Daily Devotional For Sunday, July 28, 2024

Today is Sunday — the Lord’s Day as we call it. Actually, every day is the Lord’s Day. At some point in infinity, God said this in Genesis 1:3, “Then God said, `Let there be light,’ and there was light. (4) And God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light `day’ and the darkness `night.’ And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day” (NLT). We need light to see. Light exposes and reveals.

When we were living in Louisville, KY, Audrey often took her elementary classroom kids to Mammoth Cave. The name is no exaggeration. One of the things the park workers like to do with kids is at some point turn off all the lights. It is pitch black. They will tell you to take your finger and hold up to your eye. Guess what? You can’t see it because it is so dark. Then at some point they will strike a match and it is amazing. Why? Your pupils are fully opened struggling to see any light and when they strike that match, it is amazing how well you can see.  Kids say, “Ooh, aah, wow, and woe!”

Jesus said this in Luke 12:2-3,”The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. (3) Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!” (NLT).

Jesus’ words remind us of the danger of our hypocrisy and hopeless futility in trying to hide the truth. In our current world, people meet behind closed doors all the time to plot, to scheme, to gossip, to strategize and many times to kill. Jesus’ point is there is no such thing as “concealed” sin” to God. “Concealed sin” will one day be “revealed sin.” At some point, all of us were living in darkness, blind to the light of the truth of God’s Word. Oh, we may not have been living in some kind of perverted, evil and wicked sin based on the world’s standard, it was still sin. Remember: God hates sin, all sin no matter how insignificant we think ours is. 

Before we gave our life to Christ, we probably did not see our sin as God does. Our sin was invisible to us. Until God’s Word shone light on it, we could not see it. One day, all secrets will be revealed and every heart exposed to an open laser-light exposure and examination. All intentions, motives and hidden and secret thoughts will be exposed. We may be able to fool some people here, but not God. Never.

I really like what pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes:

“I am convinced that God would rather face a blunt, honest sinner than deal with an insincere Christian who looks good but in reality loves his or her sin. In the end, when the Messiah returns in power to eradicate evil, hypocrisy will have proved futile. Truth will eventually expose sin, so why not simply be transparent now?” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, “Luke,” p. 350).

Luke 12:2-3 sits in the context of the last words of Jesus in verse 1, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy” (NLT). The word translated as “hypocrite” is the Greek New Testament word [ ὑπόκρισις, hupokrisis]. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this:

“Originally, `hypocrite” was a secular term referring to an actor who played a role on stage. But in the New Testament it became a religious term, used exclusively in the negative sense of one who claims to speak for God but does not—a hypocrite. The original theatrical definition of hupokritēs figuratively expresses the nature of spiritual deceivers. An actor attempts to play a convincing role on the stage, pretending to be someone that he is not. So do religious deceivers. Even today most commonly the words “hypocrite,” and “hypocrisy” have religious overtones. While all hypocritical spiritual leaders cheat people out of their earthly possessions, the eternal consequences of their unconscionable deception are far more damaging. Although they pretend to speak for God, they are fraudulent liars and deceivers (1 Tim. 4:2), who cause people to forfeit to judgment their eternal souls. These hypocrites the Pharisees, Jesus said, actually made people into fellow sons of hell (Matt. 23:15)” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Luke,” p. 112).

Years ago in a sermon I talked about characteristics of hypocrites:

1. First, by pretending to be something they are not, they hide the truth of who they really are by redirecting focus on outward appearances. Jesus pointed out in the Gospels how these religious hypocrites — the Pharisees and Sadducees did this. In Mark 7:6, quoting from Isaiah 29:13, Jesus said this: “Jesus replied, `You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,"These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me’” (NLT).  In Jesus’ day, these religious hypocrites loved to draw attention to their giving (see Matt. 6:2). They loved to draw attention to when they prayed and fasted (see Matt. 6:5, 16). They enlarged their phylacteries and tassels on their garments (see Matt. 23:5). They sought out the most important seats at banquets and the synagogue (See Matt. 6:6). They craved respectful public greetings and being called the honored title of Rabbi (See Matt. 23:7).
2. Second, hypocrites also speak with a condescending tone because they actually think they are better. Jesus brought attention to this in Matthew 7:4-5, “How can you think of saying to your friend,‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? (5) Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye” (NLT). Jesus’ point is that it is impossible to point out the speck in your brother’s eye when a redwood is sticking out of your own eye. 
3. Third, hypocrites respond with malice towards anyone who points them out (See Matt. 22:18; Mark 12:15; and Matt. 22:19-21). Hypocrites do not like to have light shown on them exposing their sin and bloated heads. Just attempt and you will quickly see how defensive they get and how quickly they are to redirect the light from them to you.
4. Fourth, hypocrites lack discernment (See Luke 12:54-57).
5. Fifth, because of their disdain, pride, and conceit, they lack compassion (See Luke 13:11-13).

Jesus’ point in Luke 12:2-3, though hypocrites may get away for a while with their deception and coverup, eventually God will bring to light all of this. All will be exposed and anything concealed will be revealed. Jesus' comment in Luke 12:3 of “closed doors” refers to rooms that were in the middle of the house. These were typically storage rooms but were also used for private conversations and or prayer (See Matt. 6:6). The point is hypocrisy will not be forever kept hidden. New Testament scholar Darrell L. Bock writes this:

“This figure of speech describes our most private practices. This is a classic reversal theme: the most private of acts and utterances become the most public. It is this exposure that makes hypocrisy useless in the long run and the heroic deed done in private an object of admiration eventually. The contrasts are strong: darkness versus light and private whispering versus public preaching” (Source: Darrell L. Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament, “Luke 9:51-24:53), p. 1135).

The point is that hypocrites will be seen for what they really are. New Testament scholar Bruce Barton writes this about hypocrites and hypocrisy: “What are the signs of hypocrisy?

• Hypocrisy is knowing the truth but not obeying it. Jesus repeatedly exposed the hypocritical attitudes of the religious leaders. They knew the Scriptures but did not live by them. They didn’t care about being holy—just looking holy in order to receive the people’s admiration and praise. Today, like the Pharisees, many people who know the Bible do not let it change their lives. They say they follow Jesus, but they don’t live by his standards of love. People who live this way are hypocrites. Believers must make sure that their actions match their beliefs.

• Hypocrisy is living a self-serving life. People desire positions of leadership not only in business but also in the church. It is dangerous when love for the position grows stronger than loyalty to God. This is what happened to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jesus is not against all leadership—Christian leaders are important—but against leadership that serves itself rather than others.

• Hypocrisy is claiming Christ as Lord without following Him. Jesus challenged society’s norms. To Him, greatness comes from serving—giving of yourself to help others. Service keeps believers aware of others’ needs, and it stops them from focusing only on themselves. Jesus came as a servant. What kind of greatness do you seek?

• Hypocrisy reduces faith to rigid rules. Being a religious leader in Jerusalem was very different from being a pastor in a secular society today. Israel’s history, culture, and daily life centered around its relationship with God. The religious leaders were the best known, most powerful, and most respected of all leaders. Jesus made these stinging accusations because the leaders’ hunger for more power, money, and status had made them lose sight of God, and their blindness was spreading to the whole nation.

• Hypocrisy is outward conformity without inner reality. It’s possible to obey the details of the laws but still be disobedient in general behavior. For example, a person could be very precise and faithful about giving 10% of his or her money to God, but refuse to give one minute of time in helping others. Tithing is important, but giving a tithe does not exempt a person from fulfilling God’s other directives. The Pharisees strained their water so they wouldn’t accidentally swallow a gnat—an unclean insect, according to the law. 

Meticulous about the details of ceremonial cleanliness, they nevertheless had lost their perspective on inner purity. Ceremonially clean on the outside, they had corrupt hearts. Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing saintly and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. Living your Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing a cup on the outside only. When you are clean on the inside, your cleanliness on the outside won’t be a sham” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Luke,” p. 313).

Questions To Consider

1. It is always easy for us to spot a hypocrite unless we are that hypocrite. Why do you think we are often so blind and in the dark about our own hypocrisy?
2. When someone points out your own hypocrisy, do you accept it or get defensive? Why?
3. Hypocrites often have a bloated and big-headed view of themselves while having a disdain and condemning view of others. When have you experienced the disdain and condemnation of a hypocrite and how did you deal with it? 
4. Read Bruce Barton’s list of characteristics of hypocrisy above. Which of these are you most vulnerable to be and do? 

Scripture To Meditate On: 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, “Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. (8) So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread[i] of sincerity and truth” (NLT).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, it is so easy and even natural for me to point out the sins, faults, weaknesses and failures in others. Yet, I am blind and in the dark to my own. I ask that You shine Your life of truth on me and reveal to me where I am hypocritical and sinful. I want to have more of Your character in me than my own character in me. I pray that You will keep making me into that new creation and help me to help others to do the same rather than me having an attitude of pride, arrogance and conceit that I am better. Jesus, I am a sinner saved by Your grace through faith. Thank You Lord. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!—Pastor Kelly