Dear All,
                This is today’s sharing on ACTS. I hope that all of you will be blessed to know that faith is “a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). As you meditate on this subject, may the Holy Spirit inspire you to find out what is hypocrisy and perhaps, expose any of it (if we have participated in non-active pursuit of faith). God bless.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Where is your faith?" - Doing ACTS (Tuesday 11/28/06)

 

Bible Reading: Mark 8:14-15 (Read also Mark 8:11-13)

 

The Pharisees Seek a Sign

   
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

 

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

 

 

Questions:
1.                   Jesus talked about the yeast of the Pharisees also in another reference. Read Luke 12:1. What is the yeast of the Pharisees? In our reading today, Jesus also spoke about the yeast of the Pharisees (Mark 8:15). Luke 12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. So, Jesus summed up the yeast of the Pharisees: Hypocrisy.

 

2.                   Hypocrisy of the Pharisees is a pretentious living. They have a form of godliness but no power to justify the godliness. Jesus talked about the yeast of the Pharisees after He left a group of Pharisees who demanded for a sign from Him (Mark 8:11-13). 11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” 13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.

 

3.                   The Pharisees don’t seem to reconcile the quality of godliness and the display of a faith-filled and a life of powerful living. Why? They are more concerned about the natural outward form of religion and thus producing only a form of godliness (not real godliness). Could this be because of their UNBELIEF? Yes, because they could not see the Miracle-Maker God: Jesus. They may have witnessed the signs and wonders, but were not able to identify them as God’s miraculous acts. They were content at their eloquence in the Scriptures, and were proud that they “knew” the Word of God in their heads, but never allowing it to take effect in the heart.

 

4.                   Read what the Scripture say about unbelief? Read Hebrews 3:12-15. Unbelief (hardened heart) is termed as sin’s deceitfulness. So the Pharisees’ unbelief leads to a hardened heart which leads to loss of faith which leads to only having a form of godliness and without power!
Summary: UNBELIEF à HARDENED HEART à HYPOCRISY (Yeast of the Pharisees) à FORM OF GODLINESS & WITHOUT POWER (that’s why they are always looking for power, miracles and signs) à NO REST. Hebrews3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:  “ Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Agape,
Roland