HEAVENLY VERDICTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED

SUNDAY, 23RD OCTOBER, 2022.

Topic: HEAVENLY VERDICTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED

MEMORIZE: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them" (Luke 11:44).

SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE11:37-52 (NKJV)

³⁷ And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. ³⁸ When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. ³⁹ Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. ⁴² But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them." ⁴⁵ Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." ⁴⁶ And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷ Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. ⁴⁸ In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' ⁵⁰ that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. ⁵² Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

EXPOSTION:

Heavenly verdicts that should not be ignored according to our today’s texts includes:

1. A true soul winner must learn to be sociable without being sinful – v. 37, Hebrews 7:26.

2. He is a fool who puts his priority on outward beauty and give less attention to inward purity – vv. 39, 40.

3. Giving of alms to the needy is part of neglected Christian righteousness – v. 41.

4. Things that attracts woe as against blessings.

a. External righteousness without inward grace of love for God, neighbor and truth – v. 42. Partial obedience is sinful.

b. Love of self exaltation, self-praise, public praise and approval – v. 43.

c. A life of spiritual rottenness, pretence and deceits - v 44.

d. Preaching the word without living out the preaching – v. 46.

e. Teaching and acting out what can derail someone from God and heaven – v. 52.

Reflect on each above and come to the cross in repentance so as to avoid the sentence of "woe". Jesus is not are specter of any.

PRAYER POINTS: Ask God to purge you from all forms of hypocrisy.

Consecrate and promise God that you will follow the way of the cross with emphasis on humility and inward holiness.

Ask God to purge you from the love of self-exaltation and praise of men.

Pray that each member will abhor hypocrisy and concentrate on true inward purity.

********************************

DAILY BIBLE READING IN A YEAR –  Mark 5-8.