TEXT:  Matt. 7:5

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NOT A WORD HE SHOULDN’T SAY – DESCRIBES AN UGLY PERSON.

B.      SHOULDN’T USE OUT OF MALICE – CALL A SPADE A SPADE.

C.      WHAT IS A HYPOCRITE? One who answers, a stage actor, a pretender.

          HYPOCRISY?  A false assumption of virtue;  the pretense of goodness or religion.

D.      THE OLDER GENERATION IS OFTEN ACCUSED.

E.      WHO DOES JESUS SAY IS A HYPOCRITE?  ONE WHO….

I.      SEEKS HUMAN GLORY.

A.      Matt. 6:1-3.  RIGHTEOUSNESS & ALMSGIVING TO BE DONE IN SECRET.

B.      vs. 5-8.  OUR PRAYERS BETWEEN US AND GOD.

C.      vs. 16-18.  FASTING & DEDICATION TO GOD IS NOT FOR SHOW!

D.      Matt. 23:5-12.  HUMILITY ABOVE SELF-EXALTATION.

II.     IS NOT WILLING TO DO WHAT HE EXPECT OF OTHERS.

A.      IN REGARD TO SIN( Matt. 7:1-5 ).

B.      IN REGARD TO GOOD WORKS( 23:1-4 ).

C.      SEE THEIR EFFECT ON THE WORLD( Rom. 2:17-24 ).

III.    IS INSINCERE.

A.      Matt. 15:7-9.

B.      UNRIGHTEOUS OR HIDDEN MOTIVES( Matt. 22:15 ).

C.      SEEKING EARTHLY GAIN( 1 Tim. 6:3-5 ).

D.      OUR MOTIVES WILL BE JUDGED( Heb. 4:12-13 ).

IV.   TRADITION ABOVE TRUTH, PRETENDING TO SERVE GOD.

A.      Matt. 15:1-9.

B.      HAVE WE DONE THIS IN SOME AREAS?

V.    CLAIMS JESUS BUT DOESN’T OBEY HIM.

A.      IN THE SAME BOAT AS THE PHARISEES( John 5:39-40 ).

C.      FAITH ONLY WON’T DO( James 2:24 ).

VI.   Matthew 23.  SERVES AS A REBUKE OF HYPOCRISY.

A.      vs. 12-22.  SOME SPECIFIC WRONGS THAT RESULTED FROM THEIR

          HYPOCRISY.

B.      HYPOCRITES OVEREMPHASIZE THE MINOR AND IGNOR BASIC

          PRINCIPLES( vs. 23-24 ).

C.      EXTERNAL CEREMONIALISM IS CHARACTERISTIC( vs. 25-26 ).

D.      THEIR TRUE NATURE HIDDEN BY OUTWARD SHOW( vs. 27-28 ).

E.      HONORS THE DEAD PROPHET WHO CAN NO LONGER ACCUSE HIM

          ( vs. 29-36 ).

F.      THE FINAL RESULT OF HYPOCRISY( vs. 37-39 ).

THERE IS A LESSON HERE!

CONCLUSION:  WE WANT TO GIVE OURSELVES FULLY TO THE LORD.