Summer Reading Series 2023 Week 3
Sharable notes for the July 23, 2023 message. You can post these notes on your social platform!
Scriptures used: Matthew 23:1-7; 25-28; Romans 2:1, 17-29; 3:28,31
Passages referenced: Titus 1:15-16
If you’ve ever been frustrated by those who claim one thing and live out another, so was Jesus.
Hypocrisy isn’t just a Christian problem, it’s a human problem.
What some people define as hate in followers of Christ is actually hate for sin. Intolerance of sin is not hatred of people. Those two things are not the same.
It’s not what you do that earns your relationship with God, it’s what Jesus has already done.
Apart from Christ we are all under the dominion of sin. Apart from Christ we all fall short of the glory of God.
If there is a standard we are falling short of, rather than walking away all together, shouldn’t you explore deeper what that is, or better yet who that is?
We all have to acknowledge we are a mess, and we all have to acknowledge there is a God who loves us in our mess and through our mess.
“Grace empowers obedience, obedience doesn’t empower grace. As a result, we can’t expect to see everyone’s obedience journey looking the same. We all begin at different places.” Wade Bearden
The church is a divine concept from an infinite God filled with and led by finite humans. We can’t expect finite people to be perfect in something created by one who is infinite. But God still chose to work this way.
The doors of the early church were open to the oppressed, the staunchly religious, and everyone in between. Because we all need the gospel.
Love uses truth to bless others, but the sinfulness of our flesh will use truth to exalt self.
The cornerstone of Christianity is not the people who call themselves Christians, it’s Christ. If you’ve walked way from Christian faith because of people, you’re putting your faith in the wrong place - you’ve put it in people instead of in Christ.
We need to always remember that the good news becomes bad news when we’re bad news. It’s hard to attract people to a gospel of grace and truth if we exemplify a life that contradicts that.
Jesus had zero tolerance for hypocrisy, but he’s got unlimited grace for sinners who need forgiveness.
Reflect or meet with someone to discuss:
How do you define or describe hypocrisy to others?
How have you seen hypocrisy in the church or amongst followers of Christ? How have you seen it hurt the church?
Would you say hypocrisy is not just a church problem, but a human problem? Why or why not?
How do we balance being a people of truth and grace?
Is there anyone you need to apologize to who you exalted your self over and condemned rather than love them? Is there anyone you need to forgive for doing this to you?
Click the image to start a new 3 day devotion in YouVersion:
Hypocrisy happens when a Christian professes to love and follow Jesus, yet their actions reveal something entirely different. We’re all vulnerable to hypocrisy. But how can we avoid it and instead live as God calls us to live – with a real, loving, sacrificial faith? Join Bible teacher Berni Dymet from Christianityworks to explore how you can live an authentic life that’s filled with God’s love and grace.