Title: Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees and Saints (Matthew 23)
Content br> Introduction:
1. The people Jesus rebuked and cursed the most were the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees.
2. What we learn about these people is to discern spirits and to protect our souls and the souls of our brothers.
Main subject:
1. The identity of the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees
1) Talking but not doing (Matt. 23;3,4)
2) There were hypocrisy and lawlessness, greed and debauchery. (Matthew 6:2,5,16,23;5,13,15,23,25,27,28)
3) He liked to be exalted by people (Matt. 23:5-7).
4) As unsaved people, many souls became children of hell. (Matthew 23;13-15,13,15,16,17,19.23,24,25,29,33,35)
5) He was greedy for wealth, fame, and school authority, and mobilized all means to protect it.
(Matthew 23; 5, 6, 15, 16, 18, 24, Luke 20; 47)
6) He was proud (Matthew 23; 6-7)
7) Wrong doctrine and wrong teaching. (Matt. 16;6-12,23;16,18 Mark.7:11)
8) They were spiritually blind. (Matthew 15;14,23;16,17,19,24,26)
9) He reigned over many people and lived in the glory of the world. (23:2,16)
10) Many people were killed to maintain the authority of the church (Matt. 23;29-32,37).
As Jewish religious people, they called on God, had the hope of waiting for the Messiah, believed in angels (except Sadducees), believed in the resurrection of the dead (except Sadducees), believed in the afterlife (except Sadducees), and believed in the reality of the soul. (Except Sadducees) (Acts. 23:8) And they were people who also performed religious ceremonies according to the law (Matt. 23:23, Luke. 18:12).
At the time of Jesus, these people had good family families, studied a lot, and were highly respected by many people.
But these were the children of Satan, marked by Jesus as eternally cursed by God (Matthew 23;13,5,16,23,25,27,29,33,35-36).
They were the ones who had been rejected by God as the ultimate unchosen people.
2. Saints (children of God, people of God, sheep, elect, remnant, servants of God, members, the righteous)
1) The saints are those who have received the forgiveness of sins through faith through God's grace and the salvation of their souls by becoming righteous. (Ephesians 2:8-9, John.1;12.3;16,5;24,Rom.3;20-28,4;1-9,5;1-2)
2) Saints are people who have the Holy Spirit in their hearts when they hear the gospel message and believe in Jesus. (John 7:39, Gal.3;2,5,14)
3) The saints are people who fight against the devil on this earth. (Ephesians 6:10-17)
4) They are people who live for the glory of God on this earth, hoping for the return of Jesus and heaven. (Rev. 22:20, Romans. 13:11-14, 1 Corinthians 10:31)
conclusion:
1. The saints must live as saints. They must not live like the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees.