THE SHOCKING, SWEET SPIRIT OF CHRIST ABOUT SEDUCERS

Scripture Reading: John 8:37-59

Text: John 8:44

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Introduction: Liberals accuse us Bible-believing fundamentalists of not having "the sweet spirit of Christ."

One of the chief offenses we commit, according to them, is to say that someone else's religion is in error or is a cult. They imply that "the worst sin that you can commit is to criticize or make fun of someone else's religion." Obviously they don't know their Bibles, or they would realize that one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, Elijah, mocked lost religious leaders, and God still blessed him.

Our Lord used name-calling and sarcasm, especially toward these unsaved religious leaders.

Tonight I want us to look at some SHOCKING things the SWEET Lord said about unsaved people who are in positions of religious leadership.

I. LISTEN TO THE CATEGORIES THAT HE ASSIGNED THEM

Luke 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Jesus called people names, even political figures, such as Herod, but especially if they were religious leaders who were teaching error. (By the way, the apostle Paul followed the Lord's examples, referring to them by some of the same titles and categories.)

In assigning categories to these seducers,

A. He compared them to animals

• Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Snakes are slimy. Snakes are slippery. Snakes are sly.
• Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
• Luke 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
• Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
• Wolves, dogs, and swine are dirty animals; deceitful animals; and deadly animals.

B. He criticized their ancestry

• John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
• Matthew 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
• Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

II. LISTEN TO THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT HE GAVE THEM

Matthew 23:13-19 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Matthew 23 is one of the hardest sermons in the Bible. Guess who preached it? Our "sweet" Savior, that's Who!

In the chapter Jesus gave three names that characterize lost religious leaders, these deceived doctors of deception: "hypocrites," "fools," and "blind." In using these terms He gave characteristics of these seducers:

A. He said that they had no sincerity - "hypocrites"

• They accuse others of being on the way to hell, when THEY are going to hell (Matt. 23:13).
• They pray for people in order to get their money (Matt. 23:14).
• They go on missions trips, but leave their converts in worse spiritual shape than when they arrived on their "evangelistic" journey (Matt. 23:15).

B. He said that they had no sense - "fools"

• Matthew 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
• They don't know God's PERSON:
• John 8:54-55 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
• They don't know God's PRECEPTS.
• They don't know God's POWER.
>Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

C. He said that they had no sight - "blind"

• Matthew 23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
• They can't see the truth.
• They can't see the light.
• They can't see the difference. "We're all working to get to the same place."

III. LISTEN TO THE CATASTROPHIES THAT HE PREDICTED FOR THEM

Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Repeatedly in the chapter, Jesus said to the seducers of the day, "WOE unto you!!!" Someone said that when Jesus says, "Woe," that you had better act like he is saying "Whoa, mule," and you had better stop!!!"

A. He predicted a DITCH

• Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

B. He predicted DESTRUCTION

• Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
• The great majority of religious leaders are lost and headed for hell, leading a multitude to the same place.

C. He predicted DAMNATION

• Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

As bad as lost religious leaders are, remember this:

Luke 13:2-3 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

If you aren't saved, you will go to hell just like the religious hypocrites with whom you find fault.

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