Amen
Okay, we're in Matthew chapter 23 look down at your Bibles verse number one
It says then spake Jesus to the multitude and to his disciples saying the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat all
Therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observant do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders
But they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers and the title of the sermon this morning
Is the eight woes of the scribes and Pharisees the eight woes of the scribes and Pharisees?
This is a famous chapter here in chapter 23
Dealing with Jesus Christ just completely ripping on and just demolishing the Pharisees
Just say whoa after whoa after whoa in fact eight woes total in chapter 23
Just rebuking them for being such a wicked group of people religious leaders
And he starts off by telling them there that they sit in Moses seat
Therefore they whatever they tell you to observe and do if they're telling you according to the Word of God
They should do that but not after their works because of the fact that they say and they don't do
What does that mean? It means that they're hypocrites. Okay, they say something but do something but do the exact opposite
They'll bind heavy burdens upon people grievous to be born
They'll tell them to keep these commandments and keep these traditions
But they themselves are not willing to lift up their fingers to actually do the same
Now who are the scribes because we hear a lot about the Pharisees, right?
We hear about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, but not a whole lot about the scribes
well, the scribes were men who basically were used to pen down the Word of God and
Meticulously copy it over and over and over again. This is where that this is their job
Now when we think of scribes, we automatically have this negative connotation, right?
Because what the vast majority of the scribes in the New Testament were false prophets, okay
There are false teachers false prophets. Jesus is constantly rebuking them
But the thing is is that the scribes are not always these pompous wicked false teachers
And in fact, there are tons of examples of the Old Testament of scribes who were righteous
These men that were used of God to pen down the Word of God
They were used they were they were they would work alongside a prophet who would receive the vision from God the Word of God
And then they were used to pen it down you think of Ezra the scribe, right?
The Bible tells us that he was already scribe in the law of Moses the Bible says this guy
He was a righteous man. He knew the Word of God. He was a scribe you think of Baruch who assisted
Jeremiah and penning down the Word of God and by the way, this is why they're called scribes
You think of the word scribble right scribbles to write something down or even in Spanish
You have the word escriba, which means to basically write and this is why they're called scribes now
they were not only responsible for copying the Word of God, but there are also responsible for teaching it and
Interpreting it because if you think about it, you have a person who's constantly writing the Word of God over and over again
They're gonna learn it. They're gonna be able to interpret it
In fact, this is why God
commanded the kings of the Old Testament to write out a copy of the law themselves so that the Word of God would be
In their heart so they would learn to fear the Lord their God all the days of their life
And you know what? There's something about writing the Bible. There's something about reading the Word of God every single day
you you're not only just
Writing it you're in taking the information that it's present that's presented there
And so if you're if they're constantly writing out the Bible constantly copying it. They're gonna learn it
They're gonna learn how to interpret it, etc
So this is this shows you that basically these men these scribes they're held accountable for a lot, right?
Because they have not only do they have the Word of God their job their full-time job is to write it out
To copy it to teach it to instruct others to interpret it, etc
Now this is also why they're referred to as lawyers
Okay
and we know that lawyers is synonymous with scribes because when you look at different portions of the gospels the parallel passages to example to
Matthew 23
Where Jesus Christ is rebuking them
He says won't you scribes and lawyers the parallel passages says won't you lawyers and Pharisees or excuse me in Matthew 23?
Won't you scribes and Pharisees and then in the parallel passages won't you lawyers and Pharisees? They're the exact same thing
Basically stating that a lawyer is someone who practices and interprets the law. Okay, this is why they're referred to as lawyers today
So these labels were synonymous now, let me say this is that the scribes and the lawyers they had their place in the Bible
You know, these men were used of God they had a valuable place in the Word of God
They had a position and it was a legitimate position of authority where they can teach the Word of God
However, there was a sect of the religious leaders who did not have a part nowhere in the Bible
Which is the Pharisees a Pharisee was not an office that God had sanctioned at all. Okay, and
this was a sect of religious leaders who basically were prominent during this time and
You know, they didn't adhere to the Word of God as much as people claim that they did, you know
They all will the Pharisees they just adhere to the first five books of the Bible, you know
Genesis Exodus Leviticus numbers in Deuteronomy, that's what they wanted to adhere to the Torah
You know the the Pentateuch no, that's a lie
And in fact, we know that to be true because of the fact that they their main agenda
Was to emphasize and foment the tradition of the elders
Also known as the Talmud there's so-called oral law
we know that to be true because in the New Testament we see that the Pharisees were constantly condemning the disciples and
Telling them, you know
Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders, right?
They're saying full well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep the traditions of the elders
They made the Word of God of none effect through their traditions the Bible says
So what does that tell us it tells us that the Pharisees held the Talmud and the oral law traditions
Over even the Word of God even to the point where they would hold it and make and just completely reject the Word of God
The Word of God was not important to them
It was their oral traditions and it still exists today known as the Talmud
I mean you speak to your average Jew your average Pharisee or rabbi or whatever you want to call them
They'll literally and you start quoting the Old Testament to them and you start telling them about you know
The first five books of the Bible, you know, they'll tell you you need to put that away
You need to get yourself a Talmud, you know, you need to put that away
You need to adhere to the Talmud wife because that's their authority. The Word of God is not their authority. The Talmud is
Okay. Now that's not to say that some of them were not misled
You know, there's some Pharisees who were receptive and we see that even in the book of John where they believed on Christ
But here's the thing is that the vast majority of them were not only not saved
They were actually very wicked people. Okay, and in fact, they embodied what a false prophet is
Okay, you know if you want to learn the attributes of a false prophet you would do well just to study the Pharisees
Because they exerted all of the attributes and characteristics of false prophets of then and today
All right, and many of what we see much of what we see in Matthew 23
We can point to some false prophet out there today and say well, yeah, that's exactly what they do. Okay?
You know, they criticize that conspired against and ultimately they crucified Jesus Christ
The the Pharisees the scribes the Sadducees the Pharisees these men were the ones responsible
for being the main antagonist of
Jesus and Christians whether in the Gospels or even in the book of Acts
These were the enemies of the gospel and this is why Jesus is constantly preaching against them and condemning them for it
Now here in Matthew 23 as I mentioned we find the famous passage where Jesus just basically he's had enough
And this isn't the first time that he's mentioned them
But this is the time where he just spends a lot of time and just says woe unto you you hypocrites
You know scribes and Pharisees and he begins to call out their sins by name and just completely rip on them
And we find the eight woes
Here in Matthew 23 now, what is a woe well woe means distress distress anguish and or misery
So he's basically saying misery upon you
destruction
distress
He said why is he saying that he's basically telling them you guys are gonna split hell wide open
That's what he's telling them because hell is filled with distress anguish and misery and he's saying woe unto you
Hell's coming upon you because of these things
Okay, you know some of the most, you know, obviously people who reject Jesus Christ are going to hell
But the reality is is that there's aspects of hell that are hotter than others
you know the lower you get the hotter it is right and
guaranteed these people receive the greater condemnation the greater damnation and many of these Pharisees even today are
Burning in the lowest hell because of the fact that they were religious leaders. They not only rejected Jesus Christ
They hated Jesus not only did they hate Jesus, but they taught other people to hate Jesus now
No, they teach other people to hate Jesus. They perverted the right ways of the Lord
This was this was their full-time job
So you can see why?
God is basically telling them you're gonna receive a greater damnation. Hell is gonna be hot for you
Wicked person. Okay, and that goes for any false prophet
But how much more for those who were actually responsible for crucifying Jesus?
Okay, who were used in that manner to do so so the scribes the Pharisees, you know
The lawyers the Sadducees these were wicked people
There were your modern-day false prophets who completely went against the Word of God
They sought to be the enemies of Christians and hinder the work of God so on and so forth now
Let's look at the let's look at the eight woes and I think this might be a two-part series
We might go for and for the the remainder for tonight
But we're gonna go over at least four this morning. Now. Let's look at the first one. Look at verse number 13
So keep in mind he's saying woe unto you because he's basically saying you're going to hell
You're gonna split hell wide open distress anguish misery upon you
He says in verse 13, but won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites?
So why'd you yell like that? Cuz there's an exclamation mark
It's not you know, they they make these little cartoons of Jesus and it's like won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites
You know and it's just like what in the world that's not how he spoke he didn't speak like some queer
You know, Jesus was not a queer. Jesus was a man's man. And when he put an exclamation mark, he's saying
Hypocrites why because he he hates them
He said why he hated the Pharisees. Well, look look at verse number
34 now remember a couple months ago
I talked about Isaiah chapter 6 and how God was looking for a prophet to go and harden the hearts of the people and
Isaiah said here am I send me and he's like go there and preach the Word of God and
Harden their hearts that they may not see and they may not hear and be converted and I should heal them
He's like go make them reprobates. Well, look what it says in verse 34
Wherefore behold this is all in context of the Pharisees
I send them to you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them you shall kill and
Crucify and some of them you shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city
Why that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of
Righteous Abel until the blood of Zechariah son of Barakas whom ye slew between the temple and the altar
So what is he saying?
I'm gonna send you the best pastures the best prophets scribes to give you the Word of God so that you can be
responsible for their blood
So not only you're responsible not only is their blood on your hands
But even the righteous blood that was shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel. I
Mean he wants them to just receive the condemnation so bad
He wants them to be responsible for even the blood of righteous Abel. How is that? Well, because they're the generation of
Vipers, they are the children of the fathers who killed the prophets who killed the scribes who killed those who were sent unto
God's people to give them the Word of God, you know, that's not a very loving thing to do there
Right to send all this knowledge and wisdom in order to harden their hearts
So that they can be accountable for their blood think about that
So go back to verse 13
So we're looking at a people whom God hates
Okay
But won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites?
Look what it says here for you. Shut up the kingdom of heaven against
Against is that conjunction meaning before before men for you neither go in yourselves
Neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in
So why is this first woe being displayed? Why is it being declared upon the Pharisees?
Well because of the fact that they inhibited people from getting saved
This is evil. This is very wicked
Okay, he's saying look you're shutting up the kingdom of heaven before men
You're not even going in yourself, but you're you're not allowing those who are entering in to go in right, you know
You can see why Jesus has given them such a strong condemnation
Because of the fact that when you when a person's objective is to obstruct the way of salvation
That person is a wicked individual. Okay, we have examples of this today. You have the Mormons for example
Who literally will go door-to-door?
preaching their false gospel of Moroni
You know and their false doctrine their false gospel and that's their job
They seek to pervert the ways of the Lord and damn people to hell, you know, whoa into them
Hell's gonna be hot for that individual. How about the Jehovah's Witnesses now given they do it very slowly
Nor do I least the Mormons have bikes
The Jehovah's Witnesses just dragged their feet, but hey still they're seeking to
Pervert the ways of the Lord and inhibit people from getting saved and hearing about the truth and look even if even if you know
They do it slowly the mere fact that they're rejecting the deity of Christ is a manner in which they are inhibiting people from getting
Saved they're perverting the ways of the Lord, but we're talking about the Jews here
We're talking about the Pharisees, you know
The this is why the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 11 that as concerning the gospel. They are enemies for your sakes
You know because it anomaly says that they're trying to shut up the kingdom of heaven before men
It even says there neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in so those are going in they're trying to hinder those
People, you know, they're trying to lead people astray in doctrine trying to get people to come back under the law
I mean don't we see an example of that in the book of Galatians where the region of Galatia was being influenced by
Judaizers and
Many of those who were in Galatia were saved
However, you have these false brethren they were creeping in unawares
Seeking to pervert doctrine and turn people away from the truth and trying to get people back under the law
You know to obey to go under the weak and beggarly elements of this world, right?
So it's like it's like if they can't stop you from getting saved and they're just gonna try to hinder you as much as
Possible from carrying out the work of God. Okay
now
Matthew 1017 says but beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues
This is one way that they're seeking to hinder Christians. Okay in the New Testament
Now go with me if you would to go to Luke chapter 11 if you would hold your place there in Matthew chapter 23
Now how what what is a way that they are shutting up the kingdom of God before men
Against men well, it tells us in Matthew 23 verse 4 for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's
Shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers
So as the religious leaders of that day, they were teaching the people. Hey, you gotta keep the law of Moses
You know, these are the same people that were saying except ye be circumcised after the law of Moses. Ye cannot be saved
Well, then what about the ladies?
You
Know no one thought to ask him like what about my wife? What about my daughter? What about my sister, you know?
But it's it's you know
And these are the same men who were basically saying you have to keep the commandments of Moses
You got to keep the commandments of God. No, the Bible says therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law for you know by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified the
Bible says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves?
It is the gift of God not of works that any man should boast and look we have the same problem today
There's false prophets false teachers today that are seeking to pervert the ways of the Lord. Now. Some people are not false prophets. They're just
Misled, you know, we're out sowning yesterday by the way sowning was great yesterday
We got five people saved not one person mentioned the coronavirus except for the Chinese community
Okay, but all the Mexicans were pretty they're pretty receptive and it was funny. I talked to this guy
You know, he's smoking a cigarette and he's drinking, you know, like he's had alcohol in his breath and
You know, I asked him 100% sure if he died today you go to heaven
He's like, of course, you just gotta believe on Jesus Christ. Can you lose your salvation? Of course, you can lose your salvation
He's like, how can you just like live like the world and do all these things and you know
He goes you're trying to tell me this and that I'm just like
what in the world
And he literally said this he's saying he's like look we're not saved by grace through faith the Bible does not say that
And so this is what I said. This is what I said with my face. I went
You know one of those this is too easy
So I'm like, let me just show you them, you know Ephesians 2 verse 8. He looked at he's like
hmm
Cuz what do you say? I mean he literally quoted the Bible saying that the Bible didn't say what the Bible says
Like word by word, you know
It's by faith. Amen
And and thank God that it's by faith because you know, it doesn't require our works. It doesn't require our effort
It requires our belief our faith in Christ. Okay, not just faith in yourself
Obviously not faith in yourself at all. Not just you know, you just got to believe in God
No, you have to place your faith in the finished work of Christ to be saved
Trust only in him now look at Luke 11 52 says this is a parallel passage to Matthew 23
He says woe unto you lawyers
For ye have taken away the key of knowledge
Ye enter not in yourselves and them that were entering ye in entering in ye hindered
So here it says in Luke 11 52 what it basically says in Matthew 23
The only difference is he's saying you're taking away the key of knowledge
Now, what is the key faith?
Is the key that opens the door of salvation?
Okay
Faith is the key that opens the door of salvation. And so what are they doing? Well, they're seeking to take that away
This is why the Bible says who is a liar, but he did deny that Jesus is the Christ
He is anti Christ that denied the father and son
You know, the main objective of the Pharisees is to deny
Jesus Christ is to get people to go away from faith in Christ
I mean look folks even when Jesus Christ resurrected
You know, he's resurrected. He's out and about the Pharisees literally came to the Roman soldiers and said look change your story
This is what you're gonna say. And if anybody asks you will basically back you up
I mean how wicked do you have to be even when Jesus Christ resurrects you see that he's there
You're still not willing to believe not only are you not willing to believe
You want you still don't want others to believe
Why because they're liars
Okay
Whosoever denied the son the same hath not the father he that acknowledged that the son hath the father also, by the way
This is why Jews today are not saved
Like well, they believe in God Jehovah God. No, they don't
Jesus is Jehovah
And if they're denying Jesus, they can't have the father
You know, no man cometh unto the father but by me the Bible says go to John chapter number 10
If you would John chapter number 10
So to take away the key of knowledge, they're trying to remove faith in Christ and put it put people back under the law
their traditions
circumcision keeping the law of Moses
But here's the thing
The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ the Bible says
The law is there to show us that we need a Savior, okay, it's not there for us to keep
You know the same guy that I talked to you yesterday. He's like, yeah, you got to keep the Ten Commandments
It's almost like did you know there's more than Ten Commandments in the Bible?
Ten Commandments is just the Ten Commandments, but there's far more Commandments not only in the Old Testament
there's a ton of Commandments in the New Testament and
None of them can save you. Okay
So they're trying to take away the key of knowledge. Look at John chapter 10
By the way in John chapter 9 he just finishes his
Conversation with the Pharisees there and he segues into this
This example here looking for us number one barely barely
I say to you he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold
But climbeth up some other way the same as the thief and a robber
So who is he talking to the Pharisees? He said you're trying to climb up some other way. I'm the door
But you're trying to climb up to the window you trying to go over the door around them from the from from the back door
You're a thief and a robber, you know, someone comes to your house and tries to
Climb in through the window. You're gonna think it's some thief or robber and you're gonna take out your 9-millimeter and gun that dude down
Right someone's trying to climb in through the back door and they're trying to come in some other way
You're gonna think this person's coming to steal something. This person's coming to kill this person's coming to destroy
Because the proper way to come into a house is through the door and this is why he says that he is the door
Look at verse 2 but he that enterth him by the door is the shepherd of the sheep
to him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and
Leadeth him out and when he putteth forth his own sheep
he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice and
A stranger referring to the Pharisees will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not
The voice of strangers. So what is he teaching sheep know Jesus the sheep of Jesus the sheep of God know Jesus, right?
They're not gonna follow some stranger. They're not gonna follow the Pharisees
Now the fine irony look at verse 6 this parable spake Jesus unto them the Pharisees
But they understood not what things which were spake which he spake unto them
Like I don't get what you're saying. It's like yeah point proven because you're not my sheep
The sheep know the shepherds voice verse 7 then said Jesus unto them again
Verily verily I saying to you. I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers
But the sheep did not hear them
I am the door by me
If any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture
The thief cometh not before to steal and to kill and to destroy
I am come that they might have life and then I have it more abundantly
You say no verse 10 is referring to the devil same thing
The Pharisees the devil Judaism Judaism Jews all the same thing according to God
You know the Pharisees were thieves
They were coming to steal they were coming to kill they were coming to destroy people's lives. Okay
Go to go with me if you went to Galatians chapter number one
So you can see why this condemnation is so strong upon the Pharisees
Because their full-time job was to cause people to just not believe on Jesus not place their faith on the finished work of Christ
But rather pervert the ways of the Lord and get people to come under the law of Moses and look
Jesus said if you would have believed Moses you would have believed me because he wrote of me
You know Moses wrote of Jesus and in fact Moses is
symbolic of Jesus in many ways in the Old Testament
You know and they say well, you know, we are of Abraham
But you're you're not doing Abraham's work
You know and what he's basically he's telling them there is what they're saying is well
We're directly descended from Abraham and then you know in John chapter 8 and we'll get into what he
Responds with in just a bit. Look at Galatians 1 verse 7
Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and will pervert the gospel of Christ
But though we are an angel from heaven preach any other gospel into you than that which we have preached unto you
Let him be a curse now, wouldn't you say there's a lot of application to this verse
I mean one of the strongest applications we can make is to the Mormons right because it literally says or an angel from heaven
You know Moroni who's having trouble keeping his trumpet up right now because that earthquake that took place
You know the day gone situation that happened there
Obviously, that's pretty clear right there. But let me say this the original perverts of the gospel are the Jews
Okay, and he says there that they are a curse what does that mean they're damned
and
In case you didn't get it the first time
He right he says it again verse 9 as we said before so say I know again
If any man preaching like like word for word
He just said repeats it. He just writes it again
If any man preach any other gospel unto you that then that ye have received
Let him be a curse. Let him be damned. Let him go to hell
anathema the Bible tells us
Why because of the fact that this is a very wicked
Person who would seek to try to sell the gospel to try to make people think that the gospel something that can be earned
It's something that you could put your effort into into gaining. It's something that you can buy
It's something that you can work for whereas Jesus Christ is saying you're a thief and a robber
Because you're seeking to steal the glory from me
Right someone who can work their way to heaven they can glory right?
That's why the Bible says not of works lest any man should boast
Okay, the Bible says in Matthew 5 20 for I say to you that except your righteousness
Shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
Now, let me just clarify something. This is not saying that the Pharisees were righteous at all
it's kind of being facetious here is what he's doing and
He's basically stating that their righteousness are as filthy rags in the eyes of God
And so our righteousness needs to exceed that but here's the thing we can't therefore
We need the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be imputed unto us
That is how we can exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees by taking someone else's righteousness who is perfect like Jesus
Okay
Bible says that he who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him
The Bible says okay. So the modern-day application to this would be like the Mormons the Jehovah's Witnesses
Hey, how about the Hebrew roots movement who are seeking to pervert the ways of the Lord? How about hyper dispensationalist?
Right that are seeking to pervert the ways, you know, Charles Lawson
Robert breaker all these damnable heretics that are gonna split hell wide open
These people are wicked. Well, you know Charles Lawson believes that salvation is eternal. Do you can't lose it?
Well ask him what he thinks about the Old Testament salvation. How can salvation be eternal in?
This dispensation you have you no concept what eternal means?
Means forever doesn't have a beginning and an end but according to the hyper dipsticks
The beginning is the church AIDS and the end is the end of that church at age
You're saved by the sacrifices in the Old Testament it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin folks
That's what the Bible says
These were a shadow of things to come and look I know some dispensation is out there. They're saved
Okay, because they believe in the right way of salvation
But you give me like a guy like Peter Ruckman Charles Lawson
These are false prophets that are gonna split split hell wide open well into them
For they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men and they're trying to seek to hinder those who are entering in the Bible says
And look if you want more information about dispensationalism watch our film dispensation of heresy
That's all they're dispensing is heresy. Okay
Just thought I'd throw that in there
Hebrew roots etc go back to Matthew 23
God takes this serious folks
You know
This is a serious condemnation and look someone who like doesn't go to church never really heard a clear presentation of the gospel
Maybe heard about Jesus and they don't get saved. You know, they're gonna go to hell too
But here's the thing. There's a there's a greater
Punishment a greater condemnation to the person who has the knowledge. I mean think about the scribes
You know the Bible says
Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are which testify of me
Right. That's what Jesus said. So think about the scribe who's constantly reading the Word of God constantly copying the Word of God
They're seeing Jesus, you know when Jesus spoke to the disciples on the road to Emmaus
He says beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them and all the scriptures of things concerning himself
So
He's constantly talking about the Word of God when you read the Bible you read Jesus
Jesus is on every page and it's in every he's in every book of the Bible because the entire Word of God is about
Jesus he is the Word of God and so for someone to read the Word of God and
And and see the truth of God's Word and not be able to come to that knowledge and say well Jesus is God
You know or for a so wanted to come to a lost person and say this is what the Bible says
Here's the gospel and they just completely reject it reject it. You know, that person's condemnation is worse
Okay, because to whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required
This is what the Bible says now
They both go to hell
The person who just doesn't get saved or the person who knows the truth and still doesn't get saved
They both go to hell. It's just that this one splits in a little more
Than the other one because of the knowledge that they have okay
Think about that. I mean God
Seeks to punish wicked people with the greater punishment. This is this this should exemplify this should show you
The the wrath of the extent of God's wrath
Where someone who's a reprobate for example already a reprobate. He'll send a more truth
More info more of God's Word just to make their damnation that much more
Crazy, you know, you don't use that to someone you love. Okay
Go back to Matthew 23. So that's the first whoa
Look at verse 14. It says won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites by the way?
He just repeats that over and over. It was like we know who you're talking about
But he just wants to like drive in the point. You guys are hypocrites
Won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayer
Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. So I want you to notice that he says that they devour
Widows houses now, what is this referring to?
Well, they're basically taking advantage of the innocent in order to get unjust gain
Okay, because we know according to the Bible that the Pharisees were a very covetous people
They didn't care about spiritual truth didn't even care about the temple, you know later on
We'll see that they make a big deal about the temple
But what they're really making a big deal about is the gold that was in the temple
You know
They didn't wine then you can swear by the temple you want as long as you didn't swear by the altar as long as you
Just swear by the goal, you know because that is what they would focus on
That is what they loved was money now go with me if you went to Luke chapter 16 Luke chapter 16 and mark it down
This is an attribute of a false prophet. They love money
now
Obviously, there's different characteristics and different strengths so to speak of different
False prophets you have one false prophet whose agendas to teach false doctrine damn people to hell
Other false prophets come into church and they want to become the pastor or leader in order to molest people
To take advantage of them physically, but then you also have your false prophet who isn't necessarily concerned with those things
What they like is money
You know a modern-day example of this is Joel steam
Right that man loves money
Okay, and you know think of Rick Warren for example these people love money and even within independent fundamental Baptist circles
There's false prophets who are pastoring because they love money
They want job security. They want to make money they that this is why they sell things in church in
Order so they can continue making that filthy lucre. Okay?
This is a characteristic that we see of the Pharisees. Look look at Luke 16 verse 13
It says no servant can serve two masters
Well, it doesn't say you can't ride two horses, okay
For either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other
Ye cannot serve God and mammon and the Pharisees also who were covetous
Heard all these things and they derided him now define irony
He says there either he will hold to the one and despise the other they hear this and they derided him
What is that showing you basically there I mean point proven if they're deriding him if they're hating Jesus
It's because they love money. That's why it's no accident that it says who were covetous
Showing us. It's just like an immediate example of this of someone who's covetous and because of that they derive Jesus they hate Jesus
Etc. Okay, go with me if you would to Luke chapter number 20 Luke chapter 20
They devour widows houses they take advantage of people it said it goes on to say
In Luke 16, it says in verse 15
He said unto them you are they which justify yourselves before men
But God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the side of God
What does that teach us if you have a religious leader who is just highly esteemed amongst the saved and the unsaved?
You don't got yourself a religious leader. You got yourself a politician
But you also got yourself an abomination
Because you cannot be a man of God and not be hated by the vast majority of people in this world
Why because the Word of God goes against the grain of what most people believe and adhere to?
And the Word of God is gonna rub people the wrong way
And if you have a man standing up saying the truth of what God says
You're gonna take off a couple people more than a couple
However, when you have a guy who just makes everyone happy
They're just saying all the right things. They have these flattering words. People are happy with everything that they say
They're highly esteemed. God says that person is an abomination
Because he has diverse weights
Okay, and he is basically teaching false doctrine in order to please the masses now when it talks about him
They devouring widows houses. It's interesting that he uses that term right to devour something
Matthew 7 says beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing
But inwardly they are ravening wolves the Bible says so you think of a wolf who's just seeking to devour
The financial resources of people church members. This is what they were doing. Okay, and look I've known false prophets
personally and
This is before I even really
Had a firm grasp of this doctrine of false prophets in the Bible and their characteristics and attributes
But in hindsight, you know you think about is like whoa that person was a false prophet, you know
When literally they're telling you things like, you know
Hey pray for this family who just came to our church and it's like because they got money
You know brand new family in our church. We don't know if they're saved
We don't know and I'm thinking he's saying pray for them so we can like
Witness to them so we can get him saved so they can have eternal life
He's like no pray for them that they stay because they have money
What does that tell us you have your mom you have yourself a modern-day Judas Iscariot there?
Who is covetous and is ravening is ravening over the finances of the people they try to devour widows houses and
Literally, I saw this take place because they're the same guy
Was seeking to devour the house of a of a what is it a male widower?
Right. This man was a widower had a lot of money in the bank and he was getting sick and somehow this pastor convinced that man
To basically give him all the money in case he passes away
Wicked person that didn't even pass away either, you know, and so it but he ended up staying with the money
It's very evil very wicked
They seek to take advantage of people
But it goes on to say in Matthew 23 that they vow widows houses and for a pretense
Make long prayer
Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation now. What does pretense mean?
Well, we see the definition in Luke chapter 20 in verse 46
It says beware of the scribes look down at your Bibles beware of the scribes which desire to walk in long robes
So, you know
Think of like the Methodist the Lutherans the priests they wear these long robes and love greetings in the markets
Oh Pharisee rabbi master and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts
They like the clout in other words, right? It says which devour widows houses and for a show
So what does pretense mean means a show for a show make long prayers the same shall receive the greater damnation
So let me ask you this are the Pharisees praying making long prayers because they're praying without ceasing
You know, they're just praying and they're not fainting. They're burning both ends of the candles
They're trying to spend that hour in prayer because they want to see people save
No, it says here that it's for a pretense
They want to pray make a long prayer in order for you to believe that they are spiritual. They're like holier than thou's, okay
Now look, there's nothing wrong with praying long
by yourself in
Private and I encourage everyone. Amen when you're by yourself, you know, there's no example in the Bible of how long you should pray
And let me just confess to you I've had times when my prayers were shorter
I've had times when my prayers were longer, you know what in these days my prayers have gotten a little longer
Because of the events, you know, you just you have more needs right spend more time in prayer, but you know, that's in private
I'm not like oh god. I'm not here. Oh god. Oh god
You know trying to show everyone how I pray and look I've seen people like that. I remember in Bible college
Okay, there's this guy and I
Mean he fit this description to a tee
Yeah, I put on the AC brother Marcos. I put the I put the heater on because I want to kill the virus
I'm just kidding
You know this guy he was he was
This guy was all about the pretense and I remember literally this guy would walk down the aisle
Like he would with Bible open and literally like read the Bible as he's walking through crowds and stuff
And then like, you know, he would or he would go into the auditorium early in the morning and the auditorium
You know, the the acoustics were very loud
So if you if you spoke in the auditorium, it could be heard he would like read the Bible out loud
He would pray out loud so that everyone can hear him
Why because he wanted everyone to think that he was like the spiritual person
But what it showed us was just he's just a hypocrite and it was annoying to be quite honest with you
It's just like you yeah, you know who I'm talking about he went to your church Europe your former church. Sorry
Yeah, we all we all know who this guy is. Okay
He didn't come to this church, right?
but it was for a pretense and he would literally, you know, because I remember I had my office upstairs and
My office basically was upstairs and on the other side was the auditorium
So you can I can hear everything and he's just like screaming out just praying and just for God's power
and you know God, you know use me and all these things and it's just like
Dude, you're not even I know you're not sincere about this
Okay, you're not sincere
You know, you know, there's people here
you want people to see you you want people to think that you're spiritual and
Is it any any coincidence that the same guy was condemning
Pastor Shiflet on his sermon, you know, he pastor Shiflet preached against that wicked pedophile and he preached it and that guy hopped on there
He's just like hey brother. You shouldn't do this. This is wrong. You know, I I act right preach right dress right talk, right?
He goes, I'm as right as you can get, you know to the right as you can get, you know
But this is unacceptable. It's like shut your mouth
You wicked person. Why would you even say that? I act right talk right look right. No, you first of all, you don't look right
Okay, and who that according to who is what I want to ask like according to who do you look right?
but people do this to make you know for a pretense in order for them to
Exemplify how spiritual they are and what does this remind me of this reminds me of Pentecostal churches, for example
That's all I mean that's a circus when you go into a Pentecostal Church
And they're just like they're going all crazy and they want people to think like wow this person's like really filled with the Spirit
Yeah, you're right. He is filled with the Spirit. This is not the Holy Spirit
Some demonic evil wicked spirit and there they are doing that to make a show to try to make themselves look more
Spiritual than they really are, you know, the Bible tells us that we ought to go into our closets when we pray, right?
Go to Matthew chapter 6, let's look at that
So it says for a show make long prayers the same shall receive the greater damnation
And don't ask me how long is long I
Would say long as long as when we're praying for the food and you just keep going
It's just like okay, man
Amen needs to be right around the corner. You know, we're we're trying to teach our children to pray
You know, we pray for the food and and I'll pray for the food and then my son will say my turn my turn
My turn and then he'll like pray for the missionaries. He'll pray for the church. He'll pray for the corona virus
He'll pray for everything and then we just have to slip in there in Jesus name and Jesus and he's like and for mom
and dad
In Jesus name, you know
It's just like when you pray for your food in public just make it as basic as possible
Look when I pray I just say unless there's something going on that I feel like I need to bring up every time I pray or
Something, you know, it's just like Lord. Thank you for this food bless it bless the fellowship to follow in Jesus name
Amen. Well, that's not very spiritual. You need to make sure you put some feeling into it
You know, you got to make sure you why don't you cry when you pray?
Well, cuz I'm not trying to make a pretense. I'm not trying to make a show
You know, let's do the weeping let's do the emotional stuff behind closed doors
Or only God can see us, right?
You know look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 1
It says take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them
Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven
Therefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogue
Synagogues and in the streets now, he doesn't say scribes or Pharisees or lawyers, but he calls them hypocrites, which is synonymous
Okay
That they may have glory of men verily I say to you they have their reward
So do we see that they try to do alms to help people?
Because they care for people they they want to love others as they love themselves or love others as they love the Lord
No, they do it because they want men to glorify them
And God says all right, you have your reward
The reward you wanted was to be recognized of men. That's exactly what you're gonna get nothing more
He says in verse 3, but when thou doest thine alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth
In other words be discreet, okay
It says that thine alms may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee
Openly and when thou prayest thou shall not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray
Standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men verily I say to you
They have their reward
So these guys are literally on the street corners hands lifted up praying out loud with their long robes their
Phylacteries, you know making broad their garments. They want the glory of men is what they want verse 6 says
But thou will now prayest enter into thy closet
And when thou has shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret
Shall reward thee openly, but when ye pray use not vain repetition Catholics
As the heathen do
You know Orthodox churches
For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking
Okay, and look I'm so sick and tired of Catholic saying well, you know, we got to pray the Lord's Prayer the Lord's Prayer
That's why it's in the Bible. Well, that's funny. Why is it that every other time we see people praying after that?
That's the only time we see it being prayed
I mean don't we have examples of people praying in the Bible in the New Testament?
I don't hear them praying the Lord's Prayer
Big problem there right if that's a prayer that everyone should be saying all the time
Why is it that that's the only time and it's by Jesus?
Well, that's great. I guess the disciples didn't get the memo
They didn't really understand it. You know, they're praying in the New Testament. They're praying together and they're not quoting the Lord's Prayer
You know, this is much speaking. This is prayer. That is vain
It's a vain repetition where you have to say 50 Hail Mary's look folks. You're not getting anybody out of hell with that
Because they'll have these vigils where people die
They'll put a picture of the deceased in front of them and they'll just have these vain
Repetitions over and over again because they got to lead the soul from hell out into you know
From the underworld to heaven that doesn't work that way
You know, it is appointed for a man once to die and after this the judgment and their torment shall be forever and ever
They're not getting out of hell doesn't matter how many times you rate repeat that vain prayer. It's not going to happen
It's just for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking be not ye therefore like unto them for your father
knoweth what things he have need of
Before ye ask him now
Is there a time and place to repeat to God the needs that we have absolutely you think of Jesus?
Went three times into the Garden of Gethsemane, you know, if that be willing, you know, not my will but thine be done
Let this cup pass from me and he did that. He did that three times
But let me say this his was a heartfelt prayer
where there's a specific need until God gave him that peace and he basically
Was what had the strength to take that cup to drink it and to be crucified to be to be
Crucified but in here's the thing with us. It's the same thing
You know, sometimes we have a need and we just don't have peace about it yet
We just keep praying Lord, please provider. Please provide for this. Give me peace about this
That's not a vain repetition. And in fact, that's a heartfelt
Repetition of a prayer where we're asking God for something that the Bible calls that importune prayer
When you come to God with importunity, okay, look at verse verse 16. I
Feel like you put the heater on still
Does it still feel hot in here?
Let's all look at Marcos
Verse 16 says moreover when you fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance
For they disfigure their faces that they may appear into men to fast. They're just like what's wrong nothing
Nothing's wrong. You know, they just want everyone to know that they're fast
I've known people like that too. It's just like you're right. Yeah, I'm fine. Fine. What's wrong?
I can't tell you I can't tell I can't tell you I'm fasting right now. I just can't say it
Anoint thy face
It says there they disfigure their faces they may appear into men to fast very late saying to you they have their reward
But thou will now fastest anoint thine head and wash thy face
That thou appeared not unto men to fast but unto the thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret
Shall reward thee openly. I remember Doug Fisher was this guy
He's one of the only people in this world that I know that fasted for 40 days
So, how do you know that because he told us
He tells he tells everyone about that and you know what it's like that stinks whatever you're fasting for
You got your reward already, you know, and you know, I've known people who fasted for weeks on end
And obviously when you start fasting for a couple weeks for spiritual reasons, I'm talking about
Okay, you know and they're doing it for spiritual reasons. It's like obviously you can see it in their face
Right, and there's like are you fasting like I can't say man. I can't really say
I don't want to talk about it right now. It's just like
You know, and I'm not saying don't fast for weeks. But but here's the thing is I
Think there needs to be a balance to a lot of these things
What I mean is this if you're gonna fast make sure you pray make sure you're working make sure you're doing something
You know what I mean to get God's attention
I think a lot of the times when people do those extended fasts for spiritual reasons. They do it to be seen of men
Doug Fisher is a perfect example of that. He literally fasted for 40 days and just tells every church
He goes to that he did that
It's like wow that stinks there goes those 40 days
You know
so the modern day application to that would be this is that you know, let your let your
Let your walk talk louder than your talk talks
Right, you know prove your own self you go into your closet and pray when you fast don't sound the trumpet now
If you're fasting to lose weight
Go ahead sound the trumpet because you're gonna get your reward because you're gonna lose weight men. That's your reward
Okay, go back to Matthew 23
This is the last point I'll give and then I'll finish the rest up later tonight
We're talking about the woes of the scribes and the Pharisees
Why is distress anguish and misery coming upon these wicked religious leaders?
Well because of the fact they're hindering people from getting saved. They're devouring widows houses. They're making a pretense
They're making a show of their so-called holiness. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the power they're up
Right
Look at verse 15. It says well into you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites
For ye can pass sea and land to make one proselyte
What is a proselyte convert and when he is made ye make them twofold more a child of hell than yourselves
so why is
Destruction coming upon them because of the fact that they produce rotten fruit
Not just a false convert. They produce a child of hell
This is not a child of disobedience. This is not a child of wrath
This is not a child who walks according to the course of this world
This is a child of hell. This is what's known as a son of Belial a
reprobate
Okay
But I want you to notice
their ambition
They're willing to compass sea and land to go make children of the devil
Now you and I can't comprehend that
Because we're not reprobates. We're normal people
But doesn't it boggle the mind to think that they're willing to pay the fare
They're willing to spend their resources to just go corrupt people
like the Mormons basically
They save up from the time that they're like born up until their adulthood just so they can go on their stupid little missions trip
You know to go make people twofold more a child of hell than themselves. That's literally their agenda
This is how wicked they are
now we know this to be true of the Pharisees why because there's a place called Crete and
In Crete you have which is the islands of Crete you have the Pharisees infiltrating those areas
They could pass sea and land in order to make converts in that area go to Titus chapter number one
Titus chapter number one. We see this in the book of Titus
I mean we see this in Galatia the regions of Galatia
They're they're traveling distant areas to far and wide places in order to corrupt people
This is why the condemnation is upon them to the uttermost
Look at Titus 1 verse 9
This is the instruction that he's given to the people who will become pastors who Titus is going to ordain
Says in verse number 9 holding fast a faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine
Both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers for there are many unruly and vain
talkers and deceivers
Especially they have the circumcision. I'm glad he threw that in there. Look there's all kinds but especially
most pesky Jews
Right. That's what the circumcision is referring to the Jews
Says in verse 11 whose mouths must be stopped
Who subvert whole houses teaching things which they are not. Oh, look what it says for filthy lucre sake
Are they teaching to edify are they teaching because they want to make converts know they're teaching because they need to make a paycheck
for filthy lucre sake
One of themselves even a prophet of their own said the Christians are always liars evil be slow bellies
This witness is true wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed to
Mormon fables
to Palestinian fables
No to Jewish
Fables, oh, you're racist
Tell that to Paul
He wrote it and I believe it and I repeat it Jewish fables
Jews
Paul's savage man
Don't give heed to those Jewish fables
And come don't be a Jew
Not giving heat to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth the Bible says
So what does that what does that show us? It shows us that the Pharisees were there
They were there trying to make filthy lucre
Subvert whole houses devour widows houses same thing that they were doing
Over in Jerusalem. They're trying to do in Crete over with the Gentiles. Okay, trying to cause them
I mean they were not just going they were not just trying to keep Jews under the law
They're trying to they're trying to bring Gentiles under the law as well
So we see them seeking to deceive those in this region so on and so forth now
I'm just gonna finish this part tonight because this is a really good point right here. Okay, because this is this is important
This is what they do. Okay, and I'm talking about I'm not done with this point this will right here
I'll finish this tonight. If you don't make it tonight, just watch it on the live stream
I'm just saying it's better in person. Okay
But what I'm saying is this is like now we know why he repeats this won't he scribes and Pharisees
Hypocrites and he says it eight times over because the deeds that they are responsible for are very wicked
And he's holding them accountable. He's telling them you guys are gonna burn in hell is what he's saying
You guys are anathema, you know for these wicked these that you do part two tonight
Let's go ahead and bow our heads in a word of prayer father. We thank you so much for your word and Lord
Thank you for chapter 23 and thank you for your preaching Lord
Powerful powerful preaching here and I pray God that you'd help us to give heat to it
so that we can
Spot the false prophet spot the person who is who is guilty of these things and stay away from people like that
But also that's not to say that some people who are saved can't get involved in some of these things obviously
No one who's saved is going to hinder others from getting saved, but they can become covetous
They can be responsible for making a show because they want the glory of men
and I pray God that you'd help us to stray from that and
Help us to give heed earnest heed to the things which we have heard today and not let them slip and in Jesus
Name we pray. Amen