Jesus Hates Hypocrisy
Even More Than You Do!
Part 1 - The Need for Humility
Matthew 23:1-12
October 19, 2008
NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT IS BORROWED FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE."
Me/We:
I’m willing to bet that no one likes a hypocrite. At least no one I know of does.
And you know what? Even hypocrites hate hypocrites. And you know why? Because they don’t see it in their own lives.
Hypocrisy is still one of the biggest reasons people choose to reject Christianity as a viable option in their lives.
They say, “The Church is full of hypocrites and I don’t want any part of it.”
And the problem is that they’re right to an extent. The church has hypocrites in it.
It’s been said that when a missionary was trying to convince Gandhi to consider Christianity, his answer was no.
He said, “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.”
He had seen first-hand how co-called “Christians” treated people, especially those who weren’t Christians and of a lower social status than they.
Sad, isn’t it?
But in the end that argument for rejecting Jesus doesn’t hold water, because of the fact that Jesus is true, even if His followers blow it from time to time and even misuse Jesus for their own ends.
Just because I’m not perfect doesn’t mean that Jesus and His teachings aren’t true. Your imperfection doesn’t negate the fact that Jesus was the perfect Son of God who laid down His life so you could be forgiven and have a home in heaven.
And just because Joe Televangelist gets caught in a sin doesn’t mean that Jesus isn’t the only way to heaven.
He’s all these things in spite of what it looks like in the lives of some people who call themselves Christians.
But when someone tells me that they’re not interested in Jesus because of the hypocrisy in the Church, I simply say this:
“You hate hypocrisy? You should see what Jesus says about it. He hates it even more than you do!”
And if they let me, I show them this chapter that we’re going to start looking at today.
One of the things that the Church in general needs to get a better grip on is how Jesus dealt with people.
The Church is full of people and pastors who love to call out the sin of others. They’re loud and condemning.
But in the Scriptures, when Jesus is confronted by a sinner, He offers forgiveness and restoration. He doesn’t excuse or condone their sin, but He forgives it – and tells them to sin no more.
Jesus saves His harshest words for the hypocrites. And as we work our way through this chapter over the next few weeks, you’ll see what I mean.
Now here’s the hard news. We’ve all been hypocrites at one time or another. We’ve all been people who have said one thing and done another.
We’ve all been people who have pretended to be something we’re not.
Hypocrisy is never a good thing. It can hinder not only your own relationship with Jesus, it can hinder others in their relationship to Him as well, and it can even keep them from finding Jesus altogether.
Folks – can you see why Jesus doesn’t look too keenly on hypocrisy?
God: That will be the focus of the messages for the next few weeks as we go through this chapter in Matthew.
This chapter begins a message to the people, but it’s directed at the Pharisees and the rest of the religious leaders who were caught up in the trap of being religious on the outside but had nothing really in their lives and their character to back it up.
Jesus, knowing that the time was short, uses this last opportunity to set the record straight about what God really wants to see in the lives of His followers.
Matthew 23:1-12 (p. 700) –
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
Phylacteries were these boxes that contained four specific passages of Scripture from the Old Testament. The Pharisees wore them on their foreheads and on their left arms. And according to Jesus, at least some of these guys were making a big deal out of how spiritual they were by making these things bigger so they stood out more. Then people could go, “Whoa! Look at that guy. He’s ‘spiritual!’”
It’d be kind of like comparing Bibles. My Bible’s bigger than yours, so I’m more spiritual than you! And it’s leather, too, Bub! Take that!
Let’s continue…
6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ’Rabbi.’
8 "But you are not to be called ’Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ’father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ’teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
In this passage, Jesus lays out three strategies you can use to be a person who lives for God’s approval instead of other’s approval.
But if we had to boil down just what Jesus is saying here, what be the bottom line of these twelve verses? What is the main thrust of Jesus’ words?
Here’s what I think it is:
Society honors outward appearance, but God honors humility.
Throughout Scripture you find that God prefers a humble person to a proud person who cares more about what others thought than about what God thought.
You: So let’s look at some ways that we can be people of humility.
1. Make Scripture, not others, your standard for life.
Jesus beats these guys up for telling people what to do, but not doing it themselves.
One of the biggest mistakes people can make is looking to someone else to be the example for them, especially in terms of how to live a Christian life.
Few people can say, “Live your life just like mine because I’m a good example.” The apostle was able to say that, but even he admits that he wasn’t perfect.
Sometimes people we look up to blow it. They sin or they do or say something that is totally contradictory to what they’ve said or done in the past.
Others claim to be Christians but their lives say otherwise. They say great things with their mouths, but their lives don’t match up. And so people think that this gives them permission to do the same thing.
But it doesn’t work that way.
The fact of the matter is that people are going to let you down if you look to them as the only standard for what it means to live for Christ.
You need the Scriptures. They don’t change or let you down. They’re applicable in every culture and time period. If you don’t believe me, just read the Sermon on the Mount and tell me the words of Jesus aren’t applicable today.
If you want to be a person of humility, it starts with submitting yourself to Scripture and using them as the standard for what’s right and what’s wrong.
Here’s a second strategy you can use to be a person who lives for God’s approval instead of other’s approval.
2. Avoid living a “showcase” religion.
Jesus takes a special effort to point out how the Pharisees cared more about how other people saw them then about actually living for God.
They wanted the seats of honor, they wanted the people to see them in public and make a big stink about them.
They liked the religious titles people called them.
Now let me take just a moment here and tell you something. It’s this passage in particular that makes me unconcerned about whether or not someone calls me “Pastor” or “Reverend La Croix.”
I am a pastor and an ordained minister. But I’m not sure that entitles me to special titles, and so I’ve never been comfortable with them.
So usually when I introduce myself, it’s simply “Brian” or “Deb’s loving husband.”
When Dani was just a teeny baby, I was working at the Christian bookstore in Florida, and a family from church came in. The mother recognized me and was telling her daughter who I was. Finally, the little girl said, “Oh, that’s Danielle’s daddy.”
And you know what? Being known as Danielle’s daddy, or Noble’s dad, or Lance’s dad, or Olivia’s dad, or Ellene’s dad is good enough for me. I’m even happy to be “Dorothy’s son-in-law” – most of the time.
I don’t need the titles, and frankly, I think sometimes they get in the way.
I wonder what would happen if I started calling some of you “Farmer Harms” or “Housewife Hughes.” Just not natural, is it?
So I’ll leave it up to you, but please don’t feel that I’m expecting folks to call me “pastor.” It’s just not that big of a deal, at least not according to this passage.
The Pharisees were braggarts but they also thought that talking good, looking good and smelling good were good enough.
But as Jesus points out later in this chapter, even a grave can look pretty on the outside, but it’s still filled with dead and rotting flesh.
So let me give you some ideas as to why it’s dangerous to live just for the approval of others:
* Seeking approval from people brings only that – if that.
Here’s what I mean. Jesus said back in the Sermon on the Mount that these same religious leaders only sought the applause and admiration of others. And that’s what they got.
And Jesus says that’s all they’d get. There would be no heavenly reward nor would there be any words of commendation from God.
However, in our culture today, people see through religious posturing – and they don’t appreciate it.
So you may not even get the approval of other people that you’re seeking. It’s all in vain.
Another reason it’s a bad idea to live for the approval of other is that…
* Seeking approval from people can get in the way of real faith in Christ.
John 5:44 –
“How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”
When we’re too focused on getting others to like us or approve of us, we become blinded to our need for Christ.
This is especially dangerous in the “religious” world. You can do all the religious activity, learn the religious lingo, and whatever else, but in the end never realize that it’s not these things that matter to God as much as trusting in Christ to give you the passage to heaven and the power of God living and working in you while you’re on earth.
Here’s the third reason it’s dangerous to be an “approval seeker”…
* Seeking approval from people can keep you from obeying Christ.
Galatians 1:10 –
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Most people are people-pleasers to an extent. We like people to like us, and we try to avoid getting on their bad side if we can help it.
But if we’re not careful, this can get to the point where you become paralyzed in situations where you know God wants you to do something, but you’re too afraid that someone’s going to disapprove.
Maybe you feel God leading you to start a ministry within the church, but you know that so-and-so thinks that’s a stupid idea. So instead of being obedient, you just roll over let the other person keep you from doing what you’re supposed to do.
One of the dangers that pastors and other church leaders face is doing something because certain powerful people wanted it done, or not doing something because they knew so and so would be angry.
The issue isn’t, “What would Jesus do?” The issue is, “Will the Jones’ be upset?” And that, folks, is no way to move a church forward to being more effective for the kingdom of God.
So it can play a part in personal life as well as church life.
Now here me closely. I’m not saying that you should never have input from others or be concerned with how they might react. The fact is that you might be wrong in what you think is the right thing, and getting input from others might save you a ton of trouble.
I’m grateful for the church board because some of my ideas aren’t all that great, and these folks are a great filter for some of those ideas. Some ideas are better than others, but the timing may not be right.
I still think that installing a bowling alley in my office would be a good idea, though…
The point here is that when you’re more concerned with pleasing people instead of pleasing God, you miss the boat.
And it could cost you dearly in terms of keeping you from Christ and doing those things He designed you for.
Here’s the third strategy you can use to be a person who lives for God’s approval instead of other’s approval:
3. Work on developing a servant’s heart.
Jesus says in verses 11-12 –
The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
It was true in Jesus’ day and it’s true today: servants are looked down on, not trumpeted in society.
No one likes to be looked down on as a servant. It’s not glamorous, and it can give others the impression that they’re better than we are.
But while society tends to tromp on servants, God throws that idea on its head and honors servants.
When we choose to put the interests and needs of others ahead of our own, guess what? We win!
Maybe not in this world, but God promises to honor those who are servants of His, because real servants of God will be servants of others on earth.
Fame and fortune on this earth are no guarantee of the Father commending you when you stand before Him.
Nope – if you want to be guaranteed recognition by God Almighty, it takes having the attitude of a servant here on earth.
The biggest reason to develop a servant’s heart, however, is the fact that it reflects Jesus.
On earth, that’s pretty much our biggest job. And Jesus was a servant.
Mark 10:45 –
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
If you really love Jesus the way we’re supposed to, you’ll strive to reflect the attitude of servanthood that He had.
It’s not easy. Like I said, no one wants to be looked down as a servant. But sometimes that’s what happens if you’re serious about following Jesus.
Sometimes you’re going to be taken advantage of. Other Christians will probably look down their noses at you because they think they’re too good to do what you’re doing.
But Jesus tells us that our reward will be sweet.
And listen. Here’s something you need to keep in mind, from James 4:10 –
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
He sees your heart. He loves your humility. And He will reward you for it.
Invitation
Let me ask you:
Are you tired of trying to live up to a bunch of quasi-religious rules that you think are supposed to make you acceptable to God?
Are you tired of trying to impress people with your religious attitudes and religious activities, hoping that they’ll think you’re okay with God so you’ll be okay with them?
Are you tired of playing the game of outward religion?
Are you tired of being a servant and being treated like one by the people you’re trying to serve?
Most people would be.
So let me just point out one last thing before we move on: Jesus points out the Pharisees as men who love to burden people with heavy loads.
But listen to how Jesus describes Himself in chapter 11 of Matthew –
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus wants you to find rest for your souls in Him.
You won’t find it in all this other stuff you’ve been trying to do.
It’s in Him and Him alone. And He wants to give it to you, if you’ll take it.
I’m going to pray, and I invite you to pray along with me in your heart as I ask Him to help us be people who shed the mask of hypocrisy and live a life of humble servitude to Him.
Let’s pray.
