3.5.17-Guard Against the Calamity of Hypocrisy


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East Cooper Baptist Church March 5, 2017 Guard Against the Calamity of Hypocrisy Luke 12:1-7 “1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:1-7 Hypocrisy is the positioning of self to appear to be “better” than is objectively possible. I. II.

Hypocrisy is like leaven; if unchecked it rapidly spreads. (v. 1) The hypocrisy of the Pharisees involved the misplaced emphasis on living before an audience of many compared to living for an audience of One. (vv. 2-3)

The slayer of hypocrisy: the fear of God. (vv. 4-7) Servile Fear: the fear of Filial Fear: the fear of a son a slave Relationship: slave

son

Context:

abandoned, forsaken

security

Atmosphere:

dread, terror

confidence, life-enhancing joy

“There is a dread or terror of the Lord and there is a fear of reverential awe. There is the fear that consists in being afraid; it leads to anguish and terror. There is a fear of reverence; it leads to confidence and love. Scripture introduces us to the former when we read of Adam after the fall: “And he said, I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10) Our moral and spiritual sensitivities are seared if we do not sense the religious catastrophe which this reply of Adam demonstrates. Made for communion with God, he now flees from his presence because he is afraid.” John Murray, The Fear of God

“14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:14-16 “38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” Jeremiah 32:38-40 “3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6  my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” Psalm 130:3-6 “Never endorse the great lie of the self-righteous, that full assurance of faith [being secure and convinced of our salvation in Christ] leads men to presumption. It does not; it humbles a man, makes him feel his own unworthiness, and so leads him to walk more carefully and prayerfully before his God. It is in this point that faith makes us strong, for a while it exalts our joys, it slays our pride and makes us shrink to nothing before the great All in All.” Charles Spurgeon, Sermons, Vol. 10, pp. 33-34 Questions for Discussion: 1. How is hypocrisy like leaven? What is “the sweetness of repentance”? 2. Why was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees primarily about a misplaced emphasis in daily living? What was that misplaced emphasis? 3. What is the difference between the fear of a slave and the fear/awe of a dearly loved son? 4. Why does the advice regarding worrying which involves: 1) start with a reality check; 2) tell yourself a better story; 3) set a timer; 4) yell “Shred!” pale in comparison to Luke 12:5-7? 5. What does it mean when we say that an individual is a “God-fearing person”? 6. As a child of God by faith in the finished work of Christ, I fear… (circle appropriate responses): a. Being abandoned by the Lord. b. Experiencing the discipline of the Father because of my disobedience/waywardness. c. Experiencing separation from the mercies of the Lord. d. Losing a sense of joy and favor in light of my unrepentant heart. e. Eternal judgment. f. Temporal judgment (loving judgment in this life).