Am I a Hypocrite?

Matthew 23:1-39

INTRODUCTION: We are really not all that different from the people mentioned in the Bible. In fact, the stories of their lives were recorded, in part, for the sake of providing us with examples, both righteous and unrighteous. Unfortunately, far too often we struggle to see the traits existing within us that associate us with the most reviled characters of scripture. Yet, it is a very healthy practice to examine ourselves and consider what wickedness lurks within.

I. THE ADMONITION TO THE PUBLIC (Matthew 23:1-12)

A. The Audience of the Admonition (Matthew 23:1)

1. The multitude
2. His disciples

B. The Example of the Admonition (Matthew 23:2-7)

1. The people group – “The scribes and the Pharisees” (Matthew 23:2)
2. Their problem (Matthew 23:3-7)
a. Their contradiction (Matthew 23:3)
1.) Their words – “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do;”
2.) Their works – “but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not”
b. Their labours (Matthew 23:4-5)
1.) What they don’t do (Matthew 23:4)
i. They lay heavy and grievous burdens upon the shoulders of others.
ii. They themselves will not move the burdens with one of their fingers.
2.) What they do (Matthew 23:5) – “all their works they do for to be seen of men”
c. Their love (Matthew 23:6-7)
1.) Preeminence (Matthew 23:6)
2.) Praise of men (Matthew 23:7)

C. The Desired Outcome of the Admonition (Matthew 23:8-12)

1. Humility (Matthew 23:8-10)
2. Service (Matthew 23:11-12)

II. THE REBUKE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES (Matthew 23:13-33)

A. The Announcements of Their Wickedness (Matthew 23:13-33)

1. The exclamation of lament – “woe” (Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29)
2. The labels of their nature
a. Hypocrites (Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29)
b. Blind guides (Matthew 23:16, 24)
c. Fools and blind (Matthew 23:17, 19) or blind (Matthew 23:26)
d. Serpents (Matthew 23:33)
e. Generation of vipers (Matthew 23:33)

B. The Nature of Their Wickedness (Matthew 23:13-33)

1. They devour others (Matthew 23:13-15).
a. They shut up the kingdom of heaven against men (Matthew 23:13).
b. They devour widows’ houses (Matthew 23:14).
c. They convert others and corrupt them (Matthew 23:15).
2. They twist the truth (Matthew 23:16-22).
a. Their created rules (Matthew 23:16-21)
1.) They suggest it is evil to swear against the gold of the temple, but not against the temple itself (Matthew 23:16-17, 21).
2.) They suggest it is evil to swear by a gift on the altar, but not against the altar itself (Matthew 23:18-20).
b. The errors of their thinking (Matthew 23:22)
3. They obsess over parts of the truth (Matthew 23:23-24).
a. They paid tithes, but omitted judgment, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23).
b. They strained at a gnat, but would swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24).
4. They overly concern themselves with the opinions of men (Matthew 23:25-33).
a. They cleaned the outside, but were full of extortion (Matthew 23:25-26).
b. They were like whited sepulchers outwardly, but inside were full of dead men’s bones (Matthew 23:27-28).
c. They cared for tombs of those they had put to death (Matthew 23:29-33).

III. THE PROMISE OF JUDGMENT (Matthew 23:34-39)

A. Their Rejection of the Truth (Matthew 23:34-37)

1. Through the servants of the Lord (Matthew 23:34-35)
2. Through the Lord Himself (Matthew 23:37)

B. Their Desolation (Matthew 23:38)

CONCLUSION: What do I have in common with the hypocrite? If something, what does that make me? Am I a hypocrite? If so, what must I do?