Followeing on from the things Jesus concluded in Luke 11:29-54, He had mre to say about hypocrisy as :Luke reciords in Luke 12:1-12. The whole section can be understood as awarning about the ‘leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’ (Luke 12:1-2), as Jersus gives some reasons why hypocrisy is to be avoided. The truth behind Jesus’ teaching is that God wants the truth to be in our hearts, where the light it will bring will deliver us from inner darkness.

Message

Outline

• The thirty-seventh in this series
• Avoid being like the Pharisees!
• A working definition of hypocrisy
• See how Jesus gives us reasons to avoid hypocrisy …

1. Because all truth will be revealed (v.1-3)
2. Because the Lord will be the Judge (v.4-7)
3. Because only faithfulness will be rewarded (v.8-12)

‘We are all hypocrites…’
The one in the mirror
Having the light within!

When Jesus spoke out in judgement on the Pharisees in Luke 11:29-54, He did not mince his words or hold back. If there was anyone that made Jesus angry, it was the self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders who did everthing they could to advance themselves in the eyes of the people, but failed to live honestly before God. Hypocrisy is such a dangerous snare for all of God’s people. We must beware iof it and avoid being like these Pharisees at all cost!

Message

Outline

• The thirty-sixth in this series
• From bad to worse
• Committed unbelief
• See how Luke tells us that Jesus spoke against …

1. The blindness of their hearts (v.29-36)
2. The falseness of their lives (v.37-54)

The importance of…
Truth on the inside

When Jesus chose to heal a man from demon possession in Luke 11:14-28, he got much more than he was expecting in terms of opposition to his miracle. Those who observed the miraculous deliverance of the man, could only reach a conclsuion that was opposite to what might have been made by those with ‘two eyes’, attributing the miracle to the works of the evil one. But Jesus was not deterred and used the opprtunity to press His claims and to point out what responsing to Him the right way really means.

Message

Outline

• The thirty-fifth in this series
• Encouragements and discouragements
• Divided witnesses
• See how Luke tells us of …

1. The ‘crime’ Jesus committed (v.14)
2. The accusation they levelled (v.15-16)
3. The defence Jesus gave (v.17-28)
   R
   S
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Courtroom drama
What’s your verdict?
Hearing and heeding…

After Jesus had left the home of Marth a and Mary, the dfisciples observed Him (as was His usual custom) praying. They aked Him therefore to teach them to pray. In Luke 11;1-13, we find the respoonse Jesus gave them in which he laid down for them a pattern for prayer, encouraged them to be persistent in prayer and also encouraged them by reminding them that God the Father welcomes their requests. The challenge for us is not so much understanding what Jesus said, but doing what He said!

Message

Outline

• The thirty-fourth in this series
• Connecting back to last week…
• What the disciples observed about Jesus
• See how Jesus taught about…

1. The pattern needed for ordered prayer (v.1-4)
2. The persistence needed for effective prayer (v.5-10)
3. The assurance needed for answered prayer (v.11-13)

The hardest thing to do?
Spurgeon’s comment
‘Teach me to pray!”

Many people can tell you what the Parable of the Good Samaritan is all about and what Jesus was teaching by it. However, many people can also take the parable in a rather simplistic fashion which makes it all sound ‘nice’, even sort of ‘ a good thing to do’. But Jesus meant so much more by this parable that is recorded in Luke 10:25-37 which follows a long section in which Jesus has been shaping and forming the minds and hearts of His disciples. In that sense, the parable therefore means far more that many might have thought!

Message

Outline

The thirty-second in this series

• Where we left off…
• Samaritans and Jews
• See how Jesus told of the Samaritan’s compassion that was…

1. Genuine and not ‘put on’ (v.30-32)
2. Based on needs and not on worth (v.33)
3. Not just words but costly actions (v.34)

This unsafe world
The law of God
The One who was truly ‘good’

The whole chapter of Luke 9 seems to be about discipleship and this is confirmed by the finanl paragraph of the chapter, Luke 9:57-62. here, Jesus meets people who ‘would-be’ His disciples – people He asked to come and follow Him, and those who were ‘wannabe’ disciples – those who came up to Him and said they would follow Him of their own accord. To both groups of people, Jesus gave some very telling and strong demands about discipleship. It’s never to be taken lightly, but involves cost and sacrifice and letting go of many things.

Message

Outline

• The thirtieth in this series
• Jesus training the 12…
• New applicants!
• See how the disciples of Jesus need to let go of …

1. Earthly security (v.57-58)
2. Earthly ties (v.59-60)
3. Earthly distractions (v.61-62)

Australian Idol
What became of these would-be followers?
John Newton’s story

The 12 disciples of Jesus were certainly a mixed bag – hot one day (think Peter saying ‘You are the Christ) and cold the next (think their argument on the road to the cross as to which of them was the greatest!). In Luke 9:46-56 it seems that some pettiness in their minds and hearts came to the fore and out of their mouths. Jesus must have felt burdened that they were so off the mark – just like we can also be. Thanks be to God that He wasn’t, but came ‘not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many’!

Message

Outline

• The twenty-ninth in this series
• Where we left off…
• Those disciples of Jesus!
• See how the text tells of the disciples’…

1. Lack of humility (v.46-48)
2. Lack of tolerance (v.49-50)
3. Lack of compassion (v.51-56)

School report cards
Three ‘fails’
The One who passed with flying colours!