You turn on your Bible to Mark
chapter 12. Mark chapter 12. And as I said
to you earlier, I trust the Lord has given me a message for us
in this hour. I feel like I have. I feel like
the Lord has given me a word for us in this time that is relative
to this day in which we live in as sinners seeking salvation
in Christ Jesus. Now, In Mark 12 verse 38, as
the Lord was teaching the gospel in the temple, He uses this phrase
here, Beware of the scribes. Beware of the scribes. That is, take heed. Be on the lookout. Be very cautious. Very cautious. Now the title of the message
today is Warnings. Warnings to Believers. Or we
could have used this title, Beware of Self-Righteousness. Beware. Beware. Beware of the scribes. Beware of their doctrine. Beware
of their hypocrisy. This is the Lord's strong warnings
to us about seeking His favor, His salvation, and the forgiveness
of sins by something we do, by the deeds of the law. Well, by
the merit of the flesh, our Lord shuts us out on both counts.
There shall no one be justified by the deeds of the law. And
our best deeds before God, He says, are nothing but filthy
rags in His sight. So beware of seeking mercy, grace,
pardon, forgiveness of sin apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. Beware, beware. Now, nothing
is more dishonoring to God Nothing, with emphasis upon that word.
Nothing is more defaming to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Nothing is more destroying to the sinner's soul than self-glory,
self-centeredness, self-righteousness, or what some folks have called
religious pride. When the Lord of Glory gives
the instruction in Proverbs chapter 6 of those things that he hates,
number one on the list, religious pride. A proud heart. A proud
heart. God hates a proud heart. A proud heart. Religious pride. What does the Lord think about
that? I'll give you His words. Luke chapter 16. Turn over there. Luke chapter 16. I'm often reminded
of the words the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians. If righteousness
comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. And our Lord
says this. Those Pharisees. Luke 16 verse
13. No man can serve two masters
for Either he will hate the one and love the other or else he
will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God,
mammon, riches, self. The Pharisees also who were covetous
heard these things and they derided him. And here's what he says
to them. You are they which justify yourselves
before men. But God knows your heart. That
which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight
of God." Now that's pretty plain talk. The Lord of Glory reserved the
sharpest rebukes, the strongest reprimands, the strongest warnings
to the self-righteous. the self-serving religious people
of his day. You remember the words in Matthew
23, verse 33. Don't turn, let me just remind
you again. Our Lord spoke these words not once, but twice. He said to them, you are a generation
of vipers And continuing, if you continue to seek salvation
by your deeds, you cannot escape certain and eternal condemnation. The Lord had the strongest rebuke
for those religious lost people in His day. They were so active,
so busy, so zealous, but zealous for their own glory, their own
way. The Lord had the sharpest rebukes
for them while He gave comfort and hope to the lowly, to the
guilty, to the brokenhearted, those seeking salvation in Him.
He said, come to Me and I'll give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you and learn of Me. You see the difference there?
Oh, the sharp rebuke He has to that religious generation of
His day and our day. Now, let me give you this. The
Lord of Glory hedges His people about in the Word of God with
two things. He hedges us about with two things. The exceeding
great and precious promises, lest we despair of any hope.
For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him amen
unto the glory of God by Christ Jesus. He has given us eternal
and exceeding and precious promises that by these we might be partakers
of a divine nature. He has given us these great precious
promises that give the sinner hope of salvation in Christ Jesus. It's a good hope through grace,
isn't it? But also the Lord has given unto us exceeding great
and precious, and these are precious, warnings, lest we presume, lest
we suppose we know the true and living God, when in reality we
are just going about making a show. Now listen, if I would be your
true servant, if I would be the true servant of the Lord, and
a friend to your eternal bound soul, I must tell you the truth,
the promises of God, the good news of the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, but I also must be true to God's word, declaring
unto you what the problem is. Sin, what we are. The bad news
as well. There is salvation for sinners,
but only in Christ. There is no hope for sinners
who seek salvation apart from Him. This is a record God has
given to us, eternal life. And this life is in His Son. He hath the Son. The Son of God. God the Son hath
life. Those who are not one with Christ
do not have salvation. Not at all. The wages of sin
is death. That's the bad news. Should we
leave that part off? You'll never seek the proper
remedy until the disease is exposed. We must tell what the disease
is, what we are, sin, guilty before God. But the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now let me see if I can illustrate
it this way. If I knew that some tremendous danger was awaiting
you, Say I overheard a conversation in the store how someone was
planning and plotting to rob you, to plunder everything you
have, and to burn your house to the ground. Suppose I heard
that and failed to warn you, what would you say? I wouldn't
be your friend, would I? But if I heard such news, I would
run and Call the proper authorities and warn you. Danger lurks. Be careful. Be careful. If I
didn't tell you, I'd be acting like your enemy. Rather than
your friend. Now, this true story, this is
a true story. And serves to further illustrate
the point I'm trying to make. Down south years ago, I remember
my pastor telling us this story. He was raised in Alabama. Sometimes,
you know, down south it really rains hard. Like it does here
sometimes. But there was a truck driver
on his route, and he was driving through a tremendous downpour,
a tremendous thunderstorm. And as he proceeded down this
road, the waters raged through this little creek, and it wiped
out the bridge. The bridge was gone! He plunged
into the river, trucking off. And somehow, by God's grace,
he struggled out of the vehicle, climbed up and crawled up that
muddy bank. And the first thing that came
to his mind, I must warn others. So he ran out in the middle of
the road. And he started waving his arms.
Stop! Stop! Danger ahead! You know the people just kept
right on driving? Went right on around him? And they plunged
to their death. That's a true story. Finally
somebody stopped and realized this man was telling the truth.
He's trying to warn us. Warn us. Now we must both teach
and instruct the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and warn ourselves
of the dangers around us. It is the duty of the minister,
God's servant, to warn the careless, to flee from the wrath to come,
and to instruct sinners to look to the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 45 declares, Look unto
me, all ye ends of the earth. Look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. Now, I want you to find Colossians
chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. Let me
show you this from the Word of God. How the Apostle Paul, God's
servant, both was faithful to warn and to teach. This is Colossians chapter 1,
verse 25. Colossians chapter 1 verse 25. Wherefore, I am made a minister
according to the stewardship of God, the gift of God, dispensation
of God, which is given to me for you to fully preach the word
of God, even the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations,
but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom
we preach, Now, look at this carefully, verse 28. "...whom
we preach, warning every man, and teaching..." Now, there's
those two things, warning and teaching. "...every man, and
all wisdom that we may present, every man perfect in Christ Jesus."
Now, let me give an illustration of him doing that very thing.
Find Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Acts 20. These are the last words
and last words of instruction that the Apostle Paul gave to
the brethren from Ephesus. Acts 20. Take heed therefore
unto yourselves to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers, to feed the church of God. Now there's a
warning. Take heed. Beware. Beware. Feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For this
I know, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. Verse 31. Therefore watch. There's a second
warning. Take heed and watch. And remember
that by the space of three years I cease not to warn you, warn
everyone night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend
you to God, and the word of His grace was able to build you up,
and to give you inheritance among all them that are sanctified."
So there is that warning, and there is that teaching. There
is that good news, and there is that bad news. There is the
promises of God we're hedged about, and the warnings of God
lest we presume. Now, you'll find Mark chapter
12. Verse 38, Our Lord said to this multitude in the temple,
Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing,
love salutations in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the uppermost
rooms of the feast. They're devourers. They devour. They don't edify. They don't
build up. They don't instruct. They just
take advantage of. They devour widows' houses. And
for pretense, for a show, big show, they make long prayers. These shall receive greater condemnation. Now the Lord is showing us as
believers what to avoid. Any outward, pious, religious
show thinking that it will recommend us to God or cause Him to look
in favor toward us. He mentions special religious
attire, clothing that might make us look pious and religious.
Special titles were reverent salutations in the marketplace,
honor from among men, the chief seats in religious circles. And
then he warns us of being covetous, devouring widows' houses, taking
advantage of people. For the Apostle said the love
of money is the root of all evil. And then for a religious show,
make long pretense in public prayer. Beware of following such
men, for they shall receive the greater condemnation. The blind lead the blind. They'll all wind up in eternal
condemnation. Now I want to show you from the
scripture four warnings. As your friend, I must warn you.
As God's servant, I must warn you. I want to show you four
warnings given to us by the Lord. The first one is found in Matthew
chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7. That won't
take me long to go through these, but I want you to turn and mark
these in your Bible. Matthew chapter 7 verse 15. Matthew 7 verse 15. Notice he says, Beware of false
prophets. Beware of false prophets. which
come to you in sheep's clothing." Now, the false prophet doesn't
come forth in public and say, I'm the Antichrist. No, they come in a stealthy way. They come in a way of conniving.
They come in sheep's clothing. But inwardly, their motive is
like a vicious, ravening wolf to devour you, to take advantage
of you, You shall know them, verse 16. How are we going to
know them? Our Lord tells us how to spot them, these false
prophets. You shall know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns? No. Or do men gather figs from a
bunch of thistles, weeds? No. Even so, verse 17, every good
tree bringeth forth good fruit. What is this fruit? You shall
know them by their fruit. It's their message. It's what
they preach. Now listen carefully. Even so,
every good tree, that message is true to God. Bringeth forth
good fruit, honoring to God. But a corrupt tree brings nothing
but evil fruit. It's an evil message. It's a
man-centered message. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore
you shall know them by their message. You shall know them
by their fruits. you shall know them, shall you
know them. A corrupt message, and here's
what he's saying, a corrupt message, a false gospel, a corrupt message
from a false prophet cannot produce or bring life good fruit. A corrupt message will only produce
evil fruit. By their message you shall know
them, and here's the bottom line, who gets the glory in salvation? Is God done all He can do? The
rest is up to you. That's a false prophet. I must
warn you. That's God's servant and as your
friend. Turn over here to 1 John chapter
4. 1 John chapter 4. Here's one reference I'll give
you. Peter said, There shall be false prophets among you,
even as there were in times of old. 1 John 4 verse 1, he said,
Beloved, believe not every spirit. There are many false prophets,
but try them, try them by the word. Whether they are of God,
because there are many false prophets. That's who he's talking
about. Those who preach by the Spirit. Try the Spirit. Their
message. What Spirit? The Spirit of self?
The Spirit of self-righteousness? Self-glory? Because there are
many false prophets that have gone out into the world. Hereby
know we the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God, this is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof we have
heard that it should come, even now already is in the world."
Does that mean that everyone that says the name of Jesus Christ
is a true prophet? Absolutely not. But what he's
saying here, those who confess and preach Jesus Christ, His
person and His work, as successful as God, that man's sin of God.
Beware of false prophets. Here's the second one. Turn to
Matthew 16. Matthew 16. Matthew 16. Here's what the Lord
says to beware of. Matthew 16. We'll begin reading
at verse 6. Matthew 16 verse 6. Are you with me? I want you to see
these words. Matthew 16 verse 6. Jesus said
unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees. That corrupting influence, that
leaven that you put in the bread that affects the whole loaf.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, Is it because we have
taken no bread? Which when Jesus perceived, he
said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves,
because ye have brought no bread? He just fed the thousands. Do you not understand, do you
not remember the 5 loaves of the 5,000, how many baskets you
took up? Neither the 7 loaves of the 4,000,
how many baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand
that I speak not to you concerning bread, natural bread, that you
should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
Then, verse 12, understood they how he bade them not beware of
the leaven of bread, speaking naturally, but of the doctrine,
the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Beware of
false doctrine. Beware, beware, beware. The doctrine
of the Pharisees is still prevalent among us today. It is the doctrine
of works salvation, going about to establish a righteousness
by the energy of the flesh, rather than resting in the Lord Jesus
Christ alone. What should be our attitude toward
those who promote self-righteousness? That's a very strong thing. Find
2 John, 2 John, and there's just one chapter, right before Revelation,
Jude, then 3 John, 1 John. This is 2 John. I want you to
turn to 2 John and begin reading verse 7. Beware of the doctrine of the
Pharisees. Beware of false teaching and
false teachers. You see it's 2 John. Verse 7,
for many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not
that Jesus Christ has come into flesh. They confess not that
He's a successful, victorious Christ. This is a deceiver and
this man's antichrist. Look to yourself, that is, beware,
that you lose not those things which we have wrought or gained,
but that we receive a full reward, that is, salvation in Christ,
whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
Hath not God? He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath invoked the Father and the Son. If there
come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him
not into your house, neither bid him a good day. Godspeed,
for he that bid of him Godspeed is a partaker of his evil deeds."
That's strong, isn't it? Turn to Romans 10. Beware of
false doctrine. Beware of that Sadducee and Pharisee
religion. That teaches a self-centered
salvation. Man-centered salvation. Romans
10 verse 1. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is, they might be saved. For I bear
them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, being
ignorant of God's character, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God, the righteousness that comes from
God." Who is that? It's a person, Christ. Well,
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
that believes. Beware of the false prophet.
Beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees. Now, here's a third
one. Find Luke. Luke 12. Luke 12. Luke 12. At verse 1. Luke 12 verse 1. He says here,
beware of hypocrisy. Beware of hypocrisy. Luke 12
verse 1. In the meantime, when there were gathered together,
verse 1, a numerable multitude of people, insomuch that they
trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples, first
of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Read on. For there is nothing
covered, that's what hypocrisy is, that shall not be revealed,
neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever you
have spoken in darkness shall be heard in light, and that which
you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon
the housetops." What's he saying here? It's useless to be a play
actor before God. He knows your heart, our heart,
our thoughts, our intent afar off. So beware of hypocrisy. As I told you before, this word
here means to play the part, an actor, an actor. Beware of
pretending to be something that you're not. The Lord sees through
all the paint and varnish of that unsound, unbelieving heart. The Word of God is quick and
powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing. to dividing
asunder soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the intent
and thought of the heart. He knows our thoughts of thought. Hypocrisy is futile. God knows all things. He knows
all things. Now, over in Matthew 23, you
remember what he says about those hypocrites? Matthew 23, if you
want to turn over there with me for a moment, Matthew 23,
verse 25. He calls these same religious
men, the scribes and Pharisees, you're hypocrites, verse 25,
Matthew 23. For you may clean the outside
of the cup and the platter, but within you're full of, oh man,
extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse
first that which was in the cup and the platter, the outside
may be clean. Woe unto you! Woe unto you! Woe
unto you! Scribes and Pharisees, you are
hypocrites, for you are like whited sepulchres out there in
the graveyard, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within
you are full of dead men's bones. Even so outwardly you appear
righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity. Beware! Beware! The Lord looks
on the heart. The Apostle encourages us in
2 Corinthians 13. He says, examine yourselves whether
you be in the faith. Prove your own self. Know ye
not your own self, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you
be a reprobate. Examine yourself. Don't be presumptuous. Examine your heart. Examine your
heart. Now here's the fourth one. Told
you there were four. In Luke chapter 12, here's the
fourth one. Notice verse 13. Luke 12 verse
13. And one of the companies said
unto him, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance
with me. The Lord said, This was a covetous
man. And he said unto him, Man, who made me to judge over your
inheritance? Verse 15. He said unto them,
Take heed and beware Beware of covetousness, for a man's life
consists, if not, in the things which he possesseth. Now, he
illustrates that with a parable, Luke 12, verse 16. The ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plenty. And he thought within himself,
saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow
my fruits? And he said, This will I do. I'll pull down my
barn and build greater, and there will I bestow all my goods. I'm
going to store them all up in my new barn. I will say to my
soul, Soul, thou hast much good left for thy years. Take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry. God said unto him, Ye are a fool,
ye are a fool. The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God. This night thy soul shall be
required of thee. Then whose shall those things
be which thou hast provided? Verse 21 now, So he that layeth
up treasures for himself is not rich toward God. Beware of covetousness. Why would the Lord instruct us
in this area? Well, I think that we have the answer to that found
in Colossians. Turn to Colossians again, this
time chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Beware of a covetous spirit.
And here's the reason why. Colossians 3 verse 4. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. Colossians
3 verse 5. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection,
evil, concupiscence, all manner of lust, and covetousness, which
is idolatry. Having a lustful, covetous heart
is an unbelieving heart. It's a heart that does not find
its delight resting in the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians
10 verse 14, the apostle writes these words, Wherefore, my dearly
beloved, flee idolatry. Flee it. 1 Timothy 6, Godliness
with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this
world, and in certain we can carry nothing out. Let us, having
food and raiment, let us therewith be content. Hebrews 13, let your
conversation be without a covetous spirit, and be content with such
things as you had. For he has said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The
Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Warning, beware, beware. Now, I trust, this is my closing,
I'll send you home with these words, I trust, I trust, and
I pray, over the nearly almost now 16 years that I've been standing
before you, I trust over these years that I've been faithful to God's
Word. Faithful to the Lord. True to His Word and true to
your soul. Not perfectly. I don't want you
to listen to me because I have no imperfection. I'm full of
it. I want you to look beyond me
to Christ. I point you to the Lord Jesus
Christ. But I trust I've been faithful to the Lord and faithful
to His Word as much as in me is. To your soul both to teach
you the way of salvation in Christ Jesus, for there's no other.
There's no other way. Neither is there salvation in
any other but in Christ. For other foundation can no man
lay than that which is laid, which is in Christ Jesus. I pray
that I've been faithful to declare unto you that salvation is of
the Lord. I have made that the center of
my message. Salvation in a person, the Lord
Jesus Christ. It's not by works of righteousness
we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. It's God
who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to God's own purpose and grace.
I've declared unto you that salvation is in Christ. Is that right?
Some of you have heard nearly every message I've preached here. And I trust I am also faithful
to warn you of the dangers that are lurking in the darkness and
depravity of our own sinful hearts. The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I, the Lord,
search the heart. I try the reign to give every
man according to his way, according to the fruit of his doing. Don't
trust your own heart. People say, well, if I know anything,
I know my own heart. No, you don't. That's contrary
to the word. The heart is deceitful above
all things. Don't trust your heart. Trust
Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. They say, well, I don't know
much, but I sure feel like I'm saved. Don't trust your feelings.
Don't trust your feelings. What was it the old reformer
Martin Luther said? Feelings come and feelings go
and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the word of God.
Nothing else is worth believing. Don't trust your feelings. Don't
trust an isolated experience. Look to Christ now in your heart. I trust that I've declared unto
you the truth. and to warn you to flee from
the wrath to come and find your total refuge of salvation in
Christ Jesus. And I trust, you can say with
the Apostle Paul, I count all things but loss that I might
win Christ and be found in Him. In Him. In Him. The righteousness
which is of God. The righteousness which is of
God by faith in Christ Jesus.