Hypocrisy - What to do when the Truth is NOT Practiced

When we consider ALL that God has created, we seem so small in the grand scheme of things. Yet, in light of all the other things we see in the universe, we are extremely valuable to the Lord and He remembers us and thinks about us! We must stop letting our culture, our society, our ‘friends,’ and our family chip away, downplay, denigrate, or distract us from the value we possess in the eyes of God! God alone determines our value and worth.

We are in part 3 of this “pairs comparison” section of the Sermon on the Mount. These comparisons were largely given to illustrate the need for Jesus' audience to make choices related to His teaching. This 3rd pairs comparison will compare two builders and two foundations for building a house. Both options represent people’s response or lack of response to Jesus’ teaching.

Last week, we started at a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus starting comparisons between two things. These comparisons were largely given to illustrate the need for His audience to make choices related to His teaching. First, He compared two gates and two ways as an illustration for entrance into the Kingdom. Second, Jesus was comparing False and True Prophets. We will continue with that pairs comparison this morning and look at an example that ties both of these first two pairs comparisons together.

As a way to illustrate the truth that pursuit of God is a worthwhile endeavor, Jesus now focuses on the choices each member of His audience must make in their day to day lives. Will they respond to Jesus' teaching and receive a positive outcome or consequence OR will they reject Jesus' teaching and receive a negative outcome or consequence?

Last week, we finished a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus had been calling out five areas of hypocrisy in 1st century Jewish life. As we move forward in the passage this morning, we will see an emphasis on relational pursuit of the Lord and others. This would have been amazing news to His disciples. The life of a disciples must always start with vertical pursuit of the Lord and then should spill horizontally on to others.

We've been in a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus has been calling out hypocrisy in multiple areas. This morning, we will start with Jesus' concluding statement concerning worry and then we will move on to the fifth and final area of hypocrisy. This area of hypocrisy involves the improper judgment of others.

Jesus moves into a section of the Sermon on the Mount concerning worry and anxiety. He tells His audience not to worry about what they eat, drink, or wear and He gives reasons why. Ultimately, worry and anxiety do not contribute to the solution of any problem we face in life. To illustrate and explain how God wants to care and provide for us, Jesus uses a couple of examples from nature. And, then, to close this section, He gives something BETTER for us to focus our mental energy on.

If you were going to spend the rest of your life doing one thing, what would you want that one thing to be? What would immediately become most important to you? Today, guest speaker Cody Hughes teaches about what the world might view as "Wasting your life", but brings our focus to what should be most important in our lives.

This morning we are going to continue with the theme of Jesus calling out hypocrisy in the area of money. Jesus will continue to show how a person's focus on earthly treasures can cause a negative spiritual impact at multiple levels.

This morning we are going to continue with the major theme of this section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is calling out religious hypocrisy. He is taking on three of the most prominent religious activities of the 1st century Jew: (1) Charitable Giving [v1-4], (2) Prayer [v5-v13], and (3) Fasting [v16-v18]. In light of the topic of hypocrisy, Jesus will now exhort, encourage, illustrate and challenge His disciples to focus on building wealth where it really matters, and where the investment lasts - heaven!