30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 14 1-6 The evil of hypocrisy 02 Seeking glory from men
📖 Luke 14:1-6
13Nov19 - *Seeking glory from men* - _Luke 14:1-6_ - Bible reading: _I Thessalonians 2:4-6_
_Luke 14:2-6 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. (3) And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (4) But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. (5) Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" (6) And they could not answer Him regarding these things._
We saw yesterday that hypocrites will go to hell. Jesus made that very clear to the scribes and pharisees, the religious leaders. He called them as hypocrites and told them that they would go to hell.
We therefore began to look, seriously into the problem of hypocrisy and to look at the symptoms of hypocrisy in our *own hearts*. The two symptoms that we saw yesterday were, 1. Our heart is seeking after its own gain and 2. Giving importance to outward rituals, traditions, rules and formats and not giving importance to love God and be loved by Him. If the Lord is convicting us of these two symptoms, let us be quick to repent, turn to Him in trust and dependence, desiring His continuous healing.
The symptom of hypocrisy that we will examine today is the symptom of seeking glory from men.
_Matthew 6:2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have *glory from men*. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward._
Jesus was talking about elders, who believed in Him but were not willing to confess Him, for they loved the praise of men. _John 12:43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God._
The Lord Himself set the standard for us. _John 5:41 “I do not receive honor from men._
Paul and his team had a very successful ministry in Thessalonica. The word of the Lord spread everywhere from Thessalonica because of the quality of ministry that Paul and the team were able to do there, by the grace of God. _I Thessalonians 2:6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ._ Paul affirms this matter of not seeking glory from men again in _Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ._ To be a bond servant of Christ, we cannot be men pleasers and seek glory from people.
Today, when we look around us, it appalling to see the blatant manner in which Christian ministry is taking place. We seek to promote and market ourselves. Seeking glory from men is a symptom of hypocrisy. Hypocrites will go to hell.
*Thought to ponder*
```Is there an itch in your heart for recognition and importance?```