Sunday March 09
The Greater Danger of Hypocrisy
Luke 12:1-3
1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
In the closing verses of Luke 11, Jesus was dealing with the hypocrisy of the religious leader, but now in opening verses of Luke 12, He warns His disciples of a greater danger, and that is the hypocrisy of His followers.
Remember what a hypocrite is. The word hypocrite comes from a Greek word that means "an actor," "one who plays a part." There are hypocrites in every walk of life, people who try to impress others in order to hide their real selves. In the Christian life, a hypocrite is somebody who tries to appear more spiritual than he or she really is. These people know that they are pretending, and they hope they will not be found out. Their Christian life is only a shallow masquerade.
Maybe one of the reasons that Jesus turned His attention to His disciples in the midst of all this commotion, with an “innumerable multitude of people” gathered around them, is that the Lord knew that they might be tempted to either gain popularity by pleasing the crowds, or to avoid trouble by pleasing the scribes and Pharisees. All of us want people to like us, and it seems such an easy thing to "act the part" that others want to see.
Jesus compared hypocrisy to leaven (yeast), something that every Jew would associate with evil. (See Ex. 12:15-20). Paul also used leaven to symbolize sin. (See 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9.) Like yeast, hypocrisy begins very small but grows quickly and quietly. As it grows, it infects the whole person. Hypocrisy does to the ego what yeast does to bread dough: it puffs it up (see 1 Cor. 4:6, 18-19; 5:2). Soon pride takes over and the person's character deteriorates rapidly.
Hypocrites are people who are trying to cover up something in their life. I have found that most hypocrites are also bitter people or guilty people trying to cover up their sin. They are people who have “failed the grace of God.” In other words, God gave them grace to deal with their hurt that caused their bitterness. Or their sin that has caused their guilt.
We are instructed in Hebrews 12:14-15 to: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled”. Hypocrites are trying to cover up their sin and bitterness and are troublemakers. And the added tragedy is that it spreads and “defiles” those around them.
The greatest obstacle between a sinner and the Savior is usually a hypocrite, a Christian who has one foot in the church and one in the world. That is why Jesus gave this warning to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:15-17: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”.
Jesus would rather that we not even claim to be a Christian, “cold”, or be on fire as one, “hot”, than to be a “lukewarm” one, in the middle. Like the Laodiceans, hypocrites become deceived, thinking they are rich, wealthy, and have no needs. That is why lost people often say, “I would go to church, but there are too many hypocrites there”. And the sad thing is that in most cases they are right.
In verses 2-3, Jesus goes on to say that hypocrisy is foolish and futile. Why? Because nothing can really be hidden. This is another way of saying, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). The sin of hypocrisy will one day be uncovered. Hypocrites with be exposed sooner or later. The real person will come to the surface. This is not good news for politicians, religious hypocrites, and others who prey on people by their pretending.
May the Lord help us humble ourselves, confess our sins, find forgiveness, give forgiveness, and be real!
God bless!
Comments