9am and 10.30am Sunday 24 November 2002
Rev Des Botting
Reading: Luke 11:29-54
Dale Carnegie wrote the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. It is a book full of helpful advice on how to cultivate and develop relationships with all kinds of people. Although Jesus won many friends among the outcasts of society, He didnt win many friends among the Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses. However, He certainly wanted to influence them for good. The comment from the teacher of the Law of Moses, Teacher, you said cruel things about us[1] shows that what He said hurt them deeply. And yet this comment only leads Jesus turning His condemnation of the Pharisees to include the teachers of the Law as well. It is not surprising that they wanted to retaliate, and at the end of this incident were trying their level best to get even with Him by catching Him out on something He said.
It is quite clear from the Gospels that Jesus was never afraid to confront people with their hypocrisy wherever it was necessary to do so. The saying, You have to be cruel to be kind, is very relevant here. He never said things out of spite or hatred. His words were always spoken out of deep love. He would never have said what we read here in Luke if they had not needed to be said. Legalism or Love, was the issue at stake.
This passage in Luke begins with the words of Jesus, You people of today are evil! There was never any doubt in Jesus mind about the true state of humankind. We have already made reference to this when we looked at the beginning of this chapter. Jesus said there, As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your childrenyour heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.[2] It is as the Bible says: All of us have sinned and fallen short of Gods glory. There isnt one person who does right. [3] We are sinners in need of a Saviour, and this was Gods gift to the world at the first Christmas. What the angel told the shepherds on that first Christmas day really was good news. He said, Dont be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King Davids hometown a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.[4] Such is Gods grace to us. How serious our plight would be if God had not taken up our cause, and secured forgiveness for us through the death of His Son. The world in its present state is bad enough. Imagine what it would be like if Christ had never come, and humankind was left to its own devices. It does not bear thinking about. The good news is that He has come, there is forgiveness for our sins, and we have in Him a future full of hope.
Reading on in Luke 11, Jesus responds to the peoples request for a sign. In Matthew Jesus says, You want a sign because you are evil and wont believe! But the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. He was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and nights, just as the Son of Man will be deep in the earth for three days and nights. (There was no doubt in Jesus mind about Jonah being swallowed by a fish.) On the Day of Judgment the people of Nineveh will stand there and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah.[5]. Lets think about this for a moment. What is implied here is that the message God gave Jonah for the people of Nineveh, was exactly the same that God gave to John the Baptist and that Jesus Himself preached. Jonah was to say to Nineveh, The Lord has seen your terrible sins. You are doomed![6] It was a call to turn back to God, and this is exactly what the city did as a result of his preaching. They believed the message and acted on it. The king commanded the people, You mustpray to the Lord God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change His mind and have mercy on us, so we wont be destroyed.[7] And He did. Ninevah was spared.
John the Baptists message was, Turn back to God and be baptised. Then your sins will be forgiven.[8] Jesus, according to Mark, brought the same message. He began His ministry by preaching, The time has come! Gods kingdom will soon be here. Turn back to God and to believe the good news![9] This message of repentance is re-emphasised several times through the Gospels. When people told Jesus that Pilate had killed some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices, Jesus said, Do you think that these people were worse sinners than everyone else in Galilee just because of what happened to them? Not at all! But you can be sure that if you dont turn back to God, everyone of you will also be killed.[10] And this is exactly what happened. In 70AD Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Roman army. This is a serious matter. It is a life and death issue. The religious leaders of Jesus day were responsible for having Jesus crucified. At His trial before Pilate they said, We and our descendants will take the blame for His death![11] Little did they know what that would mean for their descendants down through the centuries. The Jewish people have been among the most persecuted peoples since that day. Anti-Semitism has been alive and well throughout all of history, but particularly since the death of Christ, and still is so to this very day. Jesus wanted to bring home to his hearers as forcefully as He could, that what they were witnessing was of far greater significance than anything that happened in either of Jonah or Solomons day. How much greater their condemnation will be if they refuse to respond.
Here in Luke we see Jesus once again the guest of a Pharisee. He had hardly sat down when his host shows surprise at His not washing his hands before eating. Jesus, knowing what this Pharisee is thinking, makes a number of condemnations, first of the Pharisees, and later of the Teachers of the Law. His words did nothing to endear Him to them. They only antagonised them further. But what He said was vitally important, because the six things He refers to are things that we must continually be wary of if we are not to fall into the same trap as these religious leaders did. They had a religion of legalism, rather than the relationship of love that God desires of us, and with us. I am going to put them positively, as the things God is looking for in the lives of His children, and illustrate them from the way in which the Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses failed to do them.
Six Character Traits of a Child of God:
1. SINCERITY. There are a number of Greek words that are translated sincere in our Bibles. The word that most clearly captures the essence of sincerity is made up of two words, one meaning, sunshine, and the other to exercise judgment. It means to form a judgment in the light of the sun, which means that there is nothing hidden or covered up. What you see is what really is. Sincerity means genuine, real, and a sincere person is one who does not put on any pretences. They are completely open and transparent. There are no hidden agendas. The Pharisees gave the impression of being good, kind, and generous, but Jesus said it was just a sham. They had the appearance of being morally upright and respectable people, but they were exactly the opposite when one delved deeper into their lives. Jesus said inside they were greedy and evil. And He called them fools, and Jesus never did that lightly. They thought that as long as outwardly they fulfilled the requirements of the Law, they were acceptable to God. It was a very legalistic approach to life. They kept the letter of the Law, but neglected the spirit of Gods Law. They thought they were very good. But as God said to Samuel, People judge others by what they look like but I judge people by whats in their hearts.[12] God sees the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell Him the truth.[13]
The Bible teaches that we are to be sincere
a) in the way we LIVE. That is, in all our relationships with others. Paul was able to say to the churches he had established, We can be proud of our clear conscience. We have always lived honestly and sincerely, especially when we were with you. And we were guided by Gods wonderful kindness instead of by the wisdom of this world.[14] Paul took great care about how he lived, so that there would be nothing that could be used by his enemies against him, or which could also bring discredit to the name of Christ and the cause of the gospel. He also stresses the importance of sincerity in the care and concern we are to show for each other. His counsel is, Be sincere in your love for others.[15] This means doing exactly what Jesus did, showing no favouritism, but treating all equally, no matter who they are or what their background. We also need to be sincere
b) in what we TEACH. Jesus was sincere in this way. Even the Pharisees were prepared to acknowledge this. Matthew says, So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.[16] The Pharisees, on this occasion, had got together with the Herodians to plan how they could trick Jesus into saying something wrong. Jesus immediately saw the trap they had set for Him. With Gods wisdom, He answered their question about whether or not it was right to pay taxes to Emperor. Even they were dumbfounded at His answer. All they could so was walk away in amazement. Paul, likewise, taught with sincerity and counselled those he was mentoring to do the same. He advised Titus, You must teach only what is correct. Always set a good example for others. Be sincere and serious when you teach.[17] This is so important at all times. A transparent life adds validity to ones teaching. We must practise what we preach, if we want people to take seriously what we say. This is also true
c) in how we SHARE THE GOOD NEWS. Paul again speaks from personal experience. A lot of people try to get rich from preaching Gods message. But we are Gods sincere messengers, and by the power of Christ we speak our message with God as our witness.[18] We must be genuine in the way we share Gods message. It must ring true with how we live. This is so whether the audience is large or small. Sincerity is important when some one asks you to give an answer about your hope. Peter says, Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear.[19] Our lives may be the only Bible people read, so that when we speak Gods message we must really mean what we say. The second character trait is
2. HONESTY. Jesus says the Pharisees are in for trouble because, although on the one hand they go to great lengths to give God a tenth of the spices from their gardens, on the other they cheat people. This proves that they dont really love God, or they wouldnt do these things. Jesus says their actions towards others should be consistent with their concern to fulfil Gods requirements for giving. Honesty is required in our
a) in our WORDS. People must be able to trust what we say. Several of the words that are translated honesty in our English Bibles have at their root the concepts of truthfulness, reliability. In Proverbs it says, An honest person tells the truth in court. But a dishonest person tells nothing but lies.[20] We are to be people of integrity. We need to be known as people who keep our promises. This is particularly true for our children. If we want them to grow up being honest citizens, we need to keep our word to them. The Psalmist describes honest people as those who keep their promises, no matter what the cost.[21] Caleb, one of the twelve men sent to spy out the land of Canaan before Israel took possession of it, said, I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him an honest report.[22] God honoured his honesty in that he was one of only two people from his generation who lived to enter and take possession of the land God had promised Israel. We must be honest
b) in our BUSINESS DEALINGS. People must be able to trust us. There is much that goes on in the business world that is dishonest, and people are often put under pressure to lower their standards. God is the One we are to please, and we need to keep a clear conscience in all these things. Proverbs again offer sound counsel when it says, The Lord doesnt like it when we cheat in business.[23] Gods laws to His people made this very clear. He said, Use honest scales and dont cheat when you weigh or measure anything. If you weigh and measure things honestly, the Lord you God will let you enjoy a long life in the land he is giving you.[24] We are also to be honest
c) in our SERVICE. This is what enables us to be effective and fruitful for God. Whether we are working for our employers, or serving God in some form of Christian ministry we are to give good measure. We noted this when we looked at the story about a farmer earlier in Luke. Jesus said, Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.[25] God wants us to be fruitful and effective as His children.[26]
3. HUMILITY is the third character trait of the child of God. Jesus said that the Pharisees were in for trouble because of their desire to be noticed and to be given places of honour at public gatherings. They could be likened to Little Jack horner, who sat in a corner, eating his Christmas pie, he put in his thumb and pulled out a plumb, and said, What a good boy am I! They were all the time wanting people to notice how good they were. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount says that in seeking the praise of people for their acts of kindness and their much praying, they will not receive any reward from His Father in Heaven. They already have their reward. We must have humility
a) in the ESTIMATE we have of ourselves. Paul says, I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. He goes on to say, Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you.[27] We are not to be like the Pharisees who continually sought to draw peoples attention to themselves. Thats why they loved to be seated in places of prominence, and to be honoured publicly. What our fellow human beings think of us is not the really important thing. It is what God thinks of us that is really matters. He is the one Who, ultimately, we must live to please. We are to use sober judgment in the estimate we have of ourselves. We must also have humility
b) in our relationship with GOD. There are numerous promises throughout Scripture where God blesses the humble. God promises to hear the prayers of those who humble themselves before Him; to lead humble people to do what is right; to be kind to them, to help them, they are the ones He treasures most; and whom He will honour at the appropriate time.[28] Jesus is our example, and said, ..learn from me. I am gentle and humble[29] and you will find rest. Later, when giving His disciples a lesson about true greatness, He said, if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.[30] Humility is also required
c) in our relationship with OTHERS. Pride has been the undoing of so many, including the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. It was pride that led to Satans downfall.[31] It is at the root of all the evil in the world. This is why it is listed among the seven deadly sins. Proverbs says, Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.[32] Jesus lists it alongside such things as evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, and foolishness as things that make people unfit to worship God.[33] Pride and vanity come from wanting to see ourselves better than others. Paul gives very sound counsel when he says, Dont be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.[34] We are not to compare ourselves with others. Ultimately, what really matters is what God thinks of us. The fourth trait of a Child of God is
4. MERCY The teachers of the Law of Moses put tremendous guilt on the people of their day by making Gods requirements unreasonable and impossible to fulfil. Their religion was so legalistic, that they had failed completely to grasp the spirit of Gods Law, namely, to show love. In Matthews account of Jesus words here in Luke, he says, You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and youre in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy and faithfulness. These are the important things you should have done, though you should not have left the others undone either.[35] On a number of occasions when the Pharisees were wanting to impose their legalism on Jesus, Jesus said that they need to go and learn what the Scriptures meant when they said, Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.[36] In the Sermon on the Mount He said, God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy![37] This is what both the priest and the temple helper failed to do in the story of the Good Samaritan. When Jesus asked the expert in the Law of Moses, Which one of these three people was a real neighbour to the man who was beaten up by robbers? he answered, The one who showed him mercy.[38] The Apostle Paul says, You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.[39] That is, we help bear one anothers burdens. This is love in action. A further trait is
5. JUSTICE. Jesus said that the teachers of the Law of Moses condemned themselves in that they built monuments to honour the prophets their forbears murdered long ago. This, He said, proved their guilt. For what other reason would they want to honour them? His prophesy that their generation would receive the punishment for all these injustices of the past, was fulfilled when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD and scattered its people to the four corners of the earth. God is a God of justice. Evil will not go unanswered. The Psalmist said, The Lord loves justice, and he wont ever desert his faithful people.[40] Moses taught the people of Israel to sing, God can always be trusted to bring justice.[41] A child of God always seeks to do what God has instructed. The Bible is very clear about what God requires of us. The Lord God has told us what is right and what He demands: See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.[42] The final trait we can glean from this passage in Luke is
6. OBEDIENCE Jesus said, You teachers of the Law of Moses are really in for trouble! You carry the keys to the door of knowledge about God. But you never go in. and you keep others from going in.[43] What an awesome responsibility they had, carrying the keys to the door of knowledge about God, and what a tragedy that they not only messed up on it, but held others back from knowing God. Children of God take seriously the responsibilities God entrusts them with. They obey the law of love, but they also want to share the light. They want to see Gods harvest gathered in. Therefore they seek to put to optimum use the gifts God has given them to serve His church. They take note of what the Bible says about this. Each of you has been blessed with one of Gods many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.[44] A child of God is to be a good steward of Gods gifts. This is particularly true of those whose responsibility it is to teach. James says, we shouldnt all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly that others.[45] Knowledge of the truth is such a liberating thing. This is so in all areas of life, even with such basic things as hygiene. Ignorance is not bliss. God said to His people through His prophet Hosea, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.[46] It is a life or death matter. The CEV translation of this verse in Hosea says, my people are destroyed by refusing to obey. It is not enough just knowing the truth. Obedience to it is required as well. The teacher has an awesome responsibility. Paul is very aware of this and this is why he gives specific instructions to Timothy about it. He said, Be careful about the way you live and about what you teach. Keep on doing this, and you will save not only yourself, but the people who hear you.[47] It is a tremendous privilege to be used by God to assist others to come to a saving knowledge of Gods truth. The Bible says, God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth.[48] Gods vision is that Just as the water fills the sea, the land will be filled with people who know and honour the Lord.[49] This is why Paul wrote at the end of his letter to Rome, Praise God! He can make you strong by means of my good news, which is the message about Jesus Christ. For ages and ages this message was kept secret, but now at last it has been told. The eternal God commanded his prophets to write about the good news, so that all nations would obey and have faith.[50] A sincere desire to obey the Great Commandment and the Great Commission are an essential trait of a child of God.
Will your relationship with God be ruled by legalism or love? Jesus reserved His harshest words for those people who outwardly were the most respectable and religious of His day. But it was only a formal religion. It taught that keeping the letter of the law was all that was required. Jesus taught that it is the spirit of the Law that is the most important. All that we do must flow from our love for Him and for one another. This is only possible if we know Him personally. Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship we have with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. You can begin that relationship today and, with His help, demonstrate these character traits of a Child of God, by doing three things:
1. Admit that you have sinned and fallen short of all that God created you to be, ask for Gods forgiveness, and make a definite decision to turn from everything that you know is wrong.
If we confess our sins to God he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. 1 John 1:9
2. Believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, and to purchase a place in heaven for you. Invite Him into your life to be your Saviour and your Lord. Thank Him for answering your prayer.
Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. John 1:12
3. Confess to others that you are now a follower of Christ, and seek the fellowship of His people in a Church. You will be saved, if you honestly say, Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with all your heart that God raised Him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others. Romans 10:9-10
[1] Luke 11:45 (All Scripture quotations are from the Contemporary English Version unless specified.)
[2] Luke 11:13
[3] Romans 3:23, 10,12b
[4] Luke 2:10-11
[5] Matthew 12:39-41
[6] Jonah 1:1
[7] Jonah 3:9
[8] Luke 3:3
[9] Mark 1:15b
[10] Luke 13:3
[11] Matthew 27:25
[12] 1 Samuel 16:7b
[13] Hebrews 4:12-13
[14] 2 Corinthians 1:12
[15] Romans 12:9a
[16] Matthew 22:16 NRSV
[17] Titus 2:1,7
[18] 2 Corinthians 2:17
[19] 1 Peter 3:15b-16a
[20] Proverbs 12:17
[21] Psalm 15:4b
[22] Joshua 14:7
[23] Proverbs 16:11
[24] Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:15; cf also Ezekiel 45:10
[25] Luke 8:15
[26] See 2 Peter 1:8 NRSV
[27] Romans 12:3
[28] cf 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalms 25:9; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Isaiah 66:2; 1 Peter 5:6
[29] Matthew 11:29
[30] Matthew 18:4
[31] cf Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:8-9
[32] Proverbs 16:18 NRSV
[33] Mark 7:21-23
[34] Philippians 2:3
[35] Matthew 23:23
[36] cf Matthew 9:13; 12:7
[37] Matthew 6:7
[38] Luke 10:37 NRSV
[39] Galatians 6:2
[40] Psalm 37:28a
[41] Deuteronomy 32:4b
[42] Micah 6:8
[43] Luke 11:52
[44] 1 Peter 4:10
[45] James 3:1
[46] Hosea 4:6
[47] 1 Timothy 4:16
[48] 1 Timothy 2:4
[49] Isaiah 11:9
[50] Romans 16:25-26