Empowered Witness Week 13: "Dealing with Hypocrisy in the Church"

Empowered Witness Week 13: "Dealing with Hypocrisy in the Church"

The deceiving cup illustration:

Imagine walking into a beautiful, upscale restaurant. The ambiance is perfect, the lighting is just right, and the aroma of delicious food fills the air. You sit down at a pristine table, set with gleaming silverware and sparkling glasses. The waiter brings you a cup of hot tea, and the outside of the cup is spotless, shining like it has just been polished.

You lift the cup to take a sip, but just before you do, you glance inside and see that the cup is filthy. Old tea stains line the inside, and there's a grimy residue at the bottom. The outside of the cup may be immaculate, but the inside is disgusting and unfit for drinking.

Would you still drink from that cup? Of course not. Despite its outward appearance, the cup is unusable because it is dirty on the inside.

Transition to the Message:

This image vividly illustrates the nature of hypocrisy. In Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus addresses the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His time with a similar metaphor:

Matthew 23:25–28 ESV

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their outward show of righteousness while their hearts are far from God. They meticulously followed religious rituals and laws to appear holy before men, but their inner lives were corrupted by sin and greed.

Application:

Just like the cup that looks clean on the outside but is filthy on the inside, hypocrisy involves presenting an image of righteousness while harboring sin and deceit in our hearts. It’s easy to maintain an outward appearance of faithfulness—attending church, saying the right things, even participating in ministry. But God looks beyond the surface to the condition of our hearts.

Acts 5:1–11 ESV

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Today we are dealing with and uncomfortable topic: hypocrisy in the church. Last week we learned from verses 32-37 that the church was united and full of power. They were united in their mission, the word tells us “they had everything in common” They loved each other, they took care of each other. The church was exploding in growth, the numbers were astounding and then satan shows up trying to fracture what God has accomplished.

Satan can show up in many ways in a church but his favorite way is through the people of the church. All it takes is one. One person who finds themselves in satan;s grip can cause a lot of damage. In the case of Acts 5:1-11 it was two people, Ananias and Sapphira, this couple thought they could deceive the church, it’s leaders and the Holy Spirit, what the church quickly discovered was that God’s stance on deceit and hypocrisy is very serious.

I. The Context of Acts 5:1-11)

To understand this passage we need to understand satan’s character and agenda:

Satan has an agenda: Satan's agenda, as depicted in the Bible, is to oppose God and His plans, deceive humanity, and lead people away from a relationship with God. Here are the key aspects of Satan's agenda according to Scripture:

1. Deception and Lies:

Satan is often referred to as the deceiver and the father of lies. His primary tool is deception, which he uses to lead people away from the truth of God.

Scripture:

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44, ESV)

2. Temptation:

Satan tempts individuals to sin, trying to exploit human weaknesses and lead them into disobedience against God.

Scripture:

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." (Matthew 4:1, ESV)

3. Accusation:

Satan is described as the accuser of believers, seeking to condemn them before God.

Scripture:

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.'" (Revelation 12:10, ESV)

4. Opposition to God's Work:

Satan works to oppose and hinder the work of God in the world. This includes attempts to thwart the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the church.

Scripture:

"But Satan hindered us." (1 Thessalonians 2:18, ESV)

5. Causing Suffering and Destruction:

Satan aims to cause physical and spiritual harm. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

Scripture:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10, ESV)

6. Blinding Minds:

Satan works to blind the minds of unbelievers, preventing them from seeing the light of the Gospel.

Scripture:

"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:4, ESV)

7. Sowing Division and Discord:

Satan seeks to create division, discord, and conflict, both within the church and in the broader world.

Scripture:

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." (James 3:16, ESV)

Here are ways which satan has used all seven aspects of his agenda to destroy the church

How Satan Tried to Destroy the Early Church Using These Seven Aspects of His Agenda

1. Deception and Lies:

Satan's strategy of deception is evident in the account of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). By convincing them to lie about their donation, Satan introduced hypocrisy and deceit into the church. This event was intended to undermine the integrity of the church and sow distrust among believers.

Scripture:

"But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?'" (Acts 5:3, ESV)

2. Temptation:

Satan tempted individuals within the church to sin in various ways. For example, in the case of Simon the Magician, he tempted Simon to use the Holy Spirit's power for personal gain, which could have corrupted the church's mission (Acts 8:18-24).

Scripture:

"But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!'" (Acts 8:20, ESV)

3. Accusation:

Satan used external forces to accuse and persecute the early Christians. This is seen in the actions of the Jewish leaders who accused Stephen and had him stoned (Acts 6:8-15, Acts 7:54-60). These accusations aimed to intimidate and scatter the believers.

Scripture:

"And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council." (Acts 6:12, ESV)

4. Opposition to God's Work:

Satan worked to oppose the spread of the Gospel through persecution and imprisonment of the apostles. The apostles were frequently arrested and beaten, as seen in Acts 5:17-42 and Acts 12:1-5, to discourage their mission and disrupt the church's growth.

Scripture:

"But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 'Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.'" (Acts 5:19-20, ESV)

5. Causing Suffering and Destruction:

Satan's agenda included causing physical and emotional suffering to deter believers from their faith. The martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) and the subsequent persecution led by Saul (Acts 8:1-3) were attempts to destroy the early church through fear and suffering.

Scripture:

"But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison." (Acts 8:3, ESV)

6. Blinding Minds:

Satan sought to blind the minds of unbelievers to prevent them from accepting the Gospel. This is illustrated in Acts 13:6-12, where Elymas the magician opposed Paul and Barnabas, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

Scripture:

"But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith." (Acts 13:8, ESV)

7. Sowing Division and Discord:

Satan tried to create division within the early church. This is evident in the conflict between the Hellenists and the Hebrews over the daily distribution of food (Acts 6:1-7). Such discord had the potential to disrupt the unity and witness of the church.

Scripture:

"Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution." (Acts 6:1, ESV)

Now to our scripture:

The early church was experiencing remarkable growth, they believed in the same goals passionately, they were united in the mission of the church. So understanding these seven aspects of satan’s agenda helps us to clearly see when and how satan intended to destroy the early church.

II. The Deceit of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-2)

Scripture:

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. (Acts 5:1-2)

Ananias and Sapphira's sin was not in withholding part of the proceeds from the sale of their property. Rather, it was in their deceitful presentation of the gift. They pretended to give all the proceeds to the church while secretly keeping a portion for themselves. This hypocrisy aimed to gain the same recognition as Barnabas without making the same sacrifice.

III. God's Judgment on Hypocrisy (Acts 5:3-10)

Scripture:

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. (Acts 5:3-5)

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, exposed Ananias's deceit. The gravity of the sin is underscored by Peter's statement: "You have not lied to man but to God." The immediate consequence of Ananias's hypocrisy was his death. This was a divine act of judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of sin within the church.

Supporting Scripture:

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

The principle of divine justice is clear. God cannot be deceived, and hypocrisy within His church will not go unpunished.

Scripture:

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (Acts 5:7-10)

Sapphira, unaware of her husband's fate, continues the lie. She, too, faces the same divine judgment. This reinforces the seriousness of their sin and the unity of their deceit.

IV. The Impact on the Church (Acts 5:11)

Scripture:

And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. (Acts 5:11)

The judgment on Ananias and Sapphira served as a powerful deterrent against hypocrisy and deceit. The entire church, as well as those who heard of these events, were filled with a reverent fear of God. This fear is not merely terror but a profound respect for God's holiness and justice.

Illustration:

Consider a lighthouse keeper who faithfully maintains the light, ensuring it guides ships safely to shore. If he becomes negligent and lets the light go out, he puts countless lives at risk. Similarly, hypocrisy within the church dims the light of our witness, leading others astray and endangering souls. We must maintain the light of truth and integrity to guide others to Christ.

V. Application for Today

Examine Our Hearts:

We must honestly examine our motives and actions. Are we seeking recognition and praise from others, or are we genuinely serving God? Hypocrisy begins in the heart, and we must guard against it.

Supporting Scripture:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24)

Seek Accountability:

We need to cultivate a culture of accountability within the church. Encourage honest and open relationships where we can confess our struggles and receive support and correction.

Supporting Scripture:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

Uphold Integrity:

As a church, we must uphold integrity in all we do. Our actions should align with our words, reflecting the truth and love of Christ.

Supporting Scripture:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27)

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

7 For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”