The Inadequacy of Pharisaical Religion: 2016 Gospel of Luke #17
This is an exposition of Luke 5:27-39. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, June 12, 2016.
Intro:
He was enjoying his “Galilean Spring.” He was at the height of his popularity. Everywhere he went crowds followed. They came to hear the power of his words and witness the power of his healing touch. He taught like no other man. It was as if he had authority within his being. The biblical writer says, “They were astonished by his teaching.” They were struck in the mind, or amazed by what he said. As for healing, they witnessed withered hands made whole, leprosy cleansed, useless legs made strong. Rumors were rampant. Could this be Messiah? Is this the One we’ve been waiting for? Thus they came, the curious, the believing, the doubting and the establishment. The Pharisees were a strict sect within Judaism. They were the teachers of the law and saw themselves as the guardians of the people. Our natural tendency, because we find them dogging the steps of the Savior seeking accusation, is to “boo” and “hiss” when they appear on the pages of Scripture. You must understand that by and large these were good and sincere men. Men who genuinely believed they were serving God. No doubt there were those who were unscrupulous and who cared only about their own power and control but as a group they were sincere believers who took the Scriptures and the commands of God seriously. The problem was that in their desire to keep the law they distorted the law. In an attempt to guard the truth they corrupted it. Because they wanted to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy they added extra protection and so narrowly defined what that meant they lost the true meaning and significance of the Sabbath. They did the same for the other commandments. The result was a religion of rules that robbed the faith of its joy and vibrancy. Faith became a transaction. It was mechanical, cold and lifeless. That put them on a collision course with the ministry of Jesus. This understanding is necessary if you are to make any sense of the tense that develops throughout the ministry of our Lord.
Two very different approaches to faith and religious life. One focused on obeying the rules the other centered in relationship. One seeking to be righteous and therefore acceptable to God the other joyously resting in God’s gracious gift. These two different understandings is the focus of our text this morning found in Luke 5 beginning with Luke 5:27.
Text: Luke 5:27-39
Luke is writing his friend an accurate, orderly account of Jesus’ life and ministry.
Demonstrating his uniqueness as the Lord’s anointed and the universal Savior.
This particular passage is important because the Pharisees are still with us.
Those who think of faith as adherence to a set of rules.
Those who measure righteousness by a checklist as the basis of acceptance.
I’m not at all suggesting that we are not commanded to live a certain way.
We are under the law of Christ.
We are expected to live righteously not in order to be accepted but because we are accepted.
The point of the text before us being that…
Thesis: The joyful, life-giving grace of Jesus stands in stark contrast to the Pharisees’ religion of rules.
There are two problems with rules based religion reflected in our text.
- Pharisaical religion fails to understand the heart of biblical salvation. (5:27-32)
Let’s consider Levi as a picture of biblical salvation.
This despised and hated man is…Chosen by God.
Graciously called by effective grace.
Brought to repentance.
Enters into worship.
Instinctively witnessed.All this feasting and celebrating prompted a second protest and that becomes the basis of the second thing I wanted to point out…
- Pharisaical religion foolishly substitutes mechanical obedience for vibrant life. (5:33-39)
The Pharisees are complaining about a lack of fasting on the part of Jesus’ followers. Our Lord response with a principle stated in Luke 5:34 and 35 and then two parables in Luke 5:36, 37, and 38.
Conclusion:
A religion of rules. A cold, mechanical approach to religion is a sorry substitute for the vibrancy and life of true, biblical faith. Friend, you cannot earn your way to heaven. You cannot make yourself acceptable to God. Your only hope is that God graciously offers you life by faith. If you will acknowledge your sinful, hopeless state and throw yourself on the mercy of God, turn from your sin and trust in Christ and in him alone – you will be granted life eternal and life abundant.