Beware of Wrongdoing and Be Generous - Luke 20:45-21:4

Beginning a 45 will all the people were listening. Jesus said to his disciples to Beware of the teachers of the law, they like to walk around in flowing, robes love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. Have the most important seats in the synagogues in the places of honor at Banquets, they devour widows house isn't for show. Make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished, most severely as Jesus looked up. He saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple, treasury. He also saw a poor Widow put into very small copper coins. Truly I tell you, he said this poor Widow. His put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her Pub. Be put in all she had to live on. This is God's word. You may be seated.

If you were with us last week I brought up the points. How one of our default position does human beings is to ask questions that we're hardwired to do that but in a lot of contacts whether you be you walk in the door here Sunday morning, you go to somebody's house for a meal or you go to any kind of event or you just do anyting. One of the questions that is easy to roll off of our tongues is what do I need to do? What must I do? I can I think particularly when you go into somebody's house, that's one of the first questions it rolls off the tongue. How can I help? What do you need help with? What can I do to help you finish the meal? Get the house cleaned up, set the table. What do I need to do? We can ask that in the church. Sometimes what do I need to do? And a lot of times when we ask that we're primarily thinking about physical actions, we can do with our hands and with our schedules, for example, you know what, what do I need to do? You need to read the Bible for 10 minutes every day in the morning or do I need to do? You need to pray for these two prayer requests every single day? Or do I need to do or you need to give $100 this mission's cause we Thrive and be like, there's a specific concrete examples of tangible things we can do with our hands and with our schedules are good things to do. But sometimes I would say all the time, really? What God calls us to do is to focus on the heart. Because, God cares about the internal actions of the heart. Not just merely what you do with your hands and with your schedule. But what you do in your heart makes plane One of the parenting phrases that I've been throwing around recently with JD and analyn in particular? Is that classic phrase in a jokingly? I'm not, I hope, you know, I'm not doing super serious at this but that that phrase you're going to go to bed. What's the end of it? You're going to like it, you're going to finish your food and you're going to like it because we don't want our kids to just make their bad. We don't want them to just finish their food, physically speaking with their actions. We want them to enjoy it, to appreciate it to do, have a good attitude, a good posture of their heart, as they engage in these actions. The same when it comes with the Lord. He doesn't just merely want us to go through the motions. He doesn't just want you to merely put money in the plate or walk in the door. Sunday morning, good things to do, good actions to do. But Jesus care about what goes on in the heart of the internal actions of the heart. Turn my texts today. Jesus, warns us concerning the nature of the heart, but he warns us against number one, dangerous influences, that can greatly impact us. Also, number two, he encourages us to give generously from the heart. And as we walk through the Gospels, you have to remember we're not merely looking at Jesus to study him in an academic sense. That is not at all the way we should approach scripture. The reason we are walking through Luke slowly. But surely it's so that we might see Jesus. We might get a clearer picture of who he is. We might understand what he did when he came to do what he promised what he spoke but also that's most importantly, how do weave in live in light of that truth. How do we then submit Our Lives to this King? How do we honor this Lord, who has come into the world? How do we restructure? And Order Our Lives to honor and worship in black and serve the king of kings? Because as we follow the king as we submit to his authority, as we listen to his words only, then will you and I be able to experience the Abundant Life when I say that I'm not talkin about financially prosperous life by Abundant. I mean a life filled with the spirit of God, a life filled with the fruit of the spirit of his love, his Joy. His peace patience. So on and so forth. Only, when we submit to him only when we follow him, you've experienced that fool, Abundant Life in the spirit. The church as you. And I as we strive to Faithfully follow this, King Faithfully, follow Jesus, two points. You today number one, we must beware of wrongdoing. A number to, we must be generous with our giving and primarily is to purchase these two actions. These two commands are all concerning your heart. Let's walk to the Texan packet. Beginning verse 45. What? All the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples 446, Beware of the teachers of the law. Now. Right there, this is the first command. Is it explicit? Implicit command, beware an active thing that the people that the disciples should be doing Beware of the teachers of the law, the first man, Jesus spoke since Luke Chapter, 20 verses 20 to 26. Where Jesus famously said, give to Caesar what is Caesar's? So here we have another explicit command beware the teachers of the law of a Greek word. Therefore beware, it means to be on guard against, it means to be careful, it means to pay attention to watch out for. So if you were in Shenandoah National Park on Skyline Drive, you see a sign that says, beware of bears. That sign. It just merely mean look for them. Physically just keep your eye out and just don't know if there's a cool but the reason that sign is there is keep your eyes out for them to stay away from them, right? Because they're dangerous, they can approach you, they can be aggressive beware of bears. So Jesus saying, Beware of the teachers of the law. Now, it's Jesus, talking about staying away from all teachers of the law. Pick us apart a little bit, but let me ask you again, are all the teachers of the law bad. In Jesus's day in H. Not necessarily a trick question. No, they're not. Not every single one. Because in modern-day ears, this Jesus might be akin to saying, Beware of the pastures. Are there some bad pastors? Of course, there are some good ones by two teachers of the law. It's not all of them are bad. Because for example, John chapter 3 verse was a Pharisee expert in the law yet? We see that there was humility in his heart, all sonax 15:5. We see that some of the very first Christians. Some of the very first converts to Christianity were Pharisees and they remain Pharisees after their conversion. Most clear sample. That is the Apostle Paul in Acts 25 and also I believe in Philippians, Paul still identifies himself as a Pharisee So, not necessarily all of them are back, but what about the bad apples? Then what about those teachers of the law who are bad? Is Jesus, then saying keep 100 ft away from them. Don't ever look them in the eye. I don't think so because you have to look at his own wife and example. And Luke 7:36, Jesus himself dine with a Pharisee in his own house. Later on, we find a new 14:1 Jesus dined with many Pharisees. And there were many experts, many teachers, and the law for sitting around the table for that meal was Jesus saying, literally keep physical distance hundred feet from all the teachers know. Jesus is talking about an attitude of the heart. He's talkin about having a Discerning sharp is a sharp mind, a Sharp heart that notices error, and wrongdoing and apocracy stay away from it. No, you notice the descriptions that Jesus talks about. With the exception of devouring widows houses which is inverse 47. Which I'll get you in a moment. None of those explicit descriptions are bad, face value. For example, it's not necessarily bad to walk around in a flowing robe, or in our day and age to walk around in a nice suit. That's not necessarily a bad to be greeted with respect for somebody to refer to you as mister or missus or doctor or yes. Or no, sir. Not necessarily A Bad Thing. Not a Bad Thing to sit at a seat of Honor for say, when you go to a wedding, typically right there. The head table is reserved for the bride and groom bridal party. It's not a bad thing. If they invite you to come sit at that head table with them on a surly, and it's also contrary to what you might think. It's not necessarily A Bad Thing to pray, like the prayers. So what is Jesus talking about when the heart of the problem? I said this before but it's true. The heart of the problem here is a problem of their hearts because in the midst of all these actions that they were doing, but they're walking around in flowing robes. They like to do that. They love to be greeted with respect. They love to have the most important seat in the synagogues. The places of honor at Banquets, the problem was this describes the Pharisees teachers of the law. We're looking to human beings for their fulfillment, for their purpose, their identity, for their praise, for their Joy. They're looking to human beings to feel that need in their heart, that only the Lord can provide Sated conversely, instead of looking to God Almighty for his satisfaction for his fulfillment for his praise, for the purpose that he gives instead of being satisfied in that they look to human beings to fill that void in their heart. We all have it. We all are tempted to fill it with other people, but only God Almighty and filled that part of our hearts. And when that happens, when you look at people, From a prideful state. What happens? Well, pride, and greed start to rub in, you starts to grow in the fruit of that. In the most ugly form, is it, you start to look at people for what you can get out of them. You no longer look at people as human beings created in the image of God, who God has called you to blessing to serve. You start to look at people. What can I get out of it? Particularly you look at the vulnerable, the week, the helpless in this case, widows and you and you take advantage of them. Because that's what is exactly what they were doing. Verse 47, they devour widows houses. We don't know explicitly what that meant, what they were looking like. But the Bible doesn't explicitly say, but some commentators have suggested that, perhaps, when Widow lost her husband, all the the states and assets and what not her in her name? Back in the day even today to degree. Widows struggle, can have a struggle, both financially and regarding a legal standing back there, more show. So widows in order to survive to tell to have food, to figure out, how to manage their home and whatnot. They relied upon the mercy and the Goodwill of the religious leaders that they were supposed to end, the god called him many times. In the Old Testament, you read it, God called him to care for the Widow and the orphan. But instead of caring for them, perhaps when the Widow's went to them for help, they charge them fees. Exorbitant fees for their legal advice or maybe if they were figuring out managing some of the assets. Maybe they pocketed some of the money themselves without the Widow being aware of it. We don't know exactly how the point is. These men were corrupted, they were viable. I did not find their satisfaction their identity in God and so they tried to find it. They look to other people to find that happiness in that fulfillment. And that Joy.

And this is important. When you do not find your satisfaction and your purpose in the Lord, you will always view other people in a utilitarian mindset. Meaning, what can I get out of him? Today right? Bring it tomorrow. They contact. You might not be, you might read this and you might think, you know, I really don't have a temptation to wear flowing robes or make lengthy prayers in public. So people praise and applaud me know, that's my Temptation. You're losing sight of what Jesus is. Condemning Jesus is condemning our proclivity are temptation to look to people for what only God can bring Let me give you a tangible example of what this looks like, a gnat in a small scale. sometimes in life when I have enough Goodwill for my own heart, I want to clean the bathroom at my house. Okay, I want to scrub the toilet. Want to wipe it down and wipe down the sink when I brush up the bathtub. All right, part of it, part of motivation is cuz, yeah, I like everybody, we enjoy a clean bathroom. But honestly, part of it, if I clean it, I do it. And let's say the day goes by hours, go by and let's say Megan hasn't said a word to me about it. What do I do? I just want to let you know. I cleaned the bathroom earlier today. What am I doing? I'm fishing for praise. I'm fishing, I'm looking for that appreciation. That respect that gratitude that. Praise from other people, understand me, right. It's not a sinful thing to desire appreciation. My point is if that mindset is left, unchecked, it can infect and grow in a much more. Great Skate Grand scale as exemplified by here because the point is there's a Temptation inside all of us. That when we do Works, particularly good works. We want others to see us and even to praise us

We'll get to that in a little bit with regarding be giving aspect. But how many times do we want other people? We will never admit it. You never admit, this kind of thing. It's one of those deep attitudes of the heart, we do good works. We want to do good works, so that the pastor might give you an attaboy, so that your spouse might say, hey, thank you so much so that you fill in the blank, so that your boss might, you know, you work hard so that your boss might give you an extra raise, you don't just work to work hard. The Temptation is to find our identity, our fulfillment satisfaction from what other people say from the praise, the glory of other people. And when we don't find that in the Lord, we've always have a prideful view of ourselves and we will have a low view of others looking to exploit them and take from them. Only God can truly give to us. so, Search 22 practical. Things number 1. Be on your guard, actively against Pride, against greed, against blessed, and stay away from people. Could you simplify these traits but also guard your own heart. If Christianity is not just about, stay away from all the bad out there, that's kind of part of it, but it's also, hey, watch your own heart cuz your own heart is pray to these very Temptations. So guard, your own heart. And the way to do that isn't just by saying, no, no, no, all the time. But by saying yes, to the good, fill your heart with what is good with, what is true. It's Philippines for a finally Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is Noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever, it's admirable. Anything is a sort of praiseworthy, think about dwell on these things Ponder. These things store up your heart with these things. The most simple Crystal Clear. Way to do that is by being in the word, filled your heart with the truth of God's word with the praise the glory, the beauty here so that you're not tempted to look the people in the use them to feel but only God can give you set the first component, beware of wrongdoing. But Christianity, you know, it's not just about rejecting the bad, it's also about embracing and practicing the good and that's where 21:1 begins. As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple Treasury. Me to be a little bit of context right here. The temple. The center Hub, Jewish life in the temple. It's not just a building. It's the place where Ministry took place, where the work of ministry took place and it required. A lot of financial support, 2nd Kings chapter 12. Verse for, we see in the Old Testament and New Testament Practice in the Old Testament. We see people bringing many different types of offerings and Gifts. Dedicating them for service for usage in the temple. For example, one commentator pointed out the different vessels that were used in the temple for worship. Whether it be the Bulls a cups that the tables, all these kind of things, the different vessels are required by law by the Torah to be made of gold and silver. So I guess what? They cost money in addition to that, there are many stocks me, stockpiles of a Priceless, curtains of Priestly, garments that needed to be expertly. And finally, made with fine fabric there, many stores of flower oil, grain wine incense, and other valuable Commodities that needed to be. Caps up. Keep there's a lot of different moving components to the work of ministry in the temple. So many people would bring their gifts their money, their finances to support this. Good work. Have a text says, Jesus looked up. He saw the rich putting their gifts to the temple Treasury. First two, he also saw a poor Widow put into very small copper coins.

And that the two coins there, it in the original language, it's, it's called a left up and one left was roughly worth 1/8 of a penny today 1/8 of a penny. So literally sense How often do you look at a penny and you just walked by us, not worth bending over and picking up at. This is less than that. Jesus, Jesus. And it's interesting though that Jesus, this is another Revelation that Jesus is. God, himself is Jesus sees the attitude of the heart going on here. And he also takes notice of the week, those who were overlooked, those who according to the world, she's not doing anything why. She even here, she's don't even bring that. I said that's an insult to. What? I'm giving not, you know, I'm given thousands of dollars to this. She shouldn't even be here. She's going to be on the same level as us. Vegeta sees her and notices her and exalts. Her, as he instructs his disciples, this is in contrast to verse 47 Cuz some people wonder how these two passages correlate with one another. How do they fit on a 47? The widows were being taken advantage of their being trampled upon. But here is it exalts? The action, the heart of this Widow and brings her honor and esteem

I love what One Pastor said here. This lady, This Woman, This widow, she was not changing the World by giving the sense. Nobody saw what she was giving. Nobody took notice of her and certainly nobody was going to write her. A thank-you note for that big donation. She gave nobody was going to do that. She was merely being faithful with what the Lord had given her. And so please God through your faithfulness. The world pay, no attention to this lady but the Lord himself the only person who matters. He sees he cares and he is pleased with what she does. This is God's economy, it is not the economy of the world because you read Luke chapter 6, the equivalent of The Sermon, on the Mount in Luke. Luke chapter 6, we find those. This is what God's economy is like. Blessed are the meek for? They shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the poor in spirit for. They shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Let It All The Godly though. They are. Scorned ridiculed persecuted. The world belittles them and bemoans them today. The end of time, they will be exalted as they will be raised up. They will be honored and praised amongst all people. this is God's economy and this is in stark contrast to the way the world operates when it comes to giving it and financial giving because think about it, how often when it comes to giving, is it correlated to the Acclaim with a benefits? We get out of it. For example, how many of you just be honest, how many of you have had that attitude? You know, if I can give X amount to the church or to this nonprofit because hey, the tax write-off. For me, helps me with my taxes, or I'll give this charity, but I'm doing it because I get to be entered into the sweepstakes to meet this famous celebrity. Or, you know, I'll get to this, this good calls or this new building project as long as I get my name on it, or I get my name on the donor board wall. I'm guilty of some of those things. I'm not saying it's all you. The point is if nobody sees you, if you get no, Acclaim, no, praise, no recognition for the gifts that you give. Would you still do it? Would you still do it? That's what Jesus is getting at. I Think Jesus is stressing here, the posture of your heart when it comes to giving it, some people, they read this and there's a couple different ways. People interpret this, in terms of what is the mean meaning that Jesus is communicating? Some people think that the measure of your giving isn't determined by what you give for say. That's about what you still have afterwards. And this boy, isn't there? Some people think that's truly giving to the Lord means giving literally everything as Jesus sometimes. Talked about you sell everything you have give to the poor and follow me. Some people, think that's the intention here. It's a literal kind of understanding of the mindset that Jesus is addressing the issue of the heart, the posture of your heart because if you give, if you only have $5 and you give $1 of that for somebody who has $200,000 and gives $10,000. But you see they gave 20% versus somebody knows math. Get, we can do makeup in meat right now. Okay. Jesus cares about the posture of your heart when it comes to giving. How about one person said the world cares about quantity but the Lord cares about quality of your giving. Think about it when it comes to taxes tax season. And we just ran out of that. When I comes April time, the government could care less. If you give hesitatingly or with resistance or with eagerness over Joy, I could care less what your attitude, it's where they care about. You got to make sure your money, all of it is in on time. That's all I care about but it's not. So when it comes to the Lord is not interested in the bottom line, he's interested in the posture of your heart. 1st Corinthians 13 verse 3, explicitly and beautifully, described it, if I give all, I possess to the poor, but do not have love in the process. I am nothing. The Church of the application point that the big takeaway be generous in your giving. Be generous in your giving. And I'm not talking about, you have to understand me, I'm not necessarily talking about, put more in the plate. And I also hope you know, I'm not begging you for money, and if the Lord is prompting you to give, I'll be happy. If you gave to a good solid Christian Gospel preaching Bible Center Ministry. It's not about making Hillsborough bigger and better, although I do believe there's wisdom in starting locally and then expanding, so on and so forth. I think there's wisdom in that I'll be generous and you're giving And by that, I mean the posture of your heart. 2nd Corinthians 9, verse 6 and 7 famously read during kind of offering time. Rightly, so, each of you should give what each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for God, loves a cheerful Giver.

So are you might be saying argue with you? I got you, it's about the heart. It's not really about a dollar amount in this context. So then how do I cultivate that good posture in my heart. How do I, how do I close every that cheerful loving eager heart that wants to give and wants to give more

I've heard you recognize and rejoice in the generous gospel. Message of Christ. Recognize and rejoice, and how generous God has been to you first and foremost, Lee. God never calls you to do anything that he himself, does not already done for mr. Again, God never calls you to do anything that he himself has not already done for you. So when he calls you to be generous to give of yourself, to give your finances time, your energy and money to give. It's because he first gave to you, though. He was rich in heaven and the glory is the Perfection of Heaven. He gave it all away, came down made himself poor. And even more than that, he poured out his life for the so that you and I could experience the richness of his Abundant Life. That we had the closest relationship to the father. He is the one who experienced abandonment separation, so that we could have access and presents in his presence. so, when Church Arapahoe this up, when you find your fulfillment in Christ, when you see how generous he has first been to you. When you look at people, not for what you can get out of them, but for what, you can give to them. That's a simple powerful lesson that my dad taught me growing up. Don't look at people for what you can get out of them, but for what, you can give to them and that's rooted in the heart of God. But the only way that you can do that, the only way you can have that proper attitude that perspective and you can consequently live a good righteous life with your actions and with your schedule. The only way you can do that is if you first find fulfillment in Christ. And if you first see how generous he is been to you Only then, will you be able to look at other people for what you can give to them? And for what how you can be generous to the Lord's purposes?

Church, the very last verse is, Proverbs 4:23. You might know this one, if you don't such a good memory verse for you, Proverbs 4:23 Above All Else, guard your heart for everything, you do flows from it. So Above All Else, get more money Above All Else. Keep your physical distance from people who might be a little sinful or pretty hypocritical Above All Else. Guard your heart, everything you do the way you interact with people, the way that you conduct, and look at your finances, the way that you look at your time, all of that will flow from the condition of your heart. The condition of your heart has to be shaped by the gospel. How much Christ loves you. How much, how generous he's been towards you? Because that's the antidote to cure the sinful disposition that you, and I have the sinful temptations that you and I have

So, let's pray church and then we'll will close with the doxology.

Our Father. May your kingdom come.

Jesus, may we Delight in your love.

The spirit, may we stand upon the truth of your word. All For Your Glory. Jesus name we pray. Amen.