HOW NOT TO BE A HYPOCRITE
Mark 2:18-3:6
INTRO:
1. What is the #1 thing that keeps people from faith in Christ?
2. Is there anything that keeps people from faith in Christ like my hypocrisy? Saying one thing, and doing another. Claiming to believe and live a certain way, but not demonstrating it. Has anyone ever told you they can’t believe because of hypocrites?
3. Is there anything that keeps me from real faith, from a genuine, authentic relationship with God like my hypocrisy?
4. Are we doomed to be hypocrites? Is there any hope? Is there anything beyond hypocrisy? Can I have authentic faith?
Today Jesus will show us how to move beyond hypocrisy and into genuine, authentic faith. Today we will see Jesus goes head to head with religious hypocrites, and show us what it takes to leave hypocrisy behind. It all begins in Mark 2, verse 18. Turn there. As I read v. 18, notice the question Jesus is asked.
A traditional question – a question of tradition. (18)
Fasting was an important Jewish ritual, associated with mourning, sorrow.
Day of Atonement only prescribed fast, others followed, became traditional.
Pharisees at this time fasted Mondays & Thursdays, with ashen faces, shredded robes.
John’s disciples fasted as an expression of repentance designed to hasten the coming time of redemption.
How come you don’t do things the traditional way?
Why don’t you act like the Pharisees or John’s followers?
Why don’t you do what pious, religious people do?
We might say, “why don’t you do what spiritual people do?”
Notice the answer Jesus gave as I read vv. 19-20.
A non-traditional answer (19-20)
Jesus answers with a question - common rabbinical style.
Its no time for fasting - its a time for celebrating!
Jewish wedding lasted a week, very celebrative.
To fast in the presence of the groom would be unthinkable.
An expression of sorrow is inappropriate to the new situation that has come with Jesus’ presence.
Fasting = sorrow, Christianity characterized by joy!
Jesus is the center and cause of their joy.
There would be time later for fasting...
Not an explicit messianic statement, but veiled.
‘Bridegroom’ not used in OT or Jewish lit. for Messiah.
A need for something new (21-22)
Read vv. 21-22
Patching a hole in an old garment won’t do it - new clothes!
The old forms & traditions won’t contain the new truth!
"Fresh" wine would ferment, expand and explode old skins.]
Old not bad, but its time has passed. New luggage is needed!
John’s disciples fasted to prepare for the coming Kingdom.
In Jesus, the kingdom is here! So his followers rejoice!
This is something totally new, meaning totally different. The new disrupts the old and breaks the mold!
The Pharisees fasting perpetuated the old in an unbelieving mechanical fashion, blind to the new moment of joy.
Religious traditions are not enough. Jesus is!
A. Jesus escapes the tradition trap
Jesus says, “your traditions don’t cut it. I don’t participate in them because they belong to the old, not the new, different thing God is doing. They were hypocrites because they clung to their tradition and missed out on God. Jesus escaped their tradition trap, and escaped their hypocrisy. He is something altogether new!
B. We can escape the tradition trap
Jesus is the way to escape the trap of tradition.
People view tradition differently.
Some are fun & harmless – superbowl party, donuts on 1st day of camping trips
Some provide sense of heritage, memories – Christmas dinners, vacations
But some are parameters that prohibit growth and good.
Churches are good at this -- "we never did it that way before"; we have programs that we fight for because they are our tradition; music forms.
A hypocrite follows tradition and misses out on God.
I. TO AVOID HYPOCRISY, WE MUST ESCAPE THE TRADITION TRAP (18-22)
Let’s not hide behind our traditions – coming to church, etc. Let’s move toward a real relationship with God.
There is something else we must do to avoid hypocrisy. As I read vv. 23-24, notice that Jesus gets questioned again by the Pharisees.
Sabbath observance was a very distinctive element of Judaism. The next two stories concern the Sabbath.
The action itself was totally legitimate. (Deut. 23:25)
But you couldn’t reap on the Sabbath – work not allowed.
The Pharisees interpreted picking a few grains as reaping.
This is making mountains out of molehills
This is a chief characteristic of legalism.
As usual, they had gone overboard quantifying restrictions.
Scribes enumerated 39 kinds of work that were forbidden.
Listen to how Jesus responds as I read vv. 25-26
Jesus counter-questions, appealing to Scripture.
He tells the story of 1 Sam 21:1-6.
Saul was the Lord’s anointed, then David was.
Saul pursued David. He is on the run and weary.
David asks the priest for bread. He has only holy bread.
David took and eats the holy bread to meet his need.
Human need takes precedence over laws about bread.
Human need takes precedence over ceremonial laws.
In both situations godly men did something forbidden.
Jesus is the Lord’s anointed. He is saying, “If David could do it, I can do it.”
The tradition of the Pharisees exceeds intention of the Law.
Legalism always stifles grace. Jesus gives grace its place
Jesus goes on to show how they were missing the point of the Sabbath altogether. Read vv. 27-28.
Pharisees missed the point of Sabbath observance.
Not an end in itself. For man’s benefit - rest, worship, joy.
Regulations were so burdensome, now man was serving it.
Legalism misses the point…
A. Jesus leaves legalism behind
Jesus avoided the Pharisees hypocrisy by leaving legalism behind. He knew the Law wasn’t meant to be interpreted so legalistically. He knew human need took precedence.
Jesus says “I am a God who comes to break down religious laws in order to meet you in your need."
B. We can leave legalism behind
If we want a real faith, we can give up our religious rules in pursuit of the truth. We can demonstrate grace to others instead of legalism.
People often justify to me their absence. We think our (or others) relationship with God depends on attendance.
A friend was helping older people park and get into church on a cold, icy day. Wearing a hood, his hair was a mess so he put on a hat for church. He got lectured about his hat...
II. TO AVOID HYPOCRISY, WE MUST LEAVE LEGALISM BEHIND (23-28)
Like Jesus, let’s leave legalism behind.
Well, Jesus’ adversaries didn’t take this too well. Let’s see how it played out, as I read 3:1-4.
Emphasis in this account is on Sabbath observance.
Jesus’ adversaries were convinced he was a violator of the Sabbath. The Law said such a violator could be killed...
They wanted to see if he would heal this man.
Issue wasn’t "could he" but "would he."
Jesus has the man stand up....
He questions them, but they won’t answer him...
It was well accepted by the scribes and Pharisees that any danger to life took precedence over the Sabbath.
But in their usual fashion, they had strictly defined what exactly constituted a threat to life, and to what extent aid could be given.
Imagine the scene...
Presumably, the Pharisees would have answered that it is good to heal on the Sabbath only when one is dangerously ill.
This man only had a shriveled hand, no threat to his life.
To them, the Sabbath observance matters more than this man.
Cf. Luke 13:14 for their viewpoint. “Come back tomorrow.”
What do you think Jesus will do? Let’s find out as I read vv. 5-6.
Eyeball to eyeball, Jesus looks hard at each of them.
Anger - only explicit ref., not expression of injured self-concern. Angry that they had forgotten grace and mercy.
Distress - deep grief.
Angry and distressed at their insensitivity and letter over spirit.
Jesus responds with mercy.
Jesus makes a stand on principle: mercy over tradition
Jesus makes a choice - mercy over his own life.
They couldn’t even be happy for this man.
The Pharisees now join with Herodians and plot to kill their Savior.
Jesus chose to make room for mercy.
Religious hypocrites eliminate mercy. Letter of law is king.
You will get killed over this…
Hypocrites choose the letter of the law over mercy. They said, “that’s no way to celebrate a Sabbath.”
Jesus says, “Now that’s how you celebrate a Sabbath!”
III. TO AVOID HYPOCRISY, WE MUST MAKE ROOM FOR MERCY (3:1-6)
To avoid hypocrisy, we must make room for mercy. We must see beyond our rules and regulations and into people’s hearts. What’s your reaction to a noisy, undisciplined child in church? Are you critical or merciful?
M.I.: LET’S LEAVE BEHIND HYPOCRISY AND EMBRACE AUTHENTIC FAITH.
Jesus offers us real faith, beyond hypocrisy. He shows us how to escape the tradition trap, leave legalism behind, and make room for mercy. Are you ready?
