Beware of leaven - Matt. 16:5-12 - Sermon Videos

MESSAGE NOTES

Matthew 16:5-12
1. Jesus taught that we should be extremely cautious in regards to the disastrous effects of erroneous teaching, which he compares to the leaven of bread.
Exodus 12:14-20; 13:6-8
2. The children of Israel celebrated Passover, the holiday commemorating their salvation from Egyptian slavery, by removing all traces of leaven from their homes.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
3. Paul rebukes both the sinner who continued in his disobedience as well as the Christian community for tolerating his behavior.
4. Since Jesus is our Passover, we are to permanently remove the leaven of malice and wickedness from our midst.
malice - The desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.
wickedness – The quality or state of being wicked, evil, or morally bad in principle.
5. The forbidden leaven is explained as the following behaviors: immorality, covetousness, idolatry, reviling, drunkenness, and swindling.
Matthew 7:5
6. We must devote our attention to personal purity and self-examination before we help another with their sins.
Luke 15:7
Applications:
1. Jesus calls us to have a vigilant attitude towards sin in our lives, not allowing any compromise to breed.
2. The church is responsible for maintaining its holy identity by shunning leaven-like behavior and refusing to tolerate the unrepentant.
3. Ask yourself: what unrepentant leaven are you tolerating in your life?
4. Remember that God is a