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Man, all right, Matthew 23, Matthew 23, so Jesus here, let's just recap right before, let's recap the entire book of Matthew, I'm just kidding, but let's just look at where, you know, where Jesus is here in Matthew chapter 23. So this is approaching the end of Jesus's ministry. He's in Jerusalem at this point. He's already, you know, flipped over the money changers and chased people out of that were buying and selling in the temple. This is his last trip to Jerusalem before he gets crucified and, you know, he's either in the temple or around that area with the Pharisees and the scribes here and basically this is the last time that Jesus will have a chance to talk to the scribes and the Pharisees or he's going to choose to talk to the scribes and the Pharisees on this earth. So he's not going to leave anything unsaid here. I mean, this chapter has been called before the woes of the Pharisees. You know, Jesus is basically, you know, he's ripping some face here and he's making sure that, you know, they're not confused about where he stands, right? So and, you know, why is he doing it? I mean, we know that, you know, throughout other studies that we've done in the Bible that we know that, you know, Jesus actually at this point and with the religious rulers, especially the Pharisees and the Sadducees, he actually didn't even want them to believe and that's why he was speaking in parables and he would explain the parables to his disciples and, you know, they're like, why do you speak in parables? He's like, because I don't want them to believe. It's not given to them to believe. I don't want them to have the ears to hear. It's too late for them. So I believe that Matthew 23 is really for the edification of the people around the Pharisees at this time and the people that have been fooled and following the religious leaders of their time because you'll notice that the things that he's talking about and we'll get into it here in a minute is he's really talking about how they've cheated people and they've just taught false things to people and, you know, he's devoured widows' houses, right? So he's speaking to them in an angry tone, you know, in the context of the people that they've hurt, right, and the people that they've led astray, all right? So let's get right into it and then we'll look at some application at the end. But look at Matthew 23 in verse number 1. It says, then spake Jesus to the multitude and said to his disciples. So he's speaking these things but he's talking to the people, right? So he says, saying, the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do. But do not ye after their works, for they say and do not. So he's calling them hypocrites here. I mean, how many times have Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites? But look, what he's saying is he's like, hey, all the things that they say to do, do. He's like, but just don't do what they do, you know? So he's basically just kind of slapping that in their face. He's like, and everyone must just be like, what? Because he knows, Jesus knows that they're not doing what they're saying, right? The definition of a hypocrite. Look at 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. But all their works they do for to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments. Turn to Numbers chapter 15. So I mean, this is why the people might have been a little bit surprised at this point. But you know, Jesus being God knows exactly what's going on with the Pharisees. Because all these works that the Pharisees did, when everybody was around, you know, they're all godly and spiritual and all this stuff. But Jesus knows who they actually are. And it says, you know, they enlarge the borders of their garments. Look at Numbers chapter 15, just for some context on that statement. Look at verse 38. The Bible says, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, that they put upon the fringe of their borders a ribbon of blue. And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them, and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye used to go a whoring, that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. So basically, God commands the children of Israel here to make, you know, I mean, He gave them all the details. He told the priests how they were supposed to look. I mean, the temple details were down to the dimension. I mean, you could build the temple by the way the Bible describes it, right? But here He's talking about what they're supposed to wear, and they're supposed to make a fringe around the border of their garments, which is practical, by the way, because you don't want your garments to fray and fall apart. You need some kind of hem or fringe or something, right? But He says, make a blue fringe for what? It says, so you'll remember the commandments of God, and you won't forget who God is, because what do the children of Israel do all the time? They just forget who God was. I mean, everybody warned them. Moses warned them. Joshua warned them. You know, he said, look, you know, when I'm gone, you got to serve the Lord, right? I mean, don't forget, teach these things unto your children, Deuteronomy Chapter 6, the whole thing. I mean, it was just warning after warning after warning, and the fringe was just another reminder. It was another reminder they were supposed to look at the fringe and be like, hey, remember the commandments of God by looking at the clothes that I'm wearing all the time, all around, right? So I mean, it would make sense that if my fringe is bigger than your fringe, that I'm more godly than you, right? So that's what's going on here. I mean, isn't this men, right? Isn't this what people would do? Don't people even do this today? I mean, it's just like, well, so they made these big fringes, the Pharisees. They enlarged the fringes of their garments. So they looked more spiritual than everybody else. All right? Jesus is pointing that out. Look at verse number 6, and they love, and he's talking about them still, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. So he's talking, you know, they always sat in the best seats. Turn to Luke Chapter 14. I mean, what are you supposed to do? I mean, they're pretty important. I mean, they're spiritual leaders. I mean, don't they get to sit, you know, in the best spot? But what are they, what are you supposed to do in your life? The Bible says in Luke 14, look at verse number 10, it says, but when thou art bidden. So Jesus here in verse number 4, he says, you know, he's actually talking about the Pharisees and the lawyers again, here in Luke Chapter 14. And it says in chapter, in verse number 7, he says, he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, and he marked how they that chose the chief rooms saying unto them. So here he's talking about how these guys are choosing the best spot still. And in verse number 10, he says, but when thou art bidden, when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room. So he's like, here's what you're supposed to do. So he gets into a little bit more detail in Luke Chapter 14. He says, these guys are just picking the best spots and the best seats everywhere. These are the guys that go to a wedding and they sit at the head table, no matter what, right? They just sit right up at the head table. He's like, but when you are bidden, he says, go and sit down in the lowest room that when they that bade thee cometh, he may say unto you, friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meet with thee. So he's saying, look, just pick a spot in the back of the room. And then when people come and they realize, hey, this is a super important guy. I mean, this is brother Paul. I mean, what are you doing sitting in the back, man? I mean, you need to sit right here, right? I mean, that's the way it should work. That's the way it should work. You shouldn't be the one that sits at the head table at the wedding. So somebody has to come up to you and be like, hey, you know, you're not even invited to the wedding. We're going to have to ask you to leave, right? I mean, that's embarrassing, right? So I mean, the Bible says in Proverbs 27, let another man praise thee and not thine own lips, right? I mean, look, this is kind of hard to do sometimes. I mean, especially, you know, men in the world, you know, you guys get out there and you get to work and maybe you do something great at work, you know, and you're just like, nobody even recognized me, right? Because look, there's going to be a lot of people that maybe don't want to necessarily see you do well. You ever think about that? I mean, hey, be awesome. There's nothing wrong with that. You're supposed to work hard. You're supposed to do things the right way, the godly way, even out in the world. But let another man praise thee. You're not supposed to be this guy that's constantly just showering praise on yourself, right? You're supposed to let somebody else praise you, let somebody else move you to a better seat. All right. And that's not what the Pharisees were doing. They were putting themselves in the best seats. They were just loving people, just showering praise on them, calling all these great titles. And then he says in verse number eight, he addresses all the different titles. He says, but be ye not ye called rabbi, says for one is your master, even Christ. I mean, imagine how mad they are now, right? And all ye are brethren and call no man your father upon earth, for one is your father, which is in heaven. So there goes your Catholic priest right there. Don't call any man father. With some of this stuff in the Bible, it's almost like Catholics are just mocking God. I mean, their priests are called father, you're like, you must call me father. Even like Jesus gives like a direct command, don't call anybody father. I mean, you can't misinterpret that, right? I mean, another one is like vain repetitions, right? It's like, I mean, this is complicated. Don't do vain repetitions. And they're just like, all they do is vain repetitions. You're like, oh, man, I got drunk last night. And they're like, like, like every Catholic got drunk last night, first of all. But then, you know, they're like, okay, say this, like, say this vain repetition 10 times, and you're good to go, where the Bible says, don't do vain repetitions. I mean, it's crazy. Their pastors can't be married. The Bible says, a bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, a bishop must be a husband. I mean, is that, I mean, they even call them bishops, the high ranking ones. So I mean, it's almost just like they're just mocking the Bible. I mean, it sure explains, you know, why they, why they had to burn people throughout history who owned a Bible. I mean, it makes sense, right? I mean, if you're teaching this stuff, I mean, you can't have people reading this thing. I mean, that's not going to work out, right? So look, beware, I mean, beware of anyone that says to take my word for it, first of all. I mean, we encourage people to read the Bible here, right? I mean, that keeps this church, and it keeps the independent fundamental Baptist church safe. It keeps, look, having people read the Bible, and no doctrine, it keeps Christ's church on earth safe. You know, it's one of the protections that's in place. I mean, knowledge is power. I mean, I hate to say some stupid cliche, but, you know, when it comes to the Bible, it truly is. I mean, that's why, you know, throughout history, you know, wiping out, you know, conquerors, wiping out people's history, I mean, that's like a common tactic, right? You take over some culture, some people, just got to wipe out their history, right? I mean, George Orwell said this, the most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history. There you go. So you wonder, how is our country so messed up today? That's one of the reasons, right there, because nobody has any understanding of our history, right? Communist public school teachers have basically destroyed it, all right? Turn to Psalm chapter 12, but I got some good news for you. Thank God that all the people that have tried to destroy our culture have failed. Our culture. What is our culture? You say culture is terrible today, what are you talking about? The culture out there is ridiculous, it's wicked, it gets worse every day. I'm talking about our culture. Look at Psalm chapter 12 and verse number six. The Bible says, the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, the Lord keeps them. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. And then I really like verse number eight, because this is kind of the contrast of who's trying to stop those words from being preserved. The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted. So look, the wicked are trying to stop God's word from proliferating on the earth. But they're never going to be able to stop it. I mean, Isaiah 40 verse eight, it just says, the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever. So I mean, it's a promise. It's a very specific promise made several times in the Bible. Look, it only needs to be made once, but it's made all throughout the Bible, that God will protect and preserve his word. There's no getting rid of it. It's a futile task, no matter how many people you kill, no matter how many people you burn, whatever. I mean, you're not going to be able to get rid of God's word. So I mean, that's the bonus of our culture, right? Our culture, no matter what happens out there, this is our culture. You say, man, the culture is so bad, but this is our culture, and it will never change. Right? So we'll get weirder and weirder, right, as the world keeps going that way, and that way further, they're going to look at us going, what are you guys doing over there? We'll be like, we're just staying here. And this culture is going to stay forever. Go back to the face-ripping, verse number 10. Verse number 10. Neither be ye called masters, for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. So what he's saying here is, he's talking about servant leadership here again. He's saying, look, the greatest among you will be your servant. He's explaining that, look, true leadership, true, you know, somebody who is going to be a true spiritual leader to you is going to be serving you. They're going to be putting you in the best seat. They're going to be putting you first. They're going to be just serving you, and that's why Jesus washed the disciples feet. He's trying to, you know, just give them this methodology of leadership in their life, how they should treat each other, and actually what he did on earth. I mean, look, Jesus wasn't living in a mansion. Did I miss that in the Bible? I mean, Jesus had a tough life on this earth, even, you know, he came to die, and he did, but even the run-up, the 33-year run-up wasn't great. He came to serve, period. That's why, you know, the stupid book, sorry to go off, but the stupid book, The Da Vinci Code that came out like 15 years ago, does anybody remember that, or am I just the only old one here? But, I mean, this stupid book where Jesus was married, and he had this, you know, child, and it was this holy child somewhere, there's a holy line, or some dumb, stupid fiction book, and there's people in Christian churches being like, well, maybe Jesus was married. No, Jesus came to serve. I mean, it would totally go against the methodology of Jesus Christ, if he came here and he got married. That would be something he did for himself. He came here to serve, and ultimately to give the highest service, period. All right, where are we at? Verse number 13, But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer them that are entering to go in. He's like, you're not going to even get in there. He's like, you guys are all going to hell, and, you know, no one that follows you is going to go there either. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. He's like, I mean, Jesus is advocating for, like, the lowest people, the people that could get taken advantage of the most, you know, the most vulnerable people here. This is why he's angry, because these people have just, I mean, they're murderers of souls, is what they are. And he's saying, look, you're hurting, you're devouring widows' houses, you're taking their money, you're taking their souls. He's like, you know, you're going to burn in the lowest parts of hell for this, basically, is what he says. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. What does that mean? Well, first of all, they're false prophets. Second of all, have you ever met, like, a really devoted follower of a false religion? I mean, you soul winners, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I mean, look, I've seen Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons saved, but personally, and I don't know, maybe some other people that have more experience than me have different stories, but personally, I've never seen one that's, like, really been into the religion for several years get saved. I'm talking about people that are studying with the Jehovah's Witnesses, seeing several of them saved. People that have the Jehovah's Witnesses just kind of stopping by their house. As a matter of fact, like, I actually broke the rule and left my soul winning partner one time because I saw some Jehovah's Witnesses go over and talk to some kid, and I was actually with Pastor Thompson and another guy, and I was like, I got to go. And as soon as they left, I ran right to the door and I knocked on the door and I was like, hey, are you with those guys that were just, you know, they just come by and talk to me. I'm like, listen, let me tell you a story. I talked to him for, like, 30 minutes and he got saved, right? And he will never let those people come to his door again, right? Because I mean, a good 15 minutes of that was just, like, telling them who these people are and what they're really about, all right? So look, there's all kinds of people like that, but these people that are just really stuck into this and the Mormons that have already gone on their little whatever you call the thing, I mean, they're in it, man. It's like if you talk to them, it's like you're talking to a brick wall. You guys know exactly what I'm talking about. They're two-fold more the child of hell than the person that even converted them, right? It's crazy. So, I mean, Jesus is angry about this. Jesus is upset about it. I mean, these false prophets, it's sad. Look at Matthew 23 verse 16. He says, woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, but whosoever... Now, I want to explain this. I'm going to read through these few verses, and I'll go back, and I'll explain it. But he says, woe unto you, whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing. This is what they're telling people. But whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he's a debtor, ye fools and blind, for whether is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold. And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whosoever swereth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind, for whether it is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift. Whosoever, therefore, shall swear by the altar, swereth by it, and by all things thereon. And whosoever shall swear by the temple, swereth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he shall swear by heaven, swereth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Jesus here is pointing out the covetous nature of the Pharisees. So they had these things, like the temple, and the altar, and by heaven, that these people were swearing. The Pharisees, you know, these people would swear on these things. They're like, no, no, you got to swear on the gift on the altar, swear on the gold, and swear on all the things. So they're basically saying, like, you know, you need to promise all these things and swear all these things. But they're taking, you know, the spiritual nature out of the altar, the temple, and heaven. I mean, Jesus is saying, look, if you swear by the temple, you swear by everything in the temple. First of all, Jesus said, don't swear at all. He's saying, I mean, we've already preached a sermon on that. He's saying, don't, just let your yea be yea and your nay be nay. You don't have to talk like this, right? Because men, they take oaths too far, right? They take these, I mean, Jephthah, I mean, kills his own daughter. I mean, look, when you're, like, violating a commandment of God because of an oath that you've taken to God, something's wrong there, right? Something's gone wrong. So look, that's why Jesus said, just say what you're going to do and do what you say, period. You don't have to be swearing by all these things. The Pharisees were just focusing on the gifts, the gold, and not the spiritual well-being of the people. I mean, the equivalent would be a pastor that teaches, like, if even I, as the leader of this satellite, if I just taught, like, things aren't going well for you, brother, you know? You come to me and you have some problems and I'm just like, well, here's the thing. Just write me a check for 200 bucks and then give it a couple weeks. I mean, that's the equivalent. Just focusing on getting money and gifts and gold out of people. I mean, look, it's really the, I mean, really this, this right here is the source of the prosperity gospel. You ever thought about that? The prosperity gospel where it's like, hey, you know, the point of you coming to church is, like, so everything that goes great in your life is so everything's awesome in your life? Is that true? Is everything going to be awesome guaranteed in your life if you just come to church? No, that, I mean, you shall have persecution. Okay, so, but the root of the prosperity gospel is that, you know, hey, I mean, it's good for the people because they're hearing this tickling of their ears, that my life's going to be great. And it's even better for the leader because he sits there and he says, you know what? If you really want your life to be great, you'll just give more. You just give more to this. Don't, I mean, don't you love God? I mean, don't you love, you know, I mean, that Mercedes, I mean, you love that Mercedes more than you love this church? I mean, that's the root of the prosperity gospel. You want another Mercedes? Give more to the church. I mean, that's where it all comes back to. It's the whole point of it. That's why all these guys are rich and they're flying around in private jets and whatever. It's the whole point. I mean, remember the Jehovah's Witnesses and they built in the early 1900s. They built this, I mean, this is a good one. I mean, as far as cult teaching goes, this is one of the best ones I've heard. Listen, folks, I got to build a mansion and I mean, this is real. This happened. I got to build a mansion because David and Jacob and Abraham, these guys are coming back. They're coming back sometime in the next and the only mistake that these guys made is they were always like, they're coming back next year. They should have been like, they're coming back in like 25 years, right? But they're like, they're coming back next year. We got to build this mansion. Give me all this money. People give them all the money. They're like, hang on. I'll take care of the mansion before they get back. I'll live there and I'll just keep the place clean and everything. And this is what happened. This is the Jehovah's Witnesses. I mean, there's been a meeting somewhere at some point where the guy was like, you really think they're going to go for this story? And you know, his minions are like, I don't know, just give it a shot, right? I mean, they went for it. So I mean, look, it's, this is what the Pharisees were doing. They were focusing on money, on gifts, on just like guilting people into just giving them stuff, basically. Look at verse number 23. Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith, says these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone. So look, they, he said you ought to do, we'll talk about this later, you ought to do the first ones. He's like, but you're leaving the most important stuff, the hardest stuff, you're leaving that stuff out. You know, you have no faith, you're perverting judgment, you know, we're supposed to, you know, there's, it's not like we're never supposed to judge, you're supposed to judge righteous judgment. And they were perverting judgment and they had no mercy towards people. Look, so they did, they told all others to do these things, but they didn't do them themselves. And look, they weren't doing the works, period. They didn't even believe it themselves. So you after, I mean, you have to ask yourself, you know, with the Pharisees, you know, what, what's the point, right? What were they doing? I mean, why were they doing this? And we already kind of talked about it a little bit, but look, verse four, it says they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born on people. And, you know, they're perverting the gospel, they were teaching works-based salvation. They had totally perverted the gospel of the Bible. And they're teaching people that they have to do all these things and making them two-fold, the child of hell. I mean, look, they were just in it for the preeminence. And Jesus is calling them out on it in this chapter. They were in it for the money, they were in it for the power, they were in it for the, you know, the position, you know, the seating. They're in it for the preeminence. I mean, everybody, you know, everybody in the world, it seems anyway, you know, wants to be in charge, right? I mean, it seems, it seems good. I mean, you get to tell everybody what to do, you get the best spots, maybe you got your own parking spot at work, says the boss or whatever, you know, you get the most money. I mean, most worldly jobs, if you're the boss, you make the most money, right? That's, I mean, that's why most people I've met, they're like, I want to be the boss because you make the most money. I mean, this is what they were in it for. The most authority, you don't have to listen to anybody. You know, that's what they think, right? It never turns out to be that way. But look, the problem with selfish leadership is it's, it's all these things I just said to you are false. And it never turns out well if you're just this selfish leader. It just never turns out well. So look, that's who these guys were. They were just these worldly leaders. They didn't believe any of this stuff. They perverted everything. Jesus was mad about it. He was mad. Look at verse 24. He says, ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you may clean the outside of the cup of the platter, but within they're full of extortion and excess. So they're extorting people. There you go right there. They're using their spiritual position to get money from people. They're extorting people. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. So notice here he says, cleanse first that which is inside, that was within the cup, that the outside may be clean also. He doesn't say that the outside doesn't matter, okay? Look at verse 27, woe unto you, scribes Pharisees and hypocrites, for you're alike unto whited sepicultures. So he's basically calling them like, you guys are like tombs, right? You guys are like coffins, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even so ye outwardly appear, he says it again, so he's talking about their outward appearance. He said you outward appear righteous unto men, but within you're full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepicultures of the righteous. And say if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourself, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Look, remember the parable of the vineyard and the guy that put the people in charge of his vineyard that we just talked about a couple chapters ago? And the servants went and they beat the servants and he's like, I'll send them my son. And they'll listen to him, but then they killed his son. I mean imagine how Jesus knows what's going to happen here. And he's sitting here and he's looking at these people that says, oh we wouldn't have killed the prophets. We wouldn't have persecuted all these people if we were back then. And they just made this fake, perverted religion that God had nothing to do with and they're about to kill him. I mean they're about to kill the son. They're the ones that are about to finish the job. Ye serpents, ye generations of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? I mean think about how, I mean, do you think Jesus was saying that like, ye serpents, ye generations of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? I mean, no, he's yelling at these people. I mean he's telling them, he's telling them, he's calling them names to their face and he's telling them they're going to burn in hell. Can you imagine talking to somebody that way? Could you imagine getting into it with a Mormon on the street and just being like, you're going to burn in hell. I mean, look, I mean we don't encourage that, but I mean this is what Jesus is doing here. Okay? He's mad. Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucify. Look he says, behold, I send unto you prophets. So he's speaking like, first of all, who sent the prophets? God sent the prophets. He's saying, I send unto you prophets. I mean he's telling them, I sent you the prophets. Imagine, I mean he already called himself the Christ several times. Some of them ye shall kill and crucify. Look he's talking about some of the apostles here by the way. He's like, you're going to keep killing the prophets. I mean all the prophets, I mean some of the apostles got crucified. They say Peter was crucified upside down. I mean we don't know for sure, but some of them were crucified. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barakas, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, now that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Every knee shall bow, even theirs. Every knee shall bow. So this is kind of, Matthew 23 is kind of like a farewell speech to the Pharisees, right? He's just making sure that he doesn't really leave anything unsaid here. Now I mean that's why it's called the, some people call it the woes of the Pharisees. I mean can you imagine being a Pharisee listening to this? Let's look at a few things that we can apply out of Matthew chapter 23. And of course we could grab a few things here, but I want to look at some things that I haven't really mentioned a lot in the last year on some of them. I don't think I've mentioned at all. I was thinking about it. But look, in Matthew 23, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they're doing a lot of things, okay? But not other things. Look at verse 23 and we'll use this as an example to get us started. He says in verse 23, he says, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. He's like, why are they hypocrites? He's like, for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law. And he says, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. So let's flip Matthew 23 upside down a little bit here. Look, he's saying, and let's focus on what he's saying that they ought to have done. So in Matthew 23, in verse 23, he's basically saying, look, Jesus is endorsing tithing to church, okay? He's endorsing tithing. He's saying, the problem was the more important things they were leaving undone. He's like, you should have been doing these things, paying tithe of mint and anise and cummin. But look, the weightier matters, judgment, mercy, and faith you haven't been doing. But the things that they should have been doing was paying tithe, right? So paying tithe is biblical, Jesus endorses it, all right? And look, it's actually smart that God addresses it in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. You'll hear a lot of people say, I've heard a lot of Baptists say that tithing is not in the New Testament. Well, it's right here. I mean, it's smart that God addresses it, because look, it's kind of a protection for you, right? If I come to you and I say, hey, build me a mansion, and I'm gonna live there until David comes back, or whoever. You can be like, no, that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says 10% is what I'm supposed to give to the church, right? So it's a little bit of perspective on that part. Look, false prophets and false teaching in general just can't exist with a group of people that are reading God's word. I mean, it's really that simple. Another example, and the one I really wanna focus on that I haven't talked a lot about, you're like, is this Sermon on Money? No, I was just using that as an example. But in verse 26 of Matthew 23, another example, and the one that I wanna really focus on this evening is this. The Bible says, thou blind Pharisee. He says, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Look at verse 27, or 28, I'm sorry. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. So look, all these guys cared about was the outward appearance, because that's what people could see, okay? But Jesus could see the inside, and he's pointing out what other people can't see, right? But look, Jesus isn't saying that the outside isn't important, okay? It says that the outside actually, the Pharisees made the outside look the way they did, so they appeared righteous to people, okay? It says that literally they appeared righteous in verse 28. He just said the problem was they left the inward part undone, all right? So really what I wanna focus on this evening is appearance matters in the Bible, it does matter. Look, it's not the weightier things, but it matters. And you're like, that's not what the world teaches. It's not what the world teaches. The world's like, whatever man, be yourself. You don't do what you feel is right. I mean, in a lot of different things, but especially appearance, you just gotta find yourself. That's what the world will teach. But the Bible's actually very specific. There's basically three criteria, let's just look at it real quick. Deuteronomy chapter 22, and here's the thing. Women get a lot of this pushed on them, but here's the thing. The criteria, they're for men and women. The criteria for how you should look in the Bible is for men and women. Look at Deuteronomy chapter 22 in verse number five. The first point is that clothing should be appropriate to men and women. It should be separate. There should be different clothing for men and different clothing for women, period. The Bible says in verse five of Deuteronomy 22, the woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment, for that all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. This is where the Baptist teaching of men should wear pants and women should wear skirts or dresses comes from. Okay, because the garment here, and I'm gonna prove this to you in another way, that it is talking about pants and dresses, but look, the Bible is saying that it's not okay for a man to put on a dress. It's not okay for a man to dress like a woman. It's not okay for, I mean, that's why the Bible also talks about men being effeminate. I mean, it's an abomination for men to act effeminate, speak effeminate, look effeminate, dress effeminate. It's all consistent throughout the Bible in the same way women should not dress like men, period. Okay, item number two, go to Exodus 28. Exodus 28, look at verse 42. Exodus 28 and verse number 42. The Bible says, and thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach. So the point of these breeches, of these pants, breeches or pants, is to cover their nakedness. And then it defines what nakedness is. So here's what nakedness is. The nakedness is from your loins, which is basically your loins is like your belly button to the lower, it's your middle section of your body, your waistline, and above and below that, and unto the thighs. So your thighs are your entire upper leg. So basically everything from your kneecap to your belly button is your nakedness, is what the Bible says. I mean, look, forget what the world has told you. You have to forget what, if you're not covered in those areas, the Bible considers you naked. Turn to John chapter 21 in verse number seven. Now look, you could say, oh, you're showing your nakedness. But I actually think that the Bible considers you naked in those cases. And I'll show you one example. And now this is my opinion and other pastors may have different opinions about this. And you know, I've been wrong before, like 27 years ago. No, I'm just kidding. But here's the thing. In John chapter 21 in verse number seven, we're talking about Peter and he's fishing with John and the Bible says, they see Jesus and Peter, you know, he just runs and he wants to meet Jesus. But in verse number seven, it says, therefore that disciple whom Jesus loves sayeth unto Peter, it is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat onto him, for he was naked and did cast himself into the sea. So I don't believe that Peter like literally had no clothes on here. Okay, I think that he was wearing something, it was probably hot. He was wearing something that exposed his legs and his stomach or whatever. And he was, the Bible considers him naked there. I mean, that'd be a little strange if he was just completely, you know, whatever. But that's my opinion on the matter. But what I'm trying to get you to understand is that those parts of your body, no matter what the world has taught you, you know, how comfortable you as a woman were raised or whatever, you know, just going around with those parts of your body exposed, the Bible considers you naked. You know, it's just like Sunday morning. You just need to kind of read what the Bible says and just go with that. Just have faith that it's correct, all right? But man or woman, that's your nakedness, from your loins unto your thighs. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter two. And the third one is this. We're to wear modest clothing, the Bible says. So the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter two in verse number nine, it says, in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broided hair or gold or pearls or costly array. So it's saying they should have modest apparel. And then it gives these examples. So what is modest apparel? Modest apparel is something that isn't designed to draw attention to yourself. I mean, it doesn't say don't ever braid your hair. I mean, it just says they should have modest apparel and you shouldn't be wearing something that just is designed to just draw attention to yourself. So I mean, here's the thing with pants and women that say, oh, you know, what the Bible doesn't specifically say, don't wear pants, but here's the thing. So if you go out and you buy some modest pants, like I'm gonna buy some modest jeans because all women's jeans are just super skin tight and that's women's jeans, right? You're like, but they're women's jeans. But here's the thing, is it modest? So it has to meet all the criteria, you see? So you can go out and you can buy a bunch of loose wranglers, but then you're wearing man's clothing so you're stuck there too. So I mean, it's pretty clear, folks. I mean, you can try to thread the needle around the Bible, but the Bible is pretty clear that we're to wear clothing that's gender appropriate and it's not something that God takes lightly. We're supposed to cover our nakedness and we're supposed to dress modestly. So look, let's have some cultural moments here. And it's funny because I just had this conversation with pastor a couple nights ago. But here's the thing, and I haven't mentioned this, these things that I'm gonna talk to you about tonight. I don't think I've mentioned some of them even one time. So if you're like, oh man, I haven't done that, I'm not mad at you, okay? But let's just have some cultural moments. And if you're from another church and this isn't the culture at your church, forget what I'm saying because your pastor's right and his culture is his culture, okay? But pastor, human is, but here's the thing, you, I mean, it's one thing to be a visitor and to come here and to be growing in Christ, but here's the thing, you all as your member, I mean, members of this body of local believers, you represent this church. And we want a culture here that is modest and where women wear what women are supposed to wear and men wear what men are supposed to wear. And that's the culture that the pastor of this church wants. I mean, another good example is soul winning. Soul winning, look, when you're out soul winning, you really are representing Verity Baptist Church. When you're out knocking on strangers' doors, I mean, we would like, the pastor of this church would like that the men wear a collared shirt and a tie would be great. But at least, you know, a collared shirt. Now, you're like, okay, but we go to conferences. Conferences are different. I'm talking about the culture that we want from week to week in this church. I mean, we would like that the ladies going out soul winning would dress like ladies, wearing skirts and looking nice and modest. Same with the men. And pastor put it this way. He said, you know, that's not really in the Bible, but that's just the kind of church I want. That's just the kind of culture that I want. And then he says, you know, well, and you know, when you're the pastor of the church, he said to me, he's like, you know, if by some miracle I become the pastor of this church, he says, you know, whatever culture you want will be the culture. But guess what? I a thousand percent agree with this. I agree that the culture of the church, especially, you know, of the members of the church and out soul winning especially should be formal and organized like this. Because look, let me tell you something about Pastor Jimenez. The first time that I visited Verity Baptist Church was in 2016. I flew my whole family down to visit for the Red Hot Preaching Conference. And it was, you know, the protests were still going on and we just wanted to, you know, we wanted to pretend like we were part of a church and show some support. So we came down and the first thing that I noticed when I sat in a church service was just how well organized the church was, how well run the church was. As a matter of fact, before I left after that weekend, what I actually said to Pastor Jimenez was, I mean, I told my wife the first service, I'm like, this is a man that knows how to run a situation. Because it's just, everything was just perfect and in place. It was organized, it was uniform, it was classy. I mean, that is the culture. Look, here's the thing, folks. And I believe this from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Nothing good comes from this casual, laissez-faire attitude. Nothing good comes from it. I've said it at work to people that I work with, maybe billions of times. It's just, it's always best to be formal and appropriate, always. I was texting somebody, I was in a meeting today and I texted a group of people at work that I needed to go do something and I texted like three of the wrong people. And people were laughing, they're like, oh, these people must not even have known what you're talking about. And I said it again today. I said, once again, it's always best to be formal and appropriate because you're gonna send messages to the wrong people. And this is formal and appropriate. So I was like, ha ha, what was that about? But it was formal and appropriate. Nothing good comes from being too casual, period. I mean, that could be a sermon series in itself. Nothing good comes from it. But here's another thing. And here's another worldly myth. Like we talked about these worldly myths of friendship. It matters how you look. And you know what, even to the world, it matters. And people might tell you, oh, you know, it shouldn't matter and all this, but look, it does. And it matters to God. Look, is it the most important thing? No, it's not. But look, the cover of the book matters. And that's what Jesus was saying. He's like, look at verse 26. He's saying, look, I mean, if the cover of the book is messed up, what do you think's inside the book? This is what Jesus was saying. But in Jesus's case, he was just, he was pointing out how it wasn't working this way and it was strange. Because if the cover of the book is good, that means that the inside of the book is good. Usually, that's what it's supposed to mean. Because in verse 26, Jesus is pointing out the inverse relationship here. He's saying, thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside may be clean also. So he's saying, typically, people cleanse the inside and the outside fixes itself. So you fix the important part and the outside fixes itself. So look, honestly, if your outside isn't fixing, something's probably wrong with the inside. That's what Jesus was saying. And look, he said, you know, you guys missed the first part. You guys missed the inside part. But they were trying to make it look to people that they had a good inside part and they were fooling people and Jesus was pointing it out, right? So people get the inside right first and the outside just takes care of itself. I can't tell you how many times I've seen growing Christians go through this. You know, you see them, they just got saved, they get in church, you see them the next time, especially now, I'm seeing it a lot with like new people going to Verity in Sacramento because I don't see them that much. I see them like three months later, now all of a sudden, the guy's got his tie on, you know, he looks like a Baptist. His wife, same thing, you know, I mean, they're fixing the inside and the outside is just, it's just taking care of itself. But look, even to the world, even to the world that tells you it doesn't matter, I'm telling you, it matters. I mean, look, job interviews? Go into a job interview, I mean, you young guys, go into a job interview with pajamas and a spider tattoo on your face and let me know how that works out for you. I mean, all these guys with the tattoos that you see out there now, I mean, get a spider on your face, man, be a man about it. Look, no one's messing with you if you've got a spider on your face, right? Because that's like, I don't care about anything. Bring it on. I'm just kidding. But look, how you look matters. When you go to a job interview, I don't care if you go into a job interview at, you know, Del Taco, put a tie on. Because it shows, I've seen guys not get jobs because they didn't wear a tie to the interview. It shows the guy that you're interviewing, and it's like, you know what, I care. I'm taking this seriously. You wanna come to church and have a visitor look at you and, you know, I mean, you wanna show like, I'm a member of this church and I care. I'm taking this thing seriously. That's what it says. And look, especially here in church, you not only represent the church, but turn to Philippians chapter two. You not only represent the church, as I said. You know, both at church and out soul winning, but look at Philippians chapter two and verse number two. Look at Philippians chapter two and verse number two. Look, I mean, the culture, let's just read it first. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. So look, the culture of the church, did you know that every church is gonna have a different culture? The culture of this church is something I have thought very hard about before I even started into this whole adventure and it's very important to me that it's a certain way. And look, the way we look, it shows solidarity of the church. It shows that we're of one mind. It shows that we all believe the same thing. When visitors come in, it portrays a like-minded, healthy culture. How do I know that? Because that's exactly what I thought the first time I went to Verity Baptist Church. I just saw that everybody was in the same culture. I mean, look, the ladies were in the same culture. It was a classy culture and it's known that way. That church has a reputation for that. And it's something that we should take. It's a good thing. We should repeat success. Is there anything wrong with that, repeating success? So look, how we look matters. And I know I haven't preached a lot about that. But it's something that the Bible talks about and it's serious. So Matthew 23, Jesus is just, he's letting it all out. He's getting it off his mind. He's not gonna be lecturing the Pharisees from here on out. He's gonna have some conversations with his disciples and then he's gonna do what he came to earth to do in the coming chapters. Matthew 23, let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.