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Dr. Montia Setzler, Lead Pastor
July 24, 2016
Series:  Objections:  Answers to the Most Common Objections to Christianity
Christians Are All Hypocrites

Common Objection:  “I’d be interested in Christ if it weren’t for the Christians. Why would I want to become one of them?”

Luke 12:1–3 (all scripture is HCSB)

In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”

  1. WE ALL MUST WATCH OUT FOR HYPOCRISY IN OUR LIVES
  • Jesus defined hypocrisy as saying one thing and doing

Mark 7:6

He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

Matthew 23:25

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence!”

  • We are to guard ourselves from hypocrisy. Why? The bar for us is set very high.

v 1b   “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

  • The “yeast” of the religious hypocrites was their teachings.

Matthew 16:11–12 (HCSB)

“Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn’t about bread?”

12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the yeast in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

  1. THE WORLD IS WATCHING WHAT WE DO

vv 2-3  “There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

  • Our actions are easy to see, our motives…not so much.
  • When someone is looking for an excuse to reject Christianity, hypocrisy is as good as any.
  1. GOD IS WATCHING WHAT WE DO
  • We cannot hide what is inside from God.

Luke 8:17

For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and come to light.

  • God is also watching the good that is in our hearts as well.

1 Timothy 5:24–25

Some people’s sins are obvious, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. 25 Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden.

Some Observations About Avoiding Hypocrisy

  • Inconsistent behavior of Christians is one of the greatest excuses that lost people use to reject Christianity.
  • Saying one thing and doing another creates an internal struggle.
  • Hypocrisy will not go unnoticed by God.