Security in the Face of Fear

<p>Jesus focuses on the core deception of the Pharisees which is a lie, which they ultimately believe! It leads not only to self deception, but feeds on pride, greed, and a judgmental attitude. This is what feeds hypocrisy. Hypocrisy:  a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.  So Jesus teaches the disciples how to guard against this kind of an unseen enemy that can have disastrous consequences for them, not only for himself. </p><ol><li>Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees:  It starts of small until it infects everything with a lie.  It is a death of character and virtue.  Compromises truth and has eternal consequences.</li><li>Though done in secret, it is a hidden evil, that will be revealed!  You cannot hide your sins from God! This is a comfort to those who think evil will ultimately win in this world by disguising their deeds as good while serving their own interests, power, and gain.</li></ol><p> </p><p>The second line of defense Jesus focuses on in this very significant and timely teaching, as they make their way to Jerusalem where Jesus will be crucified, is to teach them the difference between security in God in the face of the fear of men.  Notice, there are two kinds of fear, one that implies punishment when evil is discovered and the other deals with awe and reverence of who God is.  Isaiah:  “Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips”.</p><ol><li>From verses 4 to 7 fear is mentioned 5 times.  </li><li>Twice he tells the disciples not to be afraid or fear in the face of what others would tremble at: those who persecute unjustly.</li><li>Fear what happens after death to those who act with hypocrisy!</li><li>Consider how much more valuable you are to God who cares for sparrows!  The safety you find is in his love for you both now and eternally.  See how value is determined: man sells dead sparrows for a pittance, but God values them!  If so, how much more does he value you?  This is a great mystery that many have trouble bel