Law Imposes Burdens But Will Not Help You

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you saved by the law?

No. I'm saved by grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (Amplified Bible)

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that the world is sin-conscious but we are GOD-conscious and grace-conscious.

IV. TEXT:

Luke 11:46 (Amplified Bible)

But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear, and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

Luke 11:46 (King James Version)

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You saved me through Your Grace and none of my human effort have saved me but through Your Grace alone.

Acts 15:11 (Amplified Bible)

But we believe that we are saved through the grace (the undeserved favor and mercy) of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are].

Ephesians 2:8-9 (Amplified Bible)

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

VI. TITLE:

Law imposes burdens but will not help you

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 11:46 (Amplified Bible)

But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear, and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

Luke 11:46 (King James Version)

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

A. Law imposes burdens on the inhabitants of this world

"But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear,"

Isaiah 10:1 (Amplified Bible)

WOE TO those [judges] who issue unrighteous decrees, and to the magistrates who keep causing unjust and oppressive decisions to be recorded,

Matthew 23:2-4 (Amplified Bible)

The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat [of authority].

So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice.

They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them.

Galatians 6:13 (Amplified Bible)

For even the circumcised [Jews] themselves do not [really] keep the Law, but they want to have you circumcised in order that they may glory in your flesh (your subjection to external rites).

B. Law will not be able to help people but GOD will.

"and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers"

Isaiah 58:6 (Amplified Bible)

[Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?

GOD, the LORD JESUS CHRIST came here on earth, became human being to break the bonds of wickedness, that consciousness of sin to turn it into consciousness of grace.

Psalms 97:11 (Amplified Bible)

Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].

Now we have CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS FAVOR AND PROTECTION.

Acts 8:23 (Amplified Bible)

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in a bond forged by iniquity [to fetter souls].