| In Luke 11:42-53, Jesus warned the Pharisees about six | | | | were unwilling to lift one finger to help them. How |
| specific things that they were doing, and these | | | | many churches and pastors today load people down |
| warnings still apply to us today: | | | | with responsibility and guilt, but turn their backs when |
| 1) The Pharisees were tithing by giving a tenth of their | | | | those same people are in need? |
| spices and herbs to God, but they neglected justice | | | | 5) The Pharisees built tombs for the prophets, even |
| and the love of God. Likewise, there are those among | | | | when their own forefathers had killed those prophets, |
| us today who believe that they are somehow earning | | | | and they themselves approved of what their |
| points with God by tithing a tenth of their income. | | | | forefathers did. This reminds me of how politicians love |
| Because they do so, they believe that God then | | | | to publicly revere our godly forefathers who created |
| overlooks their failure to practice the more important | | | | our nation for us. Those brave forefathers risked their |
| things like justice and love. In this case, their tithing is | | | | lives to create a unique nation with a unique |
| nothing more than meaningless legalism. | | | | Constitution, doing so through a love and respect for |
| 2) The Pharisees loved the most important seats in | | | | God and prayer. Yet, many politicians of today want to |
| the synagogues, and they loved to be publicly greeted | | | | take God out of government. Just like the Pharisees, |
| as important dignitaries as they walked the streets. | | | | they will not escape responsibility for their actions. |
| Many people today clamor for undeserved honor. | | | | 6) As experts in the law, the Pharisees had taken |
| Politicians come to mind, as well as philanthropists who | | | | away the key to knowledge through their false |
| make sure that their acts of generosity are | | | | teachings. Not only were they not true believers, but |
| well-publicized. We would do well to remember the | | | | they hindered others from learning the truth. The same |
| principals that Christ taught in Matthew 6:2-4. People | | | | travesty occurs today when the truth is not preached |
| like this have already earned their (cheap) rewards | | | | from our pulpits. A preacher who fails to preach the |
| before men in this life, but the best rewards are | | | | truth is not carrying out the Great Commission |
| reserved for those who are humble when they reach | | | | (Matthew 28:19-20). If that preacher doesn't know the |
| heaven. | | | | truth, then he's not a believer himself, and through his |
| 3) Christ compared the Pharisees to unmarked graves | | | | ignorance and rebellion, he cannot proclaim the truth to |
| because of their inconsistencies. Men walked over the | | | | others. If he does know the truth, and he is deliberately |
| Pharisees without knowing it, falling for their deceit | | | | deceiving others, then may God have mercy on him. |
| when their walk didn't match their talk. We too can | | | | Unfortunately, we still see all of these sins today. We |
| bring others down to our level when our teachings are | | | | honor legalism instead of grace, and pride instead of |
| inconsistent. | | | | humility. We need to start approaching God like the tax |
| 4) The Pharisees were insulted by what Jesus was | | | | collector (Luke 18:9-14), with bowed heads and |
| saying about them, but he just continued with his harsh | | | | repentance. Our pastors need to preach the truth in |
| analysis. He told them that they loaded people down | | | | humility, and we all need to regularly study the Bible for |
| with burdens that they can hardly carry, and yet they | | | | ourselves (Acts 17:11). |