CHRIST -- THE HERALD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Text: Luke 11:42-44 -- But woe to you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgement and the love of God:these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. - Woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES! For ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Introduction: As a teenager I was invited to join the choir in the church I grew up in. The seating arrangement for the choir was somewhat different from the way it is here, in that they were seated directly behind the minister, facing the congregation. (I got to hear many a sermon preached from the backside of the minister's head in those years) This gave me a first-class seat for observing things that most in the congregation did not see.. like the time we had some visitors in the church. This particular large family chose seats on the very back pew, left-hand side of the church. About five minutes after eleven, during the preacher's invocation, Bill and Evelyn Barbee, longtime members, snuck in ... late as usual. They headed for their usual seat. you guessed it. back pew, left-hand side of the church. As the preacher continued his invocation, I could see Bill and Evelyn talking quietly as they were standing there, and with the quietness and order that Presbyterians are famous for, as the preacher said his "Amen" I could hear the gentle swish of the rear door of the sanctuary as Bill and Evelyn left. It has always bothered me as to why someone would give up the opportunity to worship God over an issue of where they sat to do it!! Jesus was talking about this kind of behavior among worshipers in his day, and He used some of His strongest language in dealing with it. Is it possible that, if Jesus said this last verse in our day, would he have said, "Woe to you WESLEYANS.. HYPOCRITES!!" Don't be so complacent to think He couldn't...remember, Christ knows our inward thoughts today just as He knew those of the scribes and Pharisees in those days.

 

I. In Jesus' day, the Pharisees set the standard of what the Jews viewed as holy living.

A. They took the Ten Commandments and Law of Moses and made a code of over six hundred rules, dealing with all areas of life.

B. Great commentators arose among them...Hillel, Judah and others wrote books of advice on how to live a holy life.

C. They started centers for study and worship among the Jews -- the synagogues -- and became the teachers there -- the rabbis.

 

II. Jesus grew up among people who espoused a holy way of life.

A. His parents raised him according to the Law of Moses and took him to both the synagogue on the Sabbath and to the Temple in Jerusalem at the Passover.

B. His discussion in the Temple at age 12 was with the "holy people", scribes, Pharisees and lawyers.

C, As a young man, Jesus was given responsibilities of reading in the synagogue of Nazareth. (some probably said, "He will make a fine Pharisee someday!")

 

Ill. Jesus had an advantage that none of us have. He could see into the heart and soul, and what He saw inside many of these "holy people" was not very pretty.

A. A caution here.. Jesus is not talking about ALL Pharisees here. The Bible records at least two as being among Jesus' disciples and there were probably more who recognized Christ as Messiah secretly.

B. Christ related holiness as cleanliness in response to the comment of his host over the fact that he did not perform an act of ceremonial cleansing, as was the custom of the Pharisees. (verse 38)

C. Pharisees were not being condemned here for their actions, but for the lack of holiness of heart which led to the actions.

 

IV. Christ looked into the hearts of his hosts in this instance and found hypocrisy. what does He find when He looks inside your heart?

A. Most of us are somewhat uncomfortable about the thought of someone looking into us and seeing the real "me" inside.

B. Take comfort in the fact that even after seeing your spirit, warts and all, Jesus Christ still loves you.

C. He sees us not as we have been (He died to erase that part, remember), but what we can be in Him...holy and acceptable to our Heavenly Father.

 

V. Unfortunately, we can be just like the Pharisees that Jesus was talking to. We can let the word of Christ grow cold within our hearts.

A. We maintain the outward appearance of holiness, but we no longer seek after the Lord. (example: dusty bible sitting on a coffee table)

B. We get so used to sitting in the pew that we forget how to use the altar.

C. We leave here Sunday morning saying "Good message, preacher, but we don't put what we've heard to use out there in the world.

D. To paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian,".. if any of these situations fits you, you might just be a hypocrite."

 

V. This is why we need to constantly re-examine our lives in the light of God's word.

A. The fire of the Holy Spirit slowly diminishes in the life of a believer over time. If we are not on our guard we can grow cold in our walk with Christ.

B. We can renew the fire of the Holy Spirit within our lives in several ways:

1. Reading our Bible

2. Prayer and daily devotions

3. Worship

4. Fellowship with other believers

 

C. Maintaining a "shell" of holiness is work for no gain. A life of holiness on the inside will show forth as holiness with no effort.

 

Conclusion: In 1967, The Beatles wrote and performed a song that oddly enough has a bearing on living a life of holiness. Let me read you the words:

He's a real nowhere man, Sitting in his nowhere land,

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view, Knows not where he's going to,

Isn't he a bit like me and you?

 

We can sit here, Sunday after Sunday, planning and scheming while the world says, "ho-hum". We can be that way in our Christian life, or we can let our hearts be warmed again by His spirit to do His work. When I was a volunteer fireman, I heard it said. ..and learned the truth of it.. .that everyone comes to see a fire. Are you willing to let this world, and most importantly Jesus Christ our Savior, see the fire in your heart?