart, is to allow Jesus to dwell there. It to give your heart to Him, turn from your sins, give your life to Him and He will make your heart clean.
We could wash our hands a million times but it’ll never cleanse the heart
We could say a thousand prayers, give a million dollars, attend a thousand services and never have a clean heart.
It’s what deep down that counts. Make sure your right with Jesus today.
~PRAYER~