Hypocrisy

Tough Questions  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 12 views
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Hypocrisy

“Never judge a religion based on its followers, but on its founder!”

Hypocritical Christianity

“There are so many people who are not religious at all who are more kind and even more moral than many of the Christians I know.”
If Christianity is the truth, why are so many non-Christians living better lives than the Christians?
Is this statement true? Why?
Good character is largely attributable to a loving, safe, and stable family and social environment - conditions for which we were not responsible.
One option is that people are Christian by name only, but a transformation has never taken place in the heart.
But there are those cases where someone really is saved, but morally looks inferior
Assuming that a person is truly a Christian, why do you think that there are many cases where Non-Christians seem to be or are more moral than Christians?
The disadvantage in making judgements of Christians character verse non christians character is that you don’t always know the starting points of the two people you are comparing. One of them may appear to be “worse” on the surface, when in fact they have grown so much more in character since they became Christians.
The disadvantage in making judgements of Christians character verse non christians character is that you don’t always know the starting points of the two people you are comparing. One of them may appear to be “worse” on the surface, when in fact they have grown so much more in character since they became Christians.
The disadvantage in making judgements of Christians character verse non christians character is that you don’t always know the starting points of the two people you are comparing. One of them may appear to be “worse” on the surface, when in fact they have grown so much more in character since they became Christians.
Now imagine that someone with a very broken past becomes a Christian and her character improves significantly over what it was. Nevertheless, she still may be less secure and self-disciplined than someone who is so well adjusted that she feels no particular need for religious affiliation at all.
Luke 18:9-14

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

Give example
Unless you know the starting points and life journeys of each woman, you could easily conclude that Christianity isn’t worth much, and that Christians are inconsistent with their own high standards.
To everyone else, the Pharisee looked like he had everything together
Many non believers have friends or relatives who have become “born again” and seem to have gone off the deep end. When arguing for the truth of their faith they often appear intolerant and self-righteous. This is what many people would call fanaticism.
The Pharisee came from a privileged background.
It is the Bible believing religious establishment that put Jesus to death.
“Christians I know are always arguing for their faith in an intolerant and self-righteous way. They are a bunch of fanatics.”
The tendency of religious people is to use spiritual and ethical observance as a lever to gain power over others and over God, appeasing him through ritual and good works.
The tendency of religious people is to use spiritual and ethical observance as a lever to gain power over someone. Religion gives people a sense of superiority over others. I’m better than they are!!!
Why do you think religious people tend to feel superior to others?
Most of the time this mentality is accompanied with the belief that God accepts people based on religious and moral performance
God cannot be manipulated by religious and moral performance…he can only be reached through repentance, through the giving up of power.
God cannot be manipulated by religious and moral performance…he can only be reached through repentance, through the giving up of power.
Luke 9:46-48

Who Is the Greatest?

46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

Even as Christians there can be this mentality of having power over people. The disciples were arguing about who was going to be the greatest. But Jesus made the incredible statement that the person who is the least among you is the greatest of all.
Why do you think there is this mentality of having power over others?
The effects of responsible Christianity
;

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

It is incredible the testimonies that Christians can have when their life is one of submission to Christ.
Unity
John 13:35

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Humility
Compassion
Play video up until 4:56
Pizza Party - Oct. 5th (Cameron will be in charge of activities....Pavel and Alina will be overseeing the event)
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more