- Do you consider yourself a true fan? If so, of what? What are the characteristics, in your opinion, of a true fan?
- Read Luke 11:37-41. What were the Pharisee’s astonished over and why? In what ways do people attempt to be “clean” on the outside but neglect the underlying heart issue? In what ways has the church discipled people towards behaviour modification and not heart transformation? Have you ever set the bar high for other people’s behaviour/attitude but allowed yourself a great deal of slack? In what ways does the Christian community act hypocritically?
- Read Luke 11:42-45. What did Jesus’s first 3 “woes” accuse the Pharisees of doing? (Note: in Jesus’s time, interacting with graves would make one unclean/defiled, so it was paramount that graves of the dead were marked in order to be properly avoided.) Which is easier for you – to be generous, to act justly, or to love unselfishly? Why? What is the difference between reputation and character?
- Read Luke 11:46-53. What were the 3 “woes” Jesus accused the teachers of the law/scribes of doing? Review Genesis 4:1-15 and 2 Chronicles 24:20-27. How did the religious leaders in the OT treat God’s messengers and why? What barriers have been built, intentionally or unintentionally, that hinder or even completely prevent people from coming to know Jesus?
- How transparent are you about your life with at least one other brother or sister in Christ, so that selfishness and hypocrisy could be called out? How do you react when someone else points out discrepancies between scripture, your proclaimed faith, and your behavior/words/choices?
- How often do you include confession in your prayer life? How would confessing your sins to the Lord and to others help avoid becoming hypocritical like the Pharisees?
- Read Psalm 51:10 each day this week asking Jesus to show you any areas where you may be acting hypocritically, judging others, or keeping people from knowing God.
“In the cross I see myself for who I really am and I see Christ for who He really is.”
