Luke 11:37-44

Luke 11:37-44

1. Let us notice our Lord Jesus Christ's readiness, when needful, to go into the company of the unconverted.
2. Let us notice the foolishness which accompanies hypocrisy in religion.
3. Let us notice the gross inconsistency which is often exhibited by hypocrites in religion.
4. Let us notice the falseness and hollowness which characterize the 'religious hypocrite'

"If we feel that we dare not imitate Christ in the company which we, are invited to join, we may be sure that we had better stay at home."

"External devoutness of conduct, a grave face, and a bowed head, and a solemn countenance, and a loud amen, are all abominable in God's sight, so long as our hearts are not washed from their wickedness, and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Let this caution never be forgotten."

"Let us beware of putting the second things out of their place, and so by degrees losing sight of the first entirely."

Questions:

1. The first point here is a call for integrity: are we one way with fellow Christians but then another with unbelievers?

2. This passage warns us against an outward appearance of godliness. Ryle’s question before drawing near to God, whether in public or in private, is worth making a regular practice: “where is my heart in this moment?”

3. Ryle warns against putting secondary things before the things of first importance, which reminds me of the church in Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2, where although they were good in many respects, they had lost their first love. Are there things in our lives in which secondary things are eclipsing the first things?

4. Brothers and sisters, the only opinion we need to care about is that of our Heavenly Father. Even if we are weak, erring, and frail, will we make it our aim to be true and to come again and again to the cross of our Savior?