Stop Faking It! - Why We All Hate Hypocrisy, Part 1

One can cause lifelong relationships and suddenly were destroyed the credibility of an honored person or institution. One word hypocrisy today. I'm beginning a new series that takes a look at this issue will find out what the Scripture says about it and how you and I stay with welcome to this Tuesday edition of living on the shipping Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry bring the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram today. Chip begins a new series called stop making it the next couple of weeks I'll be exploring what the Bible has to say about how to escape the riches of the person living a life of Jesus. So let's get started enjoying Chip for his message from James chapter 5 why we all hate hypocrisy, do you remember the first time that you pasted hypocrisy. I mean the kind of hypocrisy that I mean it was ugly. It was distasteful. I don't mean it was mild.

I mean it wasn't light and someone really pretended or projected genuine concern and love. And then you realize behind-the-scenes is ripping you off and that's why I brought my black holes like it is precious to me. It may look just like a black Volkswagen but this end comes off and that's you can undo that. It still has on the bottom it says Avon Volkswagen wild country aftershave now. Believe it or not. In about 1973. This was really cool and I had a little collection of these my mom that her sister someone gave me this little black Volkswagen and I mean it was really cool and I'm on the basketball team. High school and right next to me. We had his wire lockers. We could see inside and right next to me was Harold who was the star of the team and so afterwards I'd shower you know take out my precious thing. Naturally guys can see this they had little cars, hoping to just some cheerleader would smell me walking down the hall and so here looks a dozen wild chip that is so cool, that is so neat, that is so cool. What is a really hard to get. I think those are some needed boys someday somewhere I sure would like to get one of those in a moment of weakness to the star player on thinking you know I mean I'm not a Christian anything about Christians are supposed to be loving that I just had this legally feeling well up in my heart like I would like to be kind and it was a different car was in a Volkswagen still have this one and I said Harold I would give it to and he took it, smiled, and then he went to American American there, look at this. Even these things are really hard to get. I got Ingram just gave you soccer and then he stuck in his locker slammed shut and put the lock on the heroine. He became an enemy giving you soccer me and yeah you guys. He was 6 foot 3 1/2, about 225 or he'd been in trouble. About 134 59, but the stealing and the hurt and the pain and anger and I lost total respect that. I mean it was a bait and switch. He actually pretended to like me drew me in.

Took my stuff and stiff arming you member when that happened, you member the first time someone really liked. They like to care for you and then just took a knife and stabbed member. One was. So I you I learned I learned to be suspect, like you've learned I learned to put my guard and I learned when people talk, listen, I put your low filter and I know there's angle and I know there's a span I'm always looking for you. What's insincere and we've all learned right we play the game but there's a few arenas in life where even in a fallen world. You expect people to be authentic right and there's a few little arenas left that you think I mean if this person says they really love you. They really care for you. This is true there's a few arenas where you expect it can be hypocrites know places like the church and then what you find out is it there hypocrites there to since were doing low memory line walk here. Do you remember the first time that you tasted hypocrisy in organized religion. Remember I me mine is like right here I was 11 years old I went to a bit more formal church.

It was really beautiful had this huge A-frame and all stained-glass window and the light would come in and is huge.

About 40 or 50 foot cross that went across the building and and you know when you're 10 or 11. I believe God begins sister and draw you and II didn't understand it but I wanted to get near to God.

The minister got up and said if you really love God and want to help out when you have a workday and was mostly for men.

Can I go help do something for God to be okay so I'm out there unit digging in the weeds and doing all kind of stuff and I come into the church kitchen to get Drinkwater and there's a group of the church leaders in the kitchen is situated where I can look in and there's the kind of worship area and I can look out over here and there's these guys sitting down and the behavior is immaterial, but they were participating in a behavior that I've been told is wrong, and these are the church leaders doing it all sitting around outback and you know 11-year-olds are real smart, but they're not domino intimacy. On Sunday they say don't do this and read a church workday in the doing that and then I I got a little closer and I started listening to her guys cussing and swearing and making crude remarks and then even some comments about Jesus in this and I'll never forget is 11 I step back and I thought this is a con.

This is a shame that all this stuff about Jesus. This is just a little moral straitjacket they give to little boys like me to keep me in line and when I come of age.

I go out and sit like them and realize the whole thing and I vividly remember my mind thinking I never want to be like and I walked into that worship center. I looked at it with all the religious jazz and I thought you something I don't know much about God either. But there the leaders so their God must be a lot like them.

I don't want anything to do with them and I don't want anything to do with and you just think, at least in the church are people who pay the truth or your parents are thinking to pay the truth and and then you get this hypocrisy may not know about you, it tasted awful and I just enough there was anybody I could trust.

I have pretty self-righteous night and then on unwanted junk from anybody anytime and then as you grow older, something happens.

This is the scary part you member the first time as we go down memory lane yet one more time. When you are looking in the mirror one day a little bit of personal reflection and for the first time at significant levels. Not like I goofed up a little bit. Were you saw hypocrisy in you. Remember that for me it was high school I was a skinny kid back then I was desperately insecure now and still desperately insecure but the difference back then was I thought I was the only one subbing desperately insecure and thinking you're the only one I learned this again. I found in the locker room with the guys. I could swear I would cost and if there's a loose ball.

I would dive after it and get people's face when I would dream of a guy would reach it. I'm getting with elbow and bust his nose and say do it again, you get more and I one very big but I was mouthy. You can imagine this was Mr. tough guy and I befriended the biggest, strongest guys on the team to back me up and then I found is that that was really not a good image for adults. Adults like you to be polite, the all American boy get good grades do civic things and then I learned that that works the locker room that works with adults and beginning college but with girls can be sweet and you gotta be smooth and you gotta manipulate and so you act sensitive and if you play that game can get what you want. I I remember the day looking in the mirror when I realized in the dictionary under 2 million was the picture of a lizard and a picture of Chip Ingram and a chameleon is a little lizard that when it's in brown leaves turns brown when it's in bright green grass.

It turns bright green. It just meshes, and with who ever and where ever and that was me about my junior year in high school. I remember a series of circumstances that allowed a girl guys from the team and adults to be in the same room that I became the center of attention, and I realized whole. Who should I be and I had this distance in my soul and I realized what I don't like I don't like me at all if you been there are some people that you know they think a lot better if you know it's it's again it's a shame see we all hate hypocrisy. I hypocrisy and other people. I hate hypocrisy in the church in organized religion and I hate hypocrisy in the now, finally, did you ever wonder how God feels about hypocrisy of God had a top 10 where hypocrisy land would be like you. Numbers one, two and three. It's not that big a deal, but don't do it would be like you don't ask murderers and multiple affairs and adultery like eight, nine or 10. Where would it play out.

Do you think you have to wonder you know what it is.

It's a 10+ the harshest words that have ever been spoken on this planet by the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus were around the areas of hypocrisy remember Matthew 23. Beware of the scribes and the Pharisees, those whitewashed tombs, those blind guides is brood of vipers, hypocrites. He said beware he said the harshest, most significant words of reproof ever uttered on the earth toward the most religious people on the planet. God hates hypocrisy. In fact, he hates it so much if you would leave through your Bible and get beyond after Jesus rose from the dead memo in the early church begin to grow and this this new power. This resurrection power and noise. It always, if it's authentic, it always ends up in love toward one another and early church when they were selling their possessions in the report people and hurting people and many of them were slaves in their being kicked out of their families.

Following this Messiah and they would bring their money and say hey just help people and they didn't didn't didn't in acts chapter 4. They tell us a quick picture of a story of a man who gave very generously in acts chapter 5 the very first discipline that occurs in the early church occurs.

And guess what it's about about hypocrisy Ananias and Sapphire.

And remember that story you know that they see all the people get all the strokes and Ananias is hey honey, we think we've got this lakefront property loose translation here and we can sell that and say we's know we got this much money for what we really will just give part of the way McKee think and still get our cake and eat it to everyone will think mask that were holy and generous and devout, but then will get the keeper stuff.

So Ananias walks in and tells Peter. Oh I love God so much I want to help people so much I want to give this and Peter says, why have you lied always and you read the text, whom he drops dead, his wife comes in later and Peter is a quick dialogue to find out if she's in on the deal. He looks her right now it says the feet of those secure.your husband carry you out, to whom she drops dead. Can you over hypocrisy's murder. He just projecting what wasn't true. Can you imagine if God judge hypocrisy in the church like that today. You have to listen to the rest of this message on tape. But why, why is it such a big deal to God turn the page and let's find out. And the reason is explained in Ephesians 5, 1 to 14 and in these 14 verses God is going to reveal why you hate hypocrisy and why he has zero tolerance for it as well.

She begins in verse one it says therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children and walk in love how, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us in offering and a sacrifice to God is a fragrant aroma. If you have a pen pull it out and circle the word therefore anytime there's a therefore in the Bible you need to discover what that therefore is there for in the book of Ephesians is an amazing book where the first three chapters talk about new life birth new identity that would a person receives Jesus as their Savior follow him follows him as the risen Lord.

The spirit of God comes into your life is like a caterpillar that has a brand-new birth becomes as a new identity and you are loved in your accepting your secure and you have an inheritance power. The same power that raised Christ in the dead dwells in you. In the first three chapters talk about new life birth new identity, new inheritance, new blessings and the second half in books is now, since you are totally new and transform lives in a way that's already true. Now we pick up in chapter 5. Therefore, this is what it looks like to live this new life. There's two commands for every Christian to follow. Following these are not transfer missionaries were for pastors or for ministers or for holy nares or holy jobs. These two commands for every Christian command number one mimic God. The word where it says imitate the Greek word here. We get our word mimic mimic God. How the way children in a healthy family mimic their parents think on if you have a second birth and have a relationship with God through Christ. Here's a command mimic God had a couple over for dinner Thursday night and so there every once a week and they bring the little 18 month old over to grandma and granddad and faith.

They just clear a whole day, and that little 18 month comes over and it's really cool ring the doorbell, just so the little one can get the experience in grain and drama open at all high soap this last week recently. This little 18 month old comes up and looks at the grandma puts his hands on his hips and goes so is mom and dad cracked up and then her her husband. He agreeably stop and everyone's laughing and she's gone. What's the deal you come on honey, are you serious, and they began to tell her every time something happens when you do you put your hands on your hips and you so when children are loved and in a healthy environment they mimic those who are in the home unconsciously. You know their parents and say okay now try this ready for chance I have slow one they just picked it up and God says when you are a child of God. You've experienced the new birth a new identity and you are a new creature in Christ mimic God. What's that mean mimic his kindness mimic his holiness as a child in a family, take on and mimic the characteristics of the holy, loving, kind, compassionate God, and it plays out to the second command and love people and how we do love people the same way Jesus love people, was that what it says in a warm, accepting authentic, selfless, sacrificial manner love people to the point that it cost you with the text say who gave his life and love people, not for what they'll do for you not to gain strokes love people as an act of worship. What's it say is a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God is with you to build his case and it starts off with this premise. Every Christian needs to mimic God and love people. That's the positive side now notice the negative side, verses three through six is to give to warnings for every believer to heat but I sort of contrast but in contrast to mimicking God and loving people do not let immorality or any impurity or greed.

Even the name among you, as is proper among the saints or believers, and there must be no filthiness and silly talk. Of course, suggesting which are not fitting the idea for God's people, but rather the giving of thanks for this. You know with certainty. I mean this isn't up for grabs.

This is an upper debate this you know is a fact that no immoral or impure or covetous man, who is an idolater, has inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

So morning number one if you're a child of God. By contrast, mimic God and love people don't don't use people don't don't live this other, like in the notice. A second warning.

Let no one deceive you with empty words group for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience to warnings for every Christian to heed number one, don't use people to satisfy your selfish possible agenda, especially with regard to human sexuality. If we had time to develop it.

All those words I underline immoral impurity, greed, filthiness, silly talk course. Just think they all do a word study on my have they all have sexual connotations, loving people is about giving and serving and wanting what's best and doing whatever it takes for their benefit lost is about taking and getting and using and abusing and grabbing and satisfying to love is about them. Less is about and he says if you can walk in love.

You can't be involved in sexual morality. That's why it's so tragic.

What were saying. When we see people in ministry and people in churches living in sexual morality because lust is not loving.

Whether you're single or whether divorced or whether you're married and some guys coming on to you when any man any time anywhere gives you this line or insinuates that if you really love him you go to bed with him know for sure that he does not love you he lust for you and he can be sweet and he can manipulate anger make you feel very very special. But what this is about is him and his lust in his desires, and you will end up if you love someone, you want what's best for them. If you lust for someone you want what's best for you and the notice of second warning is don't let anyone deceive you into thinking that selfish, lustful me center behavior is compatible with mimicking God and loving people. You can't compartmentalize following Jesus in sexual immorality. Don't mix following Jesus and being a greedy, self-centered, lustful person.

Don't mix following Jesus in line at work. Don't mix saying I love God and living according to my own selfish desires means unhip and that's why I hated the church and that's why I hated me and that's why many of you hit the church and why you hate other people and yourself and guess what, you're right in line with Don on this one.

He hates because it produces pain damage to talk more about his teaching today, but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chips message why we all hate hypocrisy is from his four-part series stop faking it. It's true. No one likes a hypocrite.

Opus aspires to become a hypocrite, but we all know there are certain levels of hypocrisy, we turn to allowing our lives so is it really possible to live without hypocrisy. Absolutely in this series stop faking it. You'll learn the biblical principles for building a life of integrity and how to overcome hypocrisy in both your personal and public life. Not only that, but you will be strengthened with some effective ways to keep from falling back into hypocritical patterns for limited time, the CDs of stop faking it are available at a significant on-air discount price and the MP3s can be ordered free of charge for complete ordering details call us here at 1-888-333-6003, or if you prefer to shop online. Just visit our website LivingontheEdge.org and while you're there, check out the companion series were discounting transformed the miracle of life change to great series lots of discounts. Check it out today will chip as we begin the series hypocrisy is an exactly word any of us really likes to think about was what seemed at somebody else and then we tend to be all over it. The why is that yeah Dave, I think that is so true. We all see it so quickly and others and it just is so repulsive they said this in their acting this way. They told me that, and yet their behavior. Their attitude is so different and I think this really goes back to when Jesus was teaching and talked about the. The plank in RI and sorted the little splinter in other people's I think this is deeply rooted actually in our human nature and the fact the matter is, is that we all have blind spots were all hypocrites. No one lives consistently hundred percent of the time, but in this series of working as gently as possible. I take you to the book of Ephesians and working to learn how we can take the plank out of RI and live far more in alignment and consistency with what's really true.

So here's my encouragement. It's only eight programs stay with this. If you miss one go online and listen to it the message.

Note you can get right there. I think we will all be happier if were less hypocritical in the way to do that is ask God through his Spirit in his word to move in our life and so stay with me for the next eight programs and I think we can have a great journey together. The message notes trip just mentioned are a great way to follow along and get even more out of the teaching chips message notes containers outline scripture references and questions that will help you get the most from every program. Best of all the notes are completely free.

Just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click listen now if you prefer to use your phone or tablet. These same notes are available on the chip Ingram up with every program. Simply Fill in notes and your set will find the chip Ingram map at Google employee or the app store will now here's chip to wrap up today's broadcast. As you listen to today's message. What came to your mind, you know, to 1° or another, all hypocrites are only unfortunately even though we know that what we tend to do instead of saying all, let's address that we tend to just back away and say well since everybody is to some degree or another. I don't feel so bad about it. But God has a better plan. In fact, I believe the most attractive aspect about Jesus life when he walked on the earth was his authenticity.

What he said and what he was was exactly the same and I believe that light drew people to him and I believe God wants that in your life and in my life to ever more significant degrees, and I pray that you can stay with us for the next seven or eight days so that you can become more authentic in your heart, your life, your speech, and every single relationship just before we close to thank those of you make this broadcast possible through your generous giving Living on the Edge invests those dollars to purchase her time create programs and provide resources to help Christians live like Christians if Living on the Edge is been a blessing to you.

Would you prayerfully consider sending a gift today. You can donate online at http://livingontheedge.org or by calling us at 1-888-333-6003.

Thank you for your partnership with us will I hope you will be with us again tomorrow is chip continues our current series. Until then, this is Dave thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge