Religion and Hidden Sin
Introduction
Looking at religious hypocrisy
Can often give a good impression but harbour many hidden sins
God will judge the religious hypocrite – whether in this or the next life
Sometimes a religious hypocrites cover is blown and this can lead others to mock
This brings great sadness to the Church of Jesus Christ
This can damage the faith of weak believers
Jesus deals with religious hypocrisy differently
Consider how Jesus treats the sinner in the streets vs the religious leaders
He pronounces woes against the religious leaders
What would God have thought of the funeral yesterday?
The passage in context:
Jesus invited for a meal in a pharisee’s house
Perhaps Jesus saw this as an opportunity to speak against their religious hypocrisy
Jesus did not obey the religious customs
Example – ceremonial hand washing
Jesus know what the pharisee was thinking – v38
Jesus speaks into the situation
Jesus speaks against three sins:
The sin of inward miserliness
The sin of outward show
The sin of corporate oppression
The sin of inward miserliness
The pharisees loved to impress others
Examples
They were very good at covering up their inner life
Jesus did not follow their outward show – v39
The pharisees should have known the Scriptures:
Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart
Jesus had said that sins proceed from the heart
Jesus told them it is what comes out of a man that defiles (not what goes in)
Can you imagine saying this to your host?
The Greek word for ‘greed’ means robbery and extortion
Examples
Jesus showed them to be unclean
v40-41
Gives alms from within – charity, pity and kindness
You need a changed heart and transformation on the inside
Giving to the poor does not automatically you clean
Salvation is by faith and not by works
A changed heart will affect you outwardly
God knows our hearts
What are we like?
Questions
Tithing
Jesus says that the pharisees should tithe
But they had lost perspective and gone beyond the law of God
What about us? Do we major on minor matters?
Christianity is not just about tithing or attendance at church – but a relationship with the living God
Micah 6:8, Zech 7:8-10
Example of lawyer and doctor
The sin of outward show (v43-44)
Our society encourages outward performance
Give honour where honour is due
We have gone beyond this
We love the praise of men
The pharisees
Loved the best seats in the synagogue
Loved greetings in the market place
The pharisees and scribes are hypocrites
Like play actors
Explanation of white-washing graves
How many people today are being polluted by religious teachings?
What was the mood and feeling in the pharisees house – cf v53-54
Jesus was concerned for the pharisees
Jesus was concerned for the masses that they would not be duped by false teachers
Scripture warns against false teachers
Who are those that we should be wary of today?
Those who don’t preach the gospel
Jesus was unafraid to speak the truth
The sin of corporate oppression
Loading people with burdens (v46)
Example of some pharisaical laws
We must not reduce Christianity to a set of rules
It is about knowing and loving God
It is about the work of God in our lives
The commands of God are not burdensome
Approving of their father’s sin in killing the prophets (v47-51)
The pharisees thought they were the children of the prophets
Jesus says they are part of the group that killed the prophets
Taking away knowledge (v52)
Imaging Jesus saying this to religious leaders today
Strong words from the Lord Jesus Christ
Our Response
Not pointing the finger at others
Ask the Lord to search and change our heart
Consider that many of the pharisees and priests did believe when the apostles preached
How do you respond to this message?
Ask God to show us our sin and come to the cross
Ask God to fill us with His love