COLLEGE DROPOUT Judas spent three years attending Jesus University. His mind was full of biblical truth. Judas heard all the parables and teachings of Jesus. He knew more about what Jesus taught than we do because only a small percentage of what Jesus did and said are in the Gospel accounts. Judas’ problem wasn’t information, it was transformation. He hadn’t been transformed. John 13:18-30; 36-38.
John the Baptist was a curious looking preacher. His attire was unusual, too. There was much about him that created curiosity as well. He had never cut his hair or beard. He wore a camel hair coat with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild honey. Matthew and Mark tell us that huge crowds flocked out into the desert to hear him. Yet John the Baptist was so humble even he didn’t realize the full extent of how God was using him as the forerunner of the Messiah.
When you are preparing to come to church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you than you are about connecting with God? Do you choose what you’re going to wear based on what other people will think about you? I know you can’t believe it, but some people actually come to church because they think it will help them in their business, or in politics, or will improve their social standing. Answer honestly: Why do you attend church?
Jesus warned about this kind of behavior in Matthew 6:5, “But when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” Worship does involve an audience. But it’s an audience of one.
Sometimes church members who have been around for a long time get jealous when a church starts paying attention to new people. That’s the “older brother” syndrome. You can recognize an older brother Christian because they are quick to grumble and complain. You want to say to them, “Come on in and join the party!” But they’d rather be miserable and stand on the outside with their arms crossed, a sour expression on their face…The funny thing is these are some of the same people who will go to a college football game and lift their hands in the air and shout “Touchdown!” Or, lift their claws, or hook ’em horns, or bend over and whoop-and they are happy when they do it! But they’re afraid things are going to get out of hand in church. Vance Havner used to say, “Some people are so afraid of getting out on a limb that they never get near the tree!”
Someone once said pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it. In the Catholic list of the seven deadly sins, pride used to be called vanity. The Dutch painter, Bosch, painted a picture of each of the seven sins and for pride and vanity, he painted the picture of a woman looking at her face in a mirror held by the devil. We can see pride and vanity in others, but we are usually blind to it in our own lives.
Have you truly repented of your sins? There is a huge difference between regret over your sins and repentance. Some people say, “Ooh, I’m sorry I did those things.” Or “I’m sorry I got caught.” True repentance does what Daniel says: You renounce your sin and change your behavior. Too bad, Nebuchadnezzar didn’t listen to Nebuchadnezzar’s advice, just like some of you will walk out of here today, thinking you can get away with your sin.
You can be religious, ritualistic, a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, and people around you will look at you, and they will say, “Oh, what a fine, religious, spiritual person he or she is.” And you’ll receive the praise of men. Or you can choose to live Godly, and one day the only applause you will hear will be the applause of the nail-scarred hands and he’ll say, “Well, done good and faithful servant.” Let’s just boil it down. Who are you trying to please? Are you into a religion or are you into a relationship?
To the Jew there were only two kinds of people: Jews and Gentiles. But when Jesus died, he made the two one, destroying the barrier. Are you reconciled with God? I hope so. But, are you reconciled to other Christians? Reconcile means “to agree.” Every month most of you receive a bank statement in the mail and you are supposed to reconcile the amount in your check register with what the bank says. If those two figures don’t agree, they are not reconciled and somebody is in trouble. What it means to reconcile with others is you agree with them. To be reconciled with God means you agree with God about your sinfulness and about how only God can save you.
The Bible says if we don’t humble ourselves, God has a way of humbling us. The secret to joy is found when Jesus is first, others are second and you are last. If you have selfishness and pride in your heart, turn from it and repent. Ask God to replace your selfishness with love and to replace your pride with humility. Guard the unity God has created.
