We don’t always admit to the loyalties we live by. I know men who are only
Chevy guys, Ford guys, who will only ride an American made bike, and are glad
Harley has competition. When it comes to burgers, some will only eat at the
Golden Arches, the smallest of all major fast food chains believe it or not,
some are devoted to a certain shampoo, beer, color, TV show, or entertainer.
But under certain conditions will stray if needed, but not always as desired.
Years ago we attended church with a young couple, he was a chiropractor, and
espoused all the goodness of his trade, down to claiming he never ate meat, as
it was bad for you. So you can imagine our surprise, and really disappointment
when we attended a barbeque, and there he was, into the New York strip like
there was no tomorrow. A man of his appetite, not of his word or belief
statements, and we lost all respect for him. He later mumbled something about
the benefits of a steak and red meat, but they were lost in his gorging that
day. It seems that at any time we all can and will be hypocrites, some
admitting it and getting on, some in denial, some just there for the food.
Sadly we never know who in the audience is watching....
It seems that once we step over the threshold into a church service, we
suddenly become OK, and the threat of being a hypocrite increased
exponentially. Just ask someone you know who is having problems, and listen as
they praise God, and tell how all is well, when we all know different. Like the
vegan with a mouth full of steak, his words don’t match his actions, and we all
know it. But soon the lies take over, as someone told them, or us, we cannot be
hurting, we cannot have problems, once we become a Christian, they all go away.
So it is OK to lie in church, so as not to embarrass the body. WRONG!
Peer pressure can be the worst, as once having a bad headache, aren’t they
all, a pastor prayed with me, it didn’t go away, but I lied and said it did, and
he agreed, sadly we both knew it didn’t and didn’t have the integrity to admit
it. Didn’t want to admit we didn’t have faith or that God could heal it. We
have all been there or will go there, what part of the truth don’t we
understand? Do we think we are fooling God, or just our friends? Or just
ourselves.....I feel a headache coming....
Ananias and Sapphira, A&P, got swept up in the early church movement.
They wanted to fit in, wanted to be blessed, and wanted to bless God. Fact is
they wanted, too much. They wanted recognition, admiration, and praise for what
they did. What they got was death, for lying to the spirit brings death. The
moment we lie, or step into sin, we spiritually die, if only for a moment, until
we repent and let Jesus back in. Not all die like A&P did, but death is
still death apart from the holy spirit. We become nonresponsive, alienating
ourselves, and soon the sting of death is deepened, as others notice it. But
A&P never gave God the credit he was due, it was all about them, and no
competes with God and wins. Their lives were a pretense, a sham, not the truth
of the Bible, and God removed them. They thought they were deceiving God, but
he made it clear he will not be made a fool of. He knows our hearts, how they
will let us down, yet some wear the façade of Christianity as if it something
stylish. Never knowing Jesus, never repenting, never being saved. They may sit
next to us in church, and we don’t know it, maybe be on a church board, or worse
yet pastor a church, but God knows and knows their motives. From the Pharisees
acting religious to the faithful church attendee who denies Jesus, they are like
A&P, dead and don’t know it. Maybe a good time for self examination, who do
you say Jesus is?
Fortunately God is patient that none should perish, yet A&P did.
Sometimes God will remove a problem before it hurt others, like an operation
before the cancer spreads. He knows the heart, which sadly can be deceitful,
ever fallen in love than fallen out of love? God knows our heart, it is when we
know his that we are changed. And changing. Yet many still shop at the
A&P, thinking no one knows or notices, even believing their own lie unto
death. They were ready to open up their false gospel to all who would hear,
they were pretending to be someone they were not. God will always protect his
kids....
Fortunately we seldom meet intentional hypocrites, Ford guys will buy
Chevies, and sport bike guys may own a Harley. We may change eating habits,
even where we go to church, but when we try to change the gospel message of
Jesus Christ, God must intervene, and does and will. If you are walking a fine
line, if the cult you are in, whether JW, Mormon, or other is not fulfilling, if
anyone does not declare the deity of Jesus Christ as the only true son of God,
they are spiritually dead, and will be carried out like A&P. But again God
is patient, he knows each heart, those who truly believe, and those who still
search. But God still is in the redemption business, and when we admit our sin,
we were believing wrong, and turn to him, knowing he can make us right again,
then the hypocrisy ends. But if we don’t.....and God made it easy to do, just
turn to Jesus. Shop where his prices are the best, his fruit the freshest, and
his truth, the truth. Yet some still insist on shopping at the A&P, or like
A&P. Do the messages you hear sound like food ads? We can tell, can
you?
Pride keeps us from telling the truth about our weaknesses to others. When
our words fail, our actions tell a better story. What do your actions say about
Jesus? To those who tell me the church is full of hypocrites, I say “it may be
full, but we always have room for more.” And to those who when confronted with
the gospel and change the subject, “what about those in Africa who haven’t
heard?” To them I say “what about you, you have heard?” A great fear gripped
the church when A&P were carried out, they got the point God was making. If
shopping at the A&P is nothing more than “will that be paper or plastic?”
you need to consider Jesus and his offer. I know a man named Ford who drove a
Chevy, Henry Ford’s last ride was in a Packard hearse. I like veggies with my
steak, and will ride many different brands of motorcycles. But when it comes to
Jesus, it is either carry on or be carried out. Jesus Christ, shopping for a
savior has never been easier. He is the truth, ask yourself, how many times
must a person lie before he is a liar? Once is too many.....that cleanup needed
on aisle one may be you. Isn’t forgiveness wonderful?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com