Dinner with the Pharisees

11 years.

Last six.

Thank you. Awesome. How cool is that? I really appreciate Madden Casey. And the friendship that that we're growing into just getting to connect with them. And I'm grateful, you took me up on the opportunity to offer you a week off, when the little one was coming. So, it worked out perfect. I've never been to worship with you all before. So this is my first time to join you and worship. I've known as Turner and it's a blessing of mine to be worshiping with you. So, thanks brother. And that love the connection. You know, the college has been around for 77 years in Boise. So I'd I'm standing on the, on the shoulders of men and women that have had an influence at college. But let me just tell you a bit. I'd like to kind of phrase it this way that the college for those seven decades has been about helping students, peace scripture, Aaliyah wear Scripture Leah, we're in a world where the scripture is not being a spouse near as much and biblical literacy seems to be on the rise, we're helping students become aware of scripture, not just the data and information of it because in the scripture that's where you encounter the face of God, but also you begin to see yourself. So there's a, there's another awareness. They become scripturally where to encounter God that they become self-aware. You know, James talks about the scriptures being like a mirror and so that, I think we help our students begin to see who they truly are in a, in a gender-confused. A, for example, students are wondering who they are and they're beginning to encounter the face of God and find out who they're truly made to be in His image. They become self-aware, scripturally where self-aware, and we believe then they become more and better socially aware. Surely, they're socially aware, but they don't always think it through a scriptural lens for putting it in that order, so they can become script fully aware know who they truly are in the image of God. So they can truly interpret, scripture is so exciting and what's going on in society. And if those students graduate to influence a local church, Hallelujah, that's our end goal. Cuz we want to equip servant leaders who will help build up the church because through the church, the gospel is incarnated in spread out and that's a global Mission. So we do and that's our mission and we value your prayerful Partnership. If you ever think of Boise Bible College, if you're coming through stop by our prayer, we would value your partnership in that regard. So thank you. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about food. I love this series of eating a meal with Jesus, you know that that is a that's ingenious. I love it. So maybe we Feast on this experience. So let me just tell you. I love to have a lot of fun about to giggle and laugh. I do they were tendencies in my earlier days where I was pretty serious. Like, seriously serious, and I mean like as a young Christian growing up in a Christian home and a solid Christian Church. I think I thought I could have written a book. And it might have been titled this, if I were, to be honest, successful habits of the religious Pharisee in me.

As a little dude and I think it would have been a best-seller see early on as a Christian, I viewed. I viewed Christianity is a set of rules. I had to keep and do in. So this book would reveal ways not to know how to do the rules better. But actually wasted Foster in maintain a badge of honor that I was better than you. Do you want to sponsor me better than this would be the book? That was my throat transparency, sort of an attitude of judgmentalism and a heart of of fostering that that I'm keeping the rules better than you are. That would be the heart of the book and if I would have written that book, which I didn't, but if I written it, I think some of the chapters and topics might have been these Be skeptical of the genuineness of those who overly are demonstrative In Worship. Be disappointed with the undisciplined Christians who do not have regular devotional time. He upsets when people do not bother head in prayer during communion. You may look around and judge your neighbor accordingly if you like just for me.

Be cautious, when meeting people from that church from Crosstown things better, but show themselves to be less consistent, a few more chapters be vexed. When they are not in person on Sundays,

Biography ated with social sins. Like when they cuss or drink or when they vote along party lines, that you don't think we're at the right party. And lastly, be disturbed when they listen to non-Christian radio and they dance or drink alcohol, there you go. You know, where the spirit of the book, right? Thank God. The book never was written. No word was ever typed. But at a young age, the spirit of judgment will have its kind of inhabited my heart. And started my spiritual death than my growth, actually. And suffocated God's grace early on. Now that I look back early on I was I was suffocated. I was suffocating God's grace. It really want to do zout through me that I can do to that Grace but but my religiosity was prohibiting that and What you see is Tim Keller, it's Tim Keller. Put it as long as we think we're not that bad. The idea of Grace will never change us.

Praise God. He didn't give up on me. Ask. His grace, got a hold of me. And so, if I were to write a new book today, it would be Grace within a recovering Pharisee.

I do feel about the best seller or not, but it would be an autobiography. And, you know, I'm still learning with you, still learning that true Christian discipleship is based, its grounded, is rooted on the foundation of Grace, that that, that discipleship is based on Grace, which motivated actually empowers and instills, invites me to give myself to something Beyond Myself, not just to keep it about myself, and that's when she's asleep. That's, that's discipleship. That's if it's not about me. I'm learning that. but I was the focus of my Christian journey early on as a young Pharisee conversation with a guy, what person who clung to religious habits Who is spiritually unhealthy, a man who is religiosity suppressed and suffocated fellowship and wholeness. He was a Pharisee. And so, their problem is Pharisees, in Jesus's world was, was I I was their motto. I mean, they repeated everyday in the mirror, is they shaved and got their hair ready. Look at how fair I see myself.

Okay. You can borrow that if you want that was that was going to be a footnote in the book and

The Pharisees to remind ourselves were a group of laymen, the Uber conservative right-wing of the first-century Judaism who stood up for truth. Their self-appointed Watchdogs. Let me get to that slide and they ensured Judaism purity. That it was preserved that they separated themselves from society by strictly harshly applying Old Testament rules to all sorts of aspects of everyone's lives. They were judgmental. They were condescending. They were arrogant and more concerned about their own religious reputation than God's reputation. Ouch. Pharisees were highly concerned about preserving man-made, a man-made heads around the Torah. So, break, one of our rules. Shame on you break, one of God's rules, that's really bad. So we created a man-made heads with those became equal to Torah in many ways that they attempt to protect God's law but at the same time they sought to acquire power to control their popularity and in doing. So they missed God's heart, they missed the heartbeat of the author of the Torah. They want to do, right? Forgot, I do believe they wanted to do right for God, but they became so self-righteous. That their, that their hearts and their minds were not aligned with y'all way. And when y'all way to put skin on clearly, Jesus was not one, they align with. And you did not love the Lord, that the Lord, their God, that didn't love him with all their soul, heart mind strength and didn't love their neighbor as ourselves. And so, when it comes down to having a meal with Jesus, they wouldn't dare submit to him or truly befriend him over a meal for today in Luke 11, you welcome to return their, we're going to look at a couple of stories. That will reveal some ways that we can continue to grow as Jesus followers towards this goal of discipleship. Giving yourself or something Beyond yourself. Becoming like Jesus who has no, I, when Jesus is spelled, we're talking about Christian discipleship taking on the character of Jesus of thinking of others. As more important than oneself, it's hard to follow. An imitate Jesus when you're so, you know, why don't you? Because while you're religiously aware, Them Pharisees were spiritually numb to God's heart. They were, as I put it this way, they were, when we go through there, is that list? Sorry, there, they all are snapshot. They were the Pharisees were. Informed. And I knew better that they were sort of the new at all. Who knew it all and they wanted you to know. They knew it all and then do everything better than y'all.

It in our first story today, Jesus has been invited by a Pharisee to dinner. Would you go? A dinner at his house, hosted by the Pharisee in the Pharisees house, you know, just remind you, maybe some things with the meals, basic meals ingredients for a good meal with someone would be it's based on Hospitality, that's really warm. The Musgraves that experience at last night staying in their home Hospitality over me like the kindness over me Lynn and sharing one's Storehouse from one's Pantry, from one's freezer. Providing what's necessary so that it's a comfortable connection point, you know, maybe some music in the background, but make sure the temperature is correct. Are you indoors or Outdoors? Depends on what the weather is? Like, the bathrooms are clean, the lights are on. You greet them at the door, you don't wait for the, you know, for anything else to happen, if you set the table. So, it's just right, you know, And you're willing to your willing to put up with them if they picked the wrong for cup. And not the correct work. And as recently was happening, are home when the glass of water gets filled, you don't make a big deal about it. Hospitality. It's about making a sweet memory. A potential friend. The debacle term Koinonia comes to mind. But this meal, the Jesus has been invited to is risky territory because this Pharisee, and the other Pharisees had previously in chapter 11. And in the chapter 10, in the back, in chapter previously, charged him of blasphemy.

When you claim to forgive sins and they scorned, Jesus because he befriended Sinners and they accused him of breaking their Traditions, which were close to inspiration of scripture like fasting and Sabbath. And this summer was more of an ambush than a peace treaty. In Luke 11 37. Jesus enters the house. He sits down at the table and the Pharisee is shocked, lucre course he's appalled and somewhat offended that we when he saw Jesus, we set down without doing the ceremonial washing for the meal gas. Jesus is criticized for neglecting. The ceremonial washing Judaism required before eating a meal and so Jesus and unleashes a critique kind of early in the mule. It's an awkward moment. He's a series of heartbroken. Whoa, To the Pharisee. Expert of the law. He says, it's a 39. You Pharisees, you cleanse the outside of the cup. And the dish. Can you see if he's been picking one of these up for the table visual aid? You clean the outside of the cup of the disparate inside your full of greed and wickedness and it continues on Andres 40 with a few more versus I like how you Gene Peterson phrases this, I've had it up with you, hopeless Pharisees, you know better. Your fraud, you keep meticulous accounts. Are there ties but find hopeless? Loopholes for getting around, basic matters of justice and God's love. You're sitting at the head of the table, you'll love the radiance of public flattery. You're like unmarked Graves with a grassy surface that people walk over and never suspecting the rot in the corruption six feet down. Great dinner talk, huh?

The Pharisees are self-absorbed. They are. They are Legalistic. Jesus said it this way, they do all the religious Deeds to be noticed by men. Which God is, God was Justin. But a means to their end, they kept the religious rules of God at the expense of relationships with God, and other people, and Jesus taught that the dinner. See, the heart is the root of of one's Behavior, but the Pharisees, their inner motives, their inner, their innards, Now that we're in October their innards were like a rotting spider web infested hollowed-out pumpkin sitting on your porch well into Thanksgiving.

Their injuries were unhealthy on the outside looking. Okay? But on the inside very ill, let me illustrate. I'm a baseball fan, special this time of year my Cardinals, just got beat last night, st. Louis Cardinals are out of the playoffs but in 2002, the Cardinals were playing a game and in Chicago against the Cubs at Wrigley Field but the game was cancelled June 22nd because of an eerie discovery that was found that morning the cards. Ace pitcher Darryl Kile 33 years old was found dead in the Chicago hotel room. Kyle had been a major league pitching sensation for 12 years. He had appeared in three All-Star games. Kyle is 6ft 5, he's an All-Star athlete. Excellent Health, examiners conducted an autopsy later that day though. However they discovered that Kyle had died of a massive heart attack. His main artery artery was 90% blocked 33 year old man. Professional bass. Athletes who appeared perfect on the outside but the inside, something wasn't, right?

He died unexpectedly. The Pharisees, they appear healthy and whole. The outside. But their hearts were corrupt and decaying They were legalistic Experts of scripture. They were jealous to flaunt that and fit in the face of others, and they lack humility and selflessness and care for Humanity. They just kind of whack that it was void. And so, therefore, a spiritual heart disease, set in, and, and doctor Jesus diagnosed that over this meal right in front of that, Pharisee. Well, I think the Pharisee kind of anticipating you might have that sort of a Barbie conversation with Jesus and so he didn't invite just Jesus. He had some other friends there to back him up. Other Pharisees came out of the shadows. I'm just playing with that, and he sit down and Jesus is immediately outnumbered and one of the religious Scholars scholarship to supper with Jesus, he spoke up or maybe I should say, he kind of wind a little bit. Jesus teacher, you do realize 3, nice things. You've insulted on

Jesus Kira, hopeless. Kidding me. You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs and you never you never helped him by lifting a finger to him. I've insulted you Be here. Sort of the thought is these Pharisees. They they were well, informed. Self-absorbed legalistic stumbling blocks? They were. No it all those who should have known better with the information. They were given the Oracles of God, forgiving to this people in the Pharisees new at the Pharisees were all about themselves. However, not about giving themselves to something Beyond themselves. Jesus said it in verse 52, you have taken away the key of knowledge taking the kid knowledge away. You don't you did not enter yourself and You Hinder those who were entering If I can rephrase it you took the key of knowledge given to you by God through the Old Testament scriptures but instead of unlocking the doors, you locked them up and you won't draw near to God. If you do that and you won't anybody else draw close to God, either they were well-informed stumbling blocks having a meal with Jesus. By upholding, the religious rules with Pious attitudes of self-righteous fulfillment of those rules better than anyone else. I actually blocked, they say they blocked access to God for Fellowship meal with other people. Prohibiting broken people hurting people marginalized people lower on the rung of society. People struggling people, they blocked them from having access to God and they knew it. In doing so they missed God. A few years ago, Barna research group came up with some, some data and their research acquired some statistics that show that those outside the Church of view, how they view those inside the church today, they're dated for yielded nine, out of 10. Outsiders 87%, Said that the term judgmental accurately describes, present-day Christians. Of those non-Christian that were surveyed. About 84%. A person said they personally knew a committed. Christian, get only 15% thought the lifestyle of that committed. Christian was unique from the norm. In other words, not judgmental, a very small sliver of Christians viewing or presenting themselves as non-judgmental to those non-christians. Stumbling block, the vet out people, they deem unworthy to be included at the table.

Let's be brutally honest, if you haven't already hinted where we're going. We'd have a little Pharisee habit within us. When we secure ourselves and our Theology and to stay safe, can't roll a bowl. Boxes. It may be accurate the scripture but so firm that there isn't any Grace for those that don't quite fit, the box or the mold such when another person's doctor, another morality or their, their their music desires. If they don't perfectly aligned with ours and that that person can be a we would never say it. Sean,

Excluded.

That sweet. Rip them up in their immature, undeveloped speaking of, Truth basis for living you want to ruin a potentially beautiful meal conversation with Jesus. You want to know how to do that, why you dying? So, ignore the Harvest. The Lord asked us to pray for a collision. I think happened at that meal right there. A collision took place over the email between Jesus and that Pharisee, and his friends necessary Collision. I think that's why you just said what he said and I actually a beautiful Collision for me and and for us for when this type of collision, occurs it and actually reveals how If we're honest, how self-absorbed I had become When I was younger and even today, if we're honest, we to occupy a chair. The table that Pharisees table. Like me in a collision actually was needed. I needed a collision at the cross. Be encountered and confronted by the cross. So I could be rescued a collision at Jesus's cross changed me to become more like him and less about religious rule. Keeping and it's changed my world. I'm still working that out. I got for your sake habits Tendencies. Do you have to continually meet Jesus? This meal to allow him to Reveal who I am. And, you know, as soon as Jesus left the table, those religious Scholars those Pharisees. They, they went into a rage, they lost their mind, they went over and over everything you said and that that moment and look 11, they begin plotting. How they're going to trap him into something, using his own words from his own mouth. And as a result Jesus was correct. Identifying the spiritual cancer in their souls, if they weren't able to do disguise from him, it's one thing to understand God. Quite another to stand under God. Authority. Kind of like a TSA x-ray machine. When you fly through Portland International Airport, you stepped through that TSA machine, everything is revealed in our soul before God. We allow God to examine us to the Core

want to have a meal with Jesus.

It may be revealing a little uncomfortable. But so good. So here's one summary to this spot. Here's one summary Jesus followers. Brutally honest with ourselves about our how self-absorbed we can become in self-righteous and legalistic and that can cause others to stumble if we're not careful discipleship, focuses more on another. Unless on oneself, true followers sick in the face of Jesus. Having an intimate coordinate with Jesus allow him to reveal the self-absorbed self-righteous and stumbling block habits that we can have with those. That are lost those who spiritually, stumble around, they need they need a guide. They need proof that they need a lights for their journey and helping them know, the Heart of Jesus. Too many are simply uninformed too many are uninformed about him. So, like the crowds the crowns and Luke 11 are not invited to that meal. There are crowds and look 11 that are uninformed and then never given an invite to join the Pharisees in the Jesus. And Jesus at that meal. You see unlike the Pharisees unlike the Pharisees that are legalistic, they caused people to stumble, unlike the Pharisees, the uninformed

The uninformed are those are just don't know their spiritually. Blind.

The crowds they're there, they don't know, in Luke 11, these folks are intentionally kept in the dark by the Pharisees. It's not that the crowd was ignoring Jesus. I think they didn't know what, they didn't know, in the Pharisees kept them. Ignorant the Pharisees kept them in the dark, in order to control them. These uninformed Believers were spiritually, blind and Luke, Jesus says it in verse 23, whoever is not with me is against me.

And whoever does not gather with me. Scatters one has to consciously join Jesus. There's no neutral ground. You're not on here. There on his side or not undecided those in-the-know the inform Pharisees. Didn't reveal this truth to the uninformed Outsiders. Are nature religious, and ritualistic Pharisees in Jesus's day, separate themselves from anyone that blind and ignorant of the truth, leaving the loft. And their Darkness. stay in the Darkness at the Pharisees are actually called To Be A Light Within the Pharisees are more concerned with following the policies and procedures manual. How to screw a light bulb in the synagogue resident, to be a light outside of the synagogue. They were struggling to live up to the call that God had upon them. We who follow Jesus for a long time, we who have followed him can become. I focused self-oriented about our righteousness about are holding us about our knowledge base tempted to let spiritually blind. People continue to stay humble because they don't know better than to stumble in the dark is because they're so immoral. They're so unpleasing to God that we just continue to let them stumble but that's not what we're called to do. Real estate. It this way if you do a little participation with me, would you mind in a moment? I'd like to ask you to close your eyes just for about 15 seconds. You know what? Just to think about what it might be, like, if you were blind, would you ready? Just close your eyes right now. Think about this. Freddy complete, a couple of basic tasks with your eyes closed as who you're blind like separating your medications.

Play, can you picture the kitchen in your microwave? Maybe remember certain buttons on the microwave but can you control it if you're blind?

One last thing. What am I trying to log in to read your email?

All the questions that might come to mind. If you're blind you can open your eyes. Thank you for your participation with me on that a few years ago at an app for a smartphone was created that allows sighted people to lend their eyes. To those with visual impairments through the use of their video chat. Here's the, here's the app. Be my eyes is an app developed by a visually impaired man. In Denmark. It it, it's pretty basic it. Connects a blind person to a sided. Volunteer. Through video chat in this app and so the volunteer can ask what answer questions because they can see through the camera with a blind person. Surroundings are in their house, for example. And so you can connect with the young man who who wants, who wants to know the expiration date of a milk carton in his refrigerator and so you direct him there fridge and opens it up. And, and he can point the camera to the date on the on the Milk Carton. And you might say, I wouldn't drink that. You know, he'll thank you by the end of the call and you'll have a great conversation till the next time. Giving yourself for something Beyond yourself to benefit someone other than yourself. It's country two pharisaism. Christian discipleship is the way Jesus did it and they're in Luke 11. There is spiritually, blind people. The crowds uninformed Wanderers in the dark, stumbling around over things. They can't even identify Making sure benefit from someone who would lend them their eyes. Usually speaking.

They sure could benefit from being invited to sit at a meal with Jesus praying that they would truly begin to see their situation for what it is. And then follow him and Jesus actually speak to the crowds about this. At least Luke record referencing Jonah deliver. The story to Jonah. Jonah, hesitated to inform those brutal ninevites of God's offer salvation Jonah didn't think they deserve it. And so, what did he do? He withheld it. He was one of the first Pharisees in our Bible. he was held the offer salvation, but in his spot treatment in the middle of the belly of the whale,

He eventually went to Nineveh and he was shocked surprised those evil ninevites reacted to the word, the Crowds Are without excuse. Jesus says, even an invite testify against the crowds. Proclaiming, Jesus is greater than the Pharisees more sentiment woke won't cut it as a disciple and just claiming membership at a church. Doesn't mean you're automatically growing discipleship discipleship. That's just naturally happen to drift into the work and lean into the spiritual gymnasium of following Jesus so that you can help blind. Your eyes are being polite to those that are stumbling who don't even know the beauty of communion with Jesus that you do, God provided a lamp to guide us a lamp through the teachings of Jesus. And now it's our privilege. To be his followers, to help others learn to follow him to the Cross. Jesus said this no one lights a lamp and then hide it, or put it in her basket. Instead of lamp is placed on a stand where it's light can be seen by all who enter the house. Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body and when your eye is on how it when your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your body is unhealthy or when your eye is unhealthy, your body is filled with Darkness. Make sure the light you think you have is actually not Darkness. If you're filled with light, no one dark with no dark Corners than your whole life will be radiant. Sorry, I missed a slide, your whole life of me rating is due a floodlight. We're filling you with light. In the implication is that if one has good eyes, a clear pathway to the soul and one will see the instructive light of Jesus, the words of Jesus and as a result become a lamp, that's the natural result. Is it? True followers of Jesus don't just sit and settle to be a fan in the bleachers? True followers of Jesus are committed to be on the field players of influence to impact the uninformed Crowd, by not living out by leaving out in Jesus's Grace, right? In front of them. Christian discipleship means we're out of the bleachers out of the chairs, out of the pews end of the field in the behind the Harvest field in the game to influence. The crowds, who are uninformed, who don't know how to live any different Jesus's Grace. We call them to repentance into truth. That's Christian discipleship. Christian discipleship. If I can boil it down, would be this. It's Christ gave himself to benefit others. His followers give themselves to benefit someone else. When they cry for help Jesus, followers are offer compassion, not shaming a compassion and instruction, Grace and Truth for others to follow him. That's our privilege. But self-promoting Pharisees. All about me. And the external appearance has to be talked about his righteous. However, the others serving followers. All about him, one of our sleeves, no matter the cost to myself or my my name because their hearts are aligned with Jesus when I serve them in that regard and others serving follower.

Could be a list for this way. In 81 year-old man. Robert kuperschmid. Say that three times kupferschmid.

With no flying experience, enter the plane. However, due to a tragic emergency, he was forced to fly a plane. Here's the story in June 1998. He Robert Cooper Smith and his friend pilot. His name is Wesley, sickle Wesley, the pilot and Robert the copilot or the the friend. There were flying from Indianapolis to Muncie. Indiana to lie about a thirty-minute flight, but during the flight Mr. Sickle, the pilot. Slumped over. And died at the controls immediately, the Cessna 172 single-engine prop, plane began to nosedive and mr. Cooper Schmitt grab the controls having. No flying experience immediately got on the radio and pleaded for help wouldn't you? And nearby there were two pilots flying there planes in the same area and they heard the cry for helping Mount Comfort, was the closest airport and into these two pilots gave mr. Cooper Schmid a steady stream of clear basic instructions about such things as climbing and steering and the scariest part Landing. Those two experienced Pilots circled the runway three times with mr. Cooper Schmid. 3. * totally inexperienced as a pilot in order to divert disaster and emergency vehicles got pulled out. What would seem like a clear disaster and Witnesses said, that is the plane touched down. The plane's nose, nudge the center line of the runway and bounced a few times before the tail and the Cessna ended up on a patch of soggy grass. Next to the runway and amazingly mr. Cooper Schmidt standing there was uninjured Scared to death, but living to tell about it. Saved, run with this analogy. Stay With Me. That uninformed pilot. Was Flying Blind. But he listened in his desperation. We're clear instructions truth. From informed Pilots As if his life depended on it, and it did. And those two pilots were aeronautical, disciple makers at that moment. For they were unselfish with the knowledge. They had good luck buddy.

They were unselfish with the information, the training they had and they selflessly help it. Desperately ignorant, novice, follow instructions. That lead to Salvation. Christian discipleship. There are desperate people around us. Blind blind. Too Proud to confess. They don't know how to fly Blind by it.

I think they want something that Jesus offers, but they may not face up to that. Our encounter with Jesus open their eyes and softens our hearts in and help us think with their minds the way, he would think what he would do. We've got an encounter Jesus regularly around these meal times of Fellowship, In order to be who he would be to neighbors, not yet sitting at the table.

Conversing with Jesus, our feasting with Jesus. Are speaking of his face in our bent ear, to listen to Jesus. That's the problems we have. When we focus on his cross, Everything Changes. Or maybe it could be said this way. When I gets crossed out. Jesus becomes the focus and his cross becomes the focal points. When I get crossed out. His cross becomes the focal point and then I really live. I really live no longer for myself. But for him to impact others. May we have more meals. So that we can invite others to the meal. Would you buy with me and let's pray?