Disowned Series

26. Who is Jesus?

February 27th, 2010

Disowned

Quick overview of what has been happening. Jesus casts a demon out of a mute man. The religious leaders, nice guys that they are, claim that His power comes from Beelzebub. There are confusing God with Satan. Jesus says no way you are guys are ridiculous so they ask Him for more signs. This agitates Jesus a bit. When tensions cool off a Pharisee invites Jesus over for a meal where they pick a fight with Him. This is just a bad idea. Jesus lays them out on the table like an appetizer and moves on to His main course. He calls them hypocrites and spiritually dead. Jesus and religious people don’t get along well. We have seen that already in Luke and we are going to see more of it today.

This dinner debate becomes the YouTube video of the week and word spreads fast about how Jesus just owned the religious leaders. Which is something people want to see: these Pharisees walk around acting like they are better than everything treating others like they are dirt. Who doesn’t want to see someone like that get put in the place? These people start flocking to Jesus in the thousands. Remember a typical town is 50-100 people. They had to travel on foot some of them for miles. Thousands of people are showing up and are literally stepping all over each other trying to get to Jesus. These crowds want to see the UFC match between the Son of God and super spiritual Pharisees. Jesus is a big deal. He is one guy taking on an entire religious group.

As the people start coming out, standing between the crowds who are trying to get to Jesus and Jesus are the religious people. Once again they have placed themselves between God and man and are hindering people who are just trying to get to Jesus.

Lk 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Lk 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. Lk 12:3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

Jesus starts off by talking to His disciples. They are the closest people to Him, they get the most access. Jesus warns them against the leaven of the Pharisees. The Pharisees put on a good show. They dres, act, and talk right. From outsider looking in these guys seem to have their stuff together. Jesus says they are a bunch of phonies. They are pretending to be something they are not. I don’t know them. They don’t know me.

Jesus warns His disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees. Leaven is old sour dough that is kept as a fermenting agent. This leaven would commonly contain yeast which causes the dough or batter to rise during the baking process. The bread we are used to eating that is all nice and puffy and soft that is leaven bread. Unleavened bread is a Saltine cracker it is dry and crunchy. Leaven is a very pervasive object. You don’t need much leaven to get an entire batch of dough to rise. This is why Jesus warns the disciples so strongly about the Pharisees. Leaven is infectious. It spreads quickly. In the New Testament it is used to symbolize the destructive power of evil influence.

The Pharisees do not have a genuine relationship with God. They only invited Jesus over for a meal because He was popular and they wanted the attention of the crowds. They didn’t like Jesus they were plotting to kill Jesus. Within four months they will join forces with the Sadducees and Herodians to murder Jesus. They are willing to break their own laws and the laws of God just to get rid of Jesus. They may look good. They certainly deserve an Oscar for their spiritual performance but its not real. Conflict reveals character. The Pharisees kill Jesus because they were jealous of Him. They didn’t like what He was teaching and they wanted His popularity.

Lk 12:4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. Lk 12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Lk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies ? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Lk 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.