Christ Deals with Hypocrisy (Matthew #33)

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Text: Matthew 7:1-5

The world’s favorite verse.

Hypocrisy in God’s nation and the theme of hypocrisy in Israel throughout Matthew.

Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 – Hypocrites are menpleasers incapable of pleasing God. Hypocrites are slaves to the eyes of other men.

Matthew 15:7-9 – Love God with their mouth at church, hate God with their lives

You know why singing is such an easy replacement for preaching in church? Because people sing things they don’t mean all the time. It’s easy, and it feels good, to sing God I love you over and over again. But to submit to the word of God under preaching and living for the Lord, that’s the only thing that will change a hypocrite into an actual servant of God.
Hypocrite is his own measuring stick
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Lack self judgment
The measuring stick is the Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
  - Gifts of God known by scriptures – How do you know the things that are freely given by God? By God’s words. The scriptures are loved when they talk about the blessings of God.
  - Judgment of God is also known by the scriptures – The scriptures are hated when you’re shown your sin from the same book that showed you blessings.
  - But you’re not the origin of the blessings or the judgment.
- 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
  - This isn’t about someone not letting someone else judge them. The point is the spiritual man’s judgment originates from the word of God… the same as his blessings originate in the word of God.
- 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Matthew 16:1-4 – Hypocrite is blind to the obvious work of God.

Blind because he’s not looking for the work of God.
And because you’re blind you have no discernment about the things of God.

Matthew 22:15-21 – Hypocrites envy the righteous and want to destroy them.

Notice hypocrites want to catch the righteous in the same sin they are trapped in. Look closely at 22:16.
Image and ownership. Render to the owner what belongs to the owner. God made in man’s image.

Matthew 23:13-15, 23-29 – Hypocrite is a lost religious leech

Sucks the life out, but will not contribute to the work of God.
Pretend religious
Greater damnation
Verse 15 twofold the child of hell. Well, that hypocrite has no power to put anyone in hell. But they proselytize and bring them into their religion and once that person is in their religion they pile on guilt upon guilt upon guilt.

Matthew 24:50-51 – Hypocrisy is a sin that will wind you up in hell

The thing we have trouble with is the thing we hate to see in other people.
- Mote is a much smaller version of what’s in your hypocritical eye.
- Too blind to be of any help.
- Too concerned about policing others to concern themselves with their own relationship with the Lord.
And for some of you that is your undoing and is going to put you in hell because it always stands between you and being right with the Lord.

Critical spirit or gracious spirit?

It’s one thing to find fault so you look better, but it’s another thing to find fault so the other can be restored.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.