In this passage, Jesus calls out the Pharisees and lawyers for turning faith into a show and a burden. The Pharisees looked good on the outside but their hearts were empty, chasing respect and honor while neglecting justice and love. The lawyers made religion heavy, piling on rules instead of helping people draw near to God. Jesus warns us, too: don’t let your faith become about appearances, and don’t make following him harder than it needs to be. Real faith starts in the heart, flows into authentic love, and points people to the simple truth of the gospel—believe, confess, and follow Jesus.

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Well, good morning. Good to be with you on this Friday morning. Hope you’re doing well and looking forward to a good weekend. Big weekend for sports—no matter who your team is, you’ve probably got a big game coming up. We’re heading down tomorrow afternoon to watch Southern play, and of course to see the Fighting Clarinets march—that’s always fun.

Then Sunday’s going to be a big day at church. We’re wrapping up our series on The Scripture Way of Salvation, looking at Wesley’s understanding of grace. And I’m especially excited because we’re going to dedicate our newly renovated prayer room. We’ve been working on it the last few months, and Sunday we’ll have a time of consecration and blessing as we open it up for folks to come and seek the Lord. So if you’re in the Jackson metro area, we’d love to have you at St. Matthew’s. It’s going to be a good day.

Today, we’re finishing out Luke 11. This is one of those passages where Jesus doesn’t hold back. Let’s read verses 37–54.

So, yeah—Jesus has some pretty harsh words here for the religious leaders. The Pharisees, the lawyers, all of them. And I’ve got to admit—verse 45 makes me laugh a little. Jesus has just been going in on the Pharisees, right? Calling them out for all the heavy, empty rules they pile on people. And then one of the lawyers pipes up and says, “Uh, Teacher… when you say these things, you insult us too.” And Jesus basically says, “Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got some woes for you too.”

Nobody’s getting off easy here.

The first critique is for the Pharisees: they were all about the outside. They looked good, they did the religious stuff, but their hearts were full of greed and wickedness. Their faith was for show. They loved the seats of honor, they loved being noticed, but they neglected what really mattered—justice and the love of God.

The second critique is for the lawyers: they took away the key of knowledge. Instead of helping people draw near to God, they loaded them down with burdens. Religion became heavy and complicated when it was supposed to be life-giving.

Both of those critiques are worth hearing today. First, the danger of outward religion. Like we said yesterday, true faith starts on the inside. If our hearts are changed, our actions will follow. But if it’s just for show—if it’s just about impressing people, or looking holy in a culture where religion gets you respect—then it’s empty. And honestly, it can be dangerous. Outward religion without inward change becomes a weapon. It turns into self-righteousness, a way to judge others instead of a way to love God.

Second, the danger of making faith harder than it needs to be. I had a conversation this week with someone worried about their salvation. They asked, “How do I know?” And I said, Romans 10:9—“If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved.” That’s it. Believe, confess, follow Jesus. Yes, we grow, we repent, we walk with him—but the gospel is not about piling on extra rules, or saying you have to worship this way, or agree with me on every doctrine. No. Just follow Jesus. Love God. Love your neighbor. That’s the heart of it.

So, Jesus pronounces these woes on the Pharisees and lawyers. And while we’re not them, we should take the warnings seriously. Don’t let your faith become a show. Don’t put burdens on people that Jesus never asked them to carry. Instead, focus on the heart. Let God change you from the inside out. And then let your life be an authentic reflection of his love.

Alright friends, thanks for being with me today. Monday we’ll step into chapter 12, and Jesus is going to keep rolling—he starts with a warning against hypocrisy. So, buckle up. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you then.