The Mold of Empty Religion
ALL IN • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 9 viewsNotes
Transcript
Take Offering for church in Yarnaby, OK.
Review ALL IN season. Purpose for the series: how where we are as The Shed is where they were then…
Review Last Week: Purpose, Process, and Promise
Contextualize before reading verses:
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.
6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.
7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.
9 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;
10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”
11 And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
Story about Warlock in Haiti…
We got to the place where he believed, but wouldn’t commit because he liked his power and his way of life…
But the scriptures say about Simon:
13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
Simon believed and was baptized!
This is a problem for me. It bothers me that he can have a conversion event that is the same as how the biblical author describes the belief and baptism of the Samaritans.
There is much debate in theological circles about the authenticity of Simon’s belief and baptism…
It makes it more comfortable to say that he was faking or that he didn’t actually believe, but the scripture uses the same phrase to describe his belief as any other belief that results in salvation…
This isn’t described as an alleged belief or an act he put on…
It is described as real belief and a real baptism…
I spent a long time studying Simon’s belief and baptism, I read several commentaries, scholarly sources, systematic theologies, trying to find someone who could say whether Simon was genuinely converted or not…
I couldn’t find a definitive answer.
I want a happily ever after story… But the scripture isn’t a fairy tale, it is real life…
And although we want to look down our self righteous noses at Simon, the reality is if we are honest, there have been moments when you and I are closer to acting like Simon than the Apostles in this story.
As I’m studying this scripture and praying about Simon’s conversion, what I’m seeing is not just Simon, but so many who may believe, and who even get baptized…
And they even become faithful to church…
13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
He continued on with Phillip…
I see many who believe and get baptized, even become faithful to church…
Casia and I were just having this discussion:
If we are expecting sinners to come here and be saved, what do we do during the process?
Throughout scripture we are confronted with the reality that although victory is available, humans still sometimes fail to grasp it…
Even in the New Testament! Even after receiving the Holy Spirit!
Peter has to be rebuked by Paul over preaching one thing, but choosing another in one instance.
John Mark is traveling with his missionary friends Paul and Barnabas, but abandons them in a moment of persecution.
The churches at Corinth and Galatia are both written stern letters of correction from Paul, not only because of doctrinal dispute, but because of behavioral issues!
Simon is described as a baptized believer, but slips back into his old habits:
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Remember, this is what he was known for!
His old life was built around gaining the attention of those around him with magic…
So it turns out, you can believe, get baptized, and still struggle with your old self…
So I’m asking the Lord, “What will this look like for us to walk through the process of refinement with new believers, who have a tendency to slip into their old habits, walk in their old footsteps, and need teaching and admonition and encouragement and correction?”
I know the process of correction in Matthew 18:15-17
15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.
17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
I’ve taught these principles. I know what it looks like to see these principles carried out on a personal level.
I have seen these verses used well and used poorly.
But these verses don’t answer the practical questions I have about who is allowed to do what things in the church…
For example:
I know of a church who is strict about tithe for anyone who serves… First of the month, as soon as you get paid, or you can’t serve.
On the other hand, I know another church that didn’t even have giving boxes…
Some churches have strict rules about what you can post on social media, what you wear, where you can go, where you shouldn’t go, what habits are acceptable and which are not…
On the other hand, Some churches are so open and inclusive that nothing is wrong. You can live however you want and still make it…
So my questions swirled as I was in prayer, but God brought two scriptures to mind and both speak to the same concept: Progress…
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
As we encounter the Glory of the Lord…
3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
As we encounter the Glory of God in Christ Jesus… We are transformed by the renewing of our minds…
As we encounter God we are changed into His image, from GLORY TO GLORY…
That’s progress….
One of the topics of discussion any time leaders get together is what metrics should we be looking at?
It’s easy to track filled seats and dollar signs, but are those healthy metrics?
According to this scripture, Simon was both baptized and ready to give generously… but with a wrong heart..
I had a meeting with our leaders last Sunday where we listened to a clip from a leadership conference Casia and I had attended and one of the lines was, “We should be about growing big people, not just big churches.”
If our whole vision is that we grow disciples in here that embody Jesus out there, it has to be expected that if we are making progress GROWTH WILL OCCUR.
So what does growth look like? What does progress look like?
It looks like moving forward, going from GLORY TO GLORY… growing in a deeper relationship with God and people…
And it is the exact opposite of the other scripture God reminded me of when I asked:
13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
This is also progress… But in a different direction…
You know what they’ve been finding in most of these scandals that are sweeping the nation?
Patterns… Progress…
The scandals that occur are usually not a one time event, they are a culmination of proceeding fro bad to worse by impostors until they get caught!
That’s why we are so radical about transparency and accountability, because every day that we live progress is being made and as believers we are commended to encourage, admonish, correct, rebuke, and uplift so that the progress is from GLORY TO GLORY…
It may not be a straight line. There may be some bumps in the road, but when we take a step back, progress should be up and to the right…
If your habits are worse now than when you first began, you need to get saved!
The mark of a true believer is progress from Glory to Glory…
The mark of an imposter is proceeding from bad to worse!
In fact a few verses earlier Paul describes these same people:
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
Holding to a form of godliness…
Wait… You mean they won’t look like the evil villans on the cartoons?
No, in fact, they are described as lovers… but they are lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure, rather than being lovers of God…
These are the ones Paul says are imposters!
“Holding to a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof…”
I always read this as a denial of power talking about miracles and signs and wonders, but in the Greek, this is a bit more specific…
The word used for form here is “morphosis” which means embodiment, or in the shape of…
So they have the shape of godliness, but deny the power…
In other words, they look godly on the outside… They act spiritual in their own way… but are empty inside…
Because the power they have denied is not the power of something external, but the power to change internally…
They’ve given themselves over to the idea that they will always be this way, always struggle with this, and have stopped all progress moving forward:
9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all…
But we are called to progress from Glory to Glory…
Call Worship Team
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
There is victory available over sin!
There is power in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
This is more than just playing church, behavior modification, or fake it till you make it!
This is real transformative power available to you and me, if we will only lay ourselves on the altar and call on the Fire of God to refine us…
Talk about hidden sin and the need for accountability and transparency as part of discipleship.
Altar Call: You’ve been progressing in the wrong direction and you need to get back on track… Hidden sin keeps you going in that direction.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.
