Example of the Scribes and Pharisees

Transcript

GR 723
10/6/1985
Example of the Scribes and Pharisees
Matthew 23:1-12
Gil Rugh

Turn to the Gospel of Matthew and the 23rd chapter. We come to a very crucial chapter in the life of Christ. It seems like we mention this about each chapter as we move along in our study of the New Testament, particularly the gospels. But chapter 23 stands out in a unique way for it gives us insight into an aspect of the character of Christ that is more fully developed in chapter 23 than in any other location in the New Testament. The various insights we get into Jesus Christ as He Ministers on earth. We see Him in His love, His compassion, His mercy, as He teaches and invites the people to salvation in His Father. We see Him as He reaches out and heals the sick and the afflicted, as He has compassion on the nation that is scattered as sheep without a shepherd. But Matthew chapter 23 gives us insight into a different aspect of the character of Christ. Apart from, the two occasions where Christ cleansed the temple, chapter 23 presents more clearly the wrath of Jesus Christ than any other chapter that talks about His earthly ministry. The entire chapter is given over to a subject that involves judgment and denunciation on the religious leaders in the nation Israel. The wrath of God is not a popular subject today. Some people like to talk about the love of God and the mercy of God--those are true traits of Jesus Christ and of His Father. But just as true is the wrath of Jesus Christ, and that is what is revealed in chapter 23. This is one of six discourses that Christ gave which Matthew has recorded. It is the last discourse given to the multitudes of the nation. Chapters 24 and 25 will be His concluding discourse and those will be directed towards His disciples. Here for the last time He addresses the nation, and the subj ect of that address is the wrath of God poured out upon those who reject the salvation that He has provided. That is a continuing theme in Scripture. Those who reject God's salvation; those who oppose the truth of God as He has revealed it in His Word will be the objects and the recipients of the wrath of God.

Look over in Romans chapter 1:16 Paul has said, "I am, not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ," the good news concerning Jesus Christ, "for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." For both Jew and Gentile, the good news concerning the finished work of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. It is the power of God that brings about salvation. When a person hears the message that Christ died for your sins according to the Scriptures, that lie was buried, that He was raised up the third day, when they believe that personally for themselves, the power of God works in their life to bring about forgiveness and cleansing and make them a new creature in Christ.

Then in verse 18 Paul says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." So God's salvation is revealed, but also God's wrath is revealed. And God's wrath is directed toward those who reject His righteousness, who reject His salvation.

In the 6th chapter of the Book of Revelation we are in what is called The Tribulation, that period of time between the rapture of the Church and the second coming of Christ, when God's wrath is being poured out upon the earth for the rejection of His truth. And in Revelation 6:16 you have the kings of the earth, the commanders, the rich and the strong as they stand in the face of the brunt of the wrath of God. And they cry out in verse 16, "They said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb."" Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, pouring out the awful wrath of God on those who have rejected the truth that God has revealed.

That's the subject of Matthew 23--those being talked about in Matthew 23 in verse 15 we're told, are scribes and Pharisees who are identified as hypocrites. They "travel about on sea and land to make one convert; and when he becomes a convert, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you yourselves." These are those who are on their way to hell and are in the process of gathering others for hell themselves. So they are objects of the wrath of God.

Now, this wrath is directed toward two groups who are identified as almost as one, although they are separate. In verse 2 of Matthew 23, Christ is talking about the scribes and the Pharisees; and you ought to keep in mind the setting of this instruction. Christ is in the temple. Over in Matthew 21:23 we are told He came into the temple--He does not leave the temple until chapter 24:1. So every- thing from 21:23 to chapter 24:1 is happening in the temple on the same day as Jesus gives His instruction. And He climaxes that instruction by speaking of the condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees who have opposed His entire ministry, who were set against Him before He began His ministry because they opposed the ministry of John the Baptist. This opposition will climax in a couple of days with His crucifixion at the hands of the religious leaders in the nation. Now they are revealed to be those who are under the wrath of God.

You ought to know a little bit about the scribes and Pharisees. The scribes had an honorable background. Their background went all the way back to the Old Testament. They were the official interpreters of the Mosaic Law, and they go back at least as far as Ezra. Go back to the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament, a book that is named after Ezra the Scribe, and tells us about the ministry of Ezra the Scribe. Look in chapter 7 of Ezra to get some idea of how the ministry of a scribe began and what really was the scribe's responsibility. In Ezra 7:9 we are told there that the good hand of God was upon him. God was using Ezra. And in verse 10 we read, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." So you see what Ezra does? He studies the law, He practices the law, and he teaches it to the nation Israel. The scribes were experts in the law. They gave themselves to the study of the law and then to the teaching of the law to the people of Israel. Look at the next book of the Old Testament, Nehemiah, chapter 8, and here we find Nehemiah carrying out his scribal function. They are gathered in his presence, interestingly, at the Water Gate, in verse 1, and there they ask Ezra the Scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses. So Ezra is not only a scribe but also a priest, he brings the law to read it to the people of Israel. And you'll note, these are the older ones in Israel. (Sometimes we hear questions of whether we should have our babies in the auditorium or not, well at least Ezra didn't!) And I find myself in the line of Ezra, because in verse 2 and in verse 3 it was those who could hear the law with understanding that are gathered in the presence of Ezra. So I assume they had a children's service on the side. But we want verse 8, "And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading." So Ezra and the men associated with him are reading the law to the people of Israel. And they are translating it-- probably taking it from Hebrew to Aramaic so all the people could understand it in their common language. And explaining it to the nation so they could understand the law. "And all the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them." Then on the second day all the people of all the leaders "were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law." So that's where we see the foundation for the office of scribe--one who gave himself to the study of the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly the law of Moses. He studied it and interpreted it and then communicated it to the people that they might understand it. It was a very honored position in Israel, and rightly so.

Now what had happened over time was that the scribes had become more and more involved in the details of the law, and as they studied it they began to expand it. If God said you should not do something on the Sabbath, they took it upon themselves to add all the details of what that would mean--what you could carry and what you couldn't. What you could touch and what you couldn't. In fact, when the scribes got done with giving their explanation and adding all the details of all their regulations, the writings of the scribes and their interpretations of the Mosaic Law took 50 volumes. So they were very detailed and very meticulous. Now they are closely related to the Pharisees, because what the Pharisees did was take the interpretation of the scribes of the Mosaic Law and lead the people in the practice of it. So the scribes and the Pharisees are closely related because the scribes are the ones who dig into the law and come up with the interpretation and the entire additional minutia, and then the scribes lead the people in observing the law.

Now the Pharisees came into existence about 175 years before Christ. So there are no Pharisees in Old Testament history as we have it because the Book of Malachi ends about 400 years before Christ. And the Pharisees didn't begin to function in Israel until about 175 years before Christ, in the days of Antiacus Epiphanes, a Syrian. And he was one who attempted to annihilate the Jewish religion and replace it with a Greek religion and the observance of Greek practices and customs. In reaction to this, the Pharisees came into existence. The name means "separated ones" and the Pharisees were those who had separated themselves from all pagan influence and practice, and had given themselves over just to practice the Law, the Law particularly as the scribes had interpreted it. They had to separate themselves from everything because to put into practice the 50 volumes of scribal traditions took full time, obviously. They were the conservatives in the nation Israel as we see on other occasions.

The Sadducees were the liberals. They denied the supernatural. The Pharisees were conservative in that they believed you ought to obey the Law and obey it meticulously, but they were not believers as God as their Savior personally. So they were talking about something they didn't know about.

Come back to Matthew 23, then. This is the group that is in view, then, the Pharisees and those who provided the Pharisees their interpretation of the Law, the scribes. Interesting that Jesus reserved His strongest condemnation for these people who had given themselves to the study and following of God's Word. The problem was that it had become an external ritual and was not internalized so that they themselves submitted to the Law that they taught.

Now keep in mind that in verse 1 of chapter 23, Christ is going to be teaching the multitudes and His disciples in the temple. That would mean scribes and Pharisees would be part of this group. They are going to hear what He has to say in such scathing terms. Now also keep in mind, not every single scribe and not every single Pharisee fits the description that Christ is going to give. We find Pharisees and scribes who respond with respect to Jesus Christ, and become believers in Him through the Gospels. They are honorable Pharisees. However, as a general description, what Christ has to say characterizes them as a group-- the scribes and the Pharisees.

All right, let's look at the details. "Then Jesus spoke to the Multitudes and to His disciples, saying, 'The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.'" In other words, the scribes and the Pharisees have taken upon themselves to be official expounders of the Law of Moses. That's the position they occupy. If you want to know about the Law, you turn to the scribes and the Pharisees in Israel. "Therefore all that they tell you do and observe." Since it was the responsibility of these individuals to teach Israel the Law of Moses--the Old Testament Scriptures--then Israel was to obey them in their teaching. Now it's important here that this be seen in its context. They are to be obeyed as they teach them the Law of Moses. It does not mean that they should obey everything that the Pharisees tell them to do--when we use the name Pharisees we include the scribes with them. Obviously that's not the case. Back in Matthew 15 Christ said that the Pharisees had nullified much of the Old Testament by their own traditions. So He wouldn't be telling His followers to observe what the Pharisees told them to do and violate the Old Testament. No, what He was saying was that as they expound to them the Old Testament, they must obey that instruction. Plow it's important, because you're aware of what happens. Often when the character of a teacher is discredited, so is the message he teaches. As an example, as a teacher of the Word of God, if I would be found out to be a thief or a liar or an immoral person, that would discredit the message that I preach. And some people would therefore say, since he is of such despicable character, what he said about the Bible must also be unreliable. But that doesn't necessarily follow through. That's what He's saying about the Pharisees. "I'm going to say some things about the character of the Pharisees, but that doesn't change the fact that the Word of God is still true. The Word of God is still truth and must be obeyed and must be followed, even though many of those who set themselves up as teachers of the Word of God are not themselves obedient to it." That means I can't throw out the Word of God just because some people are false teachers. Just like some people who claim to teach the Word of God do not honor it in their lives. Because the Word of God is still the Word of God. That's what He's telling the Israelites, lest they think, "Well, the Pharisees teach us the Word and the scribes have interpreted the Law, and Christ is going to condemn them in the strongest possible language, therefore, I guess we can't trust the Law any more." No, that's not true. They are still obligated to obey the law and the teaching of the law as it is given.

All right, He goes on. "All that they teach you, all that they do, observe." "But do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them." You can underline that last statement. "They say . . . and do not do." The modern translation says they don't practice what they preach. That's it. They were telling the people what the law said, they were telling the people what God required in the Law, but they themselves had not submitted themselves to the Law of God. They were not obedient to the Word of God. Such as if I were to stand here and tell you about salvation by faith in Christ, told you about the death and resurrection of Christ as God's provision for salvation, but I myself had not believed it. I would be telling you something that I myself had not done. So that's the flaw of the Pharisees. That's the great condemnation--not particularly in what they say, although they error much in all of that--but the real problem with the Pharisees was that they did not obey the Law that they taught.

"And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger." The Pharisees by their teaching of the Law put great demands and great burdens on the people. Not just the Law as God had given it to Moses, but all their multiplied commandments. They continued to heap upon the people and the religion of Israel and the worship of God became a great burden, and the Pharisees didn't do anything to alleviate the burden but rather kept adding to it.

Now I think an important thing to be noted here is that it was never God's intention that the worship of Him become a burden to His people. It has never been God's intention that those who serve Him should do it with a great, burden upon them. Rather, just the opposite is true. The Law was given to convict man of his sinfulness and to drive him to God as his Savior, that He might give him freedom by cleansing him from his sin. Now the Pharisees have failed to follow through on the commands of the Law to find salvation in Jehovah. We need to also be reminded that it's not God's intention that our worship of Him be burdensome. "Oh, being a Christian is such a burden." No, it's just the opposite. When you become a believer in Jesus Christ, the burden is lifted. Jesus eluded to this back in Matthew 11:23, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from, Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." What is Jesus saying? Here you are weighted down under the burden of your religious system--Come to Me, and I take the burden; I give you deliverance and freedom. That's why Paul writes to the Galatians in chapters 4 and 5 and tells them, "You've been set free in Christ. Don't go back under a religion of bondage with all kinds of commandments and regulations that you can't keep anyway." Galatians 5:13 says, "You've been set free in Christ." We need to be reminded that if my worship of Jesus Christ and my service for Him is becoming burdensome, something is wrong in my relationship with God because He never intended that my relationship with Him be burdensome. Rather, He wants to take the burden and I am free to be what He wants me to be. And He empowers me through the ministry of the Spirit in my life to do and be what He wants me to do and be. There is freedom from the burdens in Jesus Christ. Religion just burdens you down with all kinds of duties and obligations. Jesus Christ sets you free by taking the load of sin and care, and enabling you to serve and honor Him.

Turn back to Matthew 23 again. In verse 5, "But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men." You ought to underline that also. Again, another way to summarize the flaw in the religion of the scribes and the Pharisees. Everything they did was to be seen by men. He's going to give some examples. It was a religion of externals--What will people think? How will people look at me? How can I get them to honor me? How can I get them to appreciate how spiritual I am? They do everything to be noticed by men. And if you're doing that, you cannot have a personal walk with God.

Here are some of the things they did. "They broaden their phylacteries, and lengthened the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, they liked respectful greetings in the market places, and they liked titles, 'Rabbi.'" It all had to do with honor from men. Some of these things, "they broaden their phylacteries." Now most of you probably haven't broadened your phylacteries lately! Nothing to do with getting broader with the passing of time. A phylactery, it comes out of the Old Testament back in Exodus 13 and Deuteronomy 6. God had commanded the nation Israel to bind the Word of God on their forehead and on their arm as well as on their heart. Now the scribes and Pharisees began to interpret this very literally. So they made little leather boxes, and in that box they put some parchments with some Scripture verses on it. When they go to prayer, they would bind that across their foreheads. They'd also bind it on their left arm, because that would be the arm that would be closest to their heart when they prayed. Now what the Pharisees did was to broaden these. If it was good to have a phylactery, a prayer box on your head and on your arm, we'll make a bigger one. In that way people will really see how spiritual we are in prayer. Now the Old Testament, in the Book of Numbers chapter 15 and Deuteronomy 22, Israel was instructed to put tassels or fringe on the head of the garment. And the purpose of that was to constantly remind Israel of the commands that God had revealed concerning Himself. Now the Pharisees elaborated on this. Therefore, we'll lengthen the tassels or the fringe on our garments, and then people can see how committed we are to the Word of God. You see it was external. How people will see us. I had an interesting chance to observe this when we were in Israel. We went to the Wailing Wall, and Israel still practices these things. The little phylacteries on the forehead and on the arm--the prayer shawl has the fringe or tassel on it. I remember one man especially as he got all done up to go to prayer He was quite a sight. He got himself all ready, got his little box on the fore- head and on the arm, put that prayer shawl around him and put the little hat that they wear, and then he went out to the prayer wall.

Then he starts going through this whole motion, shaking and moving himself all over, and all I could think was "Everybody look at me. Look at how I'm done up; see my phylactery, see my prayer shawl, and look how earnest I am. I am really getting into this." And when Jesus said, "Go shut yourself up in a closet and pray," why? It's done for show. I come here and get done up in this way so everybody will look at me. We carry over some of this practice even into the church, and we see it in some of our television programs as well, where people zero in and think, Those people are so earnest in their praying, shaking, and really going at it. And I wonder, what is that all for? Is that so God sees and knows? Or is that so the camera gets a good picture of what a person is like when they're really in prayer? I'm not judging their hearts, but we need to be careful. Christ is condemning the external displays that go on. And that's what the Pharisees had gravitated toward.

He's not done. Verse 6, "They love the place of honor at banquets." The feasts that went on, especially on religious occasions. Here was a chance for them to be put in a place of prominence, which says, "You are the most spiritual. You deserve the place of honor at this feast." They wanted the chief seats in the synagogues. The chief seats of the synagogue were up front on the platform, where the lectern or the podium would be. And they faced the audience, and that way everybody could see that these were the most spiritual ones. And they could be observed as to how spiritual they are and how they got into things as the service went along. They loved that.

Not only that, but in verse 7, they liked the "respectful greetings in the market place." People would talk to them as they were out in public in a way that everyone would know they were honored, to acknowledge their superiority as a spiritual person in public. And with that goes the title, Rabbi. They like to be called Rabbi--a word that means Teacher here. The way people were acknowledging their superiority by calling them "Teacher."

Now those are some of the ways the Pharisees and scribes manifested their love for visible attention. For the acclaim and honor of men. Christ turns .His discussion towards those who are His followers, His disciples, and He says, "And you are not to be like them! Don't you do what the Pharisees do. And some of the things the Pharisees do you'd better not do because it will be misinterpreted because people will think you're doing it for show like the Pharisees are." And He picks up with the name "Rabbi." They like "being called by men, 'Rabbi,' but do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers." Now this doesn't mean there won't be any teachers. The New Testament makes clear there are teachers, and God gives teachers as one of the gifts to the church. Paul talks about teachers and he warns about the dangers of becoming a teacher. But what Christ is speaking about here is the honor that we take to ourselves for a responsibility that is given to us. And note that last statement first. "We are all brothers," Christ said. So there is equality among us, and even though we are given different positions and different responsibilities, we are all equal. You know what our equivalent of Rabbi would be today? Doctor. That's got a weighty sound. That is acknowledging a teacher or a leader. We do this in the Church. We call everybody here as Joe and Bill and John, but I am "Pastor." My pastor, as I was growing up, would have had a heart attack if someone in the congregation had dared to call him by his first name. We carry the titles over. "I am Dr. Rugh, if you please. You're Joe, but I'm Dr. Rugh!" What does that mean? What are titles for? They are to create distance. They are to elevate one person above another. You go to school at the university, and you are Sam, but your professor is Dr. So-and-So. I realize there is a place for respect; I'm not putting that down. And when it's not in a spiritual context I don't think it's a problem, except pride does enter in there and we covet the titles that come to us in those. But what it does is put a distance. You are the student he is the teacher. You are submissive to him; he is your authority. Now there is no problem with that in the world. The problem is that we carry that over into the Church. And we lose sight of the fact that we are all brothers. We are one family in the Church. I have a brother who is a sergeant on the police force. When I go home, I don't call him Sergeant Randy. There's no title there. When I go home they don't say, "Dr. Bub is home!" Bub is my family nickname. But let me tell you, when they do that, you get the idea that's behind it! In the family there's no titles. We're a family. There's equality there! In our family we have different jobs, different responsibilities, but we were equal within the family. That's the way it is in Jesus Christ--we're equal. That's the way it is to be among the followers of Jesus Christ--recognition and an emphasis upon equality that we're privileged to share as the children of God. I think one of the worst things that have happened in the Church of Jesus Christ is the titles that are given, particularly to those in pastoral responsibilities. It has given the idea that the clergy is something up here and then there's all the laity out here. Jesus said we're all brothers--different responsibilities, different obligations, but equal. Okay, keep that in mind.

He goes on, He's not done. Verse 9, "And do not call anyone on earth your father, for One is your Father, He who is in heaven." Now again, I think the context is crucial here. We're talking in the matter of spiritual activity, spiritual leaders. And the Pharisees like the title "Father." That's going back to the situation with Elisha and Elijah in the Book of the Kings. Elisha calls Elijah "Father," and the Pharisees liked that recognition, that we are the source of spiritual truth, of spiritual light in the nation Israel. I don't think this rules out calling our physical human father, "Father." There is no connection there with a spiritual confusion or identity. True, in the physical realm., he is the father; but in the spiritual realm I have one Father, my heavenly Father. I am not your source of spiritual light and life--God is that source. And with this title we confuse that. Now it doesn't keep Paul from saying in 1 Corinthians 4, "You have many teachers but not many fathers in the faith, for I have begotten you," and he uses the analogy that he is the spiritual, father in Israel. He does the same thing over in 1 Timothy chapter 1:2 when he calls Timothy "my genuine son, my true son in the faith." Now you never find Timothy writing to "Father Paul." You don't find the Corinthians calling Paul "Father." There is truth in the analogy that when you are used of the Spirit of God to bring someone to faith in Christ, you have caused that person to be born again. But there is the recognition, and Paul acknowledges that clearly in the context where he uses that analogy, that it was God who brought about their conversion, who brought about the new birth. So a title that would detract from that is forbidden. A serious problem develops when you begin to call spiritual leaders "Father." Exactly what the Scriptures say not to do.

"Do not be called leaders, for One is your Leader, that is Christ." You note a pattern here. You have one Teacher; you have one Father; you have one leader. Some see here each of the persons of the Trinity, but it all centers in God. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher--1 John 2 says we don't have any need for physical teachers because we have one teacher, the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all. He's the source of the teaching that goes on. I share with you the truths of the Word of God, but it is the Spirit of God who enables you to understand it. We have one Father who is the source of all spiritual life and light. And you have one leader; Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. Now that doesn't mean there won't be leaders in the body, and the Scripture commands us to obey those who have authority over you, etc. But the fact is that we need to be careful that we ought not to be taking to ourselves that responsibility even though among this body there will be some who are leaders. The ultimate leader is Jesus Christ. And a person has a responsibility to provide leadership that does not make him a spiritual superior. The leaders are not the spiritual superiors of anyone else because we are all equals before God as believer-priests. A leader simply has a given area of responsibility delegated to him by the Lord, just like in a family. One of the brothers might have the responsibility to be in charge on occasion, but that doesn't make him superior as a person to his brothers. It just gives him a different responsibility.
That's the way it is in the body of Christ. Those who are elders are not spiritually superior to others in the body. They are spiritually equal, and that ought to be recognized. That doesn't mean we don't honor one another and encourage one another, but we do that within the context of being equals as the servants of Jesus Christ.

The one who is truly a follower of Jesus Christ is not concerned with his greatness, not concerned about how he can be exalted, but concerned how he can serve most effectively. So you have verse 11, which summarizes it clearly: "But the greatest among you shall be your servant." The true follower of Christ is taken up not with how he can be superior to others, but how he can more effectively serve others. I need to back up and constantly evaluate my attitudes and my concerns. Is my burden really, how can I more effectively serve you? Or, How can I get more honor? How can I get more recognition? How can I get more acclaim? The emphasis if I am truly following Christ is, be a servant.

Christ talked about this back in chapter 20 of Matthew, verse 25. "Jesus called them to Himself, and said, 'you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Jesus Christ is the pattern. Did He come to get people to honor Him and exalt Him? No, He came to serve others by giving His life on their behalf. So if I really want to be great in the eyes of God, I need to be looking for more ways and effective ways of serving you and helping you become the person God wants you to be. Now the problem is, the world's estimation of greatness creeps into the followers of Christ and into the Church. And so we begin to admire what the world admires, which is prestige, power, influence, honor, and thus in the Church we begin to structure ourselves along those lines. Instead of looking for ways to serve you and help you become more effective as a follower of Christ, I'm looking for ways to develop attention to myself, to honor myself. To that extent, I cease following Jesus Christ.

Back in Matthew 23 you have a proverb stated that is repeated in the Old Testament several times and in the New Testament on a number of occasions. "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." Clearly set down. If you exalt yourself, you'll be humbled; if you humble yourself, you'll be exalted. This is in the framework of our service to God.

Look over in Luke 18 where Christ gives a parable to clearly illustrate this. Same idea as mentioned in a number of other passages--Peter writes, "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." When I am proud and when I am exalting myself, I am setting myself in opposition to God. Thus, I am setting myself up for a fall. Pride goeth before a fall. In Luke 18:9, "And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt. Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'" How many times have you talked to a religious person about their sinfulness, when they want to share "I'm as good as anyone? I've done my best. I'm a good family person. I do my best on my job. I try to be as religious as I can." You know what they are? They're in the mold of the Pharisees. They worship themselves. In contrast, the tax-gatherer standing some distance away was unwilling to even lift up his eyes to heaven. He feels so unworthy, "beating his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, the sinner!' I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Ever realize how many times the Scripture brings us back to this one point--that you must humble yourselves before Almighty God. You must recognize your own personal, individual sinfulness before Him. That you are a sinner, that you are guilty and condemned before Him. And the only hope for you, for time and eternity, is to recognize your depraved condition and cast yourself without reservation on the mercy of God. You must humble yourself. That's why it is so difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. That's why it's so difficult for a powerful and influential person. That's why it's so difficult for a man to bring himself to acknowledge his sinfulness before God. Why? There's that pride, that arrogance, that I would bow myself and acknowledge my worthlessness as a sinner? My unworthiness before God? My hopelessness? Right away I begin to say, "Wait a minute, I'm not that bad. Who are you to say I'm a sinner? Don't you know, "Judge not that you be not judged.’” That's another way of saying, "I'm fine, keep out of my life" or, "I'm a Pharisee, thank you," which is another way of saying, "I'm on my way to hell, don't bother me." Jesus said the Pharisee didn't go away justified. He went away thinking he was okay. He went away sure that God would accept him, but he went away on the way to hell nonetheless. "He who exalts himself shall be humbled,” humbled by God. But the one who humbles himself in acknowledging his sinfulness and unworthiness, and then God will exalt him. "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." When you come and humble yourself before God, then God can give you greatness. It may not be in this life, but let me tell you, in a hundred years it won't matter who you were. It won't matter what your position was in this life. But it will matter whether God has exalted you or humbled you. It will matter whether you are in eternal destruction or enjoying eternal blessing. It will matter whether God has acknowledged you as great because you were a follower of His or has rejected you as condemned because you have rebelled against Him. We need to be careful that we don't measure greatness by the standard of the world. The world doesn't appreciate a servant. The world appreciates the person who has come to power, who is somebody. We begin to like that as believers. I want people to recognize me as somebody. I've accomplished something. I had something. I am important. The tragedy is that it stands between God and me, because He can't be great and I great at the same time. So the only thing I can do is acknowledge His greatness and submit myself to Him.

The tragedy of it all is that the Pharisees and the Sadducees had sat under the ministry and yet they don't respond. I trust the tragedy won't be repeated today. When you've heard the Word of God again, have you submitted to it? When did you humble yourself before God and acknowledge your sinfulness and place your faith in His Son Jesus Christ? Today would be a good day. Right now would be a good time. Are we living as those who have humbled ourselves under the mighty hand of God? Have we slipped into the pattern of thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought? Are we concerned more with our position and our prestige than we are with serving one another in the body and helping other believers become what God wants them to be?