HoHum:
GOLLUM AND THE RING Many of us are familiar with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We cannot help but remember the character named Gollum. He was a hideous, pathetic creature who was possessed by the power of the ring. In fact, the ring was the reason for his hideous appearance. His obsession with the ring robbed him of everything else in life that mattered. Only one thing mattered now: the ring. In his raspy voice he referred to it as "my precious." At the climax of the story Gollum surprises Frodo as he stands perched on a ledge in the heart of the fiery mountain to which he has journeyed so that the ring might be destroyed. Gollum fights with Frodo for the ring, but in doing so he loses his balance and falls into the hell like flames below, all the way clutching the "precious" ring. He had finally acquired the ring, but lost his life in doing so.
WBTU:
One of the most paradoxical things is this: that those who are greatest enemies of God are those who are most religious. The archenemy of God is false religion. The most vile and violent enemies of God are those who reject His truth and substitute anything else. Might think of Muslims, Hindus and that is true but the enemies of God might be in a pew near us. In Jesus’ day, it was some of God’s own chosen people who mocked and sneered at Jesus, and were his biggest enemies
The Pharisees were the religious leaders of Israel. The Pharisees were the leaders of the synagogues. They were the most studious of the law, the most meticulous in interpreting the law and applying the law, the most relentless in giving attention to the law, and the most eager to observe the ceremonies and the rituals that indicated that they were worshipping the true God. But as time goes on in the ministry of Jesus their hostility grows and grows until the last months of Jesus’ life are just non stop conflict between the Pharisees and the Son of God.
Vs. 14- Sneering at Jesus. This is an attitude of mockery, scorn, and derision, a kind of vile hatred that is diminishing and degrading of Jesus. From this point on it is a pattern for them with Jesus. “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”” Luke 23:35, NIV. This sneered is the same word in Luke 16:14.
Thesis: Why do people sneer at the truth?
For instances:
It goes against the desires of their own hearts.
The Pharisees loved money.
“think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:5, 6, NIV. Religion will provide their money, maybe not filthy rich but a comfortable way to make a living.
Leadership in the church is warned against this attitude. “not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” 1 Timothy 3:3, NIV. “Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.” Titus 1:7, NIV. “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;” 1 Peter 5:2, NIV.
Many of the Pharisees were leaders only for what they could get out of it. They only gave a dramatic show, not sacrificially, not out of their own hearts.
“Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23, NIV.
Antagonistic (unfriendly) to God’s demands
What has set these Pharisees off? Jesus is not saying things directed at them. In Matthew 23 he is but here why are they upset?
Jesus in Luke 16:1-13 is saying that we need to use money to build up friends for eternity. We need to invest in the kingdom of God. Need to be faithful with using what we have for the glory of God and then God will bless. We need to love God above all else even above money.
Many of the Pharisees knew they were corrupt. People know their own hearts. “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? 1 Corinthians 2:11, NIV. The only money many of the Pharisees gave was for show.
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” John 3:19, 20, NIV.
The only way to get along with people of false religion is to keep the light turned off. Dim the revelation of God. Don’t want the conviction from the Word to do a work in their hearts.
There are many within the big word of Christianity who do not know God, who are mocking God. They mock God by denying the authority and inspiration of Scripture. They mock God by denying the deity of Christ. They mock God by denying salvation by grace through faith.
No way to be faithful to the truth without generating antagonism.
They want to justify themselves.
The religion of the Pharisees was a system of self justification. Make ourselves righteous by ritual and by maintaining certain standards and laws and ethical codes and traditions. Make ourselves acceptable to God by our works.
“Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” Romans 3:20, NIV.
The Pharisees had to work God down. They had to bring God down to a level where they could reach Him. And so they thought God was less righteous than He was. They thought that they were more righteous than they were, so they could make it on their own.
“know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.” Galatians 2:16
Only concerned about human approval
““Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” ““And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-3, 5-6 NIV.
“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?” John 5:44, NIV.
Why was Jesus more comfortable hanging around sinners and tax collectors than around the Pharisees? Because the sinners and tax collectors were not that concerned about what others thought of them. Why don’t the cool people respond to the gospel? Because that would make them not cool and they are more concerned about that than about what God thinks of them.
Evil at heart
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Matthew 15:8
“No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” Romans 2:29, NIV.
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”” 1 Samuel 16:7, NIV.
Different values
Men often give great admiration to those whose lives are full of worldly success, who build up large fortunes or rise to great power or have a large following. But if those men are living godless lives, they are an "abomination in the sight of God".
Tim Woodroof- We live in a world that has shaped our priorities, skewed our perspectives, and taught us what to value. Rather than permitting God to challenge those values- to confront and replace them- a great deal of energy is expended in the attempt to win God’s approval and support of the values that God actually detests. We want God to baptize our standard of living, our pursuit of financial security, our accumulation of money. We want his approval of large houses, large bank accounts, large credit card limits. We want him to look at our consumer culture, our capitalistic dreams and pronounce, “It is good.” It is all theological smoke and mirrors, imposing on God a value system that is foreign to his very nature. It is culture dictating the shape of faith. And, in this, we are culture’s collaborators.
“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36, NIV.
