Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin explains his departure from his 1 Peter series to address a pressing pastoral concern, leading him to Luke 12:1-5. He introduces the passage as Jesus's warning…

Martin describes a specific Bible passage gripping his heart 'like a mature eagle that has sunk its talons,' conveying the irresistible spiritual compulsion he felt to preach it.

At this point in our morning service of worship, I would be surprised if there are not many expecting me to say words to this effect. Now let us turn together, or I invite you to turn with me to the book of 1 Peter. But I'm not going to say that this morning. For the sake of any visitors among us, one of the things that has been a backbone in the life of this church over three decades, almost completing a fourth decade, has been consecutive, expository preaching, preaching right through books of scripture, taking great themes and working through the scripture with them in some kind of a system...

0:11 - 1:26 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin details the immediate context of Jesus's warning, tracing it from his public ministry, through a dinner with a Pharisee where Jesus exposed their hypocrisy, to the…

Martin compares the Pharisees hounding Jesus to impudent reporters sticking microphones in someone's face, trying to bait them into saying something incriminating, to illustrate their persistent, malicious questioning.

This was a very unruly scene. And here the Pharisees are, following close at hand. Well, Jesus, what about this? You know, these nosy, impudent reporters, this is probably the closest we can get to it.

10:53 - 11:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin details the immediate context of Jesus's warning, tracing it from his public ministry, through a dinner with a Pharisee where Jesus exposed their hypocrisy, to the…

Jesus's description of Pharisees as 'whitewashed sepulchers' and 'hidden graves' is used to illustrate their outward appearance of holiness covering inward corruption and uncleanness, emphasizing the deceptive nature of hypocrisy.

And remember, Judas was one of the twelve. But there are times in the Gospels where the term disciples, disciples is used not to designate just the twelve, but those who are attaching themselves to Jesus in order to learn from him, who are manifesting, at least outwardly, a teachable spirit. And it could be that our Lord is not only speaking to the twelve, but to others included with the twelve who were nearest to him, who had been clinging more persistently and consistently to his teaching. He addresses these disciples having come out of a situation in which the state of the Pharisees was ver...

11:55 - 13:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Welcome any voice from God of warning, that you might be kept from that which would dishonor your saviour and be detrimental to your own spiritual health.

The parable of leaven is used to explain that hypocrisy, like leaven, starts small but works secretly, extensively, and effectively to affect the whole person or 'lump' of dough.

Now, look at the text asг dámėrën danímé dragon parallels the surprise do we call that a ordinate, or significantly, around the grounder who Philippians lovingly push one's and most faintly решил that the Lord needs it. It's what our Lord calls the leaven of the Pharisees. And what's the significance of that figure? Well, you'll remember that Jesus in one of his parables in Matthew 13 said the kingdom of heaven is like unto and then he introduces the matter of leaven.

16:30 - 16:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus warns his disciples to 'beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.' Martin defines 'leaven' as something small that works secretly but extensively, and…

The Greek origin of 'hypocrite' referring to a play actor wearing a mask is used to define hypocrisy as deliberately hiding one's true identity while projecting a false one.

He tells us which is hypocrisy. Which is hypocrisy. Now what is hypocrisy? The word our Lord uses in classic Greek of the day referred to what one did when acting out a role on the stage.

18:17 - 18:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus enforces his warning with a sobering prophecy: 'There is nothing covered up that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known.' Martin explains that all secret…

Martin illustrates secret communication by picturing someone getting a friend into a closet, shutting the door, and whispering a secret in their ear, emphasizing the desire for absolute concealment.

Get the picture.

34:30 - 34:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus enforces his warning with a sobering prophecy: 'There is nothing covered up that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known.' Martin explains that all secret…

The ancient practice of a herald proclaiming a king's message from a rooftop to an entire village is used to illustrate how secretly whispered words will be publicly revealed and known by all on the Day of Judgment.

Proclaimed as a herald. When you wanted a whole town or village to hear the message of the king. Delivered by the. The herald.

35:19 - 35:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Uncover your sin by thorough repentance and fleeing to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness, no matter the present embarrassment, to avoid the irreversible embarrassment of judgment in hell.

Judas's ability to maintain his mask of discipleship so effectively that others didn't suspect his betrayal, even when Jesus spoke cryptically, is used to show the cleverness of hypocrisy and its eventual exposure.

They thought Jesus was sending him out. To get some last minute vittles for. The remainder. of the Passover he had worn his mask so well and rehearsed his lines so perfectly they had no suspicion none whatsoever Judas heard these words he obviously didn't heed them and his mask got torn off before the day of judgment as his conscience screamed I've betrayed innocent blood throws down his money and the priest and the leader say what's that to us and he goes out and hangs himself so by the time we come to Acts chapter 1 Peter sees fulfilled in Judas the prophecy that one the familiar friend who ...

38:34 - 39:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Uncover your sin by thorough repentance and fleeing to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness, no matter the present embarrassment, to avoid the irreversible embarrassment of judgment in hell.

The story of Achan hiding the accursed thing in his tent is used as a biblical example of someone thinking they had achieved a 'perfect cover-up,' only for God to supernaturally reveal it.

effectively hidden it the next battle Israel's defeated Joshua and the elders go down in their face and cry to God and God says get up off your face time to stop praying and it's time to start searching out the sin in your midst and by using responsible inquiry and the casting of lots God zeroes in upon Achan

39:58 - 40:20 Read in full sermon

The point: When you think, say, or do that which displeases God, seek the covering of Christ's blood through confession and repentance, and where necessary, confess and rectify wrongs with others to maintain a clear conscience.

A man indulging in pornography and then acting normally with his wife is used as a concrete example of a believer wearing a mask, sinning against God and his wife, and failing to confess.

and plead for the cleansing of the blood of His Son and the renewing work of His Son and the renewing work of His Spirit that you might live for the very purpose for which God made you as an image-bearer live in communion with Him live before His face with joy and liberty as His son or His daughter and when you think and when you say and you do that which you know displeases the God before whom you live the only covering you seek is the covering of the blood of His own dear Son and you plead His promise if we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive us and to cleanse us from al...

47:23 - 48:51 Read in full sermon

The point: When you think, say, or do that which displeases God, seek the covering of Christ's blood through confession and repentance, and where necessary, confess and rectify wrongs with others to maintain a clear conscience.

A son indulging in unclean images online and then smiling at his parents as if nothing happened is used as an example of a young person's hypocrisy, needing to confess to God and parents.

none of that's there he's a hypocrite he's wearing a mask what he's saying by his attempts to smile and embrace her like nothing happened is dear I've made no major dent in my marital fidelity to you that's being a hypocrite he has he's got to make that right with his wife the son who gives the impression that he's resisting the pressures to indulge in the unclean that bombards the eyeballs that is available from a few clicks with a mouse yet he's indulged it in a moment of weakness he looks at his dad and he feels dirty and filthy and he knows the only way to deal with that is not only confes...

48:51 - 50:18 Read in full sermon

The point: When you think, say, or do that which displeases God, seek the covering of Christ's blood through confession and repentance, and where necessary, confess and rectify wrongs with others to maintain a clear conscience.

A church member whose heart has left the church but still smiles at elders and acts as if their heart is engaged is used as an example of hypocrisy within the church context.

none of that's there he's a hypocrite he's wearing a mask what he's saying by his attempts to smile and embrace her like nothing happened is dear I've made no major dent in my marital fidelity to you that's being a hypocrite he has he's got to make that right with his wife the son who gives the impression that he's resisting the pressures to indulge in the unclean that bombards the eyeballs that is available from a few clicks with a mouse yet he's indulged it in a moment of weakness he looks at his dad and he feels dirty and filthy and he knows the only way to deal with that is not only confes...

48:51 - 50:18 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin quotes Charles Spurgeon's sermon on hypocrisy, which reinforces the impossibility of hiding from God, the certainty of future revelation, and the awful death and eternal…

An extended quotation from Charles Spurgeon's sermon on hypocrisy is used to reinforce the sermon's main points: the impossibility of hiding from God, the certainty of revelation, and the need for sincerity.

You fear nothing else. I want to close this morning by reading the words of Charles Spurgeon. We would say in our day he was just a 25-year-old kid when he preached these words. Think of it.

56:10 - 56:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Always look upon your actions in the light of their great out-reading in the day of judgment; pause over everything you do and say, asking if you can bear to have it sounded with a trumpet to all men, or if you can endur…

Spurgeon's analogy of Christ 'wringing a coin' to test if it's pure gold or a counterfeit is used to illustrate how Christ will test and expose the true nature of professing Christians.

And they will say that he's gone to his reward. But Christ will say, away with him. He shall wring you, and if you have not the ring of pure gold, of grace, he shall nail you down as a counterfeit, wringing a coin to see if it's the real thing. He shall strip the mask off you.

58:58 - 59:17 Read in full sermon