The Hypocrisy of External Religiosity
When you wash the dishes, you clean both the inside and outside, right? It would be silly to only clean the outside of a cup, for instance. And yet, this is what the Pharisees of Jesus’s day were doing, metaphorically speaking. They were “clean” on the outside, but inside, they were “full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). This is the hypocrisy of external religiosity.
External religiosity appears righteous, but it only masks internal corruption (Luke 11:37-41). It allows one to look “clean” on the outside, but on the inside, we’re still dirty. Jesus reminds us that God made both the inside and outside of us, so he is concerned with both. And will judge both. So, let us examine our hearts because the Lord will judge such hypocrites.
External religiosity deserves judgment (Luke 11:42-54). Because of their hypocrisy, Jesus calls on God’s judgment to fall on the Pharisees and the Lawyers (the theologians of his day). That’s what a “woe” is: a cry for divine judgment. So, next time you’re doing the dishes, remember – just as you would want to drink from a cup that is clean on the inside, so also, Jesus wants to use cups that are clean on the inside.
Christianity is a religion of the heart. And it is out of a clean heart that our works must flow. The good news is that Jesus cleanses us from the inside out. He gives us a new heart. And when what we do FOR Jesus flows out of a clean heart FROM Jesus, everything we do will be clean.
Listen to Sunday’s Message HERE:
Opportunities to Serve
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Volunteering in nursery or children’s ministry is a great way to get to know others at High Pointe and to serve our parents on Sunday mornings and other church gatherings. Reach out to Erin at erin@highpointeaustin.org.
God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents, and at High Pointe, we believe serving is how we use those gifts to bless others and advance His kingdom.
Whether you have 30 minutes a week or several hours, there's a place for you to serve in our children's ministry, as greeters, with the hospitality team, media/tech support, building and grounds, safety, community outreach efforts, and through administrative support. Reach out to find out more today: info@highpointeaustin.org.
Resources of the Week
Woe to Hypocrites | A Sermon by R. C. Sproul
Exposing the Religious Hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Scribes | A Sermon by Ligon Duncan
The Making of a Modern Pharisee | Desiring God
The Cure for Church Hypocrisy | TGC with Michael Reeves
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Evangelical Pharisees: The Gospel as Cure for the Church’s Hypocrisy by Michael Reeves
Life at High Pointe
Senior Adult Lunch | November 23
The Senior Adults are having lunch together after the morning service on November 23rd at the Luby’s on East Anderson Lane.
Family Christmas Singalong | November 30 at 5PM
Join us for an evening of carols, cocoa, and cookies. Bring your best voice and most festive treats!
Women’s Christmas Brunch | December 6 at 10AM
Save the date for the annual Women’s Christmas Brunch! This is a sweet time of fellowship and food. Register here by December 5th.
Fall Life Classes | Sunday at 9AM
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us! Click here to see our current Life Classes.
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
November 16 | Isaiah 40:1-11 | Pastor Robert Cline
November 23 | Isaiah 40:12-31 | Pastor Robert Cline
November 30 | Luke 12:1-12 | Don’t Fear Man. Fear God | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 7 | Luke 12:13-34 | Don’t Worry. Trust God | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 14 | Luke 12:35-59 | Don’t Waste Your Life. Be Ready | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 21 | Luke 13:1-9 | Now is the Time to Repent | Pastor Juan Sanchez
December 28 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: 9Marks
9Mark exists to help pastors, future pastors, and church members build healthy churches. To this end, 9Marks creates resources like books, podcasts, a quarterly journal, web courses, and more. They also host training events around the world. Their focus in everything is on nine marks of a healthy church—expositional preaching, gospel doctrine, conversion and evangelism, church membership, church discipline, discipleship and growth, church leadership, prayer, and missions. Why these nine? Because the Bible requires them, and, sadly, too many evangelical churches have neglected or assumed them.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours.
To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
