We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 11:37-44. Parker Haines covers the interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees in this week’s text. Jesus confronts, highlights, and shows the Pharisees’ what truly matters in genuine faith. Outward appearances and actions are not always motivated by a sincere heart in faith, and God, The Omniscient, knows all things.

Preacher’s Main Points

• Jesus confronts the foolishness of the outward religious practices of the Pharisees.
• Jesus highlights the internal hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
• Jesus shows the Pharisees how to be made clean. (Give your heart to God.)

Key Takeaways

• Ceremonial customs do not cleanse us from sin and wrongdoing.
• Jesus did not violate the law by not washing his hands as the Pharisees prescribed. (These religious acts were added to the law.)
• Jesus called the Pharisees fools and explained to them why. (The Lord made the outside as well as the inside.)
• The imagery with the cup contrasts the outward religious practices (observable actions with wrong motives) as opposed to the true condition of the heart (godly affections/feelings set on God’s truth).
• More emphasis was placed on the outward things (tithes and following the law) than the internal things (loving the Lord God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving others as you love yourself).
• External religious conformity does not evidence or ensure the internal reality of genuine faith. Things are not always what they seem, and the heart is deceitful above all things.
• We all have affections. The question is… Are they properly set? Affections – anything that your heart does and how it willfully and emotionally responds to something or someone with continuity.
• True religion consists in great part of holy affections. (Jonathan Edwards)
• Genuine faith can be discerned from a person’s affections.
• An internal hypocrisy is doing one thing, while believing something else. This is the root of the Pharisees’ religion.
• There are real social benefits to being a part of a Church. The same is true for walking in outward obedience. Test yourself. How is your internal heart in relation to these outward observable actions?
• There is a real danger that exists when the external/internal realities are contrary to one another.
• Inner hypocrisy can be contagious.
• We need to be on guard and spur one another on in the faith towards truth and righteous living from the heart.
• Participation in religious activity without a genuine and personal love of God is catastrophic to the soul. (This can be one of the devil’s greatest strategies to give a false assurance of faith.)
• We must flee inner hypocrisy. In our own strength, our affections are fickle. (Praise God for His promises and faithfulness to complete the work He begins in us.)
• Jesus provides us with the power through the Gospel and His Spirit to have true holy affections. He is the answer for all that we need and want.

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal application:

• Does my internal heart (affections) match my observable outward actions?
• Am I more concerned with what others see or think of me or what I can gain from activity vs. what God know to be true of me? Am I living for me or to glorify God?

Discuss with your community group:

• When we observe one another’s outward actions, what do we discern to be true of each other’s hearts (motivations and affections)? Encourage and spur one another on in the faith.
• Do we need to openly confess any outward/internal inconsistencies to one another? Take some time to open up and pray for one another.

Passages Referenced

Luke 11:37-44; Isaiah 22; Luke 9:51; 1 Samual 16:7; Romans 8:22-23; Psalm 51:7-12; Romans 8:26-27; Psalm 32:1-5; Romans 6:18

Worship Set List

The Lords Prayer (It’s Yours), Better Is One Day, Oh Praise The Name, Because He Lives, Thank You Jesus For The Blood, No Other King