Sermon notes - 11/30/25

Romans 13: 11-14

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"Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13: 11-14

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What is advent about? Advent signifies the arrival of someone or something significant. For the Christian, Advent is about the arrival of the person of Jesus Christ. And in that context, advent has a double meaning: we remember Jesus's first arrival, but we also look forward with anticipation and awe for His second coming.

So, what should we do since we live between two significant seasons like this? We wait. And we prepare. And that is what advent is about for us - waiting.

By nature, we are not good waiters. We get antsy if we have to wait in traffic for just a single red light. If we don’t receive something “now” we begin to lose our focus and our eyes start to drift toward something more easily attainable.

But waiting is incredibly important for the Church. In this passage from Romans, Paul gives us reminders to wait. He reminds us that when we stop waiting well, we revert back to our old ways. We forget why we left the darkness, and the enemies of our soul can lull us to sleep.

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So waiting simply means to stay awake. In our exhaustion from waiting, we can begin to lose our heart for the Lord because we’re tired, despite knowing the danger. The Enemy tells us “The way you’re living your life is not working.” We must plead for a supernatural ability to stay awake. When we first came to Christ, we came to Him because of His promises. We are now closer to their fulfillment than we have ever been! Christ is close. Christ is coming! And we must stay awake by walking in the love He has given to us. Waiting on advent should be a constant shedding of the garments of darkness. We have a savior who is coming back to right every wrong. With that knowledge, we should walk as in the daytime.

.

Paul gives us examples of things to take off. At first the focus is on carnal sins like sexual immorality and drunkeness.Then Paul pivots to what seems more acceptable behavior in this world, but the passage reminds us this behavior is still walking in darkness! Discord and jealousy and strife are behaviors we should avoid. We are to cast that off too! We are to put on Jesus Christ and cast of flesh. That's what it is to live in the light.

Sermon notes - 11/30/25

Romans 13: 11-14

.

"Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Romans 13: 11-14

.

What is advent about? Advent signifies the arrival of someone or something significant. For the Christian, Advent is about the arrival of the person of Jesus Christ. And in that context, advent has a double meaning: we remember Jesus's first arrival, but we also look forward with anticipation and awe for His second coming.

So, what should we do since we live between two significant seasons like this? We wait. And we prepare. And that is what advent is about for us - waiting.

By nature, we are not good waiters. We get antsy if we have to wait in traffic for just a single red light. If we don’t receive something “now” we begin to lose our focus and our eyes start to drift toward something more easily attainable.

But waiting is incredibly important for the Church. In this passage from Romans, Paul gives us reminders to wait. He reminds us that when we stop waiting well, we revert back to our old ways. We forget why we left the darkness, and the enemies of our soul can lull us to sleep.

.

So waiting simply means to stay awake. In our exhaustion from waiting, we can begin to lose our heart for the Lord because we’re tired, despite knowing the danger. The Enemy tells us “The way you’re living your life is not working.” We must plead for a supernatural ability to stay awake. When we first came to Christ, we came to Him because of His promises. We are now closer to their fulfillment than we have ever been! Christ is close. Christ is coming! And we must stay awake by walking in the love He has given to us. Waiting on advent should be a constant shedding of the garments of darkness. We have a savior who is coming back to right every wrong. With that knowledge, we should walk as in the daytime.

.

Paul gives us examples of things to take off. At first the focus is on carnal sins like sexual immorality and drunkeness.Then Paul pivots to what seems more acceptable behavior in this world, but the passage reminds us this behavior is still walking in darkness! Discord and jealousy and strife are behaviors we should avoid. We are to cast that off too! We are to put on Jesus Christ and cast of flesh. That's what it is to live in the light.

Sermon Notes 11/23/25

Luke 12:13-21.

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Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he though to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'" But God said to him 'Foo! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

We live in the midst of a culture where we have more than we’ve ever had before, but we have less satisfaction in the things we own than ever before. Immediately prior to this text, Jesus is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people. In this verse, there's a telling interruption of that: a man asks Jesus to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him. We should not be surprised that money causes disruption. The man probably has the expectation that, as a rabbi, Jesus would sort out this superficial matter. But Jesus, as usual, strikes at the heart of the matter - the man’s insatiable drive for more.

In the moment, Jesus uncovers the main problem - that craving for more has disrupted the man's relationships with others. We are to watch out for this in our hearts. And not just against money, against ALL forms of greediness.

Jesus gives us this reminder - one’s life does not consist of the abundance of stuff. Which is why you can find the stuff and still feel empty. True abundance is the ability to step into another day satisfied with what God has given you. We’re quick to call out things like sexual sin, but according to scripture we should be just as quick to condemn covetousness in ourselves. The Apostle Paul names greed as idolatry.

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It is foolish to work yourself to the bone for stuff that will not mean anything the night your soul is required of you.

Sermon Notes 11/23/25

Luke 12:13-21.

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Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he though to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'" But God said to him 'Foo! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

We live in the midst of a culture where we have more than we’ve ever had before, but we have less satisfaction in the things we own than ever before. Immediately prior to this text, Jesus is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people. In this verse, there's a telling interruption of that: a man asks Jesus to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him. We should not be surprised that money causes disruption. The man probably has the expectation that, as a rabbi, Jesus would sort out this superficial matter. But Jesus, as usual, strikes at the heart of the matter - the man’s insatiable drive for more.

In the moment, Jesus uncovers the main problem - that craving for more has disrupted the man's relationships with others. We are to watch out for this in our hearts. And not just against money, against ALL forms of greediness.

Jesus gives us this reminder - one’s life does not consist of the abundance of stuff. Which is why you can find the stuff and still feel empty. True abundance is the ability to step into another day satisfied with what God has given you. We’re quick to call out things like sexual sin, but according to scripture we should be just as quick to condemn covetousness in ourselves. The Apostle Paul names greed as idolatry.

.

It is foolish to work yourself to the bone for stuff that will not mean anything the night your soul is required of you.

Sermon notes: 11/16/25

Luke 12: 1-12

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Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

.

"In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:1-12

Appearances mean a lot to us today. Likewise, in Jesus's day, the Pharisees looked to outward appearances as a way to determine inner appearance. In this text, Jesus tells us to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Jesus concerns himself not with the huge crowds and the danger of being trampled, but hypocrisy. Jesus’s first words to the disciples in the passage are to call them to watch themselves for hypocrisy. The way leaven works is to spread slowly and quietly, the same way that sin spreads through one's life, such that one's outward appearance doesn’t match what is on the inside. When your life doesn’t match your heart, that is hypocrisy. What Jesus is warning us about is using the mask of religion to mask the pride and enthronement of self on the inside. God hears everything, and we should be aware that our hearts are His to see. There are no secrets that He does not have exposed to Him. Jesus calls we who would follow Him to drop our mask and stand boldly before Him. Be the same person in private that we are in the public. The Pharisees clung to their masks, and missed the freedom that Jesus was offering them. Jesus is inviting us to freedom.

Jesus tells us not to fear those that can kill us. For those following Jesus when he was on earth, this was a real danger. And fear can be a great motivator for masking. Fear of bodily harm, or lesser things such as rejection can cause us to mask up. But Jesus tells us whom to actually fear - not man, but God, the Ultimate Judge. He is the one who can cast your soul into Hell. God knows everything about you, even to the strands of hair on your head. And what He knows about you, He loves. The one who holds your eternity in His hands holds you as precious in His heart. So you are free, when you know that the one who sees you fully also loves you fully. We can be set free from the slavery of public opinion. We can unmask.

There is more mercy in Christ than there is mess in you. The only sin we can’t be forgiven of is the one where we mask up our entire lives and never allow our hearts to soften to Hear the Spirit’s testimony about Him, and we run out of time in this life to live openly and truthfully before God.

Knowing that we are fully loved, we can be willing to fully follow Him.

Sermon notes: 11/16/25

Luke 12: 1-12

.

Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

.

"In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:1-12

Appearances mean a lot to us today. Likewise, in Jesus's day, the Pharisees looked to outward appearances as a way to determine inner appearance. In this text, Jesus tells us to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Jesus concerns himself not with the huge crowds and the danger of being trampled, but hypocrisy. Jesus’s first words to the disciples in the passage are to call them to watch themselves for hypocrisy. The way leaven works is to spread slowly and quietly, the same way that sin spreads through one's life, such that one's outward appearance doesn’t match what is on the inside. When your life doesn’t match your heart, that is hypocrisy. What Jesus is warning us about is using the mask of religion to mask the pride and enthronement of self on the inside. God hears everything, and we should be aware that our hearts are His to see. There are no secrets that He does not have exposed to Him. Jesus calls we who would follow Him to drop our mask and stand boldly before Him. Be the same person in private that we are in the public. The Pharisees clung to their masks, and missed the freedom that Jesus was offering them. Jesus is inviting us to freedom.

Jesus tells us not to fear those that can kill us. For those following Jesus when he was on earth, this was a real danger. And fear can be a great motivator for masking. Fear of bodily harm, or lesser things such as rejection can cause us to mask up. But Jesus tells us whom to actually fear - not man, but God, the Ultimate Judge. He is the one who can cast your soul into Hell. God knows everything about you, even to the strands of hair on your head. And what He knows about you, He loves. The one who holds your eternity in His hands holds you as precious in His heart. So you are free, when you know that the one who sees you fully also loves you fully. We can be set free from the slavery of public opinion. We can unmask.

There is more mercy in Christ than there is mess in you. The only sin we can’t be forgiven of is the one where we mask up our entire lives and never allow our hearts to soften to Hear the Spirit’s testimony about Him, and we run out of time in this life to live openly and truthfully before God.

Knowing that we are fully loved, we can be willing to fully follow Him.

Sermon Notes 11/9/25

Galatians 6: 1-10

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Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

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"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Andlet us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:1-10

In these verses, God is describing spiritual community for us. He is teaching us how to act in community:

(1) A spiritual community should restore sin gently.We must willing to be vulnerable with one another, and lay aside the "church masks" we sometimes wear: we need to each own our own individual sin, which makes it easier for us to help others and to be helped. We need to remember that we all live imperfect lives and all have failures. This enables a gentle restoration of sin, full of love and understanding rather than pride.

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(2) People in spiritual communities carry each other's burdens. This is only possible if we are all willing to let others help us. When we allow others into the messy, dark parts of our lives, we create a space for others to help. We are not designed to do life on our own. We are intended to be part of a church family that can walk through the darkest, scariest parts of our lives with us.

.

(3) People in spiritual communities should confess their sins openly. Any lie we tell is told to ourselves first, and a lie we believe will affect us as though it is true. The devil is a master manipulator. Confession shouldn’t just be a list of wrongs we tell God, but should also consist of us coming into agreement with what God says about us. When we come into complete confession before God, we realize that our successes are not in us, but in Him and the community He has given us.

.

(4) Spiritual communities share and give freely with each other and those outside the community. We should share all things in common. We do this for investing in eternity. Your investment of your life in God, the Word of God, and the souls of men are the only investments that will last into eternity. God places people in our hearts and in our path because He is doing something with eternal significance. People in spiritual communities should point one another towards eternity.

Sermon Notes 11/9/25

Galatians 6: 1-10

.

Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

.

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Andlet us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:1-10

In these verses, God is describing spiritual community for us. He is teaching us how to act in community:

(1) A spiritual community should restore sin gently.We must willing to be vulnerable with one another, and lay aside the "church masks" we sometimes wear: we need to each own our own individual sin, which makes it easier for us to help others and to be helped. We need to remember that we all live imperfect lives and all have failures. This enables a gentle restoration of sin, full of love and understanding rather than pride.

.

(2) People in spiritual communities carry each other's burdens. This is only possible if we are all willing to let others help us. When we allow others into the messy, dark parts of our lives, we create a space for others to help. We are not designed to do life on our own. We are intended to be part of a church family that can walk through the darkest, scariest parts of our lives with us.

.

(3) People in spiritual communities should confess their sins openly. Any lie we tell is told to ourselves first, and a lie we believe will affect us as though it is true. The devil is a master manipulator. Confession shouldn’t just be a list of wrongs we tell God, but should also consist of us coming into agreement with what God says about us. When we come into complete confession before God, we realize that our successes are not in us, but in Him and the community He has given us.

.

(4) Spiritual communities share and give freely with each other and those outside the community. We should share all things in common. We do this for investing in eternity. Your investment of your life in God, the Word of God, and the souls of men are the only investments that will last into eternity. God places people in our hearts and in our path because He is doing something with eternal significance. People in spiritual communities should point one another towards eternity.

Sermon Notes: 10/26/25

Luke 11:29-36

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Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

.

"While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and

the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering. As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say." Luke 11:37-54

In the Christian life, we need more than a public facing cleanliness. We need a clean internal form to have a true relationship with the Lord.

In these verses, Jesus explains what external cleanliness and internal dirtiness are. In the passage, Jesus does not wash His hands while eating a meal. Note that this wasn't about hygiene. Handwashing was all about ceremonial cleanliness in the Jewish community. But this wasn't a requirement; it was a Pharisaical tradition. To be “seen” as clean via things like this ritual, was to be “declared” as actually being clean. That’s what Jesus is calling out here. His point is that cleanliness flows from the heart. Those clean hands of the Pharisees won’t bless those outside of the temple.

The surprise of this moment is that Jesus won’t participate in this ceremonial cleanliness. He, the One who made the handwashing, is the same One who sees the filth of the inside of a person's heart. Only the fool thinks he can dress up and fool his Creator like everyone else. God sees all, despite how much cleaning we do externally.

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What does it look like to be concerned about the outside rather than the inside? A lack of love of neighbor, and lack of love for God. The Pharisees take the laws given by God to encourage love of neighbor above and beyond their requirements because they wanted to show how great they themselves were. This kind of person looks good on the outside, but fails to be an honest, loving person. Do we give in substance without a giving heart? Do we do a charitable act, but remain resentful of the objects of our giving? Do we mock or ridicule those who we help ,focusing on their shortcomings, rather than noticing the glimmer of light within them? If so, we care more about the outside than the inside

A surplus of love of self and platform is an indicator of our internal filthliness. The desire for elevation is a quick way to become cold to those that are standing in your way for elevation. A religion mired in the external is a religion that is lacking a love of God.

The next set of woes go to the lawyers in the room. Jesus points out that the lawyers create burdens rather than helping people work through those burdens. If you take more joy in showing how people are missing the mark rather than celebrating the wins of your fellow human, your religion is lacking a love of God.

Cleaning the outside of the cup and NOT the inside, is to be given the tools to lift people up but not doing so. Cleaning the outside of the cup AND the inside is to see the humanity in those beside you, and walk through their burdens with them.

The text shows two possible responses to this revelation - the Pharisees respond by getting angry. When Jesus uncovers their manipulation they don’t want their hearts addressed, but rather they just want to look good in front of others.

However, Jesus invites us to have a second response - mercy. Jesus says we can give as alms what is in us. Instead of external cleanliness, we can offer our heart to God and change when God shows us how we’re failing Him.

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When you invite God to search your heart, expect some pain. But that pain is mercy. He delights in healing the wounds within you.

Sermon Notes: 10/26/25

Luke 11:29-36

.

Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/

Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg

.

"While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and

the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering. As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say." Luke 11:37-54

In the Christian life, we need more than a public facing cleanliness. We need a clean internal form to have a true relationship with the Lord.

In these verses, Jesus explains what external cleanliness and internal dirtiness are. In the passage, Jesus does not wash His hands while eating a meal. Note that this wasn't about hygiene. Handwashing was all about ceremonial cleanliness in the Jewish community. But this wasn't a requirement; it was a Pharisaical tradition. To be “seen” as clean via things like this ritual, was to be “declared” as actually being clean. That’s what Jesus is calling out here. His point is that cleanliness flows from the heart. Those clean hands of the Pharisees won’t bless those outside of the temple.

The surprise of this moment is that Jesus won’t participate in this ceremonial cleanliness. He, the One who made the handwashing, is the same One who sees the filth of the inside of a person's heart. Only the fool thinks he can dress up and fool his Creator like everyone else. God sees all, despite how much cleaning we do externally.

.

What does it look like to be concerned about the outside rather than the inside? A lack of love of neighbor, and lack of love for God. The Pharisees take the laws given by God to encourage love of neighbor above and beyond their requirements because they wanted to show how great they themselves were. This kind of person looks good on the outside, but fails to be an honest, loving person. Do we give in substance without a giving heart? Do we do a charitable act, but remain resentful of the objects of our giving? Do we mock or ridicule those who we help ,focusing on their shortcomings, rather than noticing the glimmer of light within them? If so, we care more about the outside than the inside

A surplus of love of self and platform is an indicator of our internal filthliness. The desire for elevation is a quick way to become cold to those that are standing in your way for elevation. A religion mired in the external is a religion that is lacking a love of God.

The next set of woes go to the lawyers in the room. Jesus points out that the lawyers create burdens rather than helping people work through those burdens. If you take more joy in showing how people are missing the mark rather than celebrating the wins of your fellow human, your religion is lacking a love of God.

Cleaning the outside of the cup and NOT the inside, is to be given the tools to lift people up but not doing so. Cleaning the outside of the cup AND the inside is to see the humanity in those beside you, and walk through their burdens with them.

The text shows two possible responses to this revelation - the Pharisees respond by getting angry. When Jesus uncovers their manipulation they don’t want their hearts addressed, but rather they just want to look good in front of others.

However, Jesus invites us to have a second response - mercy. Jesus says we can give as alms what is in us. Instead of external cleanliness, we can offer our heart to God and change when God shows us how we’re failing Him.

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When you invite God to search your heart, expect some pain. But that pain is mercy. He delights in healing the wounds within you.