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Amen Okay, we're in Matthew chapter 23 look down at your Bibles verse number one It says then spake Jesus to the multitude and to his disciples saying the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat all Therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observant do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders But they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers and the title of the sermon this morning Is the eight woes of the scribes and Pharisees the eight woes of the scribes and Pharisees? This is a famous chapter here in chapter 23 Dealing with Jesus Christ just completely ripping on and just demolishing the Pharisees Just say whoa after whoa after whoa in fact eight woes total in chapter 23 Just rebuking them for being such a wicked group of people religious leaders And he starts off by telling them there that they sit in Moses seat Therefore they whatever they tell you to observe and do if they're telling you according to the Word of God They should do that but not after their works because of the fact that they say and they don't do What does that mean? It means that they're hypocrites. Okay, they say something but do something but do the exact opposite They'll bind heavy burdens upon people grievous to be born They'll tell them to keep these commandments and keep these traditions But they themselves are not willing to lift up their fingers to actually do the same Now who are the scribes because we hear a lot about the Pharisees, right? We hear about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, but not a whole lot about the scribes well, the scribes were men who basically were used to pen down the Word of God and Meticulously copy it over and over and over again. This is where that this is their job Now when we think of scribes, we automatically have this negative connotation, right? Because what the vast majority of the scribes in the New Testament were false prophets, okay There are false teachers false prophets. Jesus is constantly rebuking them But the thing is is that the scribes are not always these pompous wicked false teachers And in fact, there are tons of examples of the Old Testament of scribes who were righteous These men that were used of God to pen down the Word of God They were used they were they were they would work alongside a prophet who would receive the vision from God the Word of God And then they were used to pen it down you think of Ezra the scribe, right? The Bible tells us that he was already scribe in the law of Moses the Bible says this guy He was a righteous man. He knew the Word of God. He was a scribe you think of Baruch who assisted Jeremiah and penning down the Word of God and by the way, this is why they're called scribes You think of the word scribble right scribbles to write something down or even in Spanish You have the word escriba, which means to basically write and this is why they're called scribes now they were not only responsible for copying the Word of God, but there are also responsible for teaching it and Interpreting it because if you think about it, you have a person who's constantly writing the Word of God over and over again They're gonna learn it. They're gonna be able to interpret it In fact, this is why God commanded the kings of the Old Testament to write out a copy of the law themselves so that the Word of God would be In their heart so they would learn to fear the Lord their God all the days of their life And you know what? There's something about writing the Bible. There's something about reading the Word of God every single day you you're not only just Writing it you're in taking the information that it's present that's presented there And so if you're if they're constantly writing out the Bible constantly copying it. They're gonna learn it They're gonna learn how to interpret it, etc So this is this shows you that basically these men these scribes they're held accountable for a lot, right? Because they have not only do they have the Word of God their job their full-time job is to write it out To copy it to teach it to instruct others to interpret it, etc Now this is also why they're referred to as lawyers Okay and we know that lawyers is synonymous with scribes because when you look at different portions of the gospels the parallel passages to example to Matthew 23 Where Jesus Christ is rebuking them He says won't you scribes and lawyers the parallel passages says won't you lawyers and Pharisees or excuse me in Matthew 23? Won't you scribes and Pharisees and then in the parallel passages won't you lawyers and Pharisees? They're the exact same thing Basically stating that a lawyer is someone who practices and interprets the law. Okay, this is why they're referred to as lawyers today So these labels were synonymous now, let me say this is that the scribes and the lawyers they had their place in the Bible You know, these men were used of God they had a valuable place in the Word of God They had a position and it was a legitimate position of authority where they can teach the Word of God However, there was a sect of the religious leaders who did not have a part nowhere in the Bible Which is the Pharisees a Pharisee was not an office that God had sanctioned at all. Okay, and this was a sect of religious leaders who basically were prominent during this time and You know, they didn't adhere to the Word of God as much as people claim that they did, you know They all will the Pharisees they just adhere to the first five books of the Bible, you know Genesis Exodus Leviticus numbers in Deuteronomy, that's what they wanted to adhere to the Torah You know the the Pentateuch no, that's a lie And in fact, we know that to be true because of the fact that they their main agenda Was to emphasize and foment the tradition of the elders Also known as the Talmud there's so-called oral law we know that to be true because in the New Testament we see that the Pharisees were constantly condemning the disciples and Telling them, you know Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders, right? They're saying full well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep the traditions of the elders They made the Word of God of none effect through their traditions the Bible says So what does that tell us it tells us that the Pharisees held the Talmud and the oral law traditions Over even the Word of God even to the point where they would hold it and make and just completely reject the Word of God The Word of God was not important to them It was their oral traditions and it still exists today known as the Talmud I mean you speak to your average Jew your average Pharisee or rabbi or whatever you want to call them They'll literally and you start quoting the Old Testament to them and you start telling them about you know The first five books of the Bible, you know, they'll tell you you need to put that away You need to get yourself a Talmud, you know, you need to put that away You need to adhere to the Talmud wife because that's their authority. The Word of God is not their authority. The Talmud is Okay. Now that's not to say that some of them were not misled You know, there's some Pharisees who were receptive and we see that even in the book of John where they believed on Christ But here's the thing is that the vast majority of them were not only not saved They were actually very wicked people. Okay, and in fact, they embodied what a false prophet is Okay, you know if you want to learn the attributes of a false prophet you would do well just to study the Pharisees Because they exerted all of the attributes and characteristics of false prophets of then and today All right, and many of what we see much of what we see in Matthew 23 We can point to some false prophet out there today and say well, yeah, that's exactly what they do. Okay? You know, they criticize that conspired against and ultimately they crucified Jesus Christ The the Pharisees the scribes the Sadducees the Pharisees these men were the ones responsible for being the main antagonist of Jesus and Christians whether in the Gospels or even in the book of Acts These were the enemies of the gospel and this is why Jesus is constantly preaching against them and condemning them for it Now here in Matthew 23 as I mentioned we find the famous passage where Jesus just basically he's had enough And this isn't the first time that he's mentioned them But this is the time where he just spends a lot of time and just says woe unto you you hypocrites You know scribes and Pharisees and he begins to call out their sins by name and just completely rip on them And we find the eight woes Here in Matthew 23 now, what is a woe well woe means distress distress anguish and or misery So he's basically saying misery upon you destruction distress He said why is he saying that he's basically telling them you guys are gonna split hell wide open That's what he's telling them because hell is filled with distress anguish and misery and he's saying woe unto you Hell's coming upon you because of these things Okay, you know some of the most, you know, obviously people who reject Jesus Christ are going to hell But the reality is is that there's aspects of hell that are hotter than others you know the lower you get the hotter it is right and guaranteed these people receive the greater condemnation the greater damnation and many of these Pharisees even today are Burning in the lowest hell because of the fact that they were religious leaders. They not only rejected Jesus Christ They hated Jesus not only did they hate Jesus, but they taught other people to hate Jesus now No, they teach other people to hate Jesus. They perverted the right ways of the Lord This was this was their full-time job So you can see why? God is basically telling them you're gonna receive a greater damnation. Hell is gonna be hot for you Wicked person. Okay, and that goes for any false prophet But how much more for those who were actually responsible for crucifying Jesus? Okay, who were used in that manner to do so so the scribes the Pharisees, you know The lawyers the Sadducees these were wicked people There were your modern-day false prophets who completely went against the Word of God They sought to be the enemies of Christians and hinder the work of God so on and so forth now Let's look at the let's look at the eight woes and I think this might be a two-part series We might go for and for the the remainder for tonight But we're gonna go over at least four this morning. Now. Let's look at the first one. Look at verse number 13 So keep in mind he's saying woe unto you because he's basically saying you're going to hell You're gonna split hell wide open distress anguish misery upon you He says in verse 13, but won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites? So why'd you yell like that? Cuz there's an exclamation mark It's not you know, they they make these little cartoons of Jesus and it's like won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites You know and it's just like what in the world that's not how he spoke he didn't speak like some queer You know, Jesus was not a queer. Jesus was a man's man. And when he put an exclamation mark, he's saying Hypocrites why because he he hates them He said why he hated the Pharisees. Well, look look at verse number 34 now remember a couple months ago I talked about Isaiah chapter 6 and how God was looking for a prophet to go and harden the hearts of the people and Isaiah said here am I send me and he's like go there and preach the Word of God and Harden their hearts that they may not see and they may not hear and be converted and I should heal them He's like go make them reprobates. Well, look what it says in verse 34 Wherefore behold this is all in context of the Pharisees I send them to you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them you shall kill and Crucify and some of them you shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city Why that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of Righteous Abel until the blood of Zechariah son of Barakas whom ye slew between the temple and the altar So what is he saying? I'm gonna send you the best pastures the best prophets scribes to give you the Word of God so that you can be responsible for their blood So not only you're responsible not only is their blood on your hands But even the righteous blood that was shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel. I Mean he wants them to just receive the condemnation so bad He wants them to be responsible for even the blood of righteous Abel. How is that? Well, because they're the generation of Vipers, they are the children of the fathers who killed the prophets who killed the scribes who killed those who were sent unto God's people to give them the Word of God, you know, that's not a very loving thing to do there Right to send all this knowledge and wisdom in order to harden their hearts So that they can be accountable for their blood think about that So go back to verse 13 So we're looking at a people whom God hates Okay But won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites? Look what it says here for you. Shut up the kingdom of heaven against Against is that conjunction meaning before before men for you neither go in yourselves Neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in So why is this first woe being displayed? Why is it being declared upon the Pharisees? Well because of the fact that they inhibited people from getting saved This is evil. This is very wicked Okay, he's saying look you're shutting up the kingdom of heaven before men You're not even going in yourself, but you're you're not allowing those who are entering in to go in right, you know You can see why Jesus has given them such a strong condemnation Because of the fact that when you when a person's objective is to obstruct the way of salvation That person is a wicked individual. Okay, we have examples of this today. You have the Mormons for example Who literally will go door-to-door? preaching their false gospel of Moroni You know and their false doctrine their false gospel and that's their job They seek to pervert the ways of the Lord and damn people to hell, you know, whoa into them Hell's gonna be hot for that individual. How about the Jehovah's Witnesses now given they do it very slowly Nor do I least the Mormons have bikes The Jehovah's Witnesses just dragged their feet, but hey still they're seeking to Pervert the ways of the Lord and inhibit people from getting saved and hearing about the truth and look even if even if you know They do it slowly the mere fact that they're rejecting the deity of Christ is a manner in which they are inhibiting people from getting Saved they're perverting the ways of the Lord, but we're talking about the Jews here We're talking about the Pharisees, you know The this is why the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 11 that as concerning the gospel. They are enemies for your sakes You know because it anomaly says that they're trying to shut up the kingdom of heaven before men It even says there neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in so those are going in they're trying to hinder those People, you know, they're trying to lead people astray in doctrine trying to get people to come back under the law I mean don't we see an example of that in the book of Galatians where the region of Galatia was being influenced by Judaizers and Many of those who were in Galatia were saved However, you have these false brethren they were creeping in unawares Seeking to pervert doctrine and turn people away from the truth and trying to get people back under the law You know to obey to go under the weak and beggarly elements of this world, right? So it's like it's like if they can't stop you from getting saved and they're just gonna try to hinder you as much as Possible from carrying out the work of God. Okay now Matthew 1017 says but beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues This is one way that they're seeking to hinder Christians. Okay in the New Testament Now go with me if you would to go to Luke chapter 11 if you would hold your place there in Matthew chapter 23 Now how what what is a way that they are shutting up the kingdom of God before men Against men well, it tells us in Matthew 23 verse 4 for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's Shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers So as the religious leaders of that day, they were teaching the people. Hey, you gotta keep the law of Moses You know, these are the same people that were saying except ye be circumcised after the law of Moses. Ye cannot be saved Well, then what about the ladies? You Know no one thought to ask him like what about my wife? What about my daughter? What about my sister, you know? But it's it's you know And these are the same men who were basically saying you have to keep the commandments of Moses You got to keep the commandments of God. No, the Bible says therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law for you know by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified the Bible says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves? It is the gift of God not of works that any man should boast and look we have the same problem today There's false prophets false teachers today that are seeking to pervert the ways of the Lord. Now. Some people are not false prophets. They're just Misled, you know, we're out sowning yesterday by the way sowning was great yesterday We got five people saved not one person mentioned the coronavirus except for the Chinese community Okay, but all the Mexicans were pretty they're pretty receptive and it was funny. I talked to this guy You know, he's smoking a cigarette and he's drinking, you know, like he's had alcohol in his breath and You know, I asked him 100% sure if he died today you go to heaven He's like, of course, you just gotta believe on Jesus Christ. Can you lose your salvation? Of course, you can lose your salvation He's like, how can you just like live like the world and do all these things and you know He goes you're trying to tell me this and that I'm just like what in the world And he literally said this he's saying he's like look we're not saved by grace through faith the Bible does not say that And so this is what I said. This is what I said with my face. I went You know one of those this is too easy So I'm like, let me just show you them, you know Ephesians 2 verse 8. He looked at he's like hmm Cuz what do you say? I mean he literally quoted the Bible saying that the Bible didn't say what the Bible says Like word by word, you know It's by faith. Amen And and thank God that it's by faith because you know, it doesn't require our works. It doesn't require our effort It requires our belief our faith in Christ. Okay, not just faith in yourself Obviously not faith in yourself at all. Not just you know, you just got to believe in God No, you have to place your faith in the finished work of Christ to be saved Trust only in him now look at Luke 11 52 says this is a parallel passage to Matthew 23 He says woe unto you lawyers For ye have taken away the key of knowledge Ye enter not in yourselves and them that were entering ye in entering in ye hindered So here it says in Luke 11 52 what it basically says in Matthew 23 The only difference is he's saying you're taking away the key of knowledge Now, what is the key faith? Is the key that opens the door of salvation? Okay Faith is the key that opens the door of salvation. And so what are they doing? Well, they're seeking to take that away This is why the Bible says who is a liar, but he did deny that Jesus is the Christ He is anti Christ that denied the father and son You know, the main objective of the Pharisees is to deny Jesus Christ is to get people to go away from faith in Christ I mean look folks even when Jesus Christ resurrected You know, he's resurrected. He's out and about the Pharisees literally came to the Roman soldiers and said look change your story This is what you're gonna say. And if anybody asks you will basically back you up I mean how wicked do you have to be even when Jesus Christ resurrects you see that he's there You're still not willing to believe not only are you not willing to believe You want you still don't want others to believe Why because they're liars Okay Whosoever denied the son the same hath not the father he that acknowledged that the son hath the father also, by the way This is why Jews today are not saved Like well, they believe in God Jehovah God. No, they don't Jesus is Jehovah And if they're denying Jesus, they can't have the father You know, no man cometh unto the father but by me the Bible says go to John chapter number 10 If you would John chapter number 10 So to take away the key of knowledge, they're trying to remove faith in Christ and put it put people back under the law their traditions circumcision keeping the law of Moses But here's the thing The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ the Bible says The law is there to show us that we need a Savior, okay, it's not there for us to keep You know the same guy that I talked to you yesterday. He's like, yeah, you got to keep the Ten Commandments It's almost like did you know there's more than Ten Commandments in the Bible? Ten Commandments is just the Ten Commandments, but there's far more Commandments not only in the Old Testament there's a ton of Commandments in the New Testament and None of them can save you. Okay So they're trying to take away the key of knowledge. Look at John chapter 10 By the way in John chapter 9 he just finishes his Conversation with the Pharisees there and he segues into this This example here looking for us number one barely barely I say to you he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold But climbeth up some other way the same as the thief and a robber So who is he talking to the Pharisees? He said you're trying to climb up some other way. I'm the door But you're trying to climb up to the window you trying to go over the door around them from the from from the back door You're a thief and a robber, you know, someone comes to your house and tries to Climb in through the window. You're gonna think it's some thief or robber and you're gonna take out your 9-millimeter and gun that dude down Right someone's trying to climb in through the back door and they're trying to come in some other way You're gonna think this person's coming to steal something. This person's coming to kill this person's coming to destroy Because the proper way to come into a house is through the door and this is why he says that he is the door Look at verse 2 but he that enterth him by the door is the shepherd of the sheep to him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and Leadeth him out and when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice and A stranger referring to the Pharisees will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not The voice of strangers. So what is he teaching sheep know Jesus the sheep of Jesus the sheep of God know Jesus, right? They're not gonna follow some stranger. They're not gonna follow the Pharisees Now the fine irony look at verse 6 this parable spake Jesus unto them the Pharisees But they understood not what things which were spake which he spake unto them Like I don't get what you're saying. It's like yeah point proven because you're not my sheep The sheep know the shepherds voice verse 7 then said Jesus unto them again Verily verily I saying to you. I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers But the sheep did not hear them I am the door by me If any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture The thief cometh not before to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and then I have it more abundantly You say no verse 10 is referring to the devil same thing The Pharisees the devil Judaism Judaism Jews all the same thing according to God You know the Pharisees were thieves They were coming to steal they were coming to kill they were coming to destroy people's lives. Okay Go to go with me if you went to Galatians chapter number one So you can see why this condemnation is so strong upon the Pharisees Because their full-time job was to cause people to just not believe on Jesus not place their faith on the finished work of Christ But rather pervert the ways of the Lord and get people to come under the law of Moses and look Jesus said if you would have believed Moses you would have believed me because he wrote of me You know Moses wrote of Jesus and in fact Moses is symbolic of Jesus in many ways in the Old Testament You know and they say well, you know, we are of Abraham But you're you're not doing Abraham's work You know and what he's basically he's telling them there is what they're saying is well We're directly descended from Abraham and then you know in John chapter 8 and we'll get into what he Responds with in just a bit. Look at Galatians 1 verse 7 Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and will pervert the gospel of Christ But though we are an angel from heaven preach any other gospel into you than that which we have preached unto you Let him be a curse now, wouldn't you say there's a lot of application to this verse I mean one of the strongest applications we can make is to the Mormons right because it literally says or an angel from heaven You know Moroni who's having trouble keeping his trumpet up right now because that earthquake that took place You know the day gone situation that happened there Obviously, that's pretty clear right there. But let me say this the original perverts of the gospel are the Jews Okay, and he says there that they are a curse what does that mean they're damned and In case you didn't get it the first time He right he says it again verse 9 as we said before so say I know again If any man preaching like like word for word He just said repeats it. He just writes it again If any man preach any other gospel unto you that then that ye have received Let him be a curse. Let him be damned. Let him go to hell anathema the Bible tells us Why because of the fact that this is a very wicked Person who would seek to try to sell the gospel to try to make people think that the gospel something that can be earned It's something that you could put your effort into into gaining. It's something that you can buy It's something that you can work for whereas Jesus Christ is saying you're a thief and a robber Because you're seeking to steal the glory from me Right someone who can work their way to heaven they can glory right? That's why the Bible says not of works lest any man should boast Okay, the Bible says in Matthew 5 20 for I say to you that except your righteousness Shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Now, let me just clarify something. This is not saying that the Pharisees were righteous at all it's kind of being facetious here is what he's doing and He's basically stating that their righteousness are as filthy rags in the eyes of God And so our righteousness needs to exceed that but here's the thing we can't therefore We need the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be imputed unto us That is how we can exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees by taking someone else's righteousness who is perfect like Jesus Okay Bible says that he who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him The Bible says okay. So the modern-day application to this would be like the Mormons the Jehovah's Witnesses Hey, how about the Hebrew roots movement who are seeking to pervert the ways of the Lord? How about hyper dispensationalist? Right that are seeking to pervert the ways, you know, Charles Lawson Robert breaker all these damnable heretics that are gonna split hell wide open These people are wicked. Well, you know Charles Lawson believes that salvation is eternal. Do you can't lose it? Well ask him what he thinks about the Old Testament salvation. How can salvation be eternal in? This dispensation you have you no concept what eternal means? Means forever doesn't have a beginning and an end but according to the hyper dipsticks The beginning is the church AIDS and the end is the end of that church at age You're saved by the sacrifices in the Old Testament it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin folks That's what the Bible says These were a shadow of things to come and look I know some dispensation is out there. They're saved Okay, because they believe in the right way of salvation But you give me like a guy like Peter Ruckman Charles Lawson These are false prophets that are gonna split split hell wide open well into them For they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men and they're trying to seek to hinder those who are entering in the Bible says And look if you want more information about dispensationalism watch our film dispensation of heresy That's all they're dispensing is heresy. Okay Just thought I'd throw that in there Hebrew roots etc go back to Matthew 23 God takes this serious folks You know This is a serious condemnation and look someone who like doesn't go to church never really heard a clear presentation of the gospel Maybe heard about Jesus and they don't get saved. You know, they're gonna go to hell too But here's the thing. There's a there's a greater Punishment a greater condemnation to the person who has the knowledge. I mean think about the scribes You know the Bible says Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are which testify of me Right. That's what Jesus said. So think about the scribe who's constantly reading the Word of God constantly copying the Word of God They're seeing Jesus, you know when Jesus spoke to the disciples on the road to Emmaus He says beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them and all the scriptures of things concerning himself So He's constantly talking about the Word of God when you read the Bible you read Jesus Jesus is on every page and it's in every he's in every book of the Bible because the entire Word of God is about Jesus he is the Word of God and so for someone to read the Word of God and And and see the truth of God's Word and not be able to come to that knowledge and say well Jesus is God You know or for a so wanted to come to a lost person and say this is what the Bible says Here's the gospel and they just completely reject it reject it. You know, that person's condemnation is worse Okay, because to whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required This is what the Bible says now They both go to hell The person who just doesn't get saved or the person who knows the truth and still doesn't get saved They both go to hell. It's just that this one splits in a little more Than the other one because of the knowledge that they have okay Think about that. I mean God Seeks to punish wicked people with the greater punishment. This is this this should exemplify this should show you The the wrath of the extent of God's wrath Where someone who's a reprobate for example already a reprobate. He'll send a more truth More info more of God's Word just to make their damnation that much more Crazy, you know, you don't use that to someone you love. Okay Go back to Matthew 23. So that's the first whoa Look at verse 14. It says won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites by the way? He just repeats that over and over. It was like we know who you're talking about But he just wants to like drive in the point. You guys are hypocrites Won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayer Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. So I want you to notice that he says that they devour Widows houses now, what is this referring to? Well, they're basically taking advantage of the innocent in order to get unjust gain Okay, because we know according to the Bible that the Pharisees were a very covetous people They didn't care about spiritual truth didn't even care about the temple, you know later on We'll see that they make a big deal about the temple But what they're really making a big deal about is the gold that was in the temple You know They didn't wine then you can swear by the temple you want as long as you didn't swear by the altar as long as you Just swear by the goal, you know because that is what they would focus on That is what they loved was money now go with me if you went to Luke chapter 16 Luke chapter 16 and mark it down This is an attribute of a false prophet. They love money now Obviously, there's different characteristics and different strengths so to speak of different False prophets you have one false prophet whose agendas to teach false doctrine damn people to hell Other false prophets come into church and they want to become the pastor or leader in order to molest people To take advantage of them physically, but then you also have your false prophet who isn't necessarily concerned with those things What they like is money You know a modern-day example of this is Joel steam Right that man loves money Okay, and you know think of Rick Warren for example these people love money and even within independent fundamental Baptist circles There's false prophets who are pastoring because they love money They want job security. They want to make money they that this is why they sell things in church in Order so they can continue making that filthy lucre. Okay? This is a characteristic that we see of the Pharisees. Look look at Luke 16 verse 13 It says no servant can serve two masters Well, it doesn't say you can't ride two horses, okay For either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon and the Pharisees also who were covetous Heard all these things and they derided him now define irony He says there either he will hold to the one and despise the other they hear this and they derided him What is that showing you basically there I mean point proven if they're deriding him if they're hating Jesus It's because they love money. That's why it's no accident that it says who were covetous Showing us. It's just like an immediate example of this of someone who's covetous and because of that they derive Jesus they hate Jesus Etc. Okay, go with me if you would to Luke chapter number 20 Luke chapter 20 They devour widows houses they take advantage of people it said it goes on to say In Luke 16, it says in verse 15 He said unto them you are they which justify yourselves before men But God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the side of God What does that teach us if you have a religious leader who is just highly esteemed amongst the saved and the unsaved? You don't got yourself a religious leader. You got yourself a politician But you also got yourself an abomination Because you cannot be a man of God and not be hated by the vast majority of people in this world Why because the Word of God goes against the grain of what most people believe and adhere to? And the Word of God is gonna rub people the wrong way And if you have a man standing up saying the truth of what God says You're gonna take off a couple people more than a couple However, when you have a guy who just makes everyone happy They're just saying all the right things. They have these flattering words. People are happy with everything that they say They're highly esteemed. God says that person is an abomination Because he has diverse weights Okay, and he is basically teaching false doctrine in order to please the masses now when it talks about him They devouring widows houses. It's interesting that he uses that term right to devour something Matthew 7 says beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing But inwardly they are ravening wolves the Bible says so you think of a wolf who's just seeking to devour The financial resources of people church members. This is what they were doing. Okay, and look I've known false prophets personally and This is before I even really Had a firm grasp of this doctrine of false prophets in the Bible and their characteristics and attributes But in hindsight, you know you think about is like whoa that person was a false prophet, you know When literally they're telling you things like, you know Hey pray for this family who just came to our church and it's like because they got money You know brand new family in our church. We don't know if they're saved We don't know and I'm thinking he's saying pray for them so we can like Witness to them so we can get him saved so they can have eternal life He's like no pray for them that they stay because they have money What does that tell us you have your mom you have yourself a modern-day Judas Iscariot there? Who is covetous and is ravening is ravening over the finances of the people they try to devour widows houses and Literally, I saw this take place because they're the same guy Was seeking to devour the house of a of a what is it a male widower? Right. This man was a widower had a lot of money in the bank and he was getting sick and somehow this pastor convinced that man To basically give him all the money in case he passes away Wicked person that didn't even pass away either, you know, and so it but he ended up staying with the money It's very evil very wicked They seek to take advantage of people But it goes on to say in Matthew 23 that they vow widows houses and for a pretense Make long prayer Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation now. What does pretense mean? Well, we see the definition in Luke chapter 20 in verse 46 It says beware of the scribes look down at your Bibles beware of the scribes which desire to walk in long robes So, you know Think of like the Methodist the Lutherans the priests they wear these long robes and love greetings in the markets Oh Pharisee rabbi master and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts They like the clout in other words, right? It says which devour widows houses and for a show So what does pretense mean means a show for a show make long prayers the same shall receive the greater damnation So let me ask you this are the Pharisees praying making long prayers because they're praying without ceasing You know, they're just praying and they're not fainting. They're burning both ends of the candles They're trying to spend that hour in prayer because they want to see people save No, it says here that it's for a pretense They want to pray make a long prayer in order for you to believe that they are spiritual. They're like holier than thou's, okay Now look, there's nothing wrong with praying long by yourself in Private and I encourage everyone. Amen when you're by yourself, you know, there's no example in the Bible of how long you should pray And let me just confess to you I've had times when my prayers were shorter I've had times when my prayers were longer, you know what in these days my prayers have gotten a little longer Because of the events, you know, you just you have more needs right spend more time in prayer, but you know, that's in private I'm not like oh god. I'm not here. Oh god. Oh god You know trying to show everyone how I pray and look I've seen people like that. I remember in Bible college Okay, there's this guy and I Mean he fit this description to a tee Yeah, I put on the AC brother Marcos. I put the I put the heater on because I want to kill the virus I'm just kidding You know this guy he was he was This guy was all about the pretense and I remember literally this guy would walk down the aisle Like he would with Bible open and literally like read the Bible as he's walking through crowds and stuff And then like, you know, he would or he would go into the auditorium early in the morning and the auditorium You know, the the acoustics were very loud So if you if you spoke in the auditorium, it could be heard he would like read the Bible out loud He would pray out loud so that everyone can hear him Why because he wanted everyone to think that he was like the spiritual person But what it showed us was just he's just a hypocrite and it was annoying to be quite honest with you It's just like you yeah, you know who I'm talking about he went to your church Europe your former church. Sorry Yeah, we all we all know who this guy is. Okay He didn't come to this church, right? but it was for a pretense and he would literally, you know, because I remember I had my office upstairs and My office basically was upstairs and on the other side was the auditorium So you can I can hear everything and he's just like screaming out just praying and just for God's power and you know God, you know use me and all these things and it's just like Dude, you're not even I know you're not sincere about this Okay, you're not sincere You know, you know, there's people here you want people to see you you want people to think that you're spiritual and Is it any any coincidence that the same guy was condemning Pastor Shiflet on his sermon, you know, he pastor Shiflet preached against that wicked pedophile and he preached it and that guy hopped on there He's just like hey brother. You shouldn't do this. This is wrong. You know, I I act right preach right dress right talk, right? He goes, I'm as right as you can get, you know to the right as you can get, you know But this is unacceptable. It's like shut your mouth You wicked person. Why would you even say that? I act right talk right look right. No, you first of all, you don't look right Okay, and who that according to who is what I want to ask like according to who do you look right? but people do this to make you know for a pretense in order for them to Exemplify how spiritual they are and what does this remind me of this reminds me of Pentecostal churches, for example That's all I mean that's a circus when you go into a Pentecostal Church And they're just like they're going all crazy and they want people to think like wow this person's like really filled with the Spirit Yeah, you're right. He is filled with the Spirit. This is not the Holy Spirit Some demonic evil wicked spirit and there they are doing that to make a show to try to make themselves look more Spiritual than they really are, you know, the Bible tells us that we ought to go into our closets when we pray, right? Go to Matthew chapter 6, let's look at that So it says for a show make long prayers the same shall receive the greater damnation And don't ask me how long is long I Would say long as long as when we're praying for the food and you just keep going It's just like okay, man Amen needs to be right around the corner. You know, we're we're trying to teach our children to pray You know, we pray for the food and and I'll pray for the food and then my son will say my turn my turn My turn and then he'll like pray for the missionaries. He'll pray for the church. He'll pray for the corona virus He'll pray for everything and then we just have to slip in there in Jesus name and Jesus and he's like and for mom and dad In Jesus name, you know It's just like when you pray for your food in public just make it as basic as possible Look when I pray I just say unless there's something going on that I feel like I need to bring up every time I pray or Something, you know, it's just like Lord. Thank you for this food bless it bless the fellowship to follow in Jesus name Amen. Well, that's not very spiritual. You need to make sure you put some feeling into it You know, you got to make sure you why don't you cry when you pray? Well, cuz I'm not trying to make a pretense. I'm not trying to make a show You know, let's do the weeping let's do the emotional stuff behind closed doors Or only God can see us, right? You know look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 1 It says take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven Therefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogue Synagogues and in the streets now, he doesn't say scribes or Pharisees or lawyers, but he calls them hypocrites, which is synonymous Okay That they may have glory of men verily I say to you they have their reward So do we see that they try to do alms to help people? Because they care for people they they want to love others as they love themselves or love others as they love the Lord No, they do it because they want men to glorify them And God says all right, you have your reward The reward you wanted was to be recognized of men. That's exactly what you're gonna get nothing more He says in verse 3, but when thou doest thine alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth In other words be discreet, okay It says that thine alms may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee Openly and when thou prayest thou shall not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray Standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men verily I say to you They have their reward So these guys are literally on the street corners hands lifted up praying out loud with their long robes their Phylacteries, you know making broad their garments. They want the glory of men is what they want verse 6 says But thou will now prayest enter into thy closet And when thou has shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret Shall reward thee openly, but when ye pray use not vain repetition Catholics As the heathen do You know Orthodox churches For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking Okay, and look I'm so sick and tired of Catholic saying well, you know, we got to pray the Lord's Prayer the Lord's Prayer That's why it's in the Bible. Well, that's funny. Why is it that every other time we see people praying after that? That's the only time we see it being prayed I mean don't we have examples of people praying in the Bible in the New Testament? I don't hear them praying the Lord's Prayer Big problem there right if that's a prayer that everyone should be saying all the time Why is it that that's the only time and it's by Jesus? Well, that's great. I guess the disciples didn't get the memo They didn't really understand it. You know, they're praying in the New Testament. They're praying together and they're not quoting the Lord's Prayer You know, this is much speaking. This is prayer. That is vain It's a vain repetition where you have to say 50 Hail Mary's look folks. You're not getting anybody out of hell with that Because they'll have these vigils where people die They'll put a picture of the deceased in front of them and they'll just have these vain Repetitions over and over again because they got to lead the soul from hell out into you know From the underworld to heaven that doesn't work that way You know, it is appointed for a man once to die and after this the judgment and their torment shall be forever and ever They're not getting out of hell doesn't matter how many times you rate repeat that vain prayer. It's not going to happen It's just for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking be not ye therefore like unto them for your father knoweth what things he have need of Before ye ask him now Is there a time and place to repeat to God the needs that we have absolutely you think of Jesus? Went three times into the Garden of Gethsemane, you know, if that be willing, you know, not my will but thine be done Let this cup pass from me and he did that. He did that three times But let me say this his was a heartfelt prayer where there's a specific need until God gave him that peace and he basically Was what had the strength to take that cup to drink it and to be crucified to be to be Crucified but in here's the thing with us. It's the same thing You know, sometimes we have a need and we just don't have peace about it yet We just keep praying Lord, please provider. Please provide for this. Give me peace about this That's not a vain repetition. And in fact, that's a heartfelt Repetition of a prayer where we're asking God for something that the Bible calls that importune prayer When you come to God with importunity, okay, look at verse verse 16. I Feel like you put the heater on still Does it still feel hot in here? Let's all look at Marcos Verse 16 says moreover when you fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance For they disfigure their faces that they may appear into men to fast. They're just like what's wrong nothing Nothing's wrong. You know, they just want everyone to know that they're fast I've known people like that too. It's just like you're right. Yeah, I'm fine. Fine. What's wrong? I can't tell you I can't tell I can't tell you I'm fasting right now. I just can't say it Anoint thy face It says there they disfigure their faces they may appear into men to fast very late saying to you they have their reward But thou will now fastest anoint thine head and wash thy face That thou appeared not unto men to fast but unto the thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret Shall reward thee openly. I remember Doug Fisher was this guy He's one of the only people in this world that I know that fasted for 40 days So, how do you know that because he told us He tells he tells everyone about that and you know what it's like that stinks whatever you're fasting for You got your reward already, you know, and you know, I've known people who fasted for weeks on end And obviously when you start fasting for a couple weeks for spiritual reasons, I'm talking about Okay, you know and they're doing it for spiritual reasons. It's like obviously you can see it in their face Right, and there's like are you fasting like I can't say man. I can't really say I don't want to talk about it right now. It's just like You know, and I'm not saying don't fast for weeks. But but here's the thing is I Think there needs to be a balance to a lot of these things What I mean is this if you're gonna fast make sure you pray make sure you're working make sure you're doing something You know what I mean to get God's attention I think a lot of the times when people do those extended fasts for spiritual reasons. They do it to be seen of men Doug Fisher is a perfect example of that. He literally fasted for 40 days and just tells every church He goes to that he did that It's like wow that stinks there goes those 40 days You know so the modern day application to that would be this is that you know, let your let your Let your walk talk louder than your talk talks Right, you know prove your own self you go into your closet and pray when you fast don't sound the trumpet now If you're fasting to lose weight Go ahead sound the trumpet because you're gonna get your reward because you're gonna lose weight men. That's your reward Okay, go back to Matthew 23 This is the last point I'll give and then I'll finish the rest up later tonight We're talking about the woes of the scribes and the Pharisees Why is distress anguish and misery coming upon these wicked religious leaders? Well because of the fact they're hindering people from getting saved. They're devouring widows houses. They're making a pretense They're making a show of their so-called holiness. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the power they're up Right Look at verse 15. It says well into you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites For ye can pass sea and land to make one proselyte What is a proselyte convert and when he is made ye make them twofold more a child of hell than yourselves so why is Destruction coming upon them because of the fact that they produce rotten fruit Not just a false convert. They produce a child of hell This is not a child of disobedience. This is not a child of wrath This is not a child who walks according to the course of this world This is a child of hell. This is what's known as a son of Belial a reprobate Okay But I want you to notice their ambition They're willing to compass sea and land to go make children of the devil Now you and I can't comprehend that Because we're not reprobates. We're normal people But doesn't it boggle the mind to think that they're willing to pay the fare They're willing to spend their resources to just go corrupt people like the Mormons basically They save up from the time that they're like born up until their adulthood just so they can go on their stupid little missions trip You know to go make people twofold more a child of hell than themselves. That's literally their agenda This is how wicked they are now we know this to be true of the Pharisees why because there's a place called Crete and In Crete you have which is the islands of Crete you have the Pharisees infiltrating those areas They could pass sea and land in order to make converts in that area go to Titus chapter number one Titus chapter number one. We see this in the book of Titus I mean we see this in Galatia the regions of Galatia They're they're traveling distant areas to far and wide places in order to corrupt people This is why the condemnation is upon them to the uttermost Look at Titus 1 verse 9 This is the instruction that he's given to the people who will become pastors who Titus is going to ordain Says in verse number 9 holding fast a faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine Both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers Especially they have the circumcision. I'm glad he threw that in there. Look there's all kinds but especially most pesky Jews Right. That's what the circumcision is referring to the Jews Says in verse 11 whose mouths must be stopped Who subvert whole houses teaching things which they are not. Oh, look what it says for filthy lucre sake Are they teaching to edify are they teaching because they want to make converts know they're teaching because they need to make a paycheck for filthy lucre sake One of themselves even a prophet of their own said the Christians are always liars evil be slow bellies This witness is true wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed to Mormon fables to Palestinian fables No to Jewish Fables, oh, you're racist Tell that to Paul He wrote it and I believe it and I repeat it Jewish fables Jews Paul's savage man Don't give heed to those Jewish fables And come don't be a Jew Not giving heat to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth the Bible says So what does that what does that show us? It shows us that the Pharisees were there They were there trying to make filthy lucre Subvert whole houses devour widows houses same thing that they were doing Over in Jerusalem. They're trying to do in Crete over with the Gentiles. Okay, trying to cause them I mean they were not just going they were not just trying to keep Jews under the law They're trying to they're trying to bring Gentiles under the law as well So we see them seeking to deceive those in this region so on and so forth now I'm just gonna finish this part tonight because this is a really good point right here. Okay, because this is this is important This is what they do. Okay, and I'm talking about I'm not done with this point this will right here I'll finish this tonight. If you don't make it tonight, just watch it on the live stream I'm just saying it's better in person. Okay But what I'm saying is this is like now we know why he repeats this won't he scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and he says it eight times over because the deeds that they are responsible for are very wicked And he's holding them accountable. He's telling them you guys are gonna burn in hell is what he's saying You guys are anathema, you know for these wicked these that you do part two tonight Let's go ahead and bow our heads in a word of prayer father. We thank you so much for your word and Lord Thank you for chapter 23 and thank you for your preaching Lord Powerful powerful preaching here and I pray God that you'd help us to give heat to it so that we can Spot the false prophet spot the person who is who is guilty of these things and stay away from people like that But also that's not to say that some people who are saved can't get involved in some of these things obviously No one who's saved is going to hinder others from getting saved, but they can become covetous They can be responsible for making a show because they want the glory of men and I pray God that you'd help us to stray from that and Help us to give heed earnest heed to the things which we have heard today and not let them slip and in Jesus Name we pray. Amen