Text: (Luke 11:37-54)
37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
40 “Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
41 “But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”
45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”
46 And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 “In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
49 “Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’
50 “that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
51 “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”
53 And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him. (NKJV)
I. Introduction – Read Text
A. What you have here is the classic case of the pot calling the kettle black
1. Not only did these fellows try to do what they did to the Lord once, but they repeatedly sought to trap Him and ensnare Him in a mistake
a. First, there was the washing before dinner.
1) That was not a religious requirement, not, at least when you consider God’s requirements.
2) Such behavior had evolved as binding human tradition. People Law
b. Second, we see the lawyers getting into the act by making the argument that, in condemning the tradition of the Pharisees, Jesus was condemning them, as well.
1) This is reverse logic and negative argumentation.
2) What is the standard of authority? Is it some elevated group?
3) Is the standard some seemingly righteous man?
4) These lawyers were contending that surely THEY were right, so what Jesus was saying could not be true.
5) The Lord took care of that argument quickly — Luke 11:45-46 “Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.’ And He said, ‘Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.'”
c. Then the record tells us that after Jesus had identified the sin of everyone, they all tore into Him trying to get Him to make a mistake.
2. What was the goal of such behavior?
a. Ultimately, the goal was self-gratification or self-justification.
b. The intermediate goal seemed to be the discrediting of the Lord and a challenge to His deity.
c. The language here, though, says these attempts to discredit were, in fact, vehement attacks.
d. With premeditation, these self-righteous Jews verbally attacked their own Messiah.
B. People have a variety of motivations for the things they do.
1. I do not really think that most people really intentionally set out to hurt other people or to sin against God.
a. That is not universally true, of course, but, generally, I think it is.
b. Many are intentionally selfish, but they do not see that altogether as sin.
c. Somehow, they feel that God will indulge their selfishness.
2. Our purpose in this lesson will be to see why people sin, and how they, by allowing sin or promoting others to sin, are just as guilty as those they influence.
II. Body
A. While we are still here in Luke 11, there is a word for us to consider.
1. It is the word “allow”
a. Luke 11:48, “Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.” (KJV)
b. Luke 11:48, “In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.” (NKJV)
c. suneudokeo {soon-yoo-dok-eh’-o} v. AV – consent unto 2, be pleased 2, allow 1, have pleasure in 1; 6
1) to be pleased together with, to approve together (with others)
2) to be pleased at the same time with, consent, agree to
2a) to applaud
d. The point to be made here is that allowing and approving are used interchangeably and it shows that when we ALLOW sin, or promote sin, we actually APPROVE of sin.
e. These people whom the Lord addressed did not murder the prophets of old, but in building the tombs of their fathers, who DID murder the prophets, they showed that they approved of the behavior of their fathers.
f. Notice, if you would that the Lord is specifically addressing the activities of these Jews with their family members, even their heritage.
g. It is the principle of 2 John 10-11; “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
h. If you consent to a sin, or show, by word or by deed, that you do not condemn a sin, you are just as guilty as those who commit the sin.
2. Romans 1:28-2:1, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. 1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”
a. This list of sins is quite a list.
b. Notice, though, in verse 32, that Paul includes those who approve of those who practice sin — Not that they were guilty of the same sin, just that their condemnation was just as sure and their guilt was just as pronounced, They were deserving of death.
3. Let us look at some of these sins listed here to learn the root of many sins.
a. He begins with sexual sin — Sexual immorality
b. It is obvious that all sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship is sin.
1) 1 Corinthians 7:2, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”
2) 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”
c. Those who engage in any illicit sexual activity are committing sin.
d. Consider the sins of allowance or approval.
1) Matthew 5:32, “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”
2) Here, the Lord addresses the CAUSE for another person’s sins.
3) No one physically forces the divorced woman into the bed of another man, but Jesus said the unlawful divorce, prompted by action from the first mate, is the cause for the adultery.
4) The party initiating the unlawful divorce is not said to have committed adultery, but, in the language of Paul, in approving or allowing that sin, he is worthy of death.
e. In our society today, there is the prevalent notion that young people will commit fornication. It is a foregone conclusion. We just have to accept it.
1) The societal solution is to prepare the young people for their promiscuity by promoting illicit behavior through sex education in schools and by government supplied and distributed condoms.
2) By participating in just one element of the behavioral problem, the authorities in the schools are allowing the promiscuity, condoning the activity, and even encouraging it by their sanction.
3) Any denial that such is the case is like the Pharisees arguing with Jesus that they had nothing to do with the murder of the prophets. The Lord said just the opposite.
4) People are real good at assigning blame on others. They disassociate themselves from the problem by simply saying they are not the problem.
4. We obviously do not have time to go into detail with all these sins and how they relate to our discussion, but consider the first sin in the list in verse 31.
a. Romans 1:31, “undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.”
b. Undiscerning – Thayer says of the word, asunetos {as-oon’-ay-tos} AV – without understanding 3, foolish 2; 5
i) unintelligent, without understanding, stupid
1) That is extremely strong language, but that is the language that is used.
2) People can make some really bad decisions in their lives that affect their standing with the Lord.
3) As I said in the beginning, I don’t really think that most people, especially ones that would read what Paul had to say on this subject, would intentionally violate God’s will or hurt anyone.
4) They make selfish decisions without understanding.
5. Selfish decisions without understanding.
a. Pre-marital sex is done selfishly and without understanding.
1) There is no doubt as to its sinfulness.
2) The passions of youth blind good sense and what we know to be right and wrong.
b. Drug use.
1) Do we really need to make the case that smoking marijuana or snorting cocaine or popping pills is sinful.
2) People do those selfish things at their own risk. They are sin.
c. Drinking alcoholic beverages.
1) The decision to drink is a selfish decision without understanding.
2) If for no other reason than that it is a violation of this verse, it is sin.
3) There is no authority, no good reason, no justifiable cause to imbibe recreational alcohol.
4) What about promoting it? What about allowing it?
* Have we not shown that participation in that end of the endeavor is just as wrong as the actual sin of partaking?
* We promote it. We condone it. We allow it. We might even profit, financially, from it.
* Could a Christian own an establishment that promoted the sin of drunkenness?
* Remember that drunkenness begins with the first drink.
* Could a Christian serve alcoholic beverages in their work?
* How can we be a doer of the work of God and tell the story of Jesus as we are serving a glass of beer or wine or worse to a customer?
* Are we not profiting from their sin, and our promotion of that sin?
5) There is an Old testament word that only appears in the New Testament in the Book of Hebrews. That word is “CONSECRATE.”
* The priests were consecrated or sanctified to their work of service.
* Their clothes were special. Their lives were holy.
* The Hebrew writer speaks of Jesus as being consecrated, in Hebrews 7:28 and then of the covenant, or the new and living way, in Hebrews 10:20.
6) My plea is for consistency.
* The Bible plainly teaches that if we ALLOW a sin, we approve of that sin. If we promote a sin, we are guilty.
d. One of the most UN-discerning things I ever did in my life was to smoke cigarettes.
1) It was a selfish decision without understanding.
2) It was nothing short of rebellion.
3) Then it became an addiction.
4) Smoking is one of those subjects that preachers hesitate to discuss, as, traditionally, some members of the church were usually involved, in one way or the other, in the business of smoking or some other use of tobacco.
5) When I was growing up, even one of the preachers we had smoked right along with the rest of the members.
* He couldn’t preach to us that it was sinful since he did it himself.
* He never had a forum to train young people in the way they should go, as he was going just the opposite way.
* Looking back, that was a horrible example.
6) I can’t blame my decision to smoke on anyone but myself, but having grown up with it in the church made it a whole lot easier to justify.
7) Most people that smoke or allow smoking or promote smoking or profit from smoking do not view it as a sin.
* We need to treat it, though, just as we do any other activity.
* By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you this authority? What is the source of your authority? Is it from heaven or from men? (Matthew 21:23-27)
* There is a whole entire lesson to be preached on the subject of self-control, but one passage says it all… 2 Timothy 3:1-5; “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
* Nicotine is a drug that, just like alcohol or cocaine or heroin, robs you of your self-control, that deceives you into believing that this activity is justifiable. It is not.
8) I can only speak from personal experience, but consider what one Christian who used to smoke experienced. The first thing that comes to mind about smoking is the obvious health problem.
* It affected my health.
* We can all speak from personal experience of people we know who have died from the effects of smoking.
* No medical authority alive today would ever encourage or condone smoking.
* Many medical people smoke, but they do so for selfish reasons.
* They are undiscerning.
* What do we do, as Christians, about smoking?
* If we smoke, we don’t do it here at the worship assemblies. Why?
* Would we smoke if Jesus were here? I think probably not.
* Did the disciples who dined with the Lord ever light up after dinner?
* Those men I grew up watching smoke their cigarettes on the front lawn of the church building never took them inside. They never smoked during services. They never even smoked in the building at other times. They knew it was not right.
* As with drinking, many participants try to hide it from others.
* You hide it from your family, your wife, your parents, your kids, your spiritual family —-
* That is a futile exercise.
* Smoking not only fills your lungs with soot, it also penetrates your clothes, your skin, your mouth, your hair and anything else you may contact.
* To go to someone’s house smelling of smoke or of alcohol to teach them the Bible is a vain act.
* They will not listen. They will only smell.
* The world views it as sin. When taxing authorities want to tax smoking or drinking, what do they call those taxes? — SIN TAXES.
6. I am fully aware of the sensitivity of these issues. Aware of the traditions.
a. I know how hard it is to quit smoking.
b. I know how hard it is to take a stand that has financial or social consequences.
c. But, Paul said the undiscerning were worthy of death.
III. Conclusion
A. What this lesson is really about is courage.
1. Courage to do in our lives what we know we ought to do.
a. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
2. The courage to take a stand when there is a price to be paid for taking that stand.
3. The courage to recognize that we have to take the responsibility for our own actions in regard to our discernment.
a. We decide what will keep us from the services of the church.
1) Do we miss at God’s pleasure or sanction or our own?
b. We decide how we will stand up for truth in our community.
1) Will we let the society teach our kids to be promiscuous? Or will we take back our schools and make them a place for wholesome, Godly values oriented education?
2) Will we tell the world that we not only lead a consecrated life, but we will do nothing to help them lead a sinful life of selfish, foolish ways?
4. I don’t really know about today, what kids think about when they think of sin.
a. In my day, there were five things that just stood out as carrots of the devil.
b. Four of them we have talked about today.
1. Dancing – the one not covered today.
2. Smoking
3. Drinking
4. Drugs
5. Sex
c. We knew they were sinful then. We need to be teaching and showing that they are still sinful.
B. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
1. You can do what you have to do to be pleasing to God.
a. He will help you.
b. Your brethren will do the same.
