Our Proclamation Jeremiah 23:5-6 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”

NEWS: “Premature Celebration costs Italian Motorcyclist the race” Ricardo Russo celebrates too early. He was leading in the final lap, but ended up 14th place (2012)

An “AHA!” Moment! “The Quality (Kind) of Ideas, Thoughts and Attitudes we have determines the Quality (Kind) of Actions we take!”

Jesus, the Pharisees & Sadducees Matthew 16:1-12 (NKJV) 1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

Jesus, the Pharisees & Sadducees Matthew 16:1-12 (NKJV) 5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” 8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?

Jesus, the Pharisees & Sadducees Matthew 16:1-12 (NKJV) 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Who were the Pharisees? Pharisees – mean “separated ones” – mostly middle class and popular with the people – believed in the Word of God (the OT) – added many other man-made traditions to the OT and believed that these traditions were EQUAL to the Word – proud of their self-righteousness and self-imposed rules, of their piety (appearing to be very religious) and they desire the praise of men

Who were the Sadducees? Sadducees – may mean “judges” or “controllers” – the elite, to whom the chief priests belong – desire to please their Roman rulers – did not believe in all the Word of God but mixes it with Greek philosophy and teaching – materialistic, worldly, doesn’t believe in the afterlife or in the spiritual world – proud of their self-righteousness because of their power and position

Key Words Pharisees – very religious outwardly – full of pride and self-righteousness – judgmental Sadducees – high and mighty – compromises with the world (mixture) – very carnal (does not believe in spiritual things) These two groups both rejected Jesus and sought to have Him arrested and killed. He called them a “wicked and adulterous generation” and warns us to “beware of their leaven”

The Exodus In Exodus 13:3-9 God commanded Israel to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (no leaven bread for 7 days)

“Leaven” means Sin 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Determined to drive out Sin (John 2:13-17) Jesus made a whip of cords and drove out of the temple all the merchants and money-changers. v. 17 (NIV) “Zeal for Your house will consume me”

Walking with Jesus – determined! 1. Is there anything that has 'crept' into you life that is now hindering your zeal for God?

Walking with Jesus – determined! 2. We are determined to drive out these worldly, un-Christlike ideas, attitudes and sins and make what is important to God important to us! Hebrews 12:1-2a (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.