Jesus Addresses the Mockers

Luke 16:14-18

Introduction:Mockery for being a christian always comes at some point.

Last week: Jesus spoke about the importance of stewarding everything for God’s glory.

How did the Pharisees respond?   —  Luke tells us two things about the religious leaders (14)

They loved money.

They ridiculed Jesus.

Christ’s Authority and Power Humbles the Mocking Heart

• 4 Truths that Christ uses to address the pride of the Pharisees and establish His authority- perhaps it will help us to address the pride in our own lives.

1. God knows your hearts (15)
2. “They justified themselves before men”
3. God knowing your heart is the anecdote to external justification.
4. A Fitting Palm Sunday teaching.
5. You must understand at a deep level that God sees your heart.
6. God declares what is detestable (15b).
7. God as Creator– moral lawgiver- the one who gives life- He determines what is detestable or good.
8. Those who are prideful as their Pharisees develop there own system.
9. “For what is exalted among men”
10. Love of Money- what the Pharisees struggled with.
11. Faking an external religion- God knows there hearts.
12. Pride- there exalted inward condition.
13. “is an abomination (βδέλυγμα) in the sight of God.”
14. Revelation 21:27-But nothing unclean (βδέλυγμα) will ever enter it (The New Jerusalem), nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 
15. The real question for the Pharisees to answer is not what man thinks of their appearance, it is what does God think of your heart?
16. All Scriptures have prepared for Christ (16-17)
17. Law and the Prophets
18. Summarizing the OT
19. John was the transition point
20. Jesus is preaching the fulfillment of the OT not the abolishment of it.
21. As we consider stewardship- the kingdom of God- the importance of repentance and faith
22. The Pharisees were mocking the foundation the Scriptures had laid.
23. If you really understood what the prophets declared then
24. You would acknowledge Jesus as Authoritative (16a).
25. You would make every effort to enter the kingdom (16b).
26. Than you would use the core teaching to continue guiding your life (17).
27. “the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.” (βιάζεται.)
28. People violently opposes the kingdom of God.
29. People seek to accomplish the kingdom message with violence.
30. Or that people earnestly seek to obtain the reward of the kingdom.
31. Best Answer I think: is CSB translation- the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it
32. This Greek word is Middle/Passive indicating that action being done to it.
33. It would also connect to the previous stories of the Gracious Father and the Lost Sheep.
34. Even for these Pharisees Christ is urging them to humble themselves and enter the kingdom.. still.
35. Christ possesses the authority of God (18).
36. Jesus uses the Pharisees' misguided view of divorce to guide the direction of His teaching.
37. The Pharisees had begun devaluing marriage by allowing divorces for other reasons.
38. Jesus is using this teaching on divorce to address the Pharisees specifically.
39. Jesus is demonstrating His authority as the Son of God.

Jesus is responding to the issues that plague the heart of the Pharisees.

• Pride, love and a misunderstanding of money, desire for praise from people, and self justification have kept them from responding.
• There will always be idols of the heart that keep you from repenting before God.
• How are we responding to Christ? Humility, Eager Obedience, Faith.