Masks

I'm tired of the masks. Everywhere you turn, everywhere you go there are people in masks. I wish there was some way that a masks wouldn't be necessary, but for so many people they are just that. They make us feel safe, we feel comfortable, and we feel like we can fit in with the rest of the crowd. But masks can very easily be our undoing.

We see what sort of company we keep when we wear a mask:

"For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." (2 Cor 11:13-15)

Jesus accused the religious people of His day of wearing a mask. They would parade around in masks made of religiousness, pretending to care for the laws of God, for the poor, for the lost. But really, they didn't care much beyond making sure their religion was seen by others. They didn't put others' interests before their own. They didn't sacrificially love one another and give to those in need. They didn't let the law of God penetrate their hearts, melt that rough exterior, and really love people. Jesus called us to love and He showed us how to love in His life and in His words. 

The antidote to hypocrisy is authenticity.

Some people wear a mask because what they really think or how they really feel isn't acceptable in "polite society". Don't let society be the judge, for "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy." (James 4:12). No, society isn't our judge to tell us what is right is what is wrong. Instead, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Pt 1:3). 

Therefore, judge "for yourselves what is right" (Luke 12:57) and if this judgement doesn't line up with what is revealed in God's word maybe it's time for a heart-check.

Ask yourself if you need to wear a mask to hide a sinful thought, wouldn't it be better to repent and to be authentic?

How are you showing the love of God to others?

Disciples Making Disciples: Mission Sunday

Motivation matters. Jesus's teaching shows us that just as in our day, there were people in His day that were more interested in receiving the praise of the people around them than they were about honoring God. Our worship to God is very personal, but it is not always private. With this public nature of our singing praises to God and praying to Him, comes the risk that we can be more interested in the good feelings we get from it than humbling ourselves before our God and Judge.

Jesus addressed this one way in the passage we have been discussing these last few weeks. In Matthew 6, Jesus is giving His Sermon on Mount and He warns us against the dangers of a public display. Jesus says that when we fast to be seen, that is, when our heart is not in the right place, we forgo any rest and reward God would have for us in the New Age. Instead, Jesus says, "they have received their reward in full".

Another time Jesus gives us this warning is in Luke 18. Here, Jesus tells of a man so proud in all that he had done and is doing for the Lord, all he seems to do is boast about the good work he has done. He compares himself, wrongly, to the man next to him. This was a man who was humble and conscious of his sin and his state before the Lord. Jesus explains in Luke 18:14 that it is the humble heart that receives forgiveness.

Motivation matters. It's not simply that the work of the Lord in the here and now cannot be discussed. In fact, the opposite is true. This morning, we will look at a few passages that news of the Lord working through the church is to be shared and celebrated. Let us give glory to God, "sing praise to him; tell of his wonderful acts." Psalm 105:2. An outsider might look at all the things Paul was doing for the church, but by Paul's own humble words we know that it is the Lord's doing (Acts 21:19).

So, when you have a chance in the coming week, know that when you share with a friend or a stranger some of the mighty ways God is working in your life, that when your heart is in the right place you are serving to bring others to His glory.

Spiritual Disciplines: Piecing it Together

There's been times in my life when I feel like I'm just fighting against the wall. I'm not making progress. Nothing seems to change. Now, I'm not one to shy away from hard work. I've held a few different jobs over the years and worked hard at each of them. I don't mind if I have to dig a ditch, but when it seems that all I do is dig a ditch one day and fill it in the next, it starts to wear a person down a bit. I want to know that I'm making a difference, even if it is a small difference to some, I know that to others I have a chance to make all the difference in the world.

So why do I feel stuck sometimes? Well, for starters, we sometimes have a hard time seeing the progress we are making. We cut ourselves short, we can be overly critical, and we don't see the positive impact we are having on others. It's so easy to pick apart my work or my day and call everything a mistake. I could over analyze myself to death if I'm not careful! You need to know that you're making a difference in ways you may not realize in the moment. I think back to Christians I still look up to to this very day and I realize I haven't told them yet what a difference they've made in my life. Know that when you seek the Lord, others will follow.

Other times, I feel stuck because I'm just not getting the kind of traction that I should. I've got worries, doubts, and fears bogging me down and keeping me from being all that Christ has called me to be. Some of us want to progress on the path of discipleship to rise to the call of growth given by the Hebrews author: Hebrews 5:12 "By now you should be teachers. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the first things you need to know from God’s Word. You still need milk instead of solid food." This is a strong admonishment and one that we should take seriously.

This morning, we'll look at one technique necessary for progressing as disciples: building. We'll look at how we can start combining these practices we have been learning about in ways that equip us to face the battles life throws at us.