Highly Esteemed Among Men Are Abomination Before God

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you insignificant in this world?

Yes. I am.

Matthew 5:3 (Amplified Bible)

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD is not pleased or impressed with hypocrites and proud people but is detested and these people are abomination before GOD.

IV. TEXT:

Luke 16:15 (Amplified Bible)

But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for Your sake I let myself suffer wrong, be deprived of what is my due here on earth, cheated, defrauded and robbed and insignificant here on earth for I know I am highly esteemed in Your sight as the apple of Your eye. Always make my heart broken and contrite and thoroughly penitent before GOD because GOD will not despise me.

1 Corinthians 6:7 (Amplified Bible)

Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)?

Proverbs 7:2 (Amplified Bible)

Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye.

Psalms 51:17 (Amplified Bible)

My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

Matthew 5:3 (Amplified Bible)

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

VI. TITLE:

Highly esteemed among men are abomination before GOD

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)

B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)

C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses

VIII. MAIN BODY:

Luke 16:15 (Amplified Bible)

But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God.

Luke 16:15 (King James Version)

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

A. Hypocrites declare themselves just and upright before men but GOD knows their hearts.

"But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts."

Jeremiah 17:10 (Amplified Bible)

I the Lord search the mind, I try the heart, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

Psalms 7:9 (Amplified Bible)

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the [uncompromisingly] righteous [those upright and in harmony with You]; for You, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God.

Acts 15:8 (Amplified Bible)

And God, Who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;

1 Corinthians 4:5 (Amplified Bible)

So do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things that are [now hidden] in darkness and disclose and expose the [secret] aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his [due] commendation from God.

B. What is exalted among men is abomination before GOD

"For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God."

Psalms 49:18 (Amplified Bible)

Though while he lives he counts himself happy and prosperous, and though a man gets praise when he does well [for himself],

Psalms 10:3 (Amplified Bible)

For the wicked man boasts (sings the praises) of his own heart’s desire, and the one greedy for gain curses and spurns, yes, renounces and despises the Lord.

Psalms 49:13 (Amplified Bible)