Warnings to Christ-Followers

We are in Luke chapter 12 tonight in our study of the life of Christ and we are still in that period of time that Luke describes more fully than any of the other gospels. And that is that time of warning and instruction and conflict that Jesus has in and around Jerusalem in the last few months of his life and ministry. And we have been seeing that Jesus has angered the Pharisees. We talked about that last week that Jesus has angered the Pharisees with with singing rebukes of their hypocrisy and legalism and and dead religion. And so Jesus has been talking with them about that has very boldly rebuked them for that and and the Bible ends there in chapter 11 by saying when Jesus went outside in verse 53 the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and the besiege him with questions waiting to catch him and something you might say. So from this point on although their opposition has not been secret at all from this point on they openly fiercely oppose him. There's no mask anymore of kindness. They are doing everything they can to try to put him to death. And so they will pursue him. They will dog his steps and along with him also his disciples. And so Jesus is alternating between kind of interaction with the Pharisees and religious leaders and then kind of backing off to train his disciples some more. He's alternating between those two things and that's why this time period is often called conflict and instruction conflict with the Pharisees instruction of his disciples. And we're going to see that Jesus backs off now for a little bit not from the crowds but from warning the Pharisees to instructing his disciples and in chapter 12 and 13 the focus is on Jesus warnings to his disciples look at verse one of chapter 12. The first warning is about opposition. Jesus knows what they will face from the Pharisees and the religious leaders kind of opposition they'll face and so he warns them about that to begin with. First one says meanwhile when a crowd of many thousands had gathered so that they were trampling on one another. Now I want to stop there for just a moment and make sure we get the setting as Jesus is warning his followers. There are huge crowds around him but Jesus will speak in such a way that the crowds can overhear some of this but the instruction is primarily for his disciples and you'll find even there in verse one it says he began to speak first to his disciples even though there's a huge crowd around him he's really zoned in on his disciples and he's focused on training then. Now this huge crowd thousands the Bible says is also kind of in a frenzy and there are lots of different motivations for people following Jesus at this time some of them obviously are after him his opponents Pharisees religious leaders determined and enraged enemies of Jesus that's part of the crowd some in the crowd are just curious to monitor this ongoing debate between Jesus and the people. They've caught part of it in Jerusalem and in the surrounding area and they're wanting to hear more of this because Jesus in a sense is setting them free from what the Pharisees have burdened them down with and so they want to hear more of this some of them are just curious about the interaction the debate that's going on some of them are very interested to hear some in this crowd no doubt are earnest. We know that upwards of 500 people are following Jesus at this time he would he would speak to a crowd of over 500 after his resurrection those are followers of his disciples if you will and then of course there are others in the crowd who are just waiting to hear him teach maybe hoping to see a miracle there are lots of different motivations for people being here but great crowds have begun once again to swallow. I'm just going to warm around Jesus just like they did in Galilee earlier in his ministry but it's interesting that Jesus verse one says began to speak first to his disciples and here is the warning that's that's the setting that we've been talking about and here here is the warning. Verse one, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy. Now the first warning Jesus is going to give his disciples his followers is to be credible in other words is warning about opposition okay in the midst of this opposition that you're going to face from the religious leaders be credible don't be a hypocrite have credibility. So Jesus says this be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy now what is yeast some you cooks help me out here what are we talking about here. 11 okay what does it do it swells bread up inflates it right it permeates it doesn't it permeates it and then causes it to what do you cook call it rise is that what you call it the bread rises. It goes all over the kitchen yeah just all over everything doesn't it so that's what yeast does that's what leaven does the old word for it in the in the King James Bible how is that like hypocrisy why did Jesus like in hypocrisy to to leaven or yeast. Okay it will spread it permeates a whole group it also permeates the whole individual doesn't it it will permeate every part of your your being and what else will it do that I hear. It puffs up okay it gives you a swaled head doesn't it it makes you swell up and it's a very fitting picture that Jesus uses for hypocrisy it's like yeast in the sense that it does permeate it does invade the whole person it can spread throughout the whole and spread throughout a group of people but it also inflates it gives a person an inflated view of themselves an unrealistic view of themselves. And so Jesus is warning them about this leaven this hypocrisy what is hypocrisy. Saying one thing living another way okay I hear something else having two faces okay two faced. Anything else. Both of those are true interestingly enough the word actually comes from the concept of being two faced the word hypocrisy originated with Greek actors the name for a Greek actor the English word actor the Greek word for people who did the same thing was who pokritase. And you can tell that the word itself is just transliterated over into English to form our word hypocrisy the Greek actors were called who pokritase and who pop hypocrisy comes directly from that word now in the Greek actors and this was the way it was really on up in the Shakespearean times most of the acting was not done with elaborate sets and costumes and of course no confetti. And so you were just putting on a mask of the person you were playing maybe change your voice but there were not elaborate costumes or scenery you just put on a mask and so the Greek actors were known for putting on a mask and so that is exactly what hypocrisy is. Being an actor it's saying one thing but being something else or living something else it literally is being two faced putting on a mask to cover up who you really are that is the idea in hypocrisy it is putting on a mask it is playing apart it is looking like something you're really not it is covering up what's on the inside with a veneer on the outside of spirituality. And so hypocrisy allows us to cultivate sins of the heart but still look good on the outside. So a person can be cultivating jealousy and greed and sensual thoughts and manipulation of others and anger and all kinds of other sins of the heart those can be flourishing quite well inside but on the outside. And so to look at that person to look at us it is not always the other person it is me sometimes to look at the person you would think wow they are really spiritual they are godly and part of playing the part is not just putting on a mask but when someone else falls or fails acting just just being shocked you know like I would never do something like that I'm horrified to think any Christian could live like that when all the time you may be living the same way in your heart see that hypocrisy what's on the inside what is really in the heart is not what is portrayed to others in other words there is a careful masking of what is tolerated on the inside. And that's exactly what the Pharisees were guilty of hiding behind a mask of spirituality. If presenting the front the mask that everything was okay but on the inside their hearts were full of all kinds of sins including the desire to murder Jesus which is very much at the forefront right now in their hearts and minds. Hypocrisy can even be a mask of salvation it can even be putting on a front that you know Christ because you're familiar with the language you know how to put on the act but you've never really trusted Christ from the heart there's never really been any regeneration nothing changed on the inside so that that can be a form of hypocrisy too. So Jesus warns his disciples against that now the warning to the disciples indicates that it's possible for believers to do this he's not just he's not just talking about the Pharisees he's saying you guys my followers can also be guilty of the same thing and you're in danger of it so he warns them against that. Now notice what he says in verses two and three after the the warning of hypocrisy he basically says hypocrisy all of it will be unmasked someday it will be unmasked verse two there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight what you have whispered in the ear in the in the inter rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. Now Jesus is not necessarily saying at the judgment seat of Christ that everything you've said in secret is going to be proclaimed loudly for everybody to hear you know we've we've had this picture of the judgment seat of Christ that there's going to be a big screen up there and our whole life is going to be played back for everybody in the universe to see I'm not sure that's exactly what's going to happen. There are only three verses in the New Testament on judgment seat of Christ and one of them emphasizes that it will be an individual judgment in Romans 14. I'm going to answer it to Christ alone for my life not to anybody else there's not going to be anybody else judging me it's going to be between me and the Lord and so I think that indicates it will probably be more of a personal private thing that between me and the Lord which is intimidating enough. But Jesus is just using imagery you know metaphorical language poetic language to demonstrate the fact that it's all going to come out someday. I mean what you said in the room is going to be shattered on the house top that's just a picture-esque way of saying that what you've hidden is going to be obvious someday it's going to be obvious to the Lord the Lord already knows about it there's nothing hidden from him. And he will bring it out someday when you stand before him it's all going to come out and we do good to remember that you know Psalm 139 very clearly reminds us that there's nothing we can hide from God. Remember those well-known verses where can I go from your spirit where can I flee from your presence if I go up to the heavens you're there if I make my bed in the depths you're there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea even there your hand will still guide me your right hand will hold me fast if I say surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me even the darkness will not be dark to you the dark will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you. So the writer of the Psalms reminds us that there's nothing hidden from God he knows everything and so does the writer to the Hebrews in Hebrews 413 nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. It's good for us to remember that God knows everything about us everything about our hearts everything that we cover up and mask God knows what's really inside and so one of these days that's going to come out between him and us and he's going to judge us for all the things that we have done that we've mask that we've hidden all of our hypocrisy hypocrisy will be unmasked and so Jesus is saying to his disciples. Be credible you know live a life of integrity integrity is nothing more than what you say you are you really are what you portray is what you are on the inside that that's the real person there's no mask there's no hypocrisy there's no acting here you really are who you say you are on the inside. So be credible and then Jesus says to his followers be courageous look at it in verses 4 through 10 be courageous he says I tell you my friends do not be afraid of those who killed a body and after that can do no more but I show you I will show you whom you should fear fear him who after your body has been killed has authority to throw you into hell yes I tell you fear him. Now Jesus knows what his followers are going to face he knows all of the the dangers they will face the opposition ridicule hatred they will face he knows some of them will be imprisoned he knows some of them will beat and he knows most of them will give their lives for him he knows what they're going to face. And so this warning is for them to be courageous in the face of the opposition that he knows they're going to face and he gives them several reasons to be courageous the first one is the ones the one we read there in verses 4 and 5 it's this people cannot harm the soul people cannot harm the soul he said don't be afraid of those who killed a body but after that they can't touch you. It's interesting isn't it that Jesus says it that way because we think of the worst thing can happen to us is to be killed and Jesus is saying well they haven't done the worst thing to you yet they haven't taken the worst they haven't taken the worst thing they can take. No matter what you face and Jesus knew the harm that would come to these men even their bodies and he knew the ostracism they would face I mean they would they would be kicked out of the synagogue. And to be kicked out of the synagogue in that day I mean even if they don't kill you if they kick out of the synagogue it meant your whole family was ostracized it would be very difficult maybe impossible to get work your children would not be able to go to school the schools were in the synagogues that's where young Hebrew children went to be trained if you get kicked out of the synagogue there's no more education for your children. You probably don't get a job you are ostracized from society you are black bald from any kind of social or religious engagement in the community and that basically is total rejection in this kind of culture. But Jesus puts it all in perspective he says if they do that to you and even kill you they still haven't taken your most important possession your most important possession is your soul. And we'll see that come up in a little bit later when Jesus talks about greed but he's really putting things in perspective there's only one person that can touch your soul and that's God. So he's the one you ought to fear and that's Jesus point here in verses four and five don't fear people who can do all kinds of things to you be courageous in the face of that opposition because no matter what they do to you they cannot touch the only eternal possession you have and your most important possession that's your soul. So you know live in the light in reverence and fear and of the one who can touch your soul the one who can do that. Any questions about verses four and five the encouragement to be courageous there people cannot harm the soul. Another excuse me. I think a lot of people did because there are numbers of people in the book of Acts we see getting saved and so you know some people did see through that. But the the Pharisees were still just as hypocritical then as they were before the cross and there were still a lot of followers that that persecuted Jesus disciples a lot of followers of the Pharisees I mean so it's continued on yeah. Yes yes among Muslims and even like in India among Hindus same thing is true where if you make a clear definite profession of faith in Christ and follow him you lose everything and your life is at stake. I mean we don't we don't understand. There are people who willingly do that in other parts of the world and you just you know we have to sit back and wonder would we be strong enough would we be courageous enough to do that. But there certainly places where that happens. Yeah it's culturally acceptable for us to be a Christian live out our Christian faith obviously there are challenges to that in our own culture now but certainly not threats to our lives typically. In many parts of the world there really are I mean we we from what I read and hear persecution against believers is is higher today than it ever has been in church history even in the first few centuries there are more martyrs for the faith now in the world than there were in the first few centuries of Christianity and we just you know we're so comfortable here we don't think about that. I mean you can you can find some organizations that really minister to suffering believers like voice of the martyrs and other groups that that really focus on these folks our brothers and sisters across the world who are in danger of losing their lives because of their faith in Christ and there are millions millions of them who are persecuted in this way. Okay the Lord goes on to give another encouragement in verses six and seven and it's this God will not forget you again this is this is an encouragement to be courageous don't back down in the face of opposition. He's warning them about the opposition they're going to face but he's saying don't back down be courageous because God will not forget you put all this in the context now what he says in verses six and seven are not five sparrows sold for two pennies yet not one of them is forgotten by God an insignificant sparrow five of them two pennies I mean they're not worth much but not one of them is forgotten by God. Now the obvious point there is as Jesus would say in other places you're of much more value than many sparrows God God obviously if he takes that much interest in a sparrow certainly he's going to take interest in you he will not forget you and then he gives another illustration of that verse seven indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered don't be afraid you're worth more value than many sparrows. He says but the second illustration is the very hairs of your head are all numbered God has numbered them all and it's not just it's not just that he knows the total number it's that each one is numbered that's what Jesus means each one is numbered it's not just that he knows how many you have it's that each hair of your head is of significance to him each one has it to you. Each one has its number just think about that it is amazing I mean you know when you comb your hair in the morning God knows there goes number six million three hundred and forty two thousand you know or for some of you there goes the other one. God knows God knows all of that but he knows each one has its own specific number that's that's how intricate God's knowledge is of us but it's also how deep his love is for us you know he is concerned about such intricate details of our lives even as to the number of the hairs of our head and which is the most important thing to do. So that's just incredible. So obviously Jesus is is saying the Lord is not going to forget about you if he doesn't forget about sparrows if he knows the number of each hair in your head obviously he's not going to forget about you when you face opposition so when you face persecution don't forget that God is there with you. So when you face anything you're going through when anyone harms you he knows everything that's happening to you that's Jesus point it's designed to be an encouragement to be courageous the third encouragement versus eight through ten is that God will openly honor you if you stand for him in the midst of opposition God will openly honor you. I tell you whoever publicly acknowledges me before others the son of man will also acknowledge before the angels of God but whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God again this is in the context of opposition he's warning them you're going to face opposition don't cave in. Don't be afraid to publicly acknowledge me even if it means you will be persecuted even if it means you will be attacked even if it means you'll be kicked out of the synagogue even if it means you may be in danger of losing your life don't be intimidated by that go ahead and stand because there's coming a day in heaven when I will turn the favor and I will publicly acknowledge you in heaven. Okay publicly deny me I will publicly deny you and then look at the warning very strong warning in verse ten and everyone who speaks what the boys say before we get to that I know what some of your thinking because I'm thinking it too does that mean a Christian who under intimidation like Peter denies his Lord loses his house. No, obviously that's not what Jesus is talking about and remember any passage of scripture has to be interpreted in the whole context of the whole of scripture and we know that the whole of scripture teaches many many many times very plainly that you never lose your salvation that once you're saved you're in his hands nothing can take you out of his hands so that can't be what Jesus means. Jesus is talking about is the difference between a believer and an unbeliever. He's not talking about a temporary failure. He's talking about someone who either stands for me who is on my side who is in my army or like the Pharisees who is opposed to me who denies me who denies who I am. He's talking about the two different camps that are in existence in his day basically and so it's not it's not someone losing their salvation. He's basically saying you got to choose who side you're on. Okay, when the Pharisees opposed you remember are you in my army or are you with them the people who deny me like them they're going to be denied by me in heaven someday. The people who are on my side who are standing with me not talking about an occasional slip and failure but the people who are in my army on my side my followers who are publicly acknowledging me as Lord I'm going to publicly acknowledge you someday. Obviously Peter denied the Lord but he repented of that didn't he. He was restored obviously was six months or six weeks later he's preaching on the death of Pentecost so God had restored him and Peter had gotten over that so that was not a lifelong choosing of sides like okay I'm you know this I don't want Christ at all I deny him wasn't that at all. So he goes on to give this very strong warning in verse 10 everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What is Jesus talking about there. Okay, Margaret saying does it mean if you if you fail to respond to the Holy Spirit when he speaks to you and deals with you cause you about receiving Christ I think I think that's on the right track anything else you think Jesus is talking about there. Okay, that's true that is very true I think the Son of Man here in this verse does refer to Jesus though I think it is referring to Jesus he's he's it is the Son of Man so I think he is referring to Jesus here. There's something interesting going on though that has we've we've actually heard before it's been a while and so we've probably our minds are a little vague on it but remember back in Matthew 12 remember that turning point in Jesus ministry where the where the Pharisees were claiming that Jesus did his miracles in the power of Satan and Jesus accused them of blaspheming the Holy Spirit and sending against the Holy Spirit. That was unforgivable it's kind of the same thing here and I think the idea is this you can reject the testimony that the Son of Man brings that Jesus brings you can reject his words but if you reject the Holy Spirit and is the Holy Spirit's job to give witness to Christ and to bring people to Christ. And to bring people into conviction so that they recognize their need of Christ if you reject that that's like the final testimony it's like the final witness of the Holy Spirit convincing you through the miracles of Jesus that he is who he is and you need to trust him as your savior if you reject that there's nothing else there's nothing else that God has to give you there's nothing else I mean that's it so you reject that you're done. I like the way William Barclay says that I've referred to him before and I found a quote by him he's one of the greatest writers on the gospels and he says it this way he says by repeatedly refusing God's word and remember he's he's talking about the Pharisees the Pharisees who are religious leaders who have already accused him of doing his miracles in the power of Satan and have denied any conviction of Holy Spirit. He's talking about that kind of person he says by repeatedly refusing God's word by repeatedly taking our own way by repeatedly shutting our ours to God and closing our ears to him. Barclay says we can come to a stage where we do not recognize him when we see him when to us evil becomes good and good becomes evil that is what happened to the scribes and Pharisees. They had so blinded and deafened themselves to God that when he came they called him the devil. Why is that the unforgivable sin because in such a state repentance is impossible? If a man does not even realize that he's sinning if goodness no longer makes any appeal to him he cannot repent God has not shut him out by his own repeated review. So what Barclay is saying is what others have called the hardening of the heart. It's a person who has rejected the appeals of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus is so much and so long and so repeatedly that like the Pharisees their heart is so hardened they are beyond. God has given them over like Romans one says to their own deception and they're beyond their beyond forgiveness and salvation. I think that's what Jesus is talking about here tough verse. Okay, any comments or questions before we wrap up with verses 11 and 12. The third encouragement to be or the third warning that Jesus gives here is be confident in verses 11 and 12. You can see on your outline the warning is be credible be courageous now be confident. When you are brought before synagogues rulers and authorities do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. Now notice first of all the inevitably an inevitability of this persecution. Jesus does not say in verse 11 if you are brought before synagogues he says when when this happens it's going to happen. When this happens to you when you are brought before synagogues rulers and authorities in other words you're facing judicial proceedings they're going after you they're going to kick you out of the synagogue when that happens to you don't worry about how you'll defend yourself or what you will say for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. Now I've said this before in referring to this passage this is not talking about the normal ministry of the word in preaching or teaching. I remember and I think I've told you this story before in my first pastorate in North Carolina we used to do a lot of Thursday night visitation program and I remember visiting in one man's home one time and he was an unbeliever but he was talking about. I want to be a preacher someday and I think you've had a little too much to drink that evening or something but he was thought I want to be a preacher someday but when I want to be a preacher I'm not going to be one of the preachers that has to study. I'm going to get up and let the Holy Spirit fill my mouth that's kind of preacher I'm going to be and you know there are a lot of folks who feel that that is the epitome of I mean that is the ideal. You just get up no preparation no fourth thought no no study and just open your mouth and the whole the Bible says that the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say. Well that is a terrible misuse of this passage this is not talking about preaching in church this talking about getting arrested and what Jesus is saying is when they haul you to court the Holy Spirit will give you boldness and confidence and insight as to what to say. It's not like you've got time to prepare anyway. They're hauling you into the synagogue I mean things like this in Israel's culture were done quickly. Remember when they took Stephen they stoned him to death right on the spot and they took Paul and they took him dragging outside the city left him for dead. This was not like you got six months to prepare your defense. So when this happens to you when you're hauled in and they're going to put you up there right now don't don't fret about what you're going to say the Holy Spirit will help you understand what to say. Now probably all of us who have done any amount of Bible teaching and preaching have found ourselves in situations where we were called upon quickly to do something without any opportunity to prepare and the Lord is gracious in those times. And I think sometimes does this kind of thing but that's not what Jesus is talking about. It's not talking about the regular ministry of the word. He's in fact Paul will tell Timothy you better study you better study to show yourself proved a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed but cuts it straight rightly divides the word and literally means to cut it straight interpret it correctly. Because if you don't spend your time you know study and you'll cut it wrong you'll interpret it wrongly. So it does take some time and preparation that's not what Jesus is talking about. What he is talking about is you can be confident if you're thrust into a situation where you have no time to prepare a defense the Holy Spirit will help you to know what to say. And this would happen quite often in the book of Acts wouldn't it when they were arrested and they were called upon to give a defense quickly and the Holy Spirit gave them boldness to know what to say. So that's what Jesus is talking about. The warning is when you face opposition it's good warning to us too. Whenever we face any kind of opposition be credible. Live honest lives lives of integrity don't put on a mask of hypocrisy be courageous. God is going to take care of you he knows all about you he's he's he's numbered every hair of your head he's going to take care of you people can't take your soul anyway. So be courageous stand for me and I'll recognize that in heaven someday and then he says be confident be confident God will tell you what to say you he'll give you the words and the boldness to say what you need to say when you face that kind of opposition. You know that's something we can take take with us as promises to us in our daily lives you know when when people misunderstand you because of your stand for Christ when people ridicule you make fun of you say things about you kind of tease you poke fun at you because of who you are you're stand for the Lord. Be courageous stand up for Christ don't back down make sure you're living an honest life of integrity but be courageous and then just ask the Lord to help you to know what to say in those situations where you don't have time to prepare an answer ask him to give you the right words to say and he'll do that sure will. So warning about opposition Jesus is warning his men and we'll come back in a few weeks in about three weeks I guess we'll get back to the life of Christ by the way I want to say this the next two weeks two young men from ABC who have been coming to our church one of them has joined our church are going to do the Wednesday night study and I'm giving them an opportunity to do it please be here to support them. When I was 17 years old preacher Jimmy asked me to speak on a Wednesday night cross the road in the old white building David you might remember that it was a disaster it was awful I still remember what I did something haggie to and I found some prophecy that I thought was going to come true soon or something I read it somewhere and it was horrible okay but but Jimmy was giving me some opportunities as a kid to start to stretch a little bit I'd already declared that I was going to be a little bit more careful. I'm sure that I was going to go to Bible college and prepare for each and and I'm giving two young men that opportunity the next two weeks please support them. Okay please be here encourage them. They're wonderful young men. Tramester and Dana Morgan and they need the encouragement and you never know what the Lord may do with that okay let's pray. Thank you Father for the warnings that you give us and Lord we will face opposition sometimes I must admit I'm ashamed of how I respond sometimes when when just the least bit of ridicule may come help us Lord to be bold and courageous not to back down help us not to be ashamed of you. Helps to be confident in what you would have us to say and to remember that even if people do the very worst to us take our lives they still haven't touched our most precious possession our soul. May we honor you the only one who can touch our soul we ask in Jesus name amen.