Greeneville Seventh-day Adventist Church: We are continuing on in the book of Matthew. We are now in Matthew chapter 16. We're going to be looking today at Matthew 16. Before we begin, I'm gonna have a word of prayer and we'll get right into it. Alright, I'm sure you guys have heard more recently. It's a growing trend when you ask people, do you go to church or are you religious? More and more people will say, I'm not really religious, but I'm spiritual. Or you know, don't go to church or anything, but you know, I know who Jesus is. I read my Bible. And it's a growing trend to separate religion from spirituality as if the two were different. And in Matthew 16, actually, as I was studying it this week, there kind of is a difference. I'm careful to say that I don't agree personally with the idea that you can be spiritual but not religious. I believe religion is the pursuit of spirituality through some sort of means, organized means. But I believe there is true religion and false religion. And I believe that you can have religion without having Jesus. And that is the title of my sermon this morning. And what I believe Matthew 16 covers very clearly is when religion misses Jesus. We're reading right in chapter 16 of Matthew from verse one, says, the Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting desired him that he should show them a sign from heaven. So this is just context, right? And Jesus is about to speak and answer their temptation. But I think that there's something very important there that you can miss if you don't understand the context, the historical context behind this sentence. You see, the Pharisees and the Sadducees were not people who naturally got along. The Pharisees were in a modern sense, ⁓ your conservatives, right? They were... very by the book of the law, they made a book thicker than the Bible about how to keep the law properly, that you could walk exactly half a mile on the Sabbath, but not one step further. And if your dwelling happened to be there, then it didn't count as traveling because it was still your dwelling. So you could go an extra half a mile, but no further. And that you could not do X, Y, and Z on the Sabbath. Otherwise you were breaking the Sabbath. This was the Pharisees. very legalistic, very conservative in their understanding of scripture. And the Sadducees, on the other hand, were your modern sense of your liberals. They didn't really believe all of the scriptures were literal or inspired in the same way, and they didn't believe in the resurrection, and a lot of the miracles were just allegories, and they were very much ⁓ what we would call today materialistic. A lot of the Sadducees were your wealthy people and they were in a lot of the positions in the priesthood. And these people were always at each other's neck. The conservatives and the liberals, you know, they're always fighting and they were always fighting. You know, the Sadducees would say, there's no resurrection and the Pharisees would go crazy and show them scripture and scripture why there was a resurrection and this was the cultural and historical context. And yet here in chapter 16 of Matthew, it says they came together to tempt Jesus, asking him for a sign. So the hatred of Jesus by the Pharisees and the Sadducees was enough such that they put their differences aside to join hands against Jesus. Both of the Pharisees and the Sadducees had a religion. Their religion was different, but they both had religion. And this is one of the most sobering truths throughout the gospels, is that some of the people who missed Jesus the most clearly were not the pagans, not the drunkards, the prostitutes, but the religious leaders. The people who knew their Bibles the best were the ones who most blatantly rejected and resisted Jesus. It says, Jesus answered and said to them, when it's evening, you say it's going to be fair weather because the sky is red. And in the morning you say it's going to be foul weather today for the sky is red and lowering. ⁓ you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times? Basically, in the material world, there's signs, right? Apparently, if the sky is red, it means it's gonna be good weather in their culture, in that area of the world. But if it's whatever lowering means, if the sky is lowering, it's gonna be foul weather. But at the same time, they can't see the signs of the times, which we understand to mean the signs of Jesus' second coming, but then, It was the signs and the Messiah. You know the scriptures, you have all of this knowledge of the Bible, and yet you can't discern that the prophecies are being fulfilled, that I am the fulfillment of these scriptures that you've been studying. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them. and departed. So we see this conflict between the religious elite and Jesus is intensifying. He's beginning to more publicly rebuke them, challenge them. They wanted a sign of Jesus' ministry, Jesus' anointing, that He was the Messiah. And this is kind of crazy to think about. It's astonishing because for the context, you we've already gone through 15 chapters of Matthew, and in these 15 chapters, Jesus has already healed the sick. Can you do that? I can't do that. He's cast out demons, raised the dead, He's fulfilled multiple clear signs of prophecy for the Messiah, and above all, He's revealed A character unlike any other, the character of God. And yet despite this clear evidence, the Pharisees and the Sadducees both are asking for a sign. Just another piece of evidence, something a little more clear, Jesus, that you're the Messiah. Do you think the issue was evidence? I don't think so. The issue was not a lack of evidence, but an unconverted heart. You see... It's not about how much evidence you need to believe. Or, you when talking to someone who's skeptical about Jesus, it's the same idea. It's always the next piece of evidence might be enough. And you have to ask them, you know, what would it take for you to believe? What piece of evidence would be sufficient to satisfy your skepticism, right? And usually there isn't a clear piece of evidence. ⁓ if God spoke to me himself. and revealed himself to me, that would be enough. And yet it's the nature of the unconverted heart. We reject God not because there's a lack of evidence, but because we don't want where that evidence points. They didn't want to accept Jesus as the Messiah because his entire ministry was contradictory to their lifestyle and what they valued and prioritized. One of the strongest quotes from Mrs. White in this area and Desire of Ages is what she says in two things. She says, one, what they needed was not intellectual enlightenment, but spiritual renovation. This idea that it was an entire spiritual issue. And she says that this hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the scribes, you see Jesus in verse three calls them hypocrites. This hypocrisy was because of a self-seeking religion. I want to dig into the word hypocrite. We have a modern definition of hypocrite. know, a hypocrite is someone who says something and does another, right? Or, know, Johnny, don't touch the stove and then you touch the stove. It's saying one thing but doing another. in this context, in their time, a hypocrite was more specifically an actor. The Greek actors were called hypocrites. It didn't have the same meaning as we have now. Back then it literally was like, you we call actors actors. We call plumbers plumbers. They called the hypocrites hypocrites. They were the Greek actors. They had masks that they wore. And this is where we get the word for hypocrite. The Greek plays where, you know, it's the same person playing multiple roles and they would put on a different mask as they played the different roles. This is what Jesus calls the religious leaders. Actors. You act out the position and yet behind the mask you're a totally different person. And this is what he means by calling them hypocrites. And so we're gonna dig deeper into this but first the verses continue and this drags us into the next point. When his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. And Jesus said to them, take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. very strong statement. First we're going to deal with the rest of these verses and we're going to go back to verse six. The disciples reason among themselves saying it's because we forgot bread that Jesus had said this right but they Jesus perceived this and he said to them ⁓ ye of little faith why reason ye among yourselves because you have brought no bread do you not understand neither do you remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets of leftovers you took up, neither the seven loaves of the 4,000 and how many baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? And then they understood that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Isn't it so often the case that we forget what God has already done? Jesus had to remind them. Don't you remember? Just a couple days ago, I turned a couple loaves of bread into enough to feed thousands. Twice. And yet, ⁓ ye of little faith, why do you think this is what I'm rebuking you about, that you didn't bring bread? I am the bread of life. He's got all that he needs for that. But he's saying the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, beware, it works like leaven. Leaven, I'm pretty sure most of you guys know what leaven is, right? Leaven is yeast, you put it into bread, into flour, and it basically works its way through the entirety of the dough and it causes it to rise. Levin is contagious, right? It's invasive, it's subtle, you can't even see it. And so Jesus compares the doctrine of the Pharisees to Levin. This quiet behind the scenes invasive principle that can corrupt your religion. What is this doctrine of the Pharisees that Jesus is talking about? What do think? Well, Ellen White talks about this as well. I think, you know, from the scripture, can pull out a pretty good understanding of what Jesus is talking about, but Ellen White says very plainly that it was hypocrisy. hypocrisy was this doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, this acting, this outward external religion that pleases all the boxes, but that doesn't change the heart. And this is something that... we've talked about extensively in our preaching and it's covered quite extensively through the book of Matthew. It works quietly, slowly, invisibly until it affects everything. And I think this is crucial for us to understand. If Jesus thought it was necessary to warn his disciples, To beware of this doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, how much more do we need to be on the same page, be receiving the same warning from Jesus? Why did Jesus tell his disciples to beware this doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Because it's easy. It's easy for it to sneak in like Levin. This doctrine is the idea of I can just do what I need to do on the outside, and that's enough. You know, I can just check the boxes and be okay. I just need a religion. If I follow the religion, I'll be all right. If I look good, if I smell good, if I sound good, I must be good, right? And going back to that other quote that Ellen White says, this hypocrisy was the product of what? Self-seeking. The glorification of themselves was the object of their life. So you can have a religion that looks good, that smells good, that tastes good, that to every external appearance is good. And yet on the inside, it's all about self. not about Jesus, not about glorifying God, but about glorifying self. And this is what Jesus warns his disciples about in Matthew 16. Don't get caught up in a religion that looks good on the outside and makes you feel comfortable and feel secure while undermining the very principles of my kingdom at its core. You can have everything right on the outside. And yet on the inside, you can be proud and self-seeking and hypocritical and self-righteous and totally indifferent to the needs of humanity or the glory of God. And so he tells them, beware, take heed, guard yourself. And I think more than ever, we need that same message because it's so easy. Go to church. read your Bible, pray, give your tithe an offering, check the boxes, don't go out on the movies, know, watch what you eat and say, man, I'm a pretty good Christian, right? I'm doing pretty well. I'm not like that guy. And yet that's exactly what the Pharisees were. They checked all the boxes, they fasted three times a week, they knew the scriptures like the back of their hand, they dressed well, they spoke well, they were held in high esteem by all the people, everyone thought they were holy, and yet they were the ones foremost in rejecting Jesus. They were more contrary to Jesus and the principles of his kingdom than were the drunkards. and the tax collectors. This is something that we need to be very wary of. And I think Philippians chapter three, if you want to turn there with me, covers this really well. ⁓ The life of Paul is a great example of this, this conversion from this principle of life. Paul was a Pharisee. I don't know if you guys knew that. He was a Pharisee. And in Philippians chapter three, He talks about this. He talks about the difference between true religion and false religion, the same thing that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 16. We're gonna talk and start in verse two of chapter three of Philippians. Beware of the dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and who have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might have confidence in the flesh, if any other man think that he had something to trust in the flesh, I have more. I was circumcised the eighth day, the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning my zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Paul says, he lays out his pedigree here. If you have any reason to think your external religion is profitable, mine is more profitable. I did it all right. Circumcised on the right day, I'm in the right tribe, I have the right race. Hebrew of Hebrews, I was a Pharisee blameless from the law on the externals. And yet despite this high calling, this high pedigree that he, you know, boasts about, verse seven just totally throws it all. But, you know what the word but means? It's a transition, right? You know, like, yeah, I got almost all A's on my report card, but I got a D. You know, like it kind of negates everything that was said before. So Paul says, I have all the confidence that I need in the flesh. Like, I did it all. But those things that were gained to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yes, doubtless, I count everything but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but dung that I may win Christ. You see, Paul understood what Jesus was getting at here in Matthew 16. Paul was on both sides. He was a Pharisee. He had it all right on the outside and he realized that it was all dung, profitless. And this is exactly where Jesus goes, starting in verse 13 of Matthew 16 as well. When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, who do men say that I the son of man am? He's getting at, who am I? Who do people say that I am? Before we dig into that too much, I wanna talk about this location. I think it's important to understand. It makes his message here all the more relevant. Caesarea Philippi was very pagan. It was the center of idolatry and all sorts of Caesar worship, of bad things. And. This place where he's going in the coast of Caesarea Philippi, there was a beautiful alcove with a river, it's like basically a stream coming up out of the ground, out of a cave. And a lot of scholars think this is where Jesus went when he had this conversation with his disciples. We'll get back to that in a second, it's really cool. So he asked him, who do men say that I am? And they said, well, some say that you're John the Baptist. Some say Elijah. Others, Jeremiah, are one of the prophets. You see, people didn't say he was the Messiah. They said he was a prophet, John the Baptist, Elijah. But then he says, okay, that's what they say, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. You see, in Caesarea Philippi, they were surrounded by idols, statues, these dead gods. To the Hebrews, this was a place that was off limits. They weren't allowed to go to Caesarea Philippi. It was home of all sorts of pagan worship, and you know it's associated with pagan worship. And yet surrounded by all these idols and statues of these dead gods that couldn't profit anyone, anything, They saw standing before them the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, Simon son of Jonas, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father which is in heaven. And also I say to you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you will bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Side note of the sermon, we gotta go down a little rabbit hole. Lots of people take this and say, along Catholic other denominations, say Peter is the foundation of the church. You see, it's right here. You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. And I'm gonna give you the keys of the kingdom. But this is not what Jesus is saying. It's a play on words. Peter's name, Petra, was like a pebble, like a little rock. And so Jesus was ⁓ basically making a play on words. Your name is Petra, but upon this, Petros, I will build my church. The rock that Jesus is talking about is not Peter, but upon the revelation that the Father revealed to Peter. namely that he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. That upon this foundation, the foundation of Jesus Christ, He was going to build his church, his assembly, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. This is also where this is really interesting in terms of location. In Caesarea Philippi, there was a, that place I was talking about where the stream comes out of the cave, there was a rock in that cave. Basically, they would usually put like a statue of Pan there. And this place was called the gates of hell, the gates of Hades. It was basically where a lot ⁓ of pagan gods were always seen coming out of caves. Like this is where they came into the land of the living. The pagan gods would come out of the caves and receive worship from humanity. And yet Jesus is standing there and he says, You just said that I'm the son of the living God, right? Not all these idols, these pagans. Upon this rock, I'm gonna build my church. The revelation of the son of the living God and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. All of the false systems of religion, the false gods, none of that can stand against this revelation, this kingdom that I'm building, this church that I'm establishing. This is what Jesus is saying here to his disciples, that it's a totally different religion. And this revelation is the foundation of it. And giving the keys of the kingdom to the church, not to Peter, meaning that... What we as a church agree upon in harmony with the revealed word of God is what is done in heaven, not as though we are initiating, but as a confirmation with heaven. Basically saying, when we as a church, in light of God's word and in the guidance of the Holy Spirit come to a decision, it is a decision that would be in harmony with the principles of heaven, and it will also be done in heaven. But getting back to the main idea, now that we've covered those verses, the core contrast here is these two types of religion. You have the religion of the Pharisees, these people who have all of the externals, who follow God, who know God's word and God's law, and yet don't know the Messiah when he's right in front of them. And then you have those who, when asked, who do you say that I am? can clearly and simply say you are the Messiah, the son of living God, and we're following you. True religion is about a revelation of Jesus, not about all the externals, all the ceremonies, it's about Jesus. And that's what Paul said in Philippians. All that stuff is rubbish that I may know Christ. It's about a knowledge of God. And so that brings us to the same place as the Pharisees or as Peter. Who do we say that Jesus is? Is he a good prophet? Do we say that he's the son of God externally? Do we say that we follow God's word and do all the right things and worship on the right day? And yet in our lifestyle, in our choices, do we deny him? Or are we following Him, imperfect though we may be? Are we seeking that relationship with Jesus that alone can give us entrance into heaven? Jesus has said that he will build his church upon the foundation of his identity and a relationship with him. So what kind of religion do you have today? Is your religion something that's built on rules? Is it built on regulations? Is it built on doing the right thing, saying the right thing, wearing the right mask? Or is your religion built on a relationship with the son of the living God? Because that's what matters at the end of the day. You see, spoiler alert, the Pharisees are the ones who ended up killing him. The Pharisees are the ones who influenced the rest of the people to reject him and to kill him. The ones who thought they had it all together, who externally looked the best. turned out to be some of his worst persecutors in the end. And yet these humble little fishermen and tax collectors and zealots, they might not have had it all together. They might not have looked pretty on the outside, but they knew who Jesus was. And that was enough because that relationship with Jesus led to the transformation that the Pharisees tried to show on the outside. We got to work from the inside out. So I'm gonna ask you again, what kind of religion do you have today? Do you have a religion like a Pharisee, externally impressive, but centered on self? Or do you have that simple faith like Peter, that's humble and teachable and centered on Christ? Paul had both, and you see the difference it made in his life. Before, He knew Jesus. Before Jesus revealed himself to him, Paul was killing people for God, thinking he was doing God's throwing him in prison. And yet when Paul had a revelation of who Jesus was, despite all of his running from God, his persecution of people, that that same Jesus who he had persecuted would be willing to forgive him and use him as an instrument for the church. That's what made Paul come to this place and say, nothing else matters except knowing Jesus and living for him who died for me. So who is Jesus to you? Who do you say that he is? This is the question that determines everything. If you want to say today, Jesus, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of the living God. I don't want to be right on the outside and wrong on the inside. I don't wanna be wearing a mask. I don't wanna be acting. I wanna be sincere. Alan White says that the religion of Christ is sincerity itself. I want to be sincere in seeking you out of love, not out of legalism. If that's your desire today, I ask that you raise your hand as we pray. Father, thank you for giving us your Son and that he is the Son of the living God, that we have a God who lives, who loves. who's with us through each and every moment. Now we don't have to have this form or ceremony of religion, Lord, as godliness without power. because we have a relationship with the Son of the Living God, the one who makes all things new, the one who ever lives to make intercession for us, the one who has promised that he will come and live in our hearts and change us from the inside out. So Father, I ask today for each one of us that we would not be deceived, that we would take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. that we would not try to cover our self-seeking in a form or a garb of religion and spirituality, but that we would lay it all on the cross and say, Lord, take me as I am. Give me a new heart and help me to serve you the rest of my days. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.