Luke 12:1-3 BEWARE OF LEAVEN !

1. Whether you have been a Christian for 2 months or 20 yrs – our goal is to help you become more mature in spiritual walk & ministry
2. Doesn’t matter if you are 80 yrs old or 8 yrs old – that is the goal – from Children’s ministry – through youth / Jr. Sr. High into adults

THE METHOD - Warning every man & teaching every man in all wisdom

1. Note that – description – warning & teaching – that is the job of every true shepherd – pastor – teacher – WARN & TEACH
2. Easy to teach & it is FUN / but been rightfully said that if we only teach & don’t warn we are fattening people up for the kill !!!!
3. Now the reason why I know this is to be the model for every church, minister & ministry is because it is exactly what Jesus did.

1. We see an example of this in our text this morning . Luke 12:1-3

1. He gives them a WARNING against HYPOCRISY – namely the Hypocrisy that was seen in the Pharisees
2. But here is what is interesting Jesus likens the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees to Leaven .

C) Leaven is what made bread rise before it was baked it was used in much

the same way yeast is used today – to make bread rise

1. But the only method ancient peoples had for reproducing yeast was to save a small piece of unbaked dough, which was later used to start FERMENTATION PROCESS in the next batch of bread.

1. Now a very small piece of leaven was able to cause a relatively large amount of dough to rise, small amount had a big affect
2. That is the reason that Leaven is often used in scripture as a symbol of evil & of sin – Same way / – A small amount can have a huge affect

1. A little goes a long way !!!!!!

1. RECALL When the Israelites were led out of bondage in Egypt, the Lord did not allow them to take any leavened bread with them,

1. This Symbolized His intention that the people were not to take any Contaminating influence of Egypt w/ them into the Promised Land.

So Jesus gives a warning here about the contaminating influence the Pharisees could have upon them if they were not careful.

1. BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES
2. There were two other types of Leaven that the Lord warned His disciples about . Sad. Matt. 16 / Herod – Mark chapter 8 /

1. Briefly consider all three – share my heart concerning changes

1^st THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES = HYPOCRISY

B) It was a word that was used to describe the play actors in the Theater

1. Guys who wore a mask – concealing their true identity – they were playing a part

1. Jesus accused the Pharisees of being white washed tombs – looked good on the outside but the inside was filled w/ uncleanness & wickedness

1. They were play actors who put on a mask of false religiosity / false spirituality / Looked the part but their hearts were wrong !!!!

1. Jesus warns His disciples against the same thing / – thinking more spiritual than really are / Starts small/ spreads

1. Hypocrisy comes in many forms –

1. Seen in the Person who tries to appear like He has it all together – others look at Him & say WOW – So spiritual –so godly

1. It can be seen in the person who is always Judging others & coming down on others about trivial little things / majoring on minors

1. Exactly what Jesus meant when He described the person who – was trying to take the splinter out of his bros. eye while not seeing the log in his own

1. I think the log in his own eye that Jesus refers to could very well be his spiritual pride

1. The person who talks the talk – sings the song – tries to snow people into thinking that he is really saved – when in reality – leading double life

B) He is out partying w/ old buddies / sleeping w/ girlfriend / caught up in

Porn. / HYPOCRISY

1. As well as double life -

1. And as soon as he has you sucked in & in bondage to what ever – he blows your cover – ADVERTISES IT LOUDLY
2. Bible makes it very CLEAR – Num. 32:23 be sure of this your sin will find you out.

Read a story about - a Church that Bought a bar – converted it into their meeting place ripped out bar / new stage / paint pews

1. Some how – Bar owners talking parrot was left behind – in rafters the first Sunday - Preacher – New Proprietor

1. Worship team – squawked – New Floor show / but when he looked down at the congregation - he piped - SAME OLD CROWD
2. Paul says in Gal. Reap what sow / flesh – destruction / spirit life

1. It will be a sad scene in Heaven to see men & women who while on earth had everyone snowed – thought together – Jesus say Depart …..

1. The Leaven of the SADUCEES was MATERIALISM
2. The Sadducees were men who used their religious position for material gain .
3. The Sad. Came from the leading families in the nation – the Priest / the merchants & the aristocrats
4. The high priest & the most powerful members of the priesthood were mainly SAD.

1. Many wealthy lay people were also SAD.

1. They enjoyed privileged positions in society and managed to get along well under Roman rule.

1. This may be the reason why the Sadducees gave the impression of wanting to preserve things as they were.

1. Because Any movement that might upset their order and authority was dangerous in their eyes.

PHARISEES, who had made the traditions surrounding the Law almost

as important as the Law itself.

1. The Sadducees insisted that only the laws that were written in the law of

Moses (the PENT. the first 5 books of the (O.T. ) were really binding.

b) One of the main reasons their – Leaven is equated w/ MATERIALISM is

2. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead or the immortality of the soul, / heaven – SAD –U – CEE
3. They didn’t believe in rewards or punishments handed out after death, no heaven or hell

1. For that Reason – they were very focused on the here & now – wealth & possessions now .

Things had become so bad that Annas the Chief Priest who was a Sad. had a Racket going in the temple – ( Swap Meet )- "Bazaar of Annas,"

1. Annas. was a corrupt and vile man, who saw the Temple and his exalted position only as means to personal power and wealth.
2. This Bazaar or business enterprise that he set up the in the Court of the Gentiles was run by the other priests like a temple franchise
3. Merchants would buy rights to a concession for selling sacrificial animals, wine, oil, or salt,

1. or for exchanging money into the proper currency to be used in the Temple offerings. ( Desecration of The temple)

1. Priest would inspect – find blemish – you need to buy one of these & Annas & his boys the other priest received a cut !!!

1. In essence Jesus was saying Don’t become pre-occupied w/ this life don’t seek to store up treasures here !!

1. – HEAVEN – STORE UP TREASURE THERE !!!!!!

1. In Some ways these SAD. Could be compared w/ some of the modern day religious leaders – especially those in the " FAITH MOVEMENT"

1. Who place such a huge emphasis on the here & Now – God wants you Healthy & Wealthy – get saved & get rich

1. Really get saved - & give so I can get rich / Plant that seed faith offering 10 dollars God will give it back – 100/ 100 – 1000

1) If they really believed what they preached they should have huge signs / come to Church today – giving away 100 dollars bills / God will bless us

2. Instead of writing letters asking for money they should just send out checks .
3. Instead they dupe people into believing this false teachings – they wear

$ 1000. Dollar suits/ drive Lexus / live in mansions

1. Watch out – for that mentality/ it starts small/ – begins w/ a lack of contentment – feeling that says – just a little more
2. Like Leaven it begins to spread to that point where you begin to compromise your convictions / morals / priorities –

1. Because you only want to "do a little better - So You can get a little more / bend the rules / cheat a little here / cut corners

b) Forsake your spiritual life – to where coming to church & doing Bible study is no longer a priority

1. working two jobs or tons of over time …. Get ahead / retire

1. Possessions are fine as long as they don’t possess you!!!! As long as you can afford them / as long as they stay in proper place – Just stuff

Wisdom from Corrie ten Boom, that saintly lady who endured such brutality from the Nazis in Ravensbruck during World War II, she once said

that she had learned to hold everything loosely in her hand. She said she discovered, in her years of walking with Him, that when she grasped things tightly, it would hurt when the Lord would have to pry her fingers loose.

He & his wife Jeanne once dined with a rich man from a wealthy Boston family, Hendricks asked him, "How in the world did you grow up in the midst of such wealth and not be consumed by materialism?"

His answer: "My parents taught us that everything in our home was either an idol or a tool." / All in how do you view your possessions?

1. Herod Traded his soul for his lust – You recall – when John the Baptist confronted Herod because He was living w/ his Brothers wife/ Herodias
2. John being that bold man that He was/ called Herod to repent/ – How did Herod REACT to the truth ? RESPOND & REPENT – NO!!!!

1. HE RESISTED & REJECTED THE TRUTH -

1. He wanted more to be right w/ Herodias - than He wanted to be right w/ God .

3. Herodias actually wanted to have John executed on the spot – but Herod decided not to because – of John’s Popularity

1. And Marks gospel records Chapter 6:20 - Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and heard him gladly.

1. He knew that John was a man of God & he enjoyed listening to him talk at times – but not enough to Change
2. I wonder How many pp. who attend Church every Sunday are the same ? They enjoy it enough to come & hear the message / hear the word

1. So Herod put John in Prison – out of sight out of mind & out of ear shot

1. I will just ignore that voice of conviction by placing him in prison

B) One day – B. day party - Herodias daughter does this sensual dance –

that gets Herod & his buddies going –

1. Herod responds by telling her – that "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."

C) She goes back & tells mom – And Mom responds – John’s head

1. All because of Sensuality / Agrippa & Bernice similar story – You almost persuade me to become a Christian
2. Sad – story – Guy knew he was right w/ God – go to church – living in sin w/ an Atheist – He knew she would leave him .

BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF HEROD – SENSUALITY – so much around – need to be so careful – major attack !!!