Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Reading
• Luke 15 - the pharisees began murmuring, now they are sneering
• You often find this with people
• The pharisees did not like what Jesus was saying about money
• v15 - they try to justify themselves but God knows their heart
• v15 - What men esteem is an abomination before God - because of their wrong motives and false righteousness
• They turned away from God and practiced evil
• v16 - The coming of John the Baptist was a watershed
• v17 - Jesus is not in anyway putting aside the Old Testament (He fulfills it)
• v18 - The pharisees had made divorce very easy but the Bible had strict teaching on divorce
• Jesus had uncompromising teaching
• Luke 16:13 - You either serve God or money
• Luke 14:26-27 - Jesus is to be Lord of all
• Luke 13:24 - enter via the narrow gate
• The pharisees were being addressed in these word
• We are considering the danger of changing God's word and giving your own interpretation
• Example
• Overview
• Why do men do this?
• The foolishness of doing this
• The corrected word (Jesus' example)

Why do men do this?

• Men are concerned with themselves
• When we seek the approval of man we will inevitably compromise on God's standards
• Luke 18:11-12
• Example of the Pharisees
• Fasting, tithing, honest, not unjust, not an adulterer, not like a cheating tax collector, upright, holy, good
• v15 - remember that what men esteem is an abomination before God - it is as filthy rags
• It was all about the outward appearance
• Keeping up appearances - examples
• Jesus knew their hearts - they were covetous and devoured widow's homes
• v14 - they despised Jesus
• They do not want the word of God to challenge but be an easy word
• They want their standards to be God's standards
• Searching questions:
• Do you ever think you are glad you are not like that person?
• Do you recognise yourself as a sinner?
• Do you justify yourself?
• Are you easily offended and blame others?
• Are you concerned about the approval of others rather than the approval of God?
• God knows our hearts

The foolishness of doing this

• v17 - Not even the smallest pen stroke will pass away from the Scriptures
• We do not favour the New Testament over the Old Testament
• Jesus preached and upheld the Old Testament
• The Old Testament speaks of God's character, the nature of man, the law of God, God's plan of redemption
• It is foolish to try to do away with any part of God's word
• We must instead trust and obey

The corrected word (Jesus' example)

• v18 - Divorce and remarriage
• Not all that Jesus says about marriage
• Not all the New Testament says about marriage (Matt 19, 1 Cor 7)
• The big principle that God hates divorce
• Jesus gives no compromise because He knew the pharisees would find an excuse
• Examples
• The pharisees needed to hear this - they had committed adultery in the heart (cf Matt 5-7)
• Jesus wanted them to address the easy living
• Example of no fault divorce
• We need to uphold the word of God
• v16 - people are pressing in / forcing their way in
• They are taking every effort to enter the kingdom of God (not like the pharisees)
• The gospel is being preached
• Application:
• Have you entered the kingdom of God?
• Are you a pharisee or have you recognised you are a sinner?
• Have you repented of your sin and come to the cross of Christ?
• Are you ashamed of your sin and seen a glorious Saviour who has forgiven your sin?
• Have you trusted in Christ?

Closing Remarks