Luke 12:1-3 Beware of Hypocrisy
“In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
Therefore, whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”
Luke 12:4-7Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
It’s another grueling day of ministry. The disciples are worried because the crowds are pressing in so tightly that those in the front are about to be trampled. And Jesus is not preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee; otherwise, the disciples could have gotten him-and them-into a boat and pushed off into shallow water for some relief. But Jesus doesn’t appear worried; in fact, he is calmly proceeding with his teaching.
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.” Anytime someone mentions leaven, we need to take note. Originally, leaven was used to brew beer in Egypt and the term has become a symbol for something pagan and evil. Leaven is also used to cause bread to rise, and a very small amount of leaven will result in several loaves of bread. For leaven to work properly, it must be thoroughly mixed in with the dough. This mixing means that once the leaven has been added, you can’t separate the leaven from the rest of the dough, for it spreads throughout the entire ball of bread dough.
Jesus is doing his best to instruct his disciples while he remains with them. One of the constant dangers for anybody working in religion is hypocrisy, appearing to be one thing while actually being the opposite. The scribes, Pharisees, and lawyers are perfect examples of such behavior because they are forever criticizing others with no thought to their own vicious natures. Professing to teach about a loving God, these men are merciless, issuing scathing edicts and generally making others miserable, all in the name of a God whom they don’t really know.
“Therefore, whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Now Jesus is warning his disciples that every action they take is already known to God and there is nothing they can hide from God. Those of us who have grown up in small towns have learned this lesson early. There are no secrets in a small town, for no matter how circumspectly you might behave, the neighbors will still notice everything and talk about it. Now Jesus is advising the disciples that an all-knowing, all-wise Heavenly Father will certainly see and hear every word we utter and everything we do, even if we try to hide from everyone. And wrong-doing will certainly become apparent, to the point that people will stand on one flat roof, shouting out gossip to the neighbors.
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” God is the only Judge who has the power to cast sinners into hell; therefore, we should all fear Him. Frightening, isn’t it, to think of someone who knows everything about us and who can cast us into hell? But wait, for Jesus isn’t through.
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Here Jesus is quoting a common proverb, but turning it on its head. Jesus is reminding his audience of how cheaply sparrows are sold; yet, God knows each one of those sparrows. Now Jesus is reassuring the audience that the same God who counts the sparrows and who knows each of them will also take care of those who believe in Him. The key is to truly worship God and not to slide into hypocrisy.
One problem with hypocrisy is that it’s so easy to become a hypocrite-a little joking, a little criticism, a few snide remarks, and you too can find yourself looking down your nose at people who sin just the way you do yourself. Jesus wants his disicples to be whole-hearted followers of God, for anything less will lead to disaster. At the same time Jesus is warning that there are no secrets hidden from God, he is also encouraging his listeners that each of them is precious to God. A God who keeps track of sparrows can certainly keep track of individuals.
The title of this series is “It was always about Calvary.” That title has been given because everything that Jesus did during his time on earth was focused toward a single goal: preparing his disciples and himself for the events of Good Friday and Easter and preparing the disciples to carry on the Gospel, the Good News, after Easter. Each time Jesus teaches, he is teaching the disciples and his listeners for today, but he is also teaching them for eternity, so that when he is no longer present physically, they will still remember.
This morning, you might feel as if nobody understands your situation and nobody cares. Troubles are about to overwhelm you and you feel as if you are drowning. But I tell you now that the same God who counts the sparrows and who knows each of them also knows you and the problems you are facing. Nobody is so small that they escape God’s notice. And the same God who counts the sparrows stands waiting to listen to your problems and to help. Why not call on Him?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel completely overwhelmed! Family problems, problems at work, financial challenges, health challenges, friends who have deserted us-Lord, it all feels like too much for us to bear. But You are the One who can bear our burdens far better than we can. Father, this morning we beg you to take our burdens and help us to realize we are not alone. Give us the strength and the courage to trust You and to do the little we can, depending on You to make up for our deficiencies. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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