INTRODUCTION:

1. I am going to speak tonight on the leaven of the Pharisees. Our Lord gave a solemn warning, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy" (Luke 12:1).
2. The words leaven and unleavened occur 73 times in the Bible. Today we use the word yeast.
3. In Scripture, leaven always represents a corruptive or evil influence.
4. An important principle of Bible interpretation is the rule of first mention. The first mention of leaven in the Bible is found in Genesis 19:3 -- And he (Lot) pressed upon them (two angels) greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
5. The next reference to leaven is found in Exodus 12. Verse 15 says, Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
6. When we come to the New Testament, we notice that on several different occasions, our Lord gave warnings about the danger of leaven.
7. "Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened (Matt. 13:33; cf. Luke 13:21).
8. Some have taught that the leaven in our Lord's parable is the Gospel. But we are not to hide the Gospel. We are to preach the Gospel!
9. Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees (Matt. 16:6).
10. "How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? (Matt. 16:11).
11. Matthew 16:12 tells us that the leaven represents the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
12. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15).
13. He began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1; cf. Mark 7:6, 7).
14. From comparing Scripture with Scripture, we see leaven represents false religion and hypocrisy.
15. We read the same statement in both I Corinthians 5:6 and Galatians 5:9, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. It is obvious from the context, that here leaven is symbolic of evil (cf. I Cor. 5:6-8).
16. The Bible teaches that leaven slowly and invisibly permeates churches, and eventually corrupts the pure Gospel of grace (cf. Gal. 5:1-9).
17. One of the great themes of the Gospels is the fierce conflict between our Lord and the Pharisees. These men represented the religious hierarchy of His day and they were nothing but religious hypocrites.
18. Our Lord had compassion on the publicans and sinners, the drunkards and the harlots. But He had nothing but stern denunciations for these religious hypocrites.
19. Things have not changed much. The vast majority of so-called ministers are not saved. They are what the apostle Paul calls deceitful workers and ministers of Satan (II Cor. 11:13-15).
20. Not a day passes that I do not hear about some so-called minister who is an adulterer or a liar or a thief or a homosexual or a heretic.
21. I wish I did not have to deal with it but I must because Jesus said these false prophets are wolves in sheep s clothing (Matt. 7:15). He said to beware" (Luke 12:1).

 

I. HYPOCRISY (12:1)

1. In Luke 12:1, our Lord said, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." The Pharisees were insufferable hypocrites (Luke 11:44).
2. Interestingly, our Lord gave this warning "to His disciples first of all" (12:1). Judas, the world's most infamous hypocrite, was there.
3. This was their crowning sin. Our Lord said in Matthew 6:5, 16 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men...Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast."
4. Albert Barnes said leaven "is swelling. It puffs us up, and fills us with pride and vanity. No man is more proud than the hypocrite, and none is more odious to God. When Jesus cautions them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, he means that they should be cautious about imbibing their spirit and becoming like them. The religion of Jesus is one of sincerity, of humility, of an entire want of disguise. The humblest man is the best Christian, and he who has the least disguise is most like his Master."
5. Spurgeon said, "Hypocrites of all sorts are abominable, and he who deals with them will rue it. He who tries to cheat the Lord will be quite ready to cheat his fellow men...Surely when the devil sees hypocrites at their little game, it must be as good as a play to him. He tempts genuine Christians, but he lets hypocrites alone, because he is sure of them. He need not shoot at lame ducks; his dog can pick them up any day."
6. One of the amazing things about hypocrites is that they do not realize that eventually their sin will come to light (Luke 12:2, 3).
7. Spurgeon: "It may give a moment's peace to wear a mask, but deception will come home to you and bring sorrow with it."

 

II. INSENSTIVE TO SIN AND GOD'S JUDGMENT OF SIN

1. Oliver Cromwell was a brave man. When he was asked the basis for his courage, he said that he had learned that if he feared God he would fear no man (12:2-5).
2. In Luke 12:2, 3 our Lord is referring to things coming out in the open in this life, and at the judgment seat of Christ. It is better to deal with sin now than have God deal with it later.
3. First Corinthians 11:31 says, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."
4. Cf. Colossians 3:23-25.
5. Many people do not believe in a literal hell, but our Lord preached it often (Luke 12:4, 5).
6. Though men might kill the body they cannot touch the soul. When the body dies, the soul of the believer departs from the body and is immediately present with the Lord. But on the other hand, if one is not right with God he should repent because God has power to cast the soul into hell. Yea, I say unto you, Fear Him (Luke 12:5).
7. Our Lord said the same thing in Matthew 10:28 in a different place at a different time, indicating our Lord preached this often.
8. Our Lord preached more about hell than He did about heaven. He preached more about hell than any other preacher in the Bible.
9. One of the great doctrines of Scripture is the doctrine of Divine Providence. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
10. Regarding our Lord's words in Luke 12:6 and 7, Matthew Henry said, "The lives of good Christians and good ministers are the particular care of divine Providence...Providence takes cognizance of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows...Providence takes cognizance of the meanest interest of the disciples of Christ: 'Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.'"
11. A true Christian will confess Christ before others (12:8, 9). Many so-called "nominal Christians" have never confessed Christ before others.
12. They that deny Christ will be denied by Christ (12:9). He will say to them, "I never knew you: depart from me."
13. Luke 12:10 has been called "the unpardonable sin." In Matthew 12:31, Jesus said, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
14. This is the one sin that never can be forgiven. To blaspheme against the Holy Ghost at that time was to refuse to accept the Holy Ghost s witness to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
15. And it is the same today. The one sin that never can be forgiven is the final rejection of the Holy Ghost s testimony to the Lord Jesus.
16. If a sinner rejects Christ there is nothing else for him but judgment. The Holy Spirit came from heaven to bear testimony to Christ. But if men reject this testimony they deliberately sin against the Holy Ghost, and there is no forgiveness for them.
17. The Bible says, "My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3).
18. Our Lord told His disciples that the same Holy Spirit who convicts men of sin would teach them and tell them what to say when they would be brought into the synagogues, and made to testify before magistrates and powers (12:11, 12).
19. We see this illustrated throughout the book of Acts when the disciples testified before religious and civil authorities.
20. H.A. Ironside applies this to the Holy Spirit empowering preachers today. "The only real preaching today is preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not say that ministers of the gospel should not give much time to prayer, study, and to the Word that they may be prepared to give that Word when the time comes, but their dependence must be upon the power of the Holy Spirit of God who alone can make that Word fruitful. Thus our Lord had shown His disciples where their strength was to be found in the days when they were to go forth in His name to proclaim His message to the world. How wonderfully He has honored that Word down through the centuries! And how we can thank Him that He has been pleased to use it so blessedly in the salvation of men and women everywhere, who have received it in faith and so made Christ Jesus their own Saviour and owned Him as their Lord!" (Luke).

 

III. COVETOUSNESS (12:13-15)

1. The Pharisees were covetousness (cf. Luke 16:14). Most religious hypocrites are covetous. There is a Pentecostal pastor named Creflo Dollar, well known for his covetousness.
2. His name fits him. His personal worth (not the church's net worth) is $27 million! Newspapers have reported that Dollar owns a million-dollar Atlanta home and $2.5 million Manhattan apartment, drives a Rolls-Royce and is regularly transported by a private jet.
3. Eddie Long is a Baptist pastor in Atlanta, Georgia. His net worth is $5 million. Five young men have settled out of court with Long over his alleged homosexual relationships.
4. Though Dollar and Long are in Atlanta, not all of the crooks are from Atlanta. They are all over. In fact, I was surprised to discover many religious racketeers are from Nigeria, a very poor country.
5. T.D. Jakes pastors a huge Oneness Pentecostal church in Dallas, Texas. His net worth is $18 million.
6. I could go on, but it is not necessary. Second Peter 2:3 says, "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."
7. Psalm 10:3 says, "For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth."
8. In Luke 12:13 we read, "And one of the company" (someone in the crowd) said to Jesus, "Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me."
9. Verses 13-15 link together the preceding verses with our Lord's parable of the rich fool (12:16-21).
10. Covetousness is a very subtle sin. The Bible says the devil beguiles people (saved and unsaved alike) through his subtilty.
11. Lee Roberson referred to covetousness as An ancient sin dogging the steps of modern man.
12. The scribes and Pharisees were covetous hypocrites -- greedy, grasping, and rapacious (cf. Luke 20:46, 47).
13. May we as Christians "beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:1). Colossians 3:5 says covetousness is idolatry.
14. In Luke 12:13, our Lord was confronted by a man who wanted Him to speak to his brother about dividing their inheritance. Many family fights start over this.
15. Covetousness results in bitterness and wrath. Family members fighting over money and jewelry and furniture and other things that will eventually turn to dust.
16. Our Lord said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
17. Our Lord's stern reply to the covetous man in Luke 12:14 and 15 should serve as a warning to us all.
18. Most Americans think they can be happy by accumulating money and the things money can buy. We have become materialistic, overfed, affluent, and covetous.
19. So our Lord says, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).

 

CONCLUSION:

1. I read a story recently about a poor peasant who was covetous. This peasant complained to a wealthy landholder -- you have so much, and I have so little, etc.
2. Knowing human nature, the wealthy landholder promised to give the peasant all the land he could walk around in a whole day.
3. The peasant, greedily trying to take in as much territory as possible, overexerted himself and dropped dead with a massive heart attack.
4. And so he ended up with nothing.
5. H.A. Ironside said the Jews used to say that a baby is born into this world with his little fists clenched, grasping after everything he can obtain. But we all die with our hands wide open -- we have nothing in them.
6. Ironside concluded: "We cannot take anything with us; we have to go empty-handed. Why hoard things?"