Confronting Religious Hypocrisy: A Call to Authenticity

The religious hypocrisy, beloved, that Jesus is rebuking here in Matthew 23 is a deadly form of hypocrisy, but you and I know it's not the only form. There are many different kinds of this spiritual cancer, are there not? We live in a fallen deceitful world held captive under Satan's sway, the father of lies. [00:01:18]

God opposes hypocrisy in the world and so should we, but most of all, he despises it in his what? In his church. Judgment begins with not the outsiders but with the house of God. Ezekiel chapter 9, 1 Peter chapter 4, and not just among God's people in general or generically, but God holds most responsible his leaders. [00:04:53]

Jesus now gets even heavier from verse 13 and following. Remember back in verse one, he's talking to the crowds and his disciples. He's talking about them, the scribes and Pharisees, but now the guns turn directly on them. Verse 13, not third person but second person, woe to you, yes you, you scribes and Pharisees. [00:06:09]

Seven Divine woes thundering out curses of Heaven's judgment that will rain down like fire and brimstone, as it were, upon God's enemies. Not found in Mark, Luke, or John, these seven woes are unique to Matthew. Remember, seven is the number of what? Perfection, right? Divine fullness. His wrath now culminates and climaxes toward these false Shepherds. [00:07:03]

The language of lament, an outpouring of both righteous Fury and deep compassion. No doubt he is denouncing and condemning them. There's no way to soften this or tone it down for our effeminate or PC kind of a thin-skinned sensitive age. And yet Jesus isn't gloating over these, their terrible fate. [00:09:06]

The greatest battle in the world is not against communism or humanism or secularism or social injustice. No, the greatest battle by far is the battle for men's Souls, a battle which could be lost even if somehow all those other battles were won. In some ways, there's nothing more scary. [00:26:44]

The great challenge of the church in our day is to clearly and boldly articulate God's truth and just as clearly and boldly to expose Satan's falsehoods. The great need of the world today is to turn from its falsehoods and to hear and heed God's truth and be saved. [00:27:39]

Woe to those who use music and lights and smoke to get people into church but not get them into Heaven. Woe to those who emotionally exploit and musically manipulate people to just pray a quick prayer instead of teaching them the law of God, showing them the mirror of the ten commandments. [00:35:24]

Scripture warns against false vows and rash Oaths and promise breaking. AI Israel was defeated, Joshua 7, because in Joshua 6 they broke the oath of the things at Jericho that were under the ban that they should not have taken. Shimi, First Kings 2, is executed by Solomon because he broke his oath. [00:44:50]

Christ Alone can liberate you. The Risen Lord alone can set you free, wash you, cleanse you, make you an honest boy or girl, an honest man or woman. Let me close with a question, really a two sides of the same coin. What's the root of slamming the door in Salvation, damning their converts, breaking their promises? [00:51:04]

Self-exalting pride and arrogance, that's what tempts us to slam the door on salvation, damn their converts, and break our promises because we have too high a view of ourselves and we've forgotten that real greatness is those who serve. You get humbled, you get abased, you get shamed, but whoever humbles himself should be exalted. [00:51:50]

Say woe is me because the one who says woe is me doesn't have to fear woe to you. Woe is me, I'm undone, Isaiah. Oh wretched men that I am, says Paul. God be merciful to me, The Sinner, said the tax collector, the publican. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. [00:52:43]