The Leaven of the Pharisees

This Sunday, Greg teaches from Luke 11:37–12:7. Jesus confronts the Pharisees and religious experts for focusing on outward appearances while neglecting the condition of their hearts. He warns that religious rules and visible acts of obedience are meaningless when they replace justice, love for God, humility, and genuine holiness. Jesus identifies hypocrisy—not obedience itself—as the central danger, because pretending to be righteous cannot hide the truth from God, who sees and will reveal everything. Unlike the religious leaders, who placed impossible burdens on people without helping them, Jesus accomplishes what we cannot do and graciously gives us His righteousness. Therefore, believers are invited to stop hiding, confess their sin, and come honestly to Jesus, trusting that they are fully known, deeply valued, and transformed by His grace.