Beware of the religious leaders… (3 things)

• 1^st – Don’t follow the religious leaders… vs. 1
  • While Jesus was having breakfast – a HUGE group had gathered together…
    • There were so many people they began to trample each other to see Jesus…
      • Apparently the scene with the religious leaders had been very public…
      • Literally thousands had gathered to see the man who dared challenge the Pharisees…
    • Jesus turned to the disciples telling them to beware the leaven of the Pharisees…
      • Leaven – also called yeast – the main ingredient that causes bread to rise…
      • Yeast is a micro-organism – plant – begins to decay when it touches flour…
      • The gas given off by the process causes bread to puff up and rise…
      • A little leaven is all that is needed to saturate a whole batch of bread dough…
      • Often used in the Bible as a picture of sin – imitating the ability to spread…
      • Decay – and cause men to be puffed up with pride…
    • The leaven of the Pharisees – was their hypocrisy…
      • Jesus warning was to be careful of the influence of two-faced religion…
      • There is power in religion – it demands discipline – sets moral standards…
      • The problem with religion is that it can only change the outside…
      • * Colossian 2:21-23 – “’Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch.’ These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires.”
      • Religion seems to be a good idea – and most people (churches) look to it for answers…
      • But here is the danger – it can only control your actions – it doesn’t change your heart!
  • Why people prefer religion to a relationship with Jesus… (3 reasons)
    • 1^st – Religion gives us excuses to sin…
      • Most people prefer ‘religion’ and ‘tradition’ to a relationship with Jesus…
      • Religion is a great way to justify sin – it gives me an excuse to disobey God…
      • I can do what I want from Monday – Saturday / so long as I go to church on Sunday…
      • I am all right with God so long as I give my 10% to the church…
      • As long as I was baptized – and am a member of the church – God is ok with me…
      • As though man made rules can somehow wipe away the sin in a heart far from God!
    • 2^nd – Religion fools us into thinking we are good…
      • Many people believe their religion makes them strong in the Lord…
      • When in reality their religion makes them weak – taking their eyes off of Jesus… 
      • Cause they trust in their religion – rather than looking to and depending on the Lord!
      • It also makes them a poor witnesses to a world that does not know Jesus…
      • The church is most well known today for what they do not do…
      • Don’t drink / don’t smoke / don’t go to discos / don’t have tattoos…
      • And when the world looks at the church – and sees all of these rules…
      • Most of which the very people who make the rules – do not even keep…
      • The world walks away from Jesus – saying who would want that!
      • God does not tell us we are to be know by our rules – but by our love – John 13:35
    • 3^rd – Religion is familiar – our identity…
      • We live in a community where many are very hardened towards the Gospel…
      • Because they have been indoctrinated in a lifetime of traditions and superstitions…
      • And they are proud and think ‘religion’ is enough to get them into heaven…
      • When you dare to challenge those beliefs – you immediately come under fire…

• 2^nd – Do not fear the religious leaders… vs. 2-7
  • The Disciples had seen the VERY volatile reaction of the religious leaders to Jesus…
    • When Jesus challenged their hypocrisy – when He looked on the inside…
      • I am certain there was murder in their eyes as they verbally attacked the Lord…
      • The Pharisees were in the dark – and they did not appreciate the light of Christ…
      • And once they were done with Jesus – they would turn on His disciples!
      • If you are in darkness – and someone turns on a light – it hurts your eyes…
      • If you are doing bad things in darkness – how much more you hate the light…
      • We are a light – and those who are in darkness don’t like the light of Jesus…
      • They want us (and Jesus in us) to go away so the darkness can return!
    • So Jesus gives 3 reasons why the disciples had no reason to fear…
  • 1^st – Nothing covered – nothing hidden…
    • All those things men do when they think no one is looking…
      • Those things they’re convinced no one saw – the sins they think they got away with…
      • Hebrews 4:13 – “Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. The God to whom we must explain all that we have done.”
      • Every action / every word / every thought is open and seen by the Lord…
      • And for every action/word/thought – we will one day be judged for…
      • Unless we receive the forgiveness of Jesus – unless we have a relationship with Him!
    • Whatever I tell you in the dark / whispered in inner rooms – shout on the rooftops…
      • Jesus was telling His disciples not to be afraid to proclaim the message…
      • The things that they had been taught – they were now to boldly preach to everyone!
      • When we truly understand the fate of those who do not have Jesus…
      • We do not fear them – we fear for them…
      • We preach Jesus because we have the answer – the solution for the problem of sin!
  • 2^nd – It’s not about those who can only kill the body…
    • Do not fear those who can only kill the body – but not the soul..
      • Jesus here puts life into perspective – why fear men…
      • There are parts of the world – muslims – where preaching Jesus can mean death…
      • But the worst they can do is kill you – then you go to heaven (not a bad thing)…
      • In most cases the worst thing that happens if we preach Jesus – we are made fun of…
      • People might accuse us of having ‘changed our religion’ – they miss the point…
      • More often they are just trying to change the subject to avoid conviction!
      • But keeping people from Hell is worth a little ridicule – worth being made fun of…
      • We are talking about men’s eternal destination – people are worth fighting for!
    • Fear the one (God) who can kill both body and soul in hell (Gehenna)…
      • We don’t share Jesus because out of some sense of obligation – or for some reward…
      • We share cause of the real danger of Hell – the destination for any who reject Jesus…
      • Hell is not temporary – hell is the 2^nd death – eternal separation from God – no hope…
  • 3^rd – God is with us…
    • Five birds were sold in the market for a peso (they were not worth much)…
      • Yet God forgets not even one of them…
      • In other words he watches over even the most worthless of things…
    • The very hairs on your head are numbered…
      • Not many of us take the time to count the hairs on our head…
      • Though for some of us it would not take very long to do so… 
      • But God knows – something as seemingly trivial as hair – God counts…
    • Do not fear therefore – you are of much more value!
      • If God is watching out for the sparrows – if God is counting the hairs on our head…
      • How much more He is watching after us – so we have nothing to fear!
      • Standing up to ridicule – enduring the comments – can be frustrating…
      • But we never stand-alone – God is always watching out for us – always by our side!
        
• 3^rd – Stand up for Jesus… vs. 8-12 (3 things) 
  • 1^st – If we confess Jesus before men…
    • When we stand before God – Jesus calls us His own – stands for us before the Father…
      • The reward of standing up for Jesus is beyond imagination…
      • One day when we get to heaven we will hear the words…
      • Matthew 25:23 – “Well done, good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the lord.”
      • At that point any difficulty we ever had to endure – becomes more than worth it!
    • But if you deny Jesus before men…
      • The opposite is also true – if we deny Jesus before men  – He will deny us before God…
      • There is always a temptation to want to blend into the crowd – to be accepted…

• If we are not willing to take a stand for Jesus today… 
• He will not stand for us before the ‘Judgment seat of God’

• 2^nd – Any sin can be forgiven – but the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit…
  • When we do not stand up for Jesus – the Holy Spirit in us convicts us…
    • If we respond to that conviction – ask the Lord to forgive us – give us boldness – great!
    • But if we refuse to listen – justify our actions – we end up hardening our heart…
    • If we continue reject the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives – over and over…
    • In an effort to blend in – please people – we can come to a place where we reject Jesus!
    • * Hebrews 6:4-6 – “It is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come – and who then turn away from God…”
    • There is only one way to get to heaven – it is through faith in the cross of Christ…
    • The unforgivable sin is to die having rejected Jesus as your personal Savior!
  • We are absolutely secure as we abide…
    • We lose a relationship with a friend when we stop spending time with them…
    • Our heart can grow distant from the Lord when we don’t spend time with Him…
    • As we abide in Jesus – John 15:4-5 – there is no concern about a hard heart…
    • Spend time with Jesus and you will have no hesitation standing up for Him!
• 3^rd – In an attempt to silence the Gospel – men would try to silence the disciples…
  • They would take them before the rulers and leaders (peer pressure)…
    • The list is progressive – Synagogues / Magistrates / Authorities…
    • Similar to the progression that we see in the life of the Apostle Paul…
    • When he was arrested he was first taken before the counsel – Acts 23
    • Then he was taken before governors (Felix and Festus) – Acts 24-25
    • Finally he was taken before kings (Agrippa, Caesar Nero) – Acts 26-28
    • Every time he used it as an opportunity – to Preach Jesus!
    • Paul was not upset that he had been arrested – he used it to share Jesus!
  • Don’t worry about what you will say…
    • It is not you who will speak – but the Holy Spirit who will speak through you!
      • Remember that the apostles were not educated – eloquent – or well spoken…
      • They were from the Bukid – can you imagine standing before the congress…
      • That is what these simple apostles had to do – but Jesus told them not to worry…
      • Peter & John had to stand before the counsel (congress) in Acts 4…
      • Acts 4:13 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”
    • When others persecute us – mock us – for our faith in Jesus…
      • Take it as an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with them…
      • They will expect you to lash out – fight back – or cower in intimidation…
      • Simply love them instead – give them the Gospel – let them see Jesus…

We have the answer – not in some religion – but a relationship with God in Heaven!