THE KING ’S BUSINESS
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to the gallery” is like his hearers a hypo crite. “ Unto his disciples, first of all, Be ware (or “First of all beware”) of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” He turned from the multitude to the few. The crowd came eager to hear the preacher score conspicuous hypocrites. It has mor bid delight in that, and severally dodges the sheriff irj the mob. There is - more profit in addressing the few than the many; let earnest soul winners, preachers' and teachers remember that. Jesus won indi vidual Simon, Andrew, James and John, Nicodemus and the woman of Sychar, where does it say that He won the crowd? 3. The Leaven of the Pharisees. Leaven is in Scripture a type of false doctrine. Matthew 13 :33 is no exception.. Consider 2 Thessalonians 2:7, where we might read “The woman’s leaven doth already work.” Pharisaism makes hypocrites. Those who profess righteousness by works, or sinless perfection teach Pharisaic leaven. The man who in the temple openly pleads “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13), is neither Pharisee nor hypocrite. Men wear wigs to cover baldness; women paint to hide ugliness; none mask but for fear of recognition. Hypocrites hide themselves because ashamed of themselves. Physical perfection needs no padding, nor painting. We need not expose our defects, but should not cover them to appear what we are not. Honest worth is willing to pass at its in trinsic value; like Christ the “Crystal Christ.” What a word! that— honest ! It wears no fig leaves. II. T he C ure of H ypocrisy . 1. It Shall B e Exposed. Consider: “ There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known.” It did not avail Adam to hide himself (Gen. 3:10); nor Achan his theft (Josh. 7:22, 23) ; nor Gehazi his graft (2 Kings S:26, 27); nor Ananias his fraud (Acts 5:3). Meanness like murder “will out.” How would you feel to be stripped naked in public ? your soul, I mean. “Keep clean,” mother used to say, “if anything
should happen how ashamed you’d be.” That is if accident should lead to exposure. Now there is no “if” in the moral matter! Jesus would have us to “see ourselves as others see us” and shall see us. For let hypocrites consider that they deceive them selves, not others. Men soon see through their disguises. Though others (hypo crites) flatter them that they are taken for what they pretend, not what they aré. They keep their fingers from other’s masks lest others should tear away their own. This fashionably bedizened lady—who does not know that her beauty is but paint deep, and her body and soul a mere lay figure advertising her tailor and her inanity? She is not covered but already revealed. 2. Fear of God’s Displeasure. Féar of man makes hypocrisy, the fear of God cures it. Men fear to be known for what they are; to speak naked truth; to follow sound convictions; to do the unconventional; to face the world’s contempt; to bear the hate of godless business, politics and society. But what of God! to lose His fellowship; to face His contempt; to incur-His wrath. The worst of the World is wreaked on the body; "No more that they can do.” But God—Who is not done with body or soul— can cast both into hell (Rev. -20:11-14). Remember, Christ was no hypocrite; He tells the truth! T hink of that . Fear God, never man. 3. The Faith of God. Not a sparrow, not a hair left out of account, much less an honest man, His “noblest work.” Trust Him—“Dare to be a Daniel.” Don’t draw your shade at prayer time though all the king’s presidents and princes lie in wait under your window. Stand erect—at the sound “of the cornet, flute, sackbut, psal tery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick,” though the princes, the governors, the cap tains, the judges, the treasurers, the coun sellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces fall down and worship the golden image the antichrist sets up. Fear not him who after the firey furnace can do nothing but wonder and own you were right and himself wrong (Dan. chps. 3, 6).
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