Hypocricy?

20 And he rolled up the scroll  
and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  
And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.   
21 And he began to say to them,  
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  
22 And all spoke well of him and marveled  
at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth.  
And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”  
23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me  
this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’  
What we have heard you did at Capernaum,  
do here in your hometown as well.”  
24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you,  
no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.  
25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel  
in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up  
three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land,  
26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath,  
in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.  
27 And there were many lepers in Israel  
in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed,  
but only Naaman the Syrian.”  
28 When they heard these things,  
all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.   
29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town  
and brought him to the brow of the hill  
on which their town was built,  
so that they could throw him down the cliff.   
30 But passing through their midst, he went away.
_______________________________

Elijah and Elisha,
two of the most famous prophets of the Old Testament,
were led by the Spirit to grant mercy and grace
in these instances to the Gentiles, not the Jews.

When the so very religious heard
what pleased their ears they marveled.
But now when they heard
that which was so unpleasing to their ears, they were enraged.
They didn’t want God to give to the Gentiles
what they, His people, the Jews, “deserved.”

What an outrage! How could He? This must not be!
The so very “godly” were ready to do something very ungodly.
They were ready to throw Him over the cliff.
And that is just what they tried to do.
No one could put a hand on Him unless His Father let them.

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

How is it that those who perceived themselves as so righteous
would want to harm or destroy One who truly was righteous?

Hypocrisy.
The sin of the Pharisees.

Hypocrisy.
The sin of the church today.

Aren’t we a part of the church?
Is there hypocrisy in your heart?
Are you blind to it like the Pharisees?
The problem with spiritual blindness is that
you cannot see that you are blind.

Take a moment and pray these two verses
from Psalm 139.
Boldly, sincerely, ask the Lord to search your heart.
Really search your heart.
Are you blind to anything?
Is there any repressed sin? Anger? Bitterness? Jealousy?

Is there any hypocrisy in your life?
How would those who live with you describe you?
How would those who work with you or for you describe you?
How would Jesus describe you?

Psalm 139:23-24     
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and  lead me in  the way everlasting!

Lord, please show me the truth of what lies within.

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 4 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

20 And he rolled up the scroll  
and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  
And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.   
21 And he began to say to them,  
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”   

PRAYER

Lord, please show me the truth of what lies within.
Give me the grace to listen, accept, confess, and repent.
I want to live for your Name and for your glory.
I love you and do not want to sin against you.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

In His hands for His glory,
Laurie