A crowd had gathered to hear the Savior, but they pushed and shoved and treated each other with “insulting neglect” (Greek Lexicon). They were purportedly there to hear the truth but failed to see the incongruity of stepping on one another’s toes. Though they may have thought they were displaying a passion for Jesus’ words of life, as they treated each other “with rudeness and insult” (Greek Lexicon) they also trampled underfoot the gospel. And so, as many thousands gathered, Jesus determined to speak only to a few.

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, [Jesus] began to say to His disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

(Luke 12:1 ESV)

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees . . . Now, that’s for sure a command to obey.

If you’ve been around any bible teaching at all you know that leaven, or yeast, is often used as a symbol for sin. Because what’s true of yeast is true of sin, it spreads. Just as a “little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1Cor. 5:6), a little bit of sin in one area of life, when left unchecked and unremoved, eventually grows and spreads to infect every area of life, and even to lives beyond our own. So, it makes sense when Jesus says to those who are in Him, “Beware of the leaven . . . “

But what grabs me this morning is the specific leaven Jesus is referring to here. We’re not just talking generic sin; we’re talking something pretty particular. We’re talking the leaven of the Pharisees. And lest His followers weren’t quite sure of what that was, Jesus gets even more particular-er. Beware, says Jesus, of hypocrisy.

Beware of playing a part, as an actor would on stage. Give attention to the natural propensity to pretend, to simulate, to feign an outward righteousness you know doesn’t line up with an inward reality.

Hypocrisy, that’s the little leaven in a disciple’s life that can spread imperceptibly and leavens the whole lump. The faking it in one area of following Jesus which, if not dealt with, can become a prevailing facade over many areas of following Jesus.

And what are the beginning stages of hypocrisy? How might that little bit of leaven be detected in one’s life? What might be an indicator that would trigger us to beware of some acting going on in our lives? Well, how about the ancient practice of wearing a mask when on stage? How about covering up?

A lack of transparency. An absence of anyone in our lives with whom we are totally open. Totally open about everything. Not only sharing our successes but our failures. Not only presenting candidly our strengths but our weaknesses, too. Not only talking frequently about how well our followership is going but also confessing freely how much our flesh continues to get in the way.

Just like our first parents, our “go to”, so often, is to slap on a couple of fig leaves, cover up, and keep pretending that we’re walking in the cool of the day with the Lord as He’s told us to. To think that by hiding ourselves from the perception of men we can, like Adam and Eve, hide ourselves from the presence of God (Gen. 3:7-8). But Jesus tells those with ears to hear that it doesn’t work that way.

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”

(Luke 12:2-3 ESV)

Remember, Jesus isn’t addressing the many thousands, He is talking to His closest circle, His disciples. And what’s He saying? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy, a little leaven that leavens the whole lump. The whole lump of my life, the whole lump of my local fellowship, the whole lump of the church’s witness within our culture. Can’t help but think that my complicity in the heart-breaking fall of so many of our famous and celebrated brothers over the past several years is this, the little leaven of play acting, the unseen yeast of cover up. The hidden sin of excusing sin, of failing to repent of sin, no matter how small that sin might be. If I’m covering that up, what’s it growing into — within my own life, within my own church, within the body as a whole? If I’m wearing a mask and play acting, how’s that spreading? If I’m unwilling to be transparent and authentic with anyone in my circle, how’s that seeping into other circles? What kind of ripple effect might it have?

A little bit of cover up here, a little bit of play acting there. It might just be seen as a little bit of leaven but beware of it, says Jesus.

Forgive me, Lord, for tolerating even a little of hypocrisy’s leaven. I confess my sin.

Thank You, Lord. That through the finished work of the cross, You purge from me the leaven of hypocrisy as You continue to be “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn. 1:7-9) — even the unrighteousness of a little play acting here and a bit of cover up there.

Thank You, for Your abundant grace.

To You be all the glory.