authenticity vs. hypocrisy
march 2025
There’s not a single person reading this article that doesn’t understand how much better being authentic with others is compared to being hypocritical. Hypocrisy can be described as, “saying one thing but doing another.” Being authentic is being consistently real and true with ourselves and others. Biblically speaking, Jesus often accurately described the scribes and Pharisees as being hypocrites and He didn’t say that as a compliment. After pointing out how they like the best seats in the house, and the places of honor at the feasts, and they do everything they can to look good and clean on the outside, Jesus was not happy with their masquerade.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” (Matthew 23:13)
For those of you who don’t know this, any time Jesus uses the words, “woe to you” to another person it’s used as an expression of intense grief, misery and misfortune that lies ahead. It’s a warning for those who are heading in the wrong direction to change course soon!
Jesus was very displeased with the people who were seen as the religious leaders in that time acting in the exact opposite way Jesus acted. Jesus cared more for others than He did Himself. He didn’t come for applause of man, but for the pleasure of His heavenly Father based on His love for others. Jesus said He didn’t come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). Anytime we consider ourselves to be more important than others--even when we think of ourselves as being better behaved or more righteous than others--we’re moving toward becoming hypocritical because the Bible clearly tells us we all come with a sinful nature.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
This verse reassures us that we are no better than anyone else. In Luke's gospel account, Jesus tells a parable comparing the prayers of a Pharisee (religious leader) to the prayer of a tax collector (public enemy #1 of the Jews). They both go to the temple to pray and the Pharisee thanks God for not making him like the rest of the sinners in the world. He even names the tax collector as a person he’s glad he’s not like! Then he reminds God of all the good things he’s been doing. The tax collector’s prayer is very different. He cries out to God in anguish and asks for God’s mercy for his sinful behavior. Here’s what Jesus said about the two.
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
You’ve probably heard me remind us all that Jesus continually tells us that, “whoever wants to be great must be a servant to others”, “the first will be be the last and the last will be the first”, “the meek shall inherit the earth”. He’s saying those things to remind us that we’re not better than anyone else, so rather than spending out time judging others, we should love and care for them. We should offer grace just as Christ has done for us as sinners. Remember the story about seeing the speck in someone else’s eye when we’re ignoring the plank in our own eye? Rather than see others as being less than who we see ourselves to be, we should… no, we must … be humble in our self-evaluations and be authentic by seeing ourselves in the same light as we see others. We need to remind ourselves that we have this in common, we are all sinners saved by grace. Remember when they brought the woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery? Here’s what Jesus told them,
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)
People who have flaws shouldn’t criticize other people for their flaws. I love this quote, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
Let’s stay humble together and lay down our stones so we can love others as Christ has loved us!
~Pastor Ric
TIME FOR A HEART CHECK-UP
fEBRUARY 2025
Our Faith Missions Weekend here at Wildwood is one of the most important times of the year for our church. I really do put it right up there with Easter and Christmas. Why? Because the results can help us see where we are as a church. I believe our generous commitment to give to other ministries in our community and around the world identifies healthy hearts in our church. Many churches will measure their success by their attendance, membership, or baptisms. All of those things are important, but there is something that should be even more important than those measurement tools.
The success of a church can be measured by the condition of the hearts of the people who attend. Our hearts drive everything that we do. We read in Proverbs 4:23 --
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
If your heart is not well, your church will be in trouble, but if the hearts of the people who attend your church are healthy, it will bear much fruit! That's God's goal for His church. Jesus tells us in John 15:8:
"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
Jesus compares a person's heart to the soil in a field in Luke 8:4-15. He tells us that different hearts will receive the gospel message in different ways. We often think of that parable as a teaching for the initial reception of the gospel to be saved, but Jesus doesn't say that is all it means. It may also include our ongoing recepition of the teachings of God found throughout scripture. For example, consider what we read in Philippians 2:3-7 --
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."
This passage speaks of the well-known biblical axiom, Value others over yourself. The Apostle Paul is inspired by God to tell us that we should do nothing out of selfish ambition, but rather with humility consider others to be more important than ourselves. Proof of this comes with our involvement in the lives of others. Rather than looking to our own interests, we are to focus more on the interests of others. Paul explains that this is the mind of Christ, therefore we should share it with Him as believers and followers of Christ. The example Jesus gives goes without saying. He gave all of Himself to do whatever the Father wanted Him to do as a servant -- including giving His life as a ransom for many.
I've heard people say things like, "That was Christ, that could never be me." Or, "Certainly God doesn't expect us to offer ouselves to others the way that Jesus gave of Himself to us?" But actually . . .He does. God is shaping us to be more like Christ in spite of our selfishness. When we're receptive to God's truth and act upon it, we can be sure that it will bear God-honoring, good fruit. Here's an example of how we're called by God to give to others:
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth." --1 John 3:17-18
This passage points out two things. To begin with, God's love changes us to act differently, and secondly God's love which is manifested* in and through us can be seen by our actions and not just heard by our words.
*(The word manifested used here means: to offer evidence or proof)
It never hurts to have a heart check-up to consider the condition of our hearts and see if they are healthy. Take some time to notice where the Spirit may be working in your life. What fruit do you see? If there is not fruit, consider if the soil of your heart is soft and receptive to the good seed of the Word of God. Ask the Lord where He wants you to serve Him and to show you where you can demonstrate God's love by selflessly offering yourself.
Things like our Faith Missions Offering is an offering outside of what we're committed to give to the church. It gives us all a chance to check the condition of our own hearts by seeking the Lord for what He would have us give to others outside of our walls. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21 --
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Where is your heart for the people and things of God? Ask yourself that question. I am confident that you will respond well because I believe that He who began a good work in you (in your heart) will carry it on to completion!
~Pastor Ric